3D Stardust Sees 2D Performance Increase

Earlier this week Sony released a patch for Super Stardust HD finally enabling 3D support to coincide with the launch of their flagship 46” Bravia 3D LCD HDTV. Not long after the patch was released came reports that the update not only allowed the game to be played in 3D, but that it also added some graphical enhancements to the title as well.

Users reported a smoother image and cleaner look to the game when running the game in 1080p mode, and some have also stated what looks like additional anti-aliasing in when running in 720p. Yesterday on Sony’s official UK blog at PlayStation.co.uk this was indeed confirmed to be the case.


Super Stardust HD originally ran in 1280x720 with 2xMSAA and at 60 fames per-second for 720p, and in 1280x1080 with no AA for 1080p, also I might add at the prerequisite 60fps. That in itself is pretty impressive given the amount of particle effects and transparencies on screen at any given time, especially when you consider the game managed to maintain a smooth 60fps update throughout.

For 3D developers essentially have to render each frame twice, one for each eye, meaning that you’d either have to be doing 720p at 120fps to maintain the same resolution in 3D at 60fps, or halve the rendering resolution to keep up the framerate if this isn’t possible. With the upgrade Stardust manages to not only keep up performance in 3D, but the developers have furthermore optimised the title to enhance image quality overall for the game running in 2D.

Housemarque CEO and co-founder Ilari Kuittinen confirmed via the official blog that Stardust did indeed receive a noticeable performance boost in 2D owing to the resulting work carried out in order to get the title running suitable in 3D. Surprisingly most of the work done in getting the game running in 3D was done without an actual 3D HDTV.

“We had the first 3D version of SSHD running in autumn 2009. We didn’t have a proper 3D television at that time and we had to use paper anaglyph red-and-green (or cyan to be exact) glasses to see the 3D image on our monitors. The images we could produce didn’t even have proper color in them, but it was still really impressive.”

For 2D the developers have upper the level of anti-aliasing from 2x to 4xMSAA in 720p, and for 1080p now have the game rendering in full 1920x1080 and at 60fps with no AA. Previously the game rendered at 1280x1080 for 1080p mode, with the PS3 then performing a horizontal upscale to 1920 resulting in some loss of sharpness and some minor upscalng atifacts.

The difference is easily noticeable with 720p looking cleaner and more jaggie free than before, and 1080p now looks mind-blowingly sharp. Both at 60fps too, which makes this upgrade all the more impressive.

Similar improvements can be found in the game’s split-screen mode as well. Before Stardust would only run at 30fps in this mode, but after the upgrade it is running in 60fps matching the single player game.

Both Housemarque Ilari Kuittinen certainly seemed impressed with what they have achieved, and so they should be as nobody really expected full resolution 720p and 60fps for the game running in 3D.

“3D certainly has a bright future ahead and we are happy that we had a chance to develop the first 3D PS3 game that runs 720p resolution in 60fps for both eyes, meaning that we are actually having 3D SSHD running in 120fps!”

A recap of the updates listed below as on the official PlayStation blog:

- 3D mode of the game running 720p at 120fps (60fps per eye)
- 2D mode of split screen co-op mode updated from 30fps to 60fps
- 4x antialiasing support in 720p and native 1920×1080p support in 2D mode

You should also check out the blog entry too, as it has a few insightful details on how the upgrade was achieved.

Editorial: 3D Visions - The Next Arms Race?

The lure of 3D to the gaming industry is no more surprisingly than the increased focus on the format in recent film production, with many new releases being retrofitted for screenings in 3D in order to generate that extra buzz required to bring more people into the cinema. Everyone it seems is after a piece of the pie, and given the renewed public interest in viewing movies down at the local picture house it was only a matter of time until some of gaming’s big guns got on board.


Cineworld recently reported a 17% increase in ticket sales directly as a result of 3D movie screenings, and most of which were at the higher price charged for seeing a film in 3D. The effect it has had for the film industry has not gone unnoticed, with various high profile game developers stating that this new format could well be the future of videogaming as a whole.

Many state the incredibly accurate depth perception that comes from using the format, along with the increased levels of immersion when putting the player visually closer to the action - taking them perhaps further into the game than ever before - as the main reason for pushing forward with the tech.

Perhaps in this case 3D does more for most games that it does for most films. Improving our judgement of space and distance on a 2D display, separating images clearly from one another allowing us to truly experience more life-like scenarios than ever before. For gaming, the use of 3D, and in coordination with motion controls opens us up to a world in which we can feel really connected in a way that a film never could. And it’s this feeling which has driven many software developers and hardware companies into investing in its future.

With the DS in its fifth year, and the two most powerful current-gen consoles in a strong battle of one-upmanship over features, 3D represents a clear path for at least one of those two companies to distinguish themselves. Sony in particular - going for the ‘it does everything’ impression with the PS3 - sees 3D as their next milestone in gaming, hoping to become synonymous with the format in time for the next generation of consoles still a few years away.

Despite support for the format from Microsoft (although more concerned with Natal at this point) Sony in particular want to be seen as ‘the company’ who delivers the most cutting-edge of all 3D content, lining up a barrage of compatible titles at this year’s E3.

Sony are clearly aiming at the high-end here, with the prices of 3D enabled HDTV’s starting around £1700 and going up to at least £2200 for Panasonic’s reference level VT20. Admittedly not cheap, and certainly out of the mainstream user’s standard price range, which means that any uptake is going to be rather slow and distinctly pedestrian at first.

However, Sony and many other publishers see a potentially bright future going down the 3D route, ensuring their focus is strong and their software line-up defining enough to make a dent in peoples impressions. Plus in a few years time it is expected that most 3D compatible tellies will be available from at least 37” as the norm, with some smaller high-end 32” models also featuring the tech. Eventually though, every single HDTV will support the format, and its inclusion will read out like another check-box feature such as ‘100Hz processing’ or ‘HD Ready 1080p’.

Clearly this is just what Sony are counting on, and their aim to deliver the definitive 3D experience in light of this potential is understandable. Sure, it may take a few years for the tech to become widely adopted by the mainstream, and the overall cost associated with development may well go up (inevitable regardless of the inclusion of 3D), but at least they could have a much stronger position in the market as a result. Or that’s how they appear to be looking at it, adopting a standard long before it has any real presence in the consumer domain and turning it around so that it does in fact become prevalent. It’s this forward-thinking approach which catapulted the PS2 to worldwide success, but which also stalled the initial uptake of the PS3 with the insistence on pushing BluRay.

Nintendo on the other hand, are trying something altogether different. Once again they are focusing on the handheld market, in which they’ve held nothing but a dominant position since they first unleashed the GameBoy to the masses some twenty years ago. With 3D they have found a clear gap in which to exploit, however gimmicky it initially appears, and this could indeed set them apart from other manufactures in the handheld space. Yes, I’m talking about the 3DS.

Nintendo’s latest handheld is likely to be a very affordable entry into the world of 3D – below £200 price point is likely – and with complete backwards compatibility guaranteed for all NDS and DSi titles they won’t be alienating their existing user base, simply building right on top of it. Also, if rumours are to be believed the company has something else up its sleeve with the 3DS outside of its auto-stereoscopic screen.

Currently, the effect of viewing 3D images on such a small scale is relatively unproven, though somewhat tantalising, and its use in at least one Japanese smart phone has apparently yielded promising results. And perhaps this is the reason behind the push forward into that realm of an extra dimension, not only because hardly anyone else has done this before, but because Nintendo have a clear track record of taking something untested and making it work in areas others have failed (VitualBoy aside).

Disruption like with the NDS and the Wii, is the key here. They need something other than motion controls and the touch screen - which Apple have made their own, and which Sony are no doubt eying up for PSP2 - to once again separate themselves from others in the market, and they know it. 3D is one of those things, but with the option to turn it off, not the only one it seems. More surprises then? All will be revealed at E3.

Like with Sony, Nintendo not only hopes to capture a large chunk of the market, along the hearts and minds of gamers everywhere, but instead also intend to be the first ones to bring affordable 3D tech into the home. The 3DS with its estimated sub-£200 price point (I’m gambling on £169.99 or 179.99 as the clincher) has far more potential at opening up the gaming mass-market to 3D technology, in both the handheld space and the home consumer market than the exuberant price tags that accompany bleeding-edge 3D HDTV’s.

Being cheaper and more affordable is a start, but they need more than price on their side. They need to impress. But what if this new technology turns out to be something of substance, really visually impressive on the small scale? It could convince many people into buying one of those expensive 46”+ size HDTV’s we mentioned earlier, thus in turn actually helping Sony and their high-end approach to 3D gaming, and industry adoption of the format in general.

Looking at it this way, it’s not hard to see that the consumer is presented with what looks like a win-win scenario, with both ends of the pricing scale accommodated for. I also imagine that Microsoft will begin driving forward 3D support in conjunction with Natal if the PS3’s attempt to capture this new market gains momentum, especially if it has a noticeable impact in 3D HDTV sales – more TV’s sold means more opportunities for pushing the format, and greater sales potential for all that extra work. Sales of current HDTV’s jumped with the advent of high-def consoles, and then exponentially so with the eradication of standard-def CRT’s from the market.

Either way, the thing to remember is that the notion of 3D isn’t particularly new, and it will take a few years of price reductions on HDTV’s, and impressive software to convince the consumer to invest. The glasses also are another hindrance, heavier and more bulky than their cinema equivalent. Even then, it’s hard to expect any revelations, or even a major impact on the console front before the next-generation of systems is upon us. 3DS aside, which looks to comfortably occupy its own space, for now anyway. In the end the seeds are being sewn, and the groundwork being laid. All that’s left is to see how we as consumers perceive the road lying ahead, and whether or not this is indeed the path we’d like to go down.

Other than trying to predict what might happen , something tells me that this story is going to be particularly interesting, it could in effect usher in a new level of interactive entertainment with both 3D and motion controls at the forefront. Or it could simply fall flat on its backside, another reminder of what happens when the industry tries to push something that just isn’t ready. The death of classic gaming this is not, that’s for certain. But a mere an expansion into areas that bring us closer to the games we play, and the worlds we get so immersed in.

Near defining statements aside, all shall be revealed at this year’s E3 in two days time. There we will have a better view on just what each manufacturers plans are for the format, and how this much-talked about 3D thingy finally fits into place.

New Mortal Kombat Game Announced!

Following up on yesterday’s news that a potentially brand new Mortal Kombat movie could well be in the works, comes an official announcement of a completely new game in the franchise. Coming to both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 sometime next year is the currently self-titled ‘Mortal Kombat’, a game that delves deep within the series roots hoping to deliver the MK experience that fans have been waiting for since Midway threw out the rulebook with ‘Deadly Alliance’.


‘Mortal Kombat’ will feature a brand new graphics engine, an art style looking to continue right after MK4 left off - with some elements of later games, gruesome fatalities, and a complete overhaul of the classic 2D gameplay the series is known for. A deep and comprehensive story is promised, along with a cool 2 vs 2, 4-player tag team mode in which players battle it out in teams much like Marvel Vs Capcom.

Series co-creator Ed Boon excitedly stated: "We can't wait for players to get their hands on Mortal Kombat," and added "This game really is a response to what players have been demanding: mature presentation, reinvented 2D fighting mechanic and the best, most gruesome fatalities ever!"


Despite the IP being purchased by Warner Bros last year, ED Boon and the rest of the series flagship development team remain at the helm with the newly re-named NetherRealm studios.

Martin Tremblay, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment commented: "We are bringing the Mortal Kombat franchise back to gamers with the talented NetherRealm Studios team creating the game fans long to play," also adding "Re-establishing the brand with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Mortal Kombat innovates on past games while staying true to the brand's legendary characters and fighting style."


A trailer for the game was released to go along with today’s announcement, and by all accounts the game is looking pretty damn good. Faithful, authentic, these aren’t the words associated with ‘Mortal’ and ‘Kombat’ in recent years, but all this looks to change.

We’ll be sure to follow this one closely.

New Mortal Kombat Movie spotted?

Reports about a third movie in the Mortal Kombat franchise have been doing the rounds since the release of Mortal Kombat Annihilation back in 1997. Threshold Entertainment were originally poised to start production on a second sequel subtitled ‘Devastation’ several times over, hitting delays each time the green light had been given.

Production was supposed to start a few years ago in New Orleans when hurricane Katrina ravaged the area in which this was to take place, after which the project was put firmly on hold with only scant rumours of the wheels finally being put back into motion. However, with Warner Bros. recent acquisition of Midway, the Mortal Kombat IP, and some legal wrangling between the two companies, Threshold’s severely delayed sequel may never see the light of day.

Instead Warner is planning to make an MK film of there own, one that is said to be a complete reboot of the franchise. New cast, new characters and a different take on the story. And yesterday, we may have just seen it in action.

An interesting video was sent to blog site Kotaku.com by a user known only by the name of Kai depicting a trailer for either a new Mortal Kombat movie, or the next instalment in the bloody videogame series. A still from the trailer can be seen below along with a direct link to the trailer itself. I strongly suggest that you check it out.


See the trailer here

The trailer stars Michael Jai White and Jeri Ryan (Jax and Sonya respectively), and the production is pretty slick, looking halfway between something like a gritty Hollywood thriller and a gruesome version of the Matrix. The tone is perfectly suited to something belonging to the franchise as a whole, although the trailer doesn’t look or feel like any MK movie that’s gone before. What we have here is a far more grounded approach to tackling the series on film than the cheesy, low budget styled affairs of the mid to late ninties.

So is it real? Well it definitely relates to some huge being readied behind the scenes that’s for sure. Various reports have stated that Warner was looking to create a more ‘realistic’ take on the franchise for its feature film, which ties in with the grounded feel of the trailer, and the degree of professionalism and acting talent shows that it certainly isn’t fake.

The question is whether the footage is just an elaborate trailer for a new game in the series, or the first glimpses of a big-screen cinematic reboot. That sadly at this point, goes unanswered.

Update:

Well, since the leaked video has been spreading all over the Internet, actress Jerri Ryan has since shed some light on the situation, via a comment on her Twitter account. She points out that "It's not a game trailer," and that it "Actually was made for the director to sell Warner Bros. On his vision for a re-imagined MK film”. She also stated that she doesn’t know what the studio thinks of the clip, but did elaborate in saying that she did the work as a favour to a friend.

Apple Unveils iPhone 4

The significance of the iPhone’s grip on the mobile gaming market is not to be taken lightly, with the system adopting the kind of multimedia space first eyed up by Sony and the release of the PSP. Since its launch people have gone crazy over Apple’s sleek, and incredibly stylish entry into handheld telecommunications, whilst developers have salivated over its mass market gaming appeal and the financial goldmine it potentially brings to those clever enough to exploit it.

All of the above makes Apple’s official unveiling of the brand new iPhone far too important for us at IQGamer to ignore. The new unit (dubbed the iPhone 4) - showcased along with the new iPhone OS4 - is almost as powerful as the recently released iPad, but at under half of the size and with improved motion sensing capabilities integral to getting a decent gaming experience, along with a higher resolution screen, HD video recording capabilities, and a new multi-tasking operating system.


The iPhone 4 comes in at just 9.3mm thick, some 24% thinner than the iPhone 3GS - what Apple is calling the ‘thinnest smartphone on the planet’, and for the first time will be available in either black or white. The design is remarkably close to the prototype photos that were leaked over the Internet by tech site Gizmodo, with a glass finish on the front and the back, and silver metallic strip going down the sides separated only by two horizontal black lines.

As per usual the unit looks very stylish, but then again it IS an Apple product so that’s only to be expected.

In terms of features, the iPhone 4 has two cameras, one at the front and a more powerful 5-megapixel one round the back complete with digital zoom function and LED flash. It is also capable of recording high-definition video in 720p and at 30fps - exceptional for such a small device. Two microphones are also present along with an increasingly more common noise reduction button.

The impressive 3.5” screen has a wider viewing angle than before, and has seen a resolution boost over previous models as well, packing a total of 326 pixels per inch, across a 960x640 resolution screen. This is around four times as many pixels as the 3GS, which should allow for greater clarity and detail whilst watching movie clips and more importantly, playing games. Furthermore an 800-to-1 contrast ratio was also confirmed, so expect deeper black levels and better upper end luminance making for a brighter, more eye-popping screen.


Moving on, the same A4 processor that powered the iPad now powers the new iPhone 4, thus providing a noticeable jump in graphics quality should developers decide to take advantage of that fact, and of course if Apple’s restrictive software API doesn’t still get in the way.

This A4 processor basically contains the system’s CPU, GPU and video decoder all on one chip, delivering solid 3D performance whilst being incredibly energy efficient. Apple has stated that through the inclusion of the A4 over previous chips, that battery life has seen significant improvements with the no less than 7 hours of talk time, 10 hours of Wi-Fi web browsing, 10 hours of video playback, 40 hours of music, and 300 hours of doing absolutely nothing on standby. That’s pretty impressive, considering Apple’s incredibly poor track record when it comes to battery life on older iPods.

Included inside the A4 processor is one Cortex-A8 CPU core, an Imagination Technologies Power VR SGX535 GPU, and one VXD375 video decoder. All of which provides significant extra grunt over the existing 3GS model making the iPhone 4 a true successor, rather than an incremental upgrade like the 3GS was to the 3G.

Backing up that horsepower is some much-needed, enhanced motion sensing capabilities designed to be more responsive and better suited for gaming as a whole. The gyroscope inside features 6-axis motion sensing capability - reportedly ‘perfect’ for games according to Steve Jobs at the event - and can handle things like full pitch and roll, sensing in a 3D space, not do dissimilar from Sony’s PS3 controllers. Apple demonstrated the improved capabilities of the device using party game Jenga, in which tilting the iPhone forward and backwards, and side to side manipulated movements onscreen with minimal lag and much greater accuracy than before.


Other than the aesthetics and hardware tweaks the most significant upgrade comes with a change of software. The iPhone 4 is the first to use the un-imaginatively titled iOS 4 (previously known as the iPhone OS 4), which brings the hotly rumoured multi-tasking feature to users for the first time outside having to jailbreak their iPhones. Finally you can run multiple apps at the same time without having to close one down to use another while only having to reopen it again later. All you need to do is push down on the Home button and the task-managing interface will pop up allowing you to access applications that are still running in the background.

Unfortunately there was no sign of any flash compatible web browsing software, with users having to make do with the integrated YouTube app for Internet video only. Maybe at some point Mr Jobs will finally lift his ‘no flash’ policy much in the way he did with iTunes DRM restrictions after numerous complaints.

However, Jobs did say that the new iOS 4 would be available for free to older iPhone and iPod Touch users starting 21st June, except those with first-gen iPhones.

Price wise the 16GB version will retail for $199, and the 32GB for $299, both on contract only. No word was given out in how much these would be available for on ‘pay as you go’ or when this was likely to happen, although previous models went on sale via ‘contract only’ for a few months before other alternatives became available.

No pricing information was given for the UK, but we do know that the iPhone 4 will be hitting stores on 24th June, with preorders starting on 15th June onwards. As usual you can expect preorders to sell out within a couple of hours, along with another battle for any free stock to take place on launch day.


So that’s the iPhone 4 in a nutshell. Interestingly, we see the iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad all eating further into the handheld gaming space. As the both the technology and functionality improves so to will the software. That could in turn leaded to bigger and more ambitious titles being produced, whilst also feeding the casual market with smaller, but more polished experiences, experiences that many people already associated with Apple’s entry into the gaming space, and one that Sony and Nintendo will both have to look out for.

We don’t expect to be getting a hold of the iPhone 4 upon release, or even to have available access to one, but we’re sure to encounter Apple’s latest world dominating handheld at some point, and when we do, we will no doubt endeavour to report our findings.

Movie Review: Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time

Originally I was never intending to review ‘Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time’ (TSOT) after I’d seen it, not having the time to do so and all. However its recent return to public consciousness, with the revelation that the film has so far dramatically failed to reach anywhere near its $200 budget, has made me revisit the my initial thoughts on the film, with enough time passing to gather together any mixed feelings and write up what I could consider to be my final opinion on the matter.

I will say that against all my initial prejudices against most game to film adaptations made since the late nineteen-nineties, I actually quite enjoyed Prince Of Persia. It was ‘alright’, ‘not bad’, and could have been so much worse. I was surprised to see just how much more polished and professionally directed it looked to be from other videogame adaptations - a far cry from the DTV or music video look some of these films tend to take on. Whether that be from poor direction or just a lack of a decent budget I don’t know. Maybe both. But one thing is for sure, that TSOT ranks as one the best game adaptations to date, even if in terms of story and characterisation it is even shallower than some that have come before it.

Surprisingly, the film also feels much like it belongs in the POP franchise as a whole, featuring art direction that is partially simillar to ‘The Two Thrones’ with elements of ‘The Warrior Within’ put in for good measure. The costumes, especially with regards to the film’s Prince Dastan have clearly been adapted from the ‘Prince’ character in the last two games, representing a halfway house between the ‘emo badass’ look he had in the second game to the ‘hardened Persian adventurer’ he became in the third. One scene in particular, in which Dastan accidentally activates the dagger of time, demonstrates this perfectly. He becomes a half-human, half mystical being closely representing the dual light/dark prince on the cover of ‘The Two Thrones’ videogame.


The main reason behind this, and other such similarities, is that one of the film’s lead writers (who is also one of the producers), is in fact the original writer behind the ‘Sands Of Time’ game, which has no doubt left a lasting influence on the production team as a whole with regards to the film’s artistic style and rather superficial storyline. I thought it was quite nice to see someone paramount to the overall game design process finally being allowed to take on such a large responsibility in shaping the film, clearly keeping the overall look and feel closer to the franchise than most of these adaptations have done before. Other influences coming from Director Mike Newell and Producer Jerry Bruckheimer obviously creep in too, and this can be seen both in the way the film is lit and how the action is directed.

The yarn told in ‘Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time’ isn’t particularly original, though it works well enough for the film, while also closely representing the kind of narrative to be told through the prince’s many videogame adventures. In that respect it’s still reasonable solid, if nothing but superficial, and makes for entertaining if unremarkable movie.

It’s a pretty straightforward affair in which a young Persian Prince (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is not of royal blood, gets entangled up in the death of the Persian King and an apparent plot to seize the throne. Naturally he’s innocent, and along with a mysterious Princess (Gemma Arterton) set off to find the truth and enjoy some adventure along the way. That and something about a sacred time-controlling dagger, with whoever possessing it having the ability to alter a few minutes of time and space for their advantage.


This dagger is the main plot moving device in the film, along with the almost non-mystery surrounding the King’s death, and is used largely for story purposes than for any meaningful action sequences. Though it does come around full circle towards the end, but that is to be expected. Unlike the videogames there are only one or two scenes in which the Prince actually uses the dagger to reverse time to evade danger, and this is deliberately limited, mostly it seems to expand the story about the resting place of the mythical sands of time which power it.

Other than the use of the dagger of time, and the surprisingly accurate dress of its characters, which match the look and feel of the later games perfectly, there isn’t much else to be found in ‘TSOT’ that feels like a Prince of Persia movie. There are no fiendish scenes of Dastan escaping diabolical traps, or traversing an elaborate maze of different surfaces, although there are a fair few elements of rooftop acrobatics which depict the style of the games, if not in a slapstick kind of manner.


The dialogue is entertaining whilst being drenched in the obvious cheese and cliché that is to be expected from any summer popcorn flick, although at times the modern day language and constant wisecracking was somewhat off-putting. There are some convincing locations, marred by some strangely poor CG. But most of all, ‘TSOT’ displays a noticeably clear degree of professionalism and solid film-like qualities that most game to film adaptations lack, instead looking more like DTV releases masquerading as box office material (Mortal Kombat Annihilation, Resident Evil).

A thick layer of grain covers the image looking unmistakably filmic, and most scenes are filled with an over-saturation of colours, all representative of a standard Michael Bay production. Comparisons can be drawn with Pirates of the Caribbean, and definitely Transformers in this regard. This stylised look certainly aids in trying to create atmosphere for the film, and makes things seem that little bit more real than in the usual artificial looking videogame adaptations. Plenty of location shooting and solidly designed sets also do this, and is only let down by the sometimes-poor nature of the CG. At times it blatantly looks like something out of a videogame cut scene and is jarring compared to the live stunts in the rest of the movie.


Most of the films performances are by the numbers, with some of the actors going through the motions. Both Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton both seem guilty of this. Then again the scrip leaves them very little to work with and is the main cause of the performers failing to deliver any chemistry between characters, and any suspense in the film. Both their characters are equally strong willed, with Jake being the wise-cracker, and they all too often argue like adolescent teens despite the severity of the situation they find themselves in, taking more than a leaf from the Pirates book of characterisation.

Entertaining? On occasion, surprisingly so, especially when Afred Molina is drawn into the mix. His character, a tax-evading, modern day businessman of the time, brings some added fun and charisma to the film. Clearly he’s enjoying playing up his role (which appears to be a loose parody of Oliver Reed’s character in Ridley Scott Gladiator). Just one of a few obvious nods to other box office hits. Ben Kingsley is an obvious choice as the film’s villain. It’s a role that he’s played many times before, and as such requires him to do very little. The sheer stage presence he commands is enough to fill the part, and as a result he calmly sales through on autopilot without so much as of a hitch.


Frequently the story and action sequences can appear to be flung together rather quickly. Although individually they are okay, and the action sequences themselves are well directed and easy to follow, with plenty of explosive scenes. At one point during the middle of the film, the feeling of time passing and distances travelled for the characters and the audience, which is so important in building up a large scale and epic feel to the proceedings, seemed to be obviously absent. I noticed the same thing during my viewing of ‘Clash Of The Titans’, in which the entire film felt like an endless string of scenes being put together. Thankfully ‘Prince Of Persia’ mostly avoids this, and after the small blip in the middle keeps pushing forward relatively naturally.

Despite these issues ‘TSOT’ is a fun and pretty entertaining movie. Definitely more ‘Pirates’ meets ‘Clash’ than true ‘Prince Of Persia’, and this is clearly evident throughout. However the film isn’t bad at all, nor is it particularly good. Instead I would say that it’s alright (the exact word I used as I left the cinema), and comes off as a lot more polished than most game to film adaptations, even if it isn’t the most deep or coherent pick of the bunch.


One thing that I will add, is that is very refreshing to see a game adaptation look and feel so much like a standard by the number summer blockbuster than the obvious ‘not a proper movie’ that so many of these films seem to take. If it wasn’t called ‘Prince Of Persia’, then it could be mistaken for a Persian ‘Pirates’ movie, or a competitor to ‘The Mummy’ franchise. It does however maintain an overall artistic style that resembles in no small part the ‘Two Thrones’ and ‘Forgotten Sands’ videogames. A sure sign that these things are being taken far more seriously.

Ether way, it is a solid enough, and reasonably entertaining movie, if not slightly boring in parts, which is all to be expected really.

Alright… Yeah, that will definitely do it.

You may have noticed that unlike our game reviews we haven’t given TSOT a verdict out of ten. For any movie reviews we do at IQGamer we’ve decided to drop the arbitrary one-to-ten marking system, and instead let the tone of the review speak for itself.

For another take on Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, and loads more movie goodness head over to Beames on Film.