Perfection takes three tries...just ask UbiSoft.

User Rating: 9.6 | Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones PS2
When Sands of Time was released, the game was heaven sent for fans of the old Prince of Persia games (like me), while also introducing an entirely new generation of video/pc game fans to the magical world of the Prince of Persia. But groundbreaking as SOT might have been, it wasn't without it's flaws. An overly simplified combat engine and easy difficulty were two problems which, although not critical, were enough to leave a lot of fans asking for more. Ubisoft redesigned the combat engine for Warrior Within, and while the game was decent, the new darker storyline and setting meant the POP series lost a lot of the charm that has always been at the heart of it's popularity. So back to the drawing board went Ubi, and came back with the third and final game in the new POP trilogy, Two Thrones. I'm delighted to say that finally, finally, they have got it right.
Ubisoft has finally perfected the balance between the fairytale settings of SOT and the deep combat system of Warrior Within. The graphics engine, although a little dated now, is still capable of producing some jawdropping scenery to look at. Enemy AI is good, with the sand monsters being as challenging, if not more, than they were in WW. The story is decent; although no one will ever mistake the POP series for MGS when it comes to storytelling, TT does a great job of putting a satisfying closure to the story arc that began with SOT. Add some great voice acting to the mix, and you have a near perfect game.
If one had to look hard for flaws in this game, the first one that would come to my mind are the segments that you play as the Dark Prince. This is more of a personal preference, but I found those segments to be a little too hurried. Every time you turn into the Dark Prince, you're in a race against time, and you get no time to soak in the atmosphere or scenery as you do when you play as the Prince. Also, as beautiful as the game is, character design can sometimes be inconsistent, especially with the female characters. Farah looks absolutely horrible at times.
But these are minor complaints at best. All in all, Ubisoft has delivered the best game in the POP series with Two Thrones, and it is a fitting send off to a memorable saga. Although newcomers might be a little putoff with the lack of introduction for the main characters in the game (having played SOT and WW is almost a must to understand what is going on in the game), for hardcore POP fans, this game is a must. Two thumbs up.