Prince of Persia

While the console versions of the 2008 Prince of Persia launched on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 back in December 2008, the PC version didn't arrive until January 2009. It was the same series reboot with a more open world, striking cel-shaded graphics resembling a painting, and an immortal prince accompanied by companion Elika, thanks to whom the game essentially dropped classic game-over screens and instead relied on smoothly repeating acrobatic sequences without punishing failure.

The PC version offered higher resolution and adjustable graphics detail, but the game was designed primarily around the gamepad - the acrobatic jumping sections and combat timing controlled noticeably worse on keyboard and mouse, and many players and reviewers recommended connecting a controller for the full experience. Content-wise, the PC version was identical to the console ones, including the later downloadable Epilogue expansion, which concluded the story and released on all three platforms without exception.

The month-long gap between the PC version and the console release was standard practice for Ubisoft at the time - the publisher preferred to release the console versions first, while the computer version underwent additional tuning, compatibility testing with a wider range of hardware, and optimization.

Nevertheless, many players ultimately chose gamepad control on PC voluntarily, since it precisely matched the console control scheme the animations and jump timing were tuned for, while the keyboard-and-mouse combination required players to get used to it considerably more.

Even with this limitation, the PC version was among the content-complete releases of the game - no game mechanic, area, or character was omitted compared to the consoles, which made it, despite its somewhat later launch, an equal alternative for players who preferred computers over consoles. The graphics settings also allowed the game to be tuned even on less powerful contemporary rigs, making it accessible to owners of more modest computers as well.

Why play it: For players who prefer computers over consoles - the PC version is content-complete, with no mechanic or area missing, and the graphics settings could be tuned even on more modest rigs.