Ubisoft’s revival of the classic Prince of Persia series, The Lost Crown, aims to make its Metroidvania action accessible to all with powerful features like map screenshots. Plus, it won’t demand expensive hardware to run.
Key Highlights:
- The Lost Crown modernises Prince of Persia as a 2.5D Metroidvania platformer.
- A trailer highlighted helpful accessibility options for navigation.
- Players can take map screenshots to remember locations for backtracking.
- This assists with the genre’s high cognitive load and memory demands.
- The game also has approachable minimum and recommended PC requirements.
- It only calls for a GTX 950 or equivalent GPU for basic play.
- Optimisation allows it to run on a wide range of hardware.
New Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown – Accessibility Trailer
In a new trailer, Ubisoft Montpellier demonstrated an exciting accessibility feature for The Lost Crown. The 2D Prince of Persia reinvention adopts a nonlinear Metroidvania format. This expansive structure taxes players’ memory as they unlock new traversal abilities and revisit areas.
To ease the cognitive burden, an option lets users instantly take map screenshots. These snapshots save the exact location to reference later when backtracking. Lead designer Remi Boutin explains in the new trailer offering a voice-over, that this assists players struggling to mentally map twisting environments.
Accessibility testers provided feedback to refine the feature. It now functions smoothly across platforms thanks to optimised implementation. Players frequently utilised the tool in usability tests. By empowering anyone to enjoy a traditionally demanding genre, it could become a staple in other Metroidvanias.
Approachable Specs Bring Access to More Gamers
Minimum Requirements (1920×1080) | Recommended Requirements (2560×1440 [2K]) | Ultra Requirements (3840×2160 [4K]) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i5-4460 3.4 GHz, AMD Ryzen3 1200 3.1 GHz | Intel Core i7-6700 3.4 GHz, AMD Ryzen5 1600 3.2 GHz | Intel Core i7-6700 3.4 GHz, AMD Ryzen5 1600 3.2 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 (2GB VRAM) or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (4GB VRAM) | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (4GB VRAM) or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (4GB VRAM) | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB VRAM) or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (8GB VRAM) |
| RAM | 8GB (Dual-channel setup) | 8GB (Dual-channel setup) | 8GB (Dual-channel setup) |
| Hard Disk Space | 30GB | 30GB | 30GB |
| DirectX Version | DirectX 11 | DirectX 11 | DirectX 11 |
| Operating System (OS) | Windows 10/11 (64-bit only) | Windows 10/11 (64-bit only) | Windows 10/11 (64-bit only) |
Alongside innovative assists, The Lost Crown also lowers barriers by minimising hardware requirements. As revealed on the official site, the specs target smooth 60 FPS gameplay on mainstream PCs.
At 1080p resolution, a GTX 950 or equivalent graphics card meets the minimum standard. Upgrading to a GTX 960 or an RX 5500 XT hits the recommended specs for crisp 1440p visuals. Impressively, even maxed 4K Ultra settings only require a modest GTX 1060 or RX 5500 XT with 6GB of VRAM. Topping out above 120 FPS is possible for high refresh displays.
These forgiving requirements reflect the game’s stylised art direction. Vibrant and legible graphics don’t need cutting-edge tech. By keeping demands reasonable, more players on budget laptops and ageing rigs can enjoy this new Prince of Persia chapter.
Ubisoft’s thoughtful optimisation expands access. As hardware prices remain high, game creators have a responsibility to ensure wide compatibility.
Reviving a Revered Franchise
The Lost Crown reimagines the original Prince of Persia as a modern side-scrolling adventure.
Fluid combat and kinetic platforming aim to recapture the series’ 2D roots with a new story. Transitioning the formula into a nonlinear Metroidvania encourages exploration and ability upgrades.
The 2D trend is a wise move for devs to jump on the bandwagon, as recent successes of Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Sonic Superstars pave the way.
While some fans crave a return to 3D worlds, the reinvented genre and art style promise fresh vibrancy. Focusing on accessibility and performance indicates Ubisoft is serious about reaching new audiences.
When The Lost Crown arrives later in 2024, all players can experience the Prince’s journey – whether series veterans or those trying their first Metroidvania. Ubisoft continues pushing the inclusive gaming frontier, ensuring financial or physical barriers never exclude anyone from rich interactive stories.