Basics
Before jumping into the amazing adventures of the Prince of Persia, you'll need to do two things. First, you should familiarize yourself with the different aspects of the game by reading every last word that follows. Secondly, you need to call your friends and any loved ones you may have and let them know that you will be unavailable for the next few days, as Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is about to own you.
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Platforming
The majority of your time in the Sultan's Palace will be spent running along walls, jumping across bottomless chasms, and swinging on poles. If you don't have great platforming skills when you enter the Palace, you will by the time you finish PoP. There's just no way to complete the game without some solid platforming talents. For all the platforming offered in PoP, there are only a few basic moves in the game, which are then repeated in different forms, with greater variety throughout your adventure. Master these moves and you are golden.
Wall Run: The most important move in the game, the all run is executed by holding down the Special Action button and running at a wall. There are two types of runs. You can run directly at a wall to climb up it (or vault off it) or you can run at a wall at an angle to run along the wall for a short distance.
Jump: Jumping is vital as well, as you will need to jump up to reach levers and ledges and will need to leap across gaps. More importantly, you can jump at almost any time. So if you are on a ledge, you can leap to a platform or if you are holding a column you can leap off to a ledge or another column. If you want to jump in a specific direction, be certain to aim in the direction as you hit the Jump button.
Bar Swing: Bars stick out of walls and down from ceilings and are often disguised as tree branches or flag poles. You will automatically grab onto a bar when you near it. You can shimmy along a bar by pressing left or right. To swing, hold down the Special Action button to gain momentum, then press the jump button to leap off. You can also turn around on a bar (even when swinging) by tapping Up.
Ledges: Ledges are sometimes tough to spot, but they will save your heinie quite often. You can shimmy across ledges by moving left or right, drop down to hang on a ledge by pressing the Cancel button, pull yourself up on top of a ledge with the Jump button, and even leap off a ledge (that you are standing on) with the Jump button. Most importantly, you can shimmy around corners, as long as the ledge continues on the wall.
Columns: Some columns can be climbed. Look for skinny poles sticking up from the ground or ceiling. You can leap to grab and then move up down, or rotate to position yourself for another jump. In later areas, stalactites act as columns.
Ropes: Rope climbing is fun! You won't come across a rope until halfway through PoP, but once you do, you'll love 'em. You can climb up and down and rotate on a rope like you would a column, but you can also swing in any direction by holding down the Special Action button. Jump to leap off in the desired direction.
Ladders: Walk up to a ladder and you automatically grab hold. Move Up or Down to climb and press Left or Right to switch sides of the ladder.
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Sand Powers
Once you acquire the Sand Dagger (don't worry, you get it very early in the game), you will have access to several powers. Before talking about the powers, however, it's important to understand how your Sand and Power Tanks work and just what the heck they are.
Sand Tanks: The large yellow balls on the upper left of the screen indicates your Sand Tanks. You begin with four tanks, but by finding Sand Clouds (also called Retrieves) throughout the levels, you can increase your tanks for a total of ten. For every eight Retrieves you acquire, you gain an extra Sand Tank.
Power Tanks: The white crescent symbols next to the Sand Tanks indicate your Power Tanks. Shove you dagger into sixteen enemies and Retrieve their sand to add another Power Tank (you can't have more than ten). Most of your special moves require energy from the Power Tank.
Refilling Tanks: Any time you perform a Retrieve on a Sand Creature, you fill up some of your Sand Tanks. When all of your Sand Tanks are full, you begin filling your Power Tanks. Find a Sand Cloud, however, and your refill both Tanks completely.
Power of Revival
Cost: 1 Sand Tank
Though the Prince has many useful powers, this one will be your saving grace throughout the majority of The Sands of Time. By holding down the Rewind button, you can literally rewind up to ten seconds of gameplay. Miss a jump and you can save yourself. Make a bad combat move and get cut by a bunch of Sandbags and you can rewind and rewrite history. Invaluable.
Power of Restraint
Cost: 1 Power Tank
A useful combat power, the Power of Restraint allows you to freeze a single enemy in time. The enemy turns gray for 10 seconds and can be chopped in have with a couple of sword strikes. To use this power, you just need to use your dagger on an enemy. If you strike other enemies within a very short period, you can freeze all of them.
Power of Delay
Cost: 1 Power Tank
Tap the Rewind button during combat and you will slow time for 10 seconds. This slows time for everyone, including you. It's useful if you are surrounded and need more time to plan your course of attack and defense. It's not a particularly effective power, but those who have trouble with combat, it can be helpful.
Power of Haste
Cost: All Power and Sand Tanks
A powerful attack, the Power of Haste allows the Prince to move as if he is in fast motion for ten seconds, bouncing from one enemy to the next. You must have an equal amount of Power and Sand Tanks full. This consumes every last bit of power, so it is not to be used lightly. However, it is good to use if you are facing a boss or if it is to end combat with one final multi-hit blow.
Power of Destiny
Cost: Nothing
Each time you step into a Save Point, you are given a vision. The vision shows clips of what you will be doing up through to the next Save Point. Pay attention, as visions show how to solve just about every puzzle in the game and will show you where and when to jump at crucial moments. If you need to see a vision a second time, step back into the Save Point.
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Water
Water is life, literally. Any time you find a water fountain, spring, puddle, or lake, do not hesitate to drink up. Stand in or at the water source and hold down the Special Action button. It takes time to drink, making it difficult in combat. However, a quick drink in battle can be the difference between success and painful failure.
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Dying
Dying is a part of platform games and so it is a part of Prince of Persia. However, you have some tools to save you from death. If you have any power left in your Sand Tank, be sure to Rewind. Whether you missed a ledge and fell to your death or took an axe to the back, the Rewind can save you for another go. When you die, you will usually start in the beginning of the room, so that anything you did previously does not need to be performed again.
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Combat
When you're not running along walls and jumping over spike pits, you'll be battling demons of the sand. There are numerous creatures in Prince of Persia, but most are merely alternate versions of one another. So long as you know the basics of combat, you should be able to make your way through without meeting an untimely demise.
Attacks: To defeat your enemy, you must first strike with your sword. Combat is versatile and free-flowing in PoP. It's also quite simple and intuitive. Merely press in the direction of the enemy you want to attack and swing your sword. You can quickly toggle between enemies to bounce back and forth, striking three or four in the blink of an eye and keeping them from striking at you. Remember, just point at whom you wanna strike and swing, swing, swing.
Block: Blocking is vital to your survival. As long as you are facing an enemy, you can hold the Special Action button and parry their attack. You can't block attacks from behind or the side, however, so make sure you face your enemy when blocking. Avoiding damage is the only way to win later battles, so practice your blocking techniques early on.
Dodge: You can dodge enemy attacks by pushing in a direction and pressing the Jump button. Left and Right result in a roll, Up and Jump results in a vault over your enemy, and Down and Jump offers a backwards flip. Since you can only block attacks from the front, dodging is your best choice to avoid damage when surrounded.
Retrieve: When an enemy is stunned use your dagger to retrieve the sand from them. This vanquishes your enemy (it's the only way to destroy most sand enemies) and fills one Sand or Power Tank. A stunned enemy only remains so for ten seconds, so make sure to get to them before they revive themselves.
Wall Launch: Press towards a wall or column and hit Jump and Attack at the same time to launch yourself off the wall and at your enemy. This is an excellent way to knock down an enemy. Follow this with a Retrieve. Enemies who block the Wall Launch will not be knocked down, but any who fail to block will fall.
Vault: Jumping over enemies is cool and useful. Press towards an enemy and hit Jump to vault over them. While vaulting, you can attack with your sword. If you are daring, you can attempt a Retrieve while vaulting over an enemy. You must use your dagger as you are passing overhead. If successful, you get a cool visual. If not, you just lost an opportunity for a solid sword strike.
Counter-Attack: Counter-attacks require very exact timing. The moment you block an opponent's attack (the exact second that the two weapons strike) with the attack button to knock the enemy's weapon aside and perform a powerful spin-kick. You can also attempt to perform a Retrieve by using your dagger the instant the weapons strike, but this counter is even less forgiving, meaning timing must be precise.
Walkthrough
Prince of Persia is a long adventure that takes you throughout the massive confines of the Sultan's palace. PoP is not broken into chapters or easily divisible sections within the game itself. There are, however, 39 Save Points throughout the 10-hour quest and each Save Point has a name. For the purposes of this walkthrough, we have separated each section by Save Point. The section details everything that takes place from the moment you leave one Save Point until you reach the next. If you want to find out what to do next, look at the name of the Save Point when you load your game and go to that section.
Below is a list of all 40 sections (including the beginning, where there is no Save Point). Look for the name of your current Save Point in the list below and click the corresponding section to jump to the correct page.
Part I
Outside the Palace (Starting Point)
The Maharajah's Treasure Vaults
"You Have Unleashed the Sands of Time"
"Had I Really Seen Her?"
Part II
A Secret Passage
The Palace's Defense System
A Booby-Trapped Courtyard
Death of a Sand King
"I'll Try to Find a Way In"
Part III
Climbing the Tower
The Warehouse
The Sultan's Zoo
Atop A Bird Cage
Cliffs and Waterfall
Part IV
The Baths
"There's Something Glowing up There"
Above the Baths
Daybreak
A Soldiers' Mess Hall
Part V
The Drawbridge
A Broken Bridge
"I'll Meet You at the Baths"
Waterfall
Part VI
A Cavern of Ladders
An Underground Reservoir
Out of the Well
The Sultan's Harem
"What Did Your Call Me?"
Part VII
The Hall of Learning
Observatory
Hall of Learning Courtyards
On the Ramparts
Part VIII
A Prisoner Seeking An Escape
"At Last We're Here!"
The Hourglass
Part IX
The Tomb
"Farah, Come Back!"
Climbing the Tower of Dawn
The Setting Sun
Part X
Honor and Glory
Outside the Palace - Save 0
Your tale begins with your entrance into another man's kingdom. Make no mistake, you are here as a warrior and you are here to rob this kingdom of one of its most valued treasures. As the battle ensues, you must make your way into the heart of the Maharajah's Palace to find the treasure secured within. The Prologue serves as a tutorial. For every special action, you'll see text telling you what to do. With the on-screen assistance and a little help from your pals at IGN, this should be a stroll through the park.
Move forward from the start of the stage. Cannonballs slam into the ground ahead of you. Don't worry. None of the blasts seen throughout the prologue can actually hurt you, though they will open new pathways during your quest. Climb the rubble to the right and then jump the gap as instructed on-screen. You're faced with a ledge too high to jump to. This is one of the simpler wall running puzzles. Hold down the Special Action button and move straight at the wall. You'll run up the wall and grab the ledge. Hit the Action button to pull yourself up.
As you move across the bridge, another cannonball strikes, destroying the path ahead. Jump across. To the right you'll see a tattered wooden ledge. You can either jump the gap, or move alongside the wall and hold down the Special Action button to wall run to the other side. Head through the door on the left. Down the hall your path is blocked by some wooden crates. How inconvenient! Whip out your sword smash the boxes, then move forward for your first taste of combat.
This cherry-poppin' battle isn't tough by any means. Be sure to read the Combat portion in the Basics section of this guide to learn how to master your enemy. This fight is straight up. Block and let your enemy attack, then attack. You can check out some of the cool animations by jumping over your enemy and attacking or jumping against a wall and springing off for an attack. A few strikes fells your enemy. Continue forward till you spot a ladder. Climb it and get ready for another fight, though this one is against two enemies. Remember that there's only one attack button to worry about, but the direction you choose selects the enemy to attack. If you are surrounded, leap over one of your enemies and attack.
In the next room, you'll find a pool of water. Okay, so it's water that you end up standing in, which makes it seem a little less than sanitary, but drinking it (use the Special Action button) heals you. Is this stuff filtered? Go through the doorway and you'll see a short cut-scene showing off the four enemies awaiting you on the level below. Drop down the rubble steps (be against the wall to drop safely to the highest step) and take on the four baddies. Remember your training. Block front attacks, jump over enemies when you are surrounded, and swing early and often.
Skip through the open door and make you way along the empty hall. Your next trouble spot comes when some pesky cannonballs blow up part of the path in front of you. Run along the wall over the first gap (don't forget to hold down the Special Action button) and do the same to get over the second gap. Piece of cake. Make your way to the ladder and give it a climb. Drink up at the well and head forward for another four-on-one battle. There's a lot of space here, so you can move to either side of the area and spread out your enemies. Fighting with your back to a ball is not a bad idea, so long as you remember to block.
Now comes your first somewhat tricky puzzle. In the overall scheme of Prince of Persia, this isn't tricky at all, so if this one fools you, then you're in for a world of foolin' over the next 10 hours. Move to the far wall and you'll see a thin ledge. Pay attention to how the ledge appears, because you'll need a sharp eye to find these throughout your adventure. Jump up and you'll automatically grab onto the ledge. You can pull yourself up onto a ledge with the Jump button. If you're hanging from a ledge, you can drop by hitting the Cancel button and if you are standing on a ledge, you can drop down and hang from the ledge with the Cancel button.
To make it across, move along the ledge and shimmy underneath the stone face. You'll soon reach the end of your current ledge. Pull yourself up and then jump up to grab the ledge above you. Pull yourself up onto the ledge and move around the corner. When you reach the next stone face, hit the Cancel button to drop and grab the ledge you're on. Shimmy until you reach the end of the ledge and drop to the ledge below. Make your way to the stone face, shimmy beneath it, and get to the hole in the wall. Drop down when you are over the hole. Phew!
As soon as you enter the room, pull out your sword. There are four nasty men inside, but you know how to handle them. If you need health, there's a fountain against the wall, sandwiched between two benches. You need to get to the balcony above, but how? Move to the cylindrical column in the back left corner of the room. Jump onto it, then climb to the top. Position yourself so your back is towards the front left column. Push towards it and jump and you will leap to it and grab hold. Turn yourself to face the final column in the room, in the back right, and jump again. Now turn so your back is facing the balcony. Jump and you'll grab hold, just barely.
Pull yourself up and you're set to continue forward. As you step through the green veil, the game offers up a save. Yes, a save sounds dandy. Do so now.
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The Maharajah's Treasure Vaults - Save 1
It's time to explore the hidden dangers leading to the Treasure Vault. What's inside, you can't truly be certain. From the start, run along the wall to the left to make it to the other side. If you happen to drop down, you can get back to your starting point thanks to some ledges against the front wall. The next part is a bit trickier. You need to run along the wall to the right and jump to the landing on the left. Before making your run, get a good sense of where the landing is in relation to where you'll need to jump. Remember, you'll be jumping straight across. Be patient, wait until you see yourself losing ground on the wall run, then jump to the other side.
Run along the next wall so you can reach a new little conundrum. To go further, you need to get up onto the platform to the left, but you can't get there by jumping or running directly up the left wall. Instead, run up the wall to the right and as you reach the peak of your run, jump and you will vault to the platform. Pull yourself up once you've grabbed the ledge. This is a common jump, so keep in mind how you got this one done.
You're here, in the room with the all-important dagger. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as jumping a few gaps, as you're about to see. Start by running along the wall to the right. For the next gap, run along the wall and jump when you run across the red curtain. Note the dagger is in sight, but it's behind a wall, so you can't nab it just yet. From that little alcove, run up the wall to the left. Move to the long wall and run across until you drop onto the platform below the candles. Don't let go of the Special Action button, just let gravity pull you down. Wall run one more time and head through the exit.
The next room looks tough with three spiked poles moving back and forth. It's not hard at all. Drop down from the ledge. Watch the movements of the three poles. When the left pole moves back, the middle one is moving forward. Follow the left pole as it moves backwards, then sidestep to the middle and move to the edge of the area, where you are safe from the poles. Now it's time for a long wall run on the wall to the left. Hold down the Special Action button the full way and you'll just barely make it to a hard-to-see lead on the next wall.
Shimmy along the ledge until you reach its end. Climb up the ledge and jump across the gap to the ledge on the wall behind you. Move across to the end of that ledge, then jump back across to the ledge opposite the one you're on. Take this ledge onto solid ground, where another spinning bar is waiting. It's easy enough to time the movements of the two poles and make your way through safely. At the next gap, run along the wall to the left. As you begin your descent, jump to the opposite wall and the ledge waiting there. Use the ledge to make it into the next room -- the chamber where the dagger is held.
Your first move is to make your way to solid ground, of which there is very little in the treasure vault. Hold down the Cancel button and move to the edge of the entrance. This will drop you down onto a ledge. There are several levels of ledges, but no ground beneath them. As you shimmy across, different sections of ledge will break. You should now be comfortable moving around ledges. Drop down when you need to, move to an edge (you can't accidentally move off an edge) and jump up to grab another ledge when you need to. In this manner, make your way across to the end of the top ledge.
From here, leap towards the column. A cut-scene shows that there are a series of columns you'll need to jump to. Sounds fun! There are only four directions you can be positioned on a column. Line yourself up so you're back is to the next column, then jump backwards. Continue along in this manner until you reach a large gap between columns. Slide down the column and hop off when you near the bottom. Yes, it chaffs, but you're a hero and you have greater concerns than your own comfort.
Your next goal is getting atop the giant statue. Move to the wooden crate at the base of the statue. Smash it and move to where it was. Run up the statue from here and you can grab onto the wrist and pull yourself up. Run up the statue's right arm and jump at the crest of your run to land on the hand. Get up to the statue's giant noggin. The head and the wall to the left create a narrow column. It's time to pull of a little Mario move. Wall run up the side of the statue's head and jump to the left wall. As soon as you hit the wall, push the opposite way and jump back to the head, then to the wall. Ping-pong your way up to the top of the head, where you'll find the dagger. Should you fall and die, you restart at the base of the statue, so at least you don't have to go through all of the motions again.
Finally, it's time to pick up the Dagger and end the level. Oh wait, you still need to escape the vault alive. Muhahahahaha! Shouldn't be too tough for a pro like you and you now have the powers of the Sand Dagger. If you fall, you can rewind and save your skin. Refer to the Basics section for more details on the powers of the Dagger.
It's now time to use your wall-running skills to get out. Wall run to exit the chamber. The next room has some serious pitfalls as the broken floor reveals deadly spikes below. Yowsa! Use wall runs and then jumps to get to the safe platforms. Time is not a factor, so take your time to judge where you need to be on the wall when you jump to the platform.
All that remains is to avoid the three sets of spiked challenges. The first is easy enough. Sidestep through the three moving spiky poles. The next set is a bit trickier, as there are four poles that move together. Look to the left and you'll spot an alcove. Run with the poles as they recede and step into the alcove. Wait for the poles to pass, then move on. Drop down into the room below and step through the three poles, which you've dealt with previously. Use the ledge to climb on up, then step through the room to initiate a long and very educational cut-scene.
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"You Have Unleashed the Sands of Time" - Save 2
Following the cut-scene showing the horrendous fate of your father, you find yourself in the great hall, having just cheated death. The mystery of the Sands of Time must be unraveled if you are to make amends for what transpired today. Here's one piece of the puzzle -- there are now undead sand soldiers wandering the halls. These beasts are fought as you would normal men, but once you strike them down, they can regenerate. The only way to stop them is by thrusting your Dagger into them when they are stunned by pressing the Use Dagger button.
You get your first real taste of what combat will be like as soon as you take first sight of the great hall. Several baddies come at you and more will keep coming. You must continue to fight until you see a cut-scene showing you sheathing your blade -- That's the signal that all enemies in the room have been defeated. Your combat strategy doesn't change much, despite the increase in enemies and the need to plunge your dagger into their chests to vanquish them properly. Blocking is much more important than before, as the enemy AI kicks up a notch allowing these villains to parry your attacks with more regularity.
Sand enemies are not so much full-physical beings as they are the souls made of sand. What the hell does that mean? You can expect them to occasionally teleport very short distances and otherwise disregard certain laws of physics. No matter, if you have deft hands you can take out even the most elusive of foes. You have some extra combat powers coming to you shortly, but for now, rely on quick fingers and plenty of slashing. If you find yourself getting whomped on too much, you can retreat down the hall, where you'll find a fountain. Drink up and heal so you can return to the battle.
After the battle is won, a cut-scene shows you step into a mysterious pillar of light. You have yourself a vision, which shows what you'll need to do in an upcoming puzzle. Of course, we'll give you the full skinny, but anyone wanting to try to get through puzzles on their own should always take note of their visions. You can also save here, and you definitely want to do that.
To the left of the fiery light, you'll see some rubble that appears to be blocking a door. However, if you get closer you'll find that you can actually get past the rubble on the right and move into the next section. There's a girl you have to go after, so get on after her! Your pursuit is cut off by some falling debris. Don't worry, you're gonna find that girl. Take the door to the right to enter a new puzzle room.
You need to get to the floor, but dropping down from the broken stairs will only get you dead. Instead, run along the wall to bridge the gap between the two sections of stairs. Once on the ground, you can find a Retrieve underneath the staircase. Move along the ruined staircase to the back wall. There are several horizontal bars in front of you. Jump to grab the first. To swing, hold down the Special Action button and to release, press Jump. You only need to swing once to gain enough momentum to leap to the next bar. Go from bar to bar and finally to the ledge. For a proper release, hit the Jump button when you've completed one revolution (so your feet are at their lowest point). You need to hold down the Special Action button all the way through your release. Leap to the ledge and shimmy right, the get up onto the platform. Run along the wall to the left and move through the door when you reach the next platform.
Once again the mysterious woman is cut off from you by falling rubble. Turn left form the rubble to find another series of swinging bars. However, the first bar is too far to reach with a leap. Instead, wall run to the left and you'll automatically grab the bar when you reach it. Shimmy right to position yourself with the next bar and vault across. Continue in this manner until you are safely on the other side. There's a water fountain ahead if you've injured yourself, otherwise move into the next room, which promises more leaping and a little bit of combat.
You can already see the creatures lurking below, but they aren't your first concern. You need a way down safely. Once again, the bar in front of you is too far to reach with a mere jump. Wall run to it, then swing from bar to bar until you reach the sliver of balcony still intact. More bars await. Wall run to reach the top bar. It's time to introduce a new element. You can drop down to a bar below you by hitting the B button. Drop down until you reach the floor, then quickly whip out your sword to take on the fiends below.
By now you should have a good grasp of combat, so keep on the move and take these enemies down. Towards the end of the fight you'll discover a new power. By using the Dagger when your Sand Power is full (see Basics section for more), you can freeze an enemy in time. This frozen enemy can then be sliced in half with your sword. Sweeeeet.
Next comes a slightly tricky puzzle. Move to the back corner of the room. There's a bar you can't quite jump to. Instead, run straight into the wall and then jump at the height of your run to vault backwards and catch the bar. Turn around on the bar (by tapping Up). Swing and jump. When you hit the wall, jump and you will spring back and grab the upper bar. Turn around on the bar, swing and release to grab the ledge. Climb up onto the ledge and then up through the hole to the room on the other side of the wall. Ta-da!
Immediately inside the hallway is a fiery Save Point that offers a vision of your next big puzzle and the opportunity to save your game.
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"Had I Really Seen Her?" - Save 3
From the Save Point, take a right and head down the hall, past the water fountain. Slash the bench blocking the doorway. Inside, go right to find another Retrieve. Do a 180 and you'll see a bar for swinging positioned past the entrance. There's a path you can use up above. To get up to the bar, run straight into the wall crowned with rubble and jump at your peak. Once you're on the bar, turn around and swing to the opening.
The small opening opens up to a perilous drop. Tip-toe carefully to the edge against the far wall and drop to the step below, then head through the hole on the left. If you're curious what's down on the floor below, you'll get there soon enough. Follow the hallway around the bend and into the darkness. You come out in a fantasy world, a realm, apparently, available only in your mind. Run along the bridge and drink the water. Fortunately, you're not in Tiajuana and the water is just fine to drink. In fact, it increases your health meter. Huzzah!
When you return to reality, you're back to where you first entered that hole, but now the hole is gone. Whaaaa?!? It's time to make your way down. Run along the wall to the right. You're now on top of a ledge. Drop down the steps into the room below. Wall run over the hole in the floor and grab the Retrieve on the other side. It's time to get even lower, so drop down the steps. A cut-scene cues and you finally meet up with the beautiful lass who's already captured your heart. Unfortunately, giant Scarabs break up the party. You promise to meet up with her again.
Scarabs. Why'd it have to be Scarabs? Scarabs are not like typical creatures of the sand. You don't have to stake them with your dagger to dissolve them, you just need to give a few good whacks with your sword. Scarabs are only tough if you let yourself get surrounded. They have a big tell for their main attack as their wings will flutter before they shoot forward. Anytime you see fluttering wings, leap behind the Scarab and strike. There's a water fountain in the back of the room to refresh yourself after the battle. Take the door to the left, first and follow the path to another Retrieve, then return and take the other door to enjoy another puzzle room.
This large bedroom has a complex series of puzzles. To get into the room, leap across the first gap. Take a good look at your surroundings and then run down the hallway to the right. This leads you onto the outdoor balcony, where you witness a flying hourglass. O-kay. Guess someone drank too much of the special Kool-Aid at the office party. The path ahead crumbles before you can set foot across. Make a full wall run to the other side and enter the bedroom once more.
You now must contend with a series of columns you must leap from. Jump onto the first available column, which happens to be on right next to you. Position yourself so you back is to the next column off to the right and jump. Make your way around the columns until you reach a stubby column. There's a very short platform to the right. Jump to the ledge and drop down to the platform below. Here comes the tricky part. You must run along the wall and then leap to the column in the distance. Here's the easy part. Run until you reach the column's shadow on the wall, then jump. You'll be lined up perfectly with the column and make the grab with no problem.
Slide down the column and slice up the two Scarabs with no problem. If your meter is full you should see a message about slowing time. Essentially, you can tap the Rewind button to temporarily slow time during combat. Be sure to grab the Retrieve (which is in plain sight, ya can't miss it). When you're ready, move towards the right-hand wall. You must once again run the length of the wall and leap towards a column. And, once again, the shadow of the column on the wall is your jumping point. Move from that column to the next, making your way over to the remains of the second floor. Near the column you just dropped down from, there's a pillar of broken stone in the corner. Run up the side of the stone to grab the top and then pull yourself up.
It's time for more death-defying feats. There is a horizontal bar that should now be in your field of vision. To get to it, run up the final length of the pillar and jump backwards. Once you have hold of the bar, swing to the next bar and then to the platform beyond. From that platform, turn to face where you just were. Say hello to the bars that helped you out, then jump the small gap to the column on the other side. Move to the broken column at the end of the platform, grabbing the Retrieve along your way.
Climb the broken column and leap to the next piece and then the next. There's a platform against the wall, jump to it. Now you need to get down without breaking your neck. Walk to the edge of the platform and hold down the Cancel button, which will let you drop and grab the side of the platform. Shimmy left and you'll automatically grab onto the left against the wall. From here you can drop down safely to the floor below where a couple of Scarabs await. Ah, but this platforming puzzle has not yet been fully solved.
Follow the wall to find another series of bars you can swing from. These, however, can be reached with a jump. Swing to the next platform, where a pair of giant Scarabs await. Aren't these bugs sick of being squashed yet? Kill them and then complete your final leap. Go to the railing and leap over it. You'll grab onto the edge. Shimmy to position yourself with the column rising from the floor. Jump to it, then slide down. Finally, you are on the ground.
Your stay on the ground floor will not be a pleasant one, however, as numerous enemies attack. Fortunately, there is a drinking fountain nearby where you can replenish your strength, even mid-battle. As you fight, keep in mind that this is a large room and you don't have to stay in one spot. Move around to separate your enemies and avoid being surrounded. Just because you have defeated every enemy in sight does not mean the battle is over. Until you see the cut-scene showing you sheath your blades, there are still baddies around, so stay sharp. Once every enemy is toast, a Save Point appears. Grab the Retrieve in the corner of the room first, then run to the Save Point and have yourself a vision.
A Secret Passage - Save 4
Be sure to pay attention to your vision, as it shows what's coming in this segment. It's called A Secret Passage for a reason, because there is indeed a hidden passage in the bedroom. Facing the Save Point, turn right and go to the bookcase. Move to either end and hold down the Special Action button to grab the bookshelf. You can then move it left to reveal a large hole in the wall. Head on through. Make your way down the stairs and you'll come across another fabulous run and jump moments. Run the length of the left wall and jump to the platform at the end of the room. Be sure to grab the Retrieve on the floor before stepping on the crescent moon symbol on the ground, which opens the door to the next room.
As you enter the room, the bridge is destroyed by falling rubble (this place is falling to pieces, oy!) so you need to wall run and jump to the other side. Take the wall to your right, run until you are under the second water fall and jump. Once on the other side, you need to get the door open. Standing on the moon tile opens the door, but the moment you step off, the door slams shut. You need something to hold down the tile while you got through. Good thing someone left a big crate in the corner. Use the Special Action button to grab hold and drag it onto the tile. With the door now securely open, head through to one of the brainier puzzle rooms.
First thing's first, you need to make it onto the large round platform, but jumping won't do you any good. Look to the right and you'll find a moon panel on the wall. There's a lever there you can grab by holding down the Special Action button. Grab it and move backwards as far as you can, pulling the lever with you. Though you can't see it, this is extending a bridge to the platform. However, the moment you let go of the lever, the bridge recedes. Let go of the lever and run onto the bridge. As soon as you reach the edge, jump across to the platform. It's time for the introduction of the brainiest puzzle yet.
The platform you're standing on has four symbols corresponding to the four glowing axels sticking out from the wall. You will need to match up each symbol with the axel and have all four locked into the platform. This is made all the more difficult because there's a maze you must guide the axels through. You do this by rotating and raising the platform with the two levers. The one with the spiral handle raises the platform vertically, so we'll call it the Vertical Lever and the other raised it horizontally (so we'll call that one the Horizontal Lever, naturally). You must pick the axels up in a specific order. Fortunately, the game lets you know when you've grabbed the wrong one. Oh, and of course we tell you exactly what to do anyway.
You are already lined up with the first axel (full moon), which is the full move. Move forward and step on the glowing tile to lock in the axel. Spin the Horizontal to move the axel right. Spin the Vertical to raise the axel one level. Now spin the Vertical until the axel goes as far left as it can and use the Vertical to drop down one level. You can now lock the empty moon into place. Raise the platform one level, then spin the Horizontal until the far axel hits the right wall. Raise the Vertical two levels and lock in the half-moon. Now move the Horizontal until the empty axel slot is above the crescent moon axel and spin the Vertical down one level. Lock the crescent in place. Move the platform up one level. Now it's just a mater of lining up the symbols. Push the Horizontal lever counterclockwise once and you should see all the symbols matched up. If not continue to rotate until they do match up. Then spin the Vertical one last time to rise up and lock them all into place. Now that's a puzzle, eh?
It's not quite over yet. Climb the ladder and move to the moon symbol on the ground. Jump up to grab and pull down the lever. Now, if you don't quite understand what just occurred in the cut-scene, you just activated the palace's defense mechanism. That's right, you just turned on all sorts of extra hazards for yourself to traverse. Good show! Oh, and the old man who sounded like a cast-off from Monty Python gurgles and dies mysteriously. D'oh.
Head back down the ladder and prepare for another fight. Take down the pair of goons who greet you, then move to the Save Point and have yourself another vision.
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The Palace's Defense System - Save 5
Good job making your quest even tougher. Way to go, sport. Your first taste of the defense system involves some moving spikes and some spiky floors. While you can get through by following the moving spiky poles, you're better off traversing the floor. As long as you move slowly across the floor traps (you didn't think those holes were just beauty marks, did you?) the spikes won't shoot up.
There's a level against the wall. Pull it all the way back. This opens a door at the end of a series of traps. You need to be quick at this point, so head up the stairs and step through the spiky poles. Ahead is a ledge that's guarded by a saw. Wait for the saw to move down the hall, then run along the wall to grab the ledge. To avoid the saw, which will cut you if you are hanging on the ledge, pull yourself up and walk the ledge. You need to then jump to the next ledge, which has a saw that will cut you if you are standing. Let the saw pass, then leap to the ledge and drop down into a hanging position. Shimmy to the corner and wait for the saw to pass overhead, then pull yourself onto the ledge and jump to the floor across from you.
Your journey through danger is far from over. The next ledge has a pair of saws moving in tandem. This is easy to get past, however. Let the saws get to the far end of the ledge, then run the wall to grab the ledge and quickly pull yourself up. Move along the ledge until you are lined up with the ledge on the other wall and jump to it. Now move to the end of the ledge, let the saws pass, jump back to the previous ledge, shimmy to safety, and drop down onto solid ground. Head through the half-closed door to enter another puzzle room.
Before you can get to puzzling, there are quite a number of baddies that must be dealt with. Don't leave yourself trapped at the entrance. Instead, move into the courtyard to give yourself some spacing. There's a water founting in the left corner of the yard if you get in trouble. Once the enemies are defeated, grab the Retrieve (located behind some rubble in the far right corner of the yard) and then hop to the fiery Save Point for another vision and a delicious save.
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A Booby-Trapped Courtyard - Save 6
The vision shows what you need to do to survive the courtyard, but in case you missed it, we'll give you a full recounting. Mosey on over to the glowing tile on the wall. Run up the wall to press the tile. This raises a platform in the center of the courtyard. Run up its side to get on top. The platform will lower after a few seconds, so quickly jump up and grab the bar. Swing and release to get to the next platform, then jump to the balcony to the right.
The slowly rotating blade on the ground isn't very tricky. Wait until it swipes, then run past it. Run along the left wall and jump off as you near the corner to get to the next part of the balcony, where several spiky poles and some spinning blades await. There's no trick here, you just need to be quick with your hands. Wait for the foremost pole to move aside, run in, leap over the slowly-spinning blade and then dodge the last remaining poles. Piece of cake. Jump to the bar, which opens the door and swing your way across.
You didn't think the courtyard drama was already over, did you? Oh no, far from it, lad. Next up, there's a trap-filled floor that will go spiky on your *** if you walk to fast. Not to worry, as walking the floor isn't on the day planner. Instead, climb onto the rumble near the start of the area and run along the wall. When you near the corner, jump backwards to grab the ladder. You can move left or right to swing yourself onto the front of the ladder. Time to climb! From here it's just a matter of a simple wall run across the gap and then a leap across the small corner gap to the next part of the balcony. Grab the retrieve.
See the booby-trapped floor in the corner? You need to get through the hole above it. Easy enough. Climb the rubble in the opposite corner, then run along the wall. You'll automatically grab onto the edge of the hole. Pull yourself through. Don't think that the courtyard is over, you're just here to earn some extra health. Head down the hall and into the darkness... the other side of which is a familiar hallucination. Run to the fountain and drink up for another increase in the ol' health meter.
When you awaken, you're back by the spiky corner. Look across the gap and you'll see a couple of bars. Swing and release on each to get to a tiny crack in the wall that you can grip. Shimmy to the right, around the corner, so your back is to the next platform. Jump backwards and you'll clear the gap. Next up is another wall run to a jump, but the twist is there's a giant saw moving up and down the side of the wall. What kind of freak built this place?? Your wall run is very quick, so wait for the saw to move high and run across. As see the corner, jump off the wall to relative safety.
You're getting closer, but you're not out of the fire yet. Run straight up the wall in front of you to grab the ledge. Pull yourself up and then align yourself so your back is to the bar. Jump off and grab the bar. Turn yourself around on the bar so you're facing the closed door above. Yeah, it's closed, but you need to get up there anyhow, so do the ol' swing and release and quit yer bitchin'.
Now comes the hardest part of the courtyard gauntlet. You need to make a full run across the wall and avoid the moving blade at the same time. This is all about timing. Wait for the blade to move upwards. Once it has passed your head level, start your run to the next platform. Since the blade still has to travel to the top and head back down, you should have plenty of clearance. The next run is the same timing, but you must jump off the wall after passing the blade to get to the next part of the upper balcony.
Note the door with the symbol. You're about to open that. This is the final test of the balcony, so smile or something. Once again you need to wall run to avoid the blade. Easy stuff by now. Do not step on the tile on the floor just yet. It opens that big door you saw previously, but it only stays open for a few seconds. Because of this, you cannot wait for the blade to be in the proper position after you've hit the switch, you need to time everything perfectly. Move behind the tile and look at the blade. Since you have a longer run, wait for the blade to be at the bottom of its move, then run across the tile to lower the door and run along the wall. By the time you reach the blade, it will be above. As soon as you land on solid ground, run through the door before it closes. Now that was fun!
Pull the lever in front of you until it won't come out any further. This opens a door at the end of the hall on the floor above you, but the door will close soon, so you must be very quick. First up you have some nasty saws and a spiked floor below. Obviously falling is not an option. Wait for the saw to be at a low point and wall run over it. Roll underneath the slow spinning blade. You now need a way to the floor above. Wall run up along the button on the left. This causes a platform to appear from the wall. At the peak of your run, jump backwards onto the platform. From the platform, jump up to grab the ledge above. Pull yourself up, then grab the next ledge above and pull yourself up again. Jump backwards to next ledge, then jump up two sets of ledges until you are standing on top of a gray ledge. Move around the corner, so your back is facing the platform and jump off to safety.
For the final run, you have two choices. There's a horizontal saw to the left and two vertical saws to the right. Choose left. Wait for the saw to get near you. Say about a quarter of the way from the end of its run, then run across the wall and you will run over the top of the blade. Hurry to the door and roll under it before it closes. Man, that was some hard, hard stuff.
Now for the easy part. Your dad is a Sand Demon and he has lots of Sand minions acting as his aids. Oh wait, this is the hard part, sorry, not the easy part at all. Your dad is one tough curmudgeon, but he should not be your primary concern. The other sand goons should be dispatched first and foremost. While they seem endless, there is a finite amount. Be careful when fighting the Blue Guards, as they can knock you down if you try to jump over them. Instead roll around then or jump backwards to avoid their attacks. Don't let yourself get surrounded. Anytime you are swarmed, back it up.
Your other concern is for the welfare of the young lady mixed up in the battle. She fires arrows that stun enemies, but you must also try and keep her safe. The best way to do this is to draw the enemies towards you. Anytime you spot an enemy closing in on the girl, move in and intercept. If she dies, you have to start the battle over from the beginning. Though you may be low on health following your run through the courtyard gauntlet, don't be tempted by the fountain at the end of the hall. Getting there and drinking the water without getting mauled by the enemy is nearly impossible. Plus, you leave the girl to fend for herself. Instead, rely on the sand to protect you. Sure, you may die a few times, but as long as you are powering up your Dagger, you can rewind time and avoid the killing blow. Remember to keep moving and avoid getting backed into a corner. After you've killed the final minion, it's time to take on daddy.
Your pops isn't all that tough actually. For one thing, the girl is now safe from danger, so you can concentrate solely on your duel to the death with your poppa. Sand daddy will block all attacks from the front, but you can jump over him and attack repeatedly. Keep doing this. Again and again and again. Jump over and attack. Again and again and again. It takes a while, but eventually daddy dearest falls to the ground in defeat. Stab him and enjoy a cut-scene, a vision, and a luscious save.
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Death of a Sand King - Save 7
You now have a lovely companion in tow. She runs off as your outside adventure begins. Let her go. There's a fountain at the start of the area, so be certain to drink up, then follow the Farah. Use wall runs to get across the two gaps, then stop and get chatty with the chica named Farah. She offers to provide you some long-distance fire while you handle the goons below. There are two waves of baddies, but compared to the fight with daddy and company, this one's a piece of cake. Don't expect much from your companion, but occasionally she stuns someone for you. Halfway through the battle she comes down to check things out. Of course this means you need to keep her safe, so attack any enemy that nears her.
Once every is defeated, drink up. Head up the stairs and go right to nab a Retrieve. Now hop back down the steps and go to the Save Point for another vision.
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"I'll Try to Find a Way In" - Save 8
Make your way up to the door. It's locked. Gotta find another way in. What's new, hmm? The floor ahead crumbles. Time to wall run. As you do, the next platform crumbles as well. Don't freak out. Keep running along the wall and you'll drop onto a lower platform. This is where you are meant to be, so don't get stupid and make some last minute attempt to jump somewhere else. Wall run to the next green platform. There are some bars to vault on, but to get there you can't jump. Instead wall run all the way around the corner and you'll have just enough leg in your to reach the bar.
You may think, as you vault from one bar to the next, that you can easily drop down onto the stone ledge below. Don't you believe it. It's too high and the fall will kill you, but that is where you're headed. Swing on the three bars to get to the next green platform. Turn a 180 and wall run to the stone ledge below. Now it's just a matter of one more wall run over the gap to the small patio below. Check out the lever with the orange symbol. Oddly, this matches the symbol on the door below. Grab hold of the lever using the Special Action button and wind it clockwise until a cut-scene shows the door opening. Drop down over the edge and onto the main entryway. Before you pop through the open door, however, move the other way to grab a Retrieve. Don't worry about the crumbling stone, you can still get the Retrieve safely.
As you near the entrance, several sand goombas accost you. There are multiple waves, but there's nothing you haven't faced before. Even though there's no water to heal you, you shouldn't have problems dispatching these goons. Once they're down, head inside and grab yourself another vision and a save at the fiery Save Point.
Climbing the Tower - Save 9
It's time to climb the tower. Climb the rubble. At the top of the stone heap look up. There's a ledge above, which can be reached by running straight up the wall. Climb up onto the ledge and move to the right until you meet the end of the ledge. Jump off the ledge to the bar behind you. Swing from bar to bar until you reach a final set of parallel bars, one atop the other. You need to get up to the bar above. You've done this trick before. Vault off the bar you're on, then jump when you hit the wall and you'll spring back to the higher bar.
More bars await, so keep swinging and climbing slowly towards the top. You'll eventually make it to solid footing again, but there are plenty more dangers in store for you on your way up the tower.
First, head right. Smash the barrels and other wooden object in the way to gain access to a water fountain. Mmm... takes like Perrier. Head past the ladder. There's a saw in the wall, but you know how to beat this trap. Wait for the saw to get about two-thirds high, then wall run to the other side. Head through the veil, down the hall, and into darkness. Another safe trip across the mystical bridge earns you an extra dose of health. You wind up back on the platform and must run the gap again, avoiding the saw.
Now that you're on top of the ladder, you need to get the pesky closed door open. Make your way left to find more vertical saws. These ones are slightly distanced from you, so wait until they are just starting to come up and run the wall. The switch for the door is on the wall between two saws. Not a problem, as you're going to be running over it. As soon as the saws pass eye-level, run across and you'll hit the switch. Quickly more to the next gap, which has no perils other than gravity's pull, and run the wall. Pop through the door before it closes.
More closed doors and more traps. Did you really expect anything different? Wall run to the left, over the spiked floor, then head down the stairs. Your future love, Farah, is waiting at the gate and she's quite impatient. Step on the moon tile in the corner and stay on it until she is through the door. Follow her upstairs for some special loving. Or, rather, for some more puzzles and Sand Demons.
As you reach the top of the stairs, a cut-scene shows off your lady's resourcefulness. She slips through the crack in the wall and opens the door for you. How gentlemanly of her. Follow her into the next puzzle room, which will truly test your sanity. The two of you will need to work in tandem, though all of the hard work will be on your studly shoulders. For whatever reason, these fools decided to create a room with partially finished stairs. Head down the stairs as much as you can, then run the wall. When you reach the symbol on the wall, jump backwards. You'll grab the bar, which is actually a lever. It moves the upper stairs, allowing your accomplice a way to the next lever. Wait for the pinchers to snap, then drop and move right.
Head up the stairs and pull the lever until it goes no further. This activates the room's defense systems. You have very little time before the door at the end of the room closes, so hurry. You must contend with booby-trapped spiked floors and moving spiky poles. This isn't tough. The spiked floors are in a repeating pattern. First they start with two tiles on the outside, then two together in the middle of the floor and then back again. Weave through in an S pattern and roll through the door before it closes. You are back in a familiar spot, but that's purposeful. Wall run over the deadly floor and make your way into the puzzle room. Head down the steps to meet up with your girl once more.
The next gap you face takes you to a platform with pinching blades. Don't wall run, but instead jump to the platform and move to the edge to avoid the blades. Wait for the blades to disappear and wall run to reach the stairs above. Climb the stairs and pull the lever to switch up the stairs once more. Your companion does the same, opening a new challenge. Head down the steps and wall run to the next lever. Give it a rip. Continue making your way down in the same manner, pulling each lever as you go. There's no more trickery for now. When you reach the raised platform, enemies appear down below. It's time to get into the thick of things and kick some sand.
Drop down the left side of the platform and grab the edge. Jump backwards to land on crates, then climb down from there. This is a big battle, but nothing you can't handle. A new element, club-wielding enemies, is thrown into the mix. This is just a matter of dodging quickly. Their blows are mighty, but they are slow. Don't get stuck in one of the alleys by the crates, as the enclosed space hurts you far more than your enemy. Get to the open area and do your damage. Once your battle is done, climb the set of crates to the right of the exit (run straight up the crates) to net another Retrieve.
Now it's time to get the lovely lady down to your level so you can get out of the room. There are two marked tiles on the ground, each raising a platform. However, the moment you step off of them, the platforms lower. Fortunately, there are two crates in the room that can be moved onto the tiles. The first can be found atop the large brown crates to the left of the where your lady of destiny waits for you. Climb the crates and you'll find a light brown crate with moon markings. Grab it using the Special Action button and slide it over the edge of the crates. Hop down and drag it onto one of the tiles. The other crates is located on the ground, next to the stack of dark brown crates to the right of your lady love. Move it onto the other tile and you're golden.
Once the platforms are raised climb up and find the Save Point. Go ahead, have yourself another vision, we dare you.
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The Warehouse - Save 10
Climb the newly raised platform behind the Save Point and run up the wall to activate the switch. The warehouse door below opens for a very short period of time, so run straight to it. Take a couple of easy wall runs over some spiked floors and you'll end up at the Sultan's zoo. To the right of the stairs is another Retrieve. Grab it before moving deeper into the zoo. As you take your first few steps, several Sand goons with clubs appear. Even in the slightly enclosed space, these guys should not cause you any troubles.
Once they're all defeated, head up the steps to another Save Point. This vision details what you'll need to do in the Aviary, so pay attention.
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The Sultan's Zoo - Save 11
Make your way up the rises that border the cliff. Climb the thin palm tree to get to the higher rise. The final plateau has a square patch of dirt and a palm tree rising in front of it. Note the convenient branch that serves as a bar. Swing off the bar to land on top of the gate. Drop down and step on the platform to let in your lady love.
You are near the aviary, and as such you are faced with the Sultan's prized birds which, thanks to the sand fiasco, are now prized vultures. The Vultures are not difficult to beat. They take just one hit to destroy, however you can't jump up to them, so you need to wait for them to strike. Look to the skies and stay out in the open. Your partner will fell a couple with arrows. Apparently Farah does have a use outside of your own sick fantasies. When a bird flies down to strike, you have about a two-second window to slice you're your sword. Act quickly and you'll take no damage. Before continuing on with any puzzles, take down all of the birds in the area.
With the feathered villains vanquished, head inside the hut. There's nothing of interested in here except for a crate resting against the wall. Grab hold and pull it back to reveal a small crack in the wall. You, my friend, have eaten a few too many tater tots and cannot make it through. But your waif of a girlfriend can indeed. When she crawls through the crack, head back outside and to the cage on the right. She emerges and pulls a level, which opens the door to the aviary (to the left). She'll disappear through another crack, but don't worry about her for now. It's time to enter the aviary and face some platforming goodness.
The moment you step into the aviary, look right for a bar. Grab hold and turn to face the nearside of the cage. There's another bar directly above you. You know what to do. Swing, release, jump off the wall, grab the bar above. Easy. There's another bar, straight ahead, so leap to it and from there vault to the wooden walkway. Facing the cage wall, head right and wall run the gap to the next wooden platform. Though there is a bar accessible from the platform you're on, ignore it. You need to wall run again to reach a ladder against a nearby column. Climb the ladder and wake your way to the end of the platform to another ladder, which you must climb. Run left along the wall (when facing the cage) to another short platform.
Now it's just a matter of another long wall run to the long bar attached to the cage wall. Swing to the exit. From the exit, there's still more work to do. Run and jump to the grassy platform against the cliff face. There's a palm tree here with a good swinging branch. Use the First Person View to eye the branch if you can't quite see it from your current angle. It's very high, so you'll need to run up the cliff wall and jump backwards to grab it. Facing the top of the aviary, swing and release from the bar and pull yourself up. Head to the center of the aviary roof to find a lever. Grab it and move the gear clockwise until a cut-scene shows a door opening. Ta-da!
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Atop A Bird Cage - Save 12
The door is not on a timer, so you can take it easy on your way down. Look out over the aviary roof for the platform with the Save Point. Leap to it and save. Drop down to the level below. There are a couple of