A cleaner look at next-gen, cel-shaded Prince of Persia

by James Ransom-Wiley on May 22nd 2008 4:58PM

An Ubisoft rep tells us, "We haven't officially released any screenshots online for PoP" -- kinda hard to believe when there's a fresh cluster warming up the server on Czech Republic site Tiscali Games. (There's a preview too, in Czech -- and here's Google's best effort.) While the images look virtually identical to those seen in the leaked Joypad feature from last month, being online screenshots, these new offerings have an obvious advantage over the scans we were forced to make due with previously. As for when Ubi plans the official release of screenshots online: "All screens and artwork will be available on the Ubidays press kit on Wednesday, May 28th."

In addition, we've posted a new "Speed Art" trailer after the break, depicting Elika, a "powerful companion who accompanies the Prince throughout the game." Elika will apparently be integrated into the actual gameplay, assisting with acrobatics and combat. Just think of her as the new Dominic Santiago, you know, minus the Hispanic meathead part.

[Via NeoGaf]

Source

Tags: cel-shaded, pop, prince-of-persia, prince-of-persia-prodigy, PS3, ubisoft, ubisoft-montreal, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (52)

I really thought the look of the Sands of Time game was nice... why do they keep re-inventing the game?

Seriously. I don't think a cartoon style fits PoP well.

Cause people will bitch if they reuse the same stuff

That's what we all said about Wind Waker, but that ended up being one of the best zeldas to date.

Is that a bear claw?

Nope. This is a bear claw.

http://i26.tinypic.com/2rokvh5.jpg

Yum.

Well, if you have the right to bear arms, you should be able to just use the claw at the end if the arm.

I like it. It's very clean and crisp, though I'm not sure it beats (yeah, I'm dead serious when saying this) that new Naruto game coming out for the PS3 in terms of pure cel-shading goodness.

Yeah, it beats it easily. The PS3 Naruto trailer was one huge bullshot, judging by the batch of screens later released:
http://kotaku.com/387599/so-many-naruto-ultimate-ninja-storm-screens
The Haruhi Wii game actually looks better than the Naruto game from what I can tell.

What the Naruto game is doing is, unlike every other cell shaded game, is not amping up the brightness/saturation to sky high levels. The muted colors give it more of a subtle TV paper-ish feel. That's what people are reacting to, mostly, I'd say.

As far as this art style goes, I'm conflicted. The BGs look absolutely gorgeous, but the Prince himself is kind of funky looking. I'm not sure I like that black outline going around him like that. It's just...a black outline. Maybe it'll be different in motion, but for now I find it very off putting.

I'm going to be downvoted by weeabos but when you compare POP to Naruto something is seriously wrong.

What I don't like about cell-shading is that is lazy and you forget quickly about detail and the anime look makes anything look goofy. This is a slap to the face since I'm a POP follower since the first one was released.

Certain games like No more heroes make Cell-shading work since they focus totally in the color but the average Cell-shading like the ones you find in Anime games suck.

Even so I'm a huge POP fan.So I hope for the best.

Lazy? Cel-shading is supposed to be a pretty complex process.

I think it looks too cartoony and goofy. I'm not sold on this art style yet. Lets see how it develops

ummm what? were we looking at the same pics? While it has a more cel-shaded style. It definitely does not look at all goofy.

To be honest the new Prince reminds me of One piece and agains that ain't good.

I dont know but the bright colors (especially the red and blue scarf) look really goofy to me. Especially with the serious demeanor he has. I'll have to get use to this I guess.

@esc

Really? If so, I suggest going to see a doctor to get those eyes fixed.

Or Vegeta you should laid down the Manga.

Cell-Shading is pretty cheap I mean is not that I want realism but the figure of the prince looks fugly.Cartoonish graphics can look better and with more detail ask Valve if don't believe me.

You don't make due. You make do.

If you're nature, you can make dew.

No, actually they were right. Prepare to be voted down to zero hearts.

If you're Pepsi, you can make Dew!

No, Squid is right. Sorry.

Christ. This looks awesome. There goes another $60 bucks out my pocket.

I typically don't like cel-shaded graphics, but this looks awesome. Great art direction.

I don't like the cel-shaded look.The Anime look doesn't fits POP.I hate it.

I can't believe what I'm going to say but if there was anything that I consider awesome in AC was the art style and Graphics.Something like that fits more the POP series.

Very much agree.

Sands of Time is still yet to be surpassed in terms of art, visual direction, music and story.

PoP2? Smithered with hidious gothicy, grungy and emo-ish theme, rubbish music that obly appeals to long haired head shakers. Way to lower the bar Ubi

Reminds me of Street Fighter IV for some reason...

what are you guys talking about?? These screens look seriously sweet.

I like the cel-shaded look a lot.

Being a fan of the last version and the art style I'm a little disappinted by the new Cel shaded look. Cel Shading can really make a game come to life but it has to be the right kind of game like, 13 was but I will wait to see how it turns out before making a judgement since I've yet to play it or actually see it running.

that looks amazing.

I half expect him to yell out Thundercats!! Hooooo!!!

The art style is nice, but I'm not sure if I prefer it over the Sands of Time look.

I didnt realize Jack Sparrow and Wolverine could have a love child???

pfft...you didn't!? Where have you been? Get a load of this guy.

*Looks back at his croonies and forces a chuckle*

It's cool and has definite potential. The watercolor-esque feel seems pretty slick. There's detail, but it's not real detail.
The background and foreground don't mesh at all, though. The animated things appear photoshopped/green screened in the world. Backgrounds in games are usually stiff enough as it is. To intentionally break up the space between characters and backgrounds is like artistically stabbing yourself in the foot...unless they pull off a "living" world that few games (or even no games?) have accomplished.
That, and as I have aged, I've learned to dislike most anime for what it really is: shovel art. And this reminds me of anime a bit too much.
I do admit, I got my eye on this one here. ;-)

Strider/Vincent, is that you?

Cel Shaded = FAIL

God I was so looking forward to this game too...

That's not really cell shaded, it's just high-contrast with outlines. "Cell shading" is supposed to look like a hand-painted animation cell, and requires that the game draw a definitive edge between the shadow. PoP looks like the designers were too timid to do full on cell shading, so they picked a middle ground. That's fine, proper cell-shading like in Zelda: The Wind Waker wouldn't really fit the style of Prince of Persia. Just don't call PoP's style cell-shaded when it's not.

This is the dumbest choice that Ubisoft has ever made in the history of history. When they created sands of time, they reinvented an idea. It had an incredible physics concept and a compelling story. Now that EA games basically owns them now, the franchise has gone south, like Florida in 2000. But if theres one thing we've learned about the entertainment industry, is their ability to destroy great original ideas.

I think history of history is shorter that history itself. Did Ubi make some epically fail choice in the time before history of history began?

First off I think this can still be considered cell shading. It looks like they are using textures for more definition, but the hard outlines and the shading look to fit the standard definition of cell shading.

Second off the designers are trying to establish a new trilogy, that is separate from the Sands of Time trilogy. What better way to do that than to completely overhaul the graphics, especially after you just released Assassins Creed.

Third off cell shading is a pretty intensive process and can actually be more difficult than photorealistic rendering in some cases. Given that the technique being used here is some mixture of processes I would guess that they are in no way taking the easy way out. This was a definite art style choice and not some way to push out a quick design.

Fourth off, it looks fucking gorgeous. Almost like storybook illustration which seems to fit PoP the more and more I think about it.

/long

I'm looking forward to it.

Now that's a lot better.

The screens look very impressive like a mix of action and AC's beautiful visual. I loved the vistas and the depth of image in AC, I hope there is a lot of that in PoP, too. Ubi seems to be good at it.

your obviously not a fan of the series, or are so young that you cant tie your own shoes. Shell shading is the most pathetic medium in video game art! Its people like you that killed the dinosaurs and the electric car. Why don't you go back to no more hero's, where his only power is to jack off on his light-saber, that can't cut things because there shell shaded!

I'm a fan of the series, played every one. These new screens look awesome.

You're a /v/ troll aren't you?

ian, i am old enough to appreciate you calling me young as a completement. ha!

that was complement. Ma finges getting stiff in this old age.

Shell shading

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A cleaner look at next-gen, cel-shaded Prince of Persia

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