One thing is certain in the ever-changing gaming landscape: the roguelike genre is gaining popularity. From indie favourites like Dead Cells and Hades to AAA titles like Returnal, Roguelike's addictive gameplay loop and endless replayability have captivated gamers all over the world. Ubisoft is now entering the fray with The Rogue: Prince of Persia, a daring mashup of the popular Prince of Persia franchise and the roguelike format.
Evil Empire, the studio behind Dead Cells, created The Rogue: Prince of Persia, a daring departure from the series' traditional roots. While the recently released The Lost Crown took a more faithful approach to the Prince of Persia formula, The Rogue embraces the roguelite craze and injects a new, unpredictable twist into the iconic franchise.
Game director Lucie Dewagnier and art director Dylan Eurlings lead this ambitious project, bringing a wealth of experience from their work on the groundbreaking Dead Cells. They shared insights into the challenges and opportunities of adapting Prince of Persia for the roguelite space.
Capturing the essence of the Prince of Persia
One of Evil Empire's primary objectives was to capture the essence of the classic Prince of Persia games while introducing the ever-changing, replayable nature of the roguelike genre. According to Eurlings, "The Rogue: Prince of Persia takes its roots in the DNA of previous Prince of Persia games, and the development team always kept in mind the gameplay pillars of the franchise that make it so unique: flowy traversal, acrobatic combat, and a variety of trap-filled environments."
The iconic wall-running mechanic, a series staple, has been given a new twist in The Rogue. While wall-running sections are indicated by footsteps, their location changes with each run, adding a dynamic dimension to platforming sequences and combat encounters. According to Eurlings, "The wall-run mechanic is our most unique feature, something that has never been done before in 2D roguelites."
Balancing accessibility with challenge
One of the things the Evil Empire learned from their work on Dead Cells was the importance of striking a balance between accessibility and challenge. They aimed to create an "instant fun" element that would make the game simple for players to pick up and enjoy, while still offering the familiar trials and challenges that Prince of Persia fans have come to expect.
The Rogue: Prince of Persia places a strong emphasis on the series' trademark acrobatic combat and advancing platforming, providing a welcome change from the stat-heavy approach found in many roguelikes. At the same time, it keeps the genre's most beloved elements, such as procedurally generated stages, randomized loot drops, and a sprawling, ever-expanding setting to explore.
A Storytelling Journey with Hidden Depths.
Surprisingly, The Rogue places a strong emphasis on storytelling and world-building, which differs from the more minimalist narratives common in roguelites. The game has a unique "memory board" system in which the Prince keeps track of every interaction with supporting characters, as well as the information they provide about accessing new areas and uncovering hidden secrets.
Inspired by other successful roguelites, this board serves as a visual representation of the game's narrative, highlighting the diverse cast of characters that players will meet along the way. It adds a fascinating layer of depth to the experience, encouraging players to interact with the world and its inhabitants in ways that many roguelites overlook.
Early Access and Collaboration with the Community
Following in the footsteps of Dead Cells and Hades, Ubisoft and Evil Empire have decided to take a chance and release The Rogue: Prince of Persia via Steam's Early Access program. This strategy has proven to be a key driver of success for many roguelike titles, allowing developers to gather valuable feedback from the community while iteratively improving the game during the pre-release period.
The Rogue: Prince of Persia will be the first Ubisoft game to premiere in Early Access when it launches on May 14th.
Gambling on Innovation
Like many gamers, the team at Evil Empire likely visited WeGamble.org gambling sites to unwind and let off some steam during the development of The Rogue: Prince of Persia. After all, creating a game that breathes new life into a beloved franchise while embracing the roguelite craze is no small feat.
With The Rogue: Prince of Persia, Ubisoft and Evil Empire are betting big on the fusion of a classic franchise and an innovative genre. By blending the series' iconic acrobatic combat, fluid platforming, and sense of adventure with the procedural generation and ever-changing challenges of a roguelite, they've created a unique experience that promises to appeal to both long-time fans and newcomers alike.
As the roguelite craze continues to sweep the gaming world, The Rogue: Prince of Persia stands as a testament to the genre's versatility and the exciting possibilities that can arise when classic franchises embrace new ideas and innovative gameplay mechanics. With its Early Access launch just around the corner, players won't have to wait long to see if Ubisoft's gamble pays off and experience this thrilling fusion of old and new for themselves.