Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones [PS2]

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time may have been better than we dared hope, but the first sequel was a weak follow-up. Warrior Within placed too much emphasis on combat and brooding darkness, and the series' spirit of adventure dimmed. As the final chapter of the so-called "Sands Trilogy," The Two Thrones makes a few missteps, but its smooth acrobatics, new combat options, and gorgeous Babylon environment make it the sequel we've been waiting for.

After a voyage home to rival Odysseus (following events of Warrior Within) the Prince and the Empress Kaileena return to his home near Babylon. They find the city in ruins, the great tower burning in the distance. Kaileena is killed, the Sands are released once again, and the Prince finds himself facing the results of his brash actions.

He's not alone, however. The Sands create a rift in the hero's personality, giving periodic rise to the underside of the Prince's psyche. This Dark Prince looks a bit like a refugee from Tron 2.0, but he's got a killer ranged weapon called the daggertail -- essentially a long bladed chain that will make God of War fans happy. Even when he's back to normal, the Prince sports a glowing barbed chain embedded in one arm as a reminder of his dark nature.

The daggertail offers a great way to tear enemies to pieces, and in open spaces the Dark Prince is supreme. But overall the combat here reminds us of the first Prince game. It's a little bit awkward and jumpy, but generally satisfying. The dual-weapon system from Warrior Within returns, so players have some cool combos to experiment with.

There's also a new speed kill system, which is essentially a way to bring stealth into play. When behind an opponent, the screen will flash and a brief multi-button combo begins. Players have to time strikes as their dagger flashes on screen. Speed kills are far from a given, however, as the timing can be tricky. Soon enough, the Sands of Time rewind ability will be used to retry a failed assassination, since a botched job often results in a load of extra enemies.

What we appreciate about speed kills is the way they bring the focus back to exploration and acrobatics. The system integrates easily into the game's adventuring, and it's pretty cool to be wedged into a narrow gap between walls, only to drop on a pair of unsuspecting enemies, leaping back and forth between them with a flashing dagger. And while it's frustrating to use your sand reserves to rewind a missed kill, taking down an enemy quickly refills the tank, easing the pain.

Acrobatics have evolved as well. The primary addition is the ability to plant a knife in plates embedded in many walls, from which he can hang or pause in the middle of a wall run. These add extra challenge to the acrobatics, as timing of each knife plant is crucial. The Dark Prince can also use the daggertail to extend wall runs by wrapping it around light fixtures.

In every case, the acrobatics on hand are more fluid than ever. That alone makes The Two Thrones a contender for best Prince title. Whether leaping while perched atop a thin pole, or performing a diagonal jump off a switch protruding from a wall, the moves are seamless and incredibly responsive.

The storytelling is a different story. It's not anything like the easygoing narrative of the original game. We still miss the easy humor and elegant storytelling of Sands of Time. Now, the Prince's voiceover is shared by Kaileena and another inner voice, and the tone is more flat and, well, gamey. The setting may be novel, but until late in the game, the feel of this chapter is all too familiar.