Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Head-to-Head
The hour is nigh to get the most noble version. GCN vs. PS2 vs. Xbox.
November 17, 2003 - When we first came up with IGN Insider, we took a long look at all of our existing IGN channels to find topics and areas we don't already cover; we searched for content that would be interesting to die-hard gamers and IGN fans alike. After thinking about issues that frustrate us, we discovered that there is one major trend that has emerged since the latest wave of gaming consoles sprang to life: developers frequently release their titles across multiple consoles. The editors at IGN try to do their best to write about each gaming system and objectively review all the major titles, but there is one thing we don't often do: compare games across platforms. Is Madden 2004 still worth a purchase on GameCube, or does the controller hinder the experience? Is Need for Speed: Underground just as thrilling on PlayStation 2 as it is on the often more robust GameCube and Xbox platforms? And where does the PC fit in?
If you're at a conflict every time a game debuts on multiple platforms, this feature is for you. The Head-to-Head series of articles cuts through all the different takes the editors have on games, compares the facts, and presents you with one uniform opinion on all the versions.
About Our Head-to-Head Comparison
The following comparisons were drawn assuming the highest level of available equipment. To be completely fair, we examine all versions with the notion that everyone has HDTVs, surround sound setups, wireless controllers, etc.
Example One: The PC version of a game features poor mouse and keyboard control, but supports controllers. We do not fault it for its substandard mouse and keyboard control.
Example Two: The PlayStation 2 version of a game supports four-player, but it requires the use of a multitap. The functionality is still there. We do not fault it for it.
Example Three: The GameCube and Xbox versions of a game support progressive scan, but the PS2 does not. The games all look graphically identical, barring the benefits of progressive scan. The result: an even tie between the GameCube and Xbox.
We highly recommend that you read the detailed reports for every area of comparison -- there are many facts that might sway your decision based on your setup.
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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (GCN, PS2, Xbox, PC)
Jordan Mechner's classic Prince of Persia series has long been regarded as one of the purest platformer/adventure titles out there. Always focusing heavily on puzzle solving and platforming, the Prince games have continually shaped the genre, often pushing it to new limits.
With his latest effort, the Ubi Soft published Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time has broken new ground, delivering lavish and truly gigantic 3D worlds for gamers to explore. It sets new standards in the technical arena with some of the most impressive art, animation and game mechanics we've seen in years. For fans of the genre, this definitive work is an instant classic that deserved your attention.
Available for GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and the PC, The Sands of Time covers many fronts. Is there any reason to own the stunning title on one platform over another? As usual, there is indeed. There are certain graphical differences, but also feature differences -- you get a little less and a little more with some of the platforms. So if you're thinking of picking up Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, this is a must-read.
[Note: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is not yet available for the PC platform. We will update later, closer to its ship date, with notes about its differences.
Features
There are scant feature differences between each version of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Ubi Soft has crafted a splendid adventure on all of the platforms, and it didn't skimp on hardly anything...which of course means there is something that makes them different.
Only in the area of extra features -- the bonus stuff -- does Prince of Persia become a different game on each platform. Here's what they have:
PlayStation 2 Extras
Prince of Persia 1
Prince of Persia 1 level remade in 3D
Not a whole lot, but it's the bulk of what you get on the other platforms. The real confusing part is exactly why certain things were excluded, like the making-of featurette.
GameCube Extras
Prince of Persia 1
Prince of Persia 1 level remade in 3D
Making-of Featurette
GBA-GCN link-up: Alternate way (completing game will do the same thing) to unlock Prince of Persia 1. Hook up to regenerate Prince's energy.
You get a little more than you would on the PlayStation 2 version. The GBA-GCN link-up is kind of placebo when you think about it. You can buy Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time on the GBA, play through it, locate three special switches that will unlock Prince 1, then go back to your GCN and open the feature. Or, you can just complete Prince on GCN and open it. Likewise, the ability to regenerate energy is a neat feature, but you should be ashamed of yourself if you resort to such a thing!
Xbox Extras
Prince of Persia 1
Prince of Persia 2
Prince of Persia 1 level remade in 3D
Making-of Featurette
Xbox Live Aware: Let's your friends list know you're playing a game.
Xbox comes with one major extra feature over the other two: the entire Prince of Persia 2 game. Other than that, it also has the same making-of featurette that the GCN version has. As a tack-on functionality it has Xbox Live awareness, meaning if you're playing Sands of Time someone can invite you to take a break and, say, play Rainbow Six 3 or any other Live title.
Choosing winners then is quite easy. Xbox has the most trimmings -- Prince of Persia 2 is a substantial addition (even if it requires some searching to unlock) -- and GCN is right behind it.
Make the note, however, that playing the unlocked Prince of Persia classics can feel a little weird on the current-gen controllers. You may not find them as worthwhile an addition if you can't get used to the control.
Winner Ranking:
1. Xbox
2. GameCube
3. PlayStation 2
Control
A platformer at heart -- or at least one heavy on the main character's feet -- Prince of Persia requires deft control. So choosing the game based purely on the controller wouldn't be too outrageous. The good news is all of them have the exact same available functions.
A Difference: Xbox and PlayStation 2 versions use the Right Analog button as a way to center the camera. GameCube requires you to double tap the Z-button.
We'd advise you follow your own heart on this one. If you own all three consoles, you've simply got to know which controller would feel best in your hands for a platforming game.
This decision should weigh heavily on the overall decision you make.
Winner Ranking:
1. GameCube/PlayStation 2/Xbox (Tie)
Sound
We'll cut to the chase on this one. Xbox has the clear -- pun intended -- advantage in the sound department. This goes whether you have a surround sound setup or not. Its clarity outranks the others, as it lacks the compression problems heard in the PS2 and GCN versions. However, even though the PS2 has some sound compression, it's not as bad as the GCN. The game sound effects don't fall victim to it as readily as the voice on GCN, which takes on a nasaly, more muffled tone. If you don't have the volume up high enough you can misunderstand what the Prince has said now and then.
Home theater enthusiasts with a kickin' audio setup should be pleased to know the Xbox has clear, balanced sound thanks to Dolby Digital support. Xbox and PS2 support DPLII.
Winner Ranking:
1. Xbox
2. PlayStation 2
3. GameCube
Difference between 1 and 2: medium
Difference between 2 and 3: minor
Graphics
We have seen Prince of Persia evolving on each of the platforms for many months now. Mostly we had seen the PS2, which impressed us first with the tight engine work and dazzling art. But the GameCube version, too, we saw occasionally in beta form and it impressed us with what we thought were simply "smoother" visuals. The Xbox, though, was hidden from our gaze for many months -- only recently before launch did we get a look at it. There were promises of big improvements over the other versions; Splinter Cell style lighting, for example was touted.
In the end, the differences aren't so drastic -- but they are definitely here in one form or another. They all have a decidedly different look in one way or another. Xbox's much anticipated lighting advancements are subtle. It's mostly the lighting blooms that are different; areas where you see light escape and fold around objects, brightly and brilliantly. The above screenshot should give you a basic idea of what the differences are at first sight, but you haven't heard the half of it.
GameCube, although we expected it to fall "somewhere in the middle" between the PlayStation 2 and Xbox as it often does, surprised us with its sharp, vivid display. Textures are actually more detailed at points and it doesn't suffer from the subdued, saturated look that it can often fall victim too. In the above screenshot you can see how much brighter and vibrant it is.
Xbox got the polygonal edge over the GameCube and PS2. But mostly only to Prince himself who has separated fingers and more rounded limbs in the Xbox version. The increase in polygon detail, though, in combination with the lighting seems to have given him a different-looking mug.
For most of the gameplay, however, these polygonal differences are not noticeable. The worlds themselves aren't more detailed on Xbox. The framerates, really, tend to separate the versions. At least when it comes to the PS2, anyhow, which suffers from definite choking now and then. It's frequent enough that it negatively affects your experience.
As for GameCube and Xbox, they run perfectly well at 30 frames per second most of the time.
For the final visual verdict, we keep being led back to the GameCube. The Xbox has superior lighting. It has more polygons. It should look better. Problem is, it really doesn't. These upgrades are subtle and don't have a sweeping effect. What we see is the brighter, more colorful worlds and seemingly more detailed textures in the GameCube version. And though everything we know says the Xbox version should look better, our eyes tell us otherwise.
We give the edge to GameCube then; it's clearer, more vibrant worlds show off the game in flying colors -- literally. Xbox is a definite recommend right behind it -- especially if you prefer the polygons over the overall coloring and clarity differences.
All three versions support only 480p progressive scan. No widescreen.
Winner Ranking:
1. GameCube
2. Xbox
3. PlayStation 2
Difference between 1 and 2: minor
Difference between 2 and 3: medium
Presentation
Minimal. That would be the way to describe the presentation differences between all the builds. It all goes back to the features sets. GameCube and Xbox seem to have gotten extra treatment; the GCN supports GBA link-up and Xbox has its Live awareness. However, Ubi Soft included that extra Prince 2 unlockable. Both have a featurette. But the PS2 really got gypped, losing out on the making-of feature and peripheral support.
Load Point GameCube PlayStation 2 Xbox
Boot-up 14 sec. 24 sec. 19 sec.
And the load times -- what load times? The boot-ups tell a vague story, but there is so little loading during the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time experience that it really doesn't matter.
We have to give the overall presentation pick to Xbox, since Ubi Soft did pay more attention to it with things like Prince 2. Only by a small amount over GCN, though.
Winner Ranking:
1. Xbox
2. GameCube
3. PlayStation 2
Difference between 1 and 2: minor
Difference between 2 and 3: medium
Final Verdict
Sands of Time threw us more than a few mysteries -- but we persevered and manage to understand them. If you're looking for overall appeal, not focusing on just one element like audio or visuals, Xbox gives you the most complete package; solid visuals, great sound, and more extra features than the others add up nicely.
Meanwhile, if GameCube is an excellent choice if you can get past the compressed audio. Run it in progressive scan on your TV (or not) and its visuals are more crisp, vibrant and impacting than the others. It doesn't have the polygon count of Xbox, but the overall display is vivid and impressive when compared to the darker, more dull output of Xbox and PS2.
As for the PlayStation 2, it still looks great but the framerate more than anything holds it down. If you don't mind that, it doesn't suffer from the usual flickering and anti-aliasing problems we usually see with the platform.
Finally, remember as we said: controller choice will and should affect your overall experience of Sands of Time. They all have the same features, but think about what will play to your hand best.
Look for our Video Head-to-Head soon.
Overall Winner
Winner Ranking:
1. Xbox
2. GameCube
3. PlayStation 2
- Best version for single player features: Xbox (Prince 2; minor advantage)
- Best version for videophiles: GameCube (vivid and crisp; minor advantage)
- Best version for audiophiles: Xbox (no compression, Dolby Digital; medium advantage)
- Best value/price: GameCube/PlayStation 2/Xbox (Tie)
¡Colabora!
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