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The 2008 videogame Prince of Persia is a retelling of the classic game series of the same name, where you play as a wanderer who is known only as “The Prince”. The game opens with the Prince caught in a sandstorm in the middle of a desert. He runs into Princess Elika as she is fleeing pursuit from enemies in an attempt to seal an ancient evil to save her homeland. Her pursuers manage to damage the seal and almost free what was once thought to exist only in children’s bedtime tales – a being known as Ahriman. Elika manages to recruit a very reluctant Prince to help her bring light back to her land and people and to stop Ahriman’s darkness from spreading to the rest of the world. 

The game sets up this simple fantasy story and then gives the player free reign to explore a land known as Ahura. There are few enemies to combat, as the main focus of this title is exploration and the relationship between the Prince and Elika. It’s soon evident that these two might be the last living humans as Ahriman’s corruption continues to spread. 

The Prince is a self-absorbed thief whose main interests at the start of the game is to get rich and find a way out of this mess. Contrastingly, Elika is a princess without a crown, and one whose devotion to her people and her homeland is enough for her to do practically anything to save them. The two slowly open up to each other as the game progresses, allowing the players to learn more about their past, including their losses and the tragic events that drove the both of them to be where they are now. Even as an observer, the players of this game are likely to find themselves forming an emotional connection with both characters.

Their journey eventually bears fruit as Elika and the Prince manages to heal the land of the corruption and put Ahriman back in his prison. But here at the end of their perilous journey, Elika reveals to the prince - and by extension, the player – that she needs to die to fully seal Ahriman. The Prince stares helplessly as Elika gives up her life to bring light back to her land. The game seemingly ends as the Prince picks up her lifeless body and slowly walks away from the camera. The credits roll and you’re left with just one thought - “No”. No, Elika shouldn’t have died here. After spending so much time with her and getting to know her, it’s inevitable that you feel a sense of loss at how her story ended so abruptly. She had saved her home. She had earned her happy ending. Yet there she was, lifeless body lying on a slab of rock as the Prince stands by.

It is here that Ahriman’s makes one last offer; only upon breaking the seal once again, will the Prince be able to bring Elika back to life.

As good as the game’s visuals are and as great as the game’s story is, this moment right at the end is the point at which the game truly shines. Ahriman is giving you, the Player, the choice. The game has finished. The credits have rolled. Will you close the book and call it a night? Or will you turn a few more pages in the hopes of a happier ending?

I did. I gave in and listened to the whispers that told me what to do. It wasn’t just the press of a button to make the decision either. I had to go with the Prince and undo all of Elika’s hard work so far. I had been with these characters for what felt like a lifetime, and I wanted them both alive at the end of the story. 

The Prince and I destroyed the Tree of Life that Elika had given her life to protect. We took the light that was Ahriman’s prison and used it to restore Elika back to life.

The first thing she says when she opens her eyes is, “Why?”

The Prince doesn’t answer, but it’s already too late. The ground decays right before our eyes and the sky is engulfed in darkness. The corruption rolls out across the desert without end as the Prince and Elika slowly try to find their way to someplace safe. The world crumbles down around you as you realize there are no more chapters left.

It’s hard to describe what I was left with at the very end there. I felt a personal loss at knowing how my final decision had undone everything we had had worked for in the game. A tiny part of me felt relieved that the two people I had spent this entire time with were still alive. And another part of me felt exhausted and elated at the end – Prince of Persia was an emotional roller coaster like no other. When Elika laments the destruction of her home – and maybe the world itself – it’s not just the Prince that’s to blame. I was there too.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a review of the game itself. This article is a look at what makes video games an art form. No movie or book could give you the agency to feel the raw emotions needed to make a decision like that. No other form of media could make you feel the consequences of your actions in such an immediate and sharp way. 

This is what Prince of Persia manages to achieve with its impassioned storytelling. This game rises beyond what is generally expected of the standard video game; it seeks to move the player above the tasks assigned to them. It questions the beliefs of the player with each decision, each progression, each accomplishment, ultimately leaving us to face the morally ambiguous consequences. In the end, the integration of these concepts elevates Prince of Persia into becoming more than just a weekend past time and recognizing itself as one of the most innovative and philosophical games to ever be released.

About the author: Maldivian Gaming League is a team of e-sports organizers and competition promoters based in the Maldives. For more information, check them out on Facebook or Instagram.