Retro Game Walkthroughs for Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (PlayStation 2)
Submitted By: MoJoJoJo
Game -
Play through the start of the game with the tutorial on to help you learn the basics of the game. Up until you get the dagger, the game is basically one big lesson on how to play, so we can skip all that.
When the game really kicks in, you’re in a giant hall surrounded by enough enemies to make even Luke Skywalker shudder. Take them all out; as you kill them, you'll notice a save point slowly forming. After you’ve killed everything, save, head through the hole in the wall and up the stairs.
After a quick cutscene showing a girl running away, a wall will come crashing down, blocking your path. Go into the room on the right, wall-walk to the bottom of the room and over to the bars and start swinging, which will start another cutscene.
Keep following the girl, and more walls will collapse around you, so swing on the bars to get past. Go into the next room and lower yourself down to the first floor by dropping off the bars. Kill the badguys, swing on the bars in the corner to grab the ledge then save.
Go down the hall and refill your dagger with the sand cloud. Grab the ledge, get onto the bar and proceed to the next level. Climb over the rocks, crawl through a crack, then head down the hallway and into the darkness.
Now you’re in a weird, dreamlike place, so head across the bridges. Drink from the fountain at the end and you’ll get an upgrade on your health bar. You’ll be sent back to where you were before, so climb down the pile of rocks and go down the hall. The girl will grab you, and a cutscene will play. After a bit of chin wagging, kill the scarabs and drink from the fountain, then head down the hall again. Get outside and wall-walk across the collapsed balcony, then leap onto the columns. Jump onto the ledge, drop down, grab onto the pillars then climb down the rock pile. Wall-walk and push yourself off the wall to reach the ledge. Refill at the sand cloud and continue on, pillar leaping and going from ledge to ledge until you can drop down. Kill the scarabs here, then swing across the poles to kill some more scarabs. Slide down the large pillar that comes up from the ground and kill some more of the badguys. Heal up at the fountain and save.
Push the bookshelf that’s in the corner aside and go down the stairs it was hiding. Watch out for the spikes and stop off at the sand cloud. Step onto the switch to open the door. The bridge will collapse, so wall-walk on the right side and make a leap for the other side of the bridge. Push the box over the switch on the floor, this will open the door, then pull the level to create a bridge. Be quick though, the bridge doesn’t last long, run as fast as you can.
You’ll come into a huge room, and a palace bloke will ask for your help to turn on the emergency defence system. Here’s how you do it (pick up the generator sticks on your way) – right, up, all the way to the left, down three times, up, right twice, up twice, right, down, up, right three times, up. Simple (well, not really)
When you’ve finished, go across the bridge, up the ladder and stand on the switch. Head back down the ladder and kill the badguys. Go through the doorway, up the stairs and save your progress. Continue up the stairs, but watch out for the rotating traps. Get to the lever in the next room, pull it, and then continue upstairs again. Jump across the wall and leap from ledge to ledge.
Kill the badguys in the courtyard. There’s a fountain to your left, if you need it, as well as a sand cloud.
Wall-walk on the switch, which causes a pillar to appear in the middle of the courtyard. Climb it and grab the bar, swinging to the top of the platform. Leap to the closest ledge, avoid the sword trap by wall-walking and keep doing this – jump onto the bar and swing across, wall-walk to avoid traps. Leap off the wall to reach the ladder, climb up and shimmy.
Get up on the ledge, but watch out for the spikes. Head down the hall – another dreamlike section. Get yourself another life upgrade.
Wall-walk along to the poles and swing across them to grab the ledge, then kick off backwards and keep going. You’ll come to a fountain – stand on the switch to open the door and rush back to it, then pull the lever on the wall in the next room. After shouting to Farah, wall-walk past the saw blade, roll to avoid the sword and hit the switch, which will reveal a ledge. Deflect onto it, and jump onto the next ledge, jump up again and leap to the other side of the wall and keep jumping. Head past the buzz saws by wall-walking, but be quick.
Kill the badguys – you kill the boss by flipping over his head and hitting him. Save after defeating him and, after teaming up with Farah, keep going. Wall-walk across the roof tops, keeping up with Farah.
Kill the badguys in the courtyard, drink from the fountain and save.
Go upstairs to the sound cloud, then head left. Wall-walk as the platforms collapse and keep going across the circular platforms until you reach the poles. Swing on them, and you’ll find yourself in another courtyard.
Kill the badguys, have a recharge in the sand cloud and save your progress. Then, climb the pile of blocks, run up the wall, shimmy to the left, leap onto the bar and start swinging. Break the containers you’ll see and you’ll reveal a fountain.
Wall-walk past the buzz saw and head through the door and into another dreamlike sequence which will give you another upgrade.
Climb the ladder and wall-walk away from the buzz saws – keep going until you can hit the switch. Go through and wall-walk past the spikes, following Farah’s voice. Head downstairs, stand on the switch and release her. Head back up and Farah will crawl through a crack in the wall and open a door on the right.
Run down the ramp, then wall-walk and run up the wall to hit the lever, which will turn the bridge so Farah can get across. She’ll do the same with another lever. Continue down the ramp and pull the lever – but be quick, there are obstacles on the way.
If all goes well, you’ll have done a full circle and met Farah. Run down the ramp, hit some snazzy moves to get to the next lever and Farah will hang on another lever. Keep doing this three more times.
Jump onto the crates on the left and push off the box at the top. Push the box onto the switch on the floor, then find another crate on the opposite side of the room and push it to the other switch on the floor.
There’s a fountain in this room, as well as a sand cloud on the crates, so stock up. Climb up to meet Farah when the platform has risen and hit the seal on the wall to open the door.
Wall-walk over the pits. Keep going until you to the Sultan’s zoo. Kill the badguys here and head up the steps to save your progress.
Climb the tree, move to the edge of the cliff and jump onto the bar to swing and hit the switch to open the gate.
Farah will go in, and some enemy birds will appear. Wait for them to come to you, and swing at them as they come near. Be careful, they can scratch your eyes out very easily.
Head into the cave and move the box to reveal a crack in the wall which Farah will crawl through. Farah will open the gate to the big cage, so grab the poles and work your way up. When you’re out of the cage, jump onto the ledge, bounce off the wall to reach the tree branch, then leap to the top to pull the lever which will open the door.
Head down and grab the lever to let Farah climb the ladder. Head through the cave entrance, go down the path, kill the scarabs, get on the higher ground and wall-walk to the switch on the wall, then jump to the pole.
The door will be open so go through it (there’s a sand cloud to refill) and move the crate out of the way so Farah can crawl through the crack. She will open the door at the bottom of the cave.
Pull the lever after going through the door and run through the obstacle course. Head across the bridge to the save point, then wall-walk to the trees, get to the top and kill the birds. Shimmy around and leap onto the tree, then slide down to get to the sand cloud, and so the same on the next two trees. When you get to the waterfall, kill the birds and drink from the fountain. Shimmy along the ledge beside the waterfall, drop down, cross the bridge, and turn the lever. Make your way through the door to meet up with Farah and save.
Head down the corridor, killing the scarabs as you go until you reach the crack. Kill the badguys and drink up at the fountain. Go upstairs and move the podium with a vase over the switch on the floor. Dangle off the ledge in the pit, but watch out for the pendulum. Drop down, jump to the other side then get back up by using the back-and-forth kick motion, this time watch out for the OTHER pendulum.
Head into the next room, kill the badguys and save your progress. Push the statue on the left against the wall trigger, then wall-walk up to hit the other switch. Farah will stand on the third trigger, and the door to the left of the room will open. Head through and turn the crank inside. Now you can reach the ledge that you couldn’t before. Grab it, jump onto the bars and make your way up to the hanging pillar. Go to the back of the room using the same technique.
Hang on the lever. Go to the other side of the room, grab the ledge, and do the same move. After hanging on the other lever, head down to the box near the entrance and push it into the hole. Head back through the pit with the pendulums, and you'll see that the box has dropped. Push it down the waterfall and over to the short ladder, then go through the opening in the wall, drop down, and jump onto the pillar before jumping onto the ledge. Keep following the path of ledges and you'll eventually come to a floor switch. Hit it and run past the obstacles before killing the badguys and saving. Head up the stairs.
Move the dresser in the corner to reach the bar, then jump around the pillars to get to the other side. Refill at the sand cloud, then wall-walk to get to the upgraded sword. Wall-walk back and break the rusted door with your snazzy new weapon. Just slightly down the stairs, you'll notice another crack. Break through the wall for another life upgrade and sand cloud. Break through another rusty door at the bottom of the steps and meet up with Farah.
Head to the side of the room where light is shining through the wall and break through the wall. Head into the ancient ruins of the palace and move the crate to the middle of the room. Jump to the bar - Farah will crawl through another crack. Leap onto the ledges and shimmy around. At the bottom, do the kick-back-and-forth motion to get to the top of the ledge. Keep shimmying then jump to the middle platform. Hang from the ledge and shimmy some more.
Turn the crank and go through the door. Kill the scarabs then move the rock at the end of the hallway to reveal another crack, which Farah will go through. Wall-walk across the crevice, go up the ladder and enter the room. Kill the badguys and save. Destroy the cracked wall, drink from the fountain, then head into the mess hall where you’ll have to kill some more badguys. Head to the back of the room and climb up the pile of debris. Wall-walk to the pole, and keep going. At the top right, refill at the sand cloud, then wall-walk to the door.
Head to the drawbridge, drink from the fountain, then go left and swing on the flag poles. Make your way to the rooftop, dodge the rotating spikes and wall-walk to the lever which opens the door. Go downstairs and hang on the lever, which will cause a ladder to go up for Farah. Head back upstairs. The door that appeared blocked can now be opened by Farah crawling under it. Hang on the lever on the ceiling to lower the drawbridge. Go outside; drop down by the scaffolding, and cross the bridge.
Kill the badguys and save your progress before heading into the room to rotate the switch. Go down a few steps, then wall-walk to grab the lamp pole. Make your way to the top ledge and hang on the lever. The bridge will rotate halfway. Farah will hang on the lever. Do this two more times then stand on the debris to grab the ledge. Avoid the buzz saw, then jump onto the raised bridge. Leap to the hole in the wall, watch the cutscene, then jump down before wall-walking to the pole outside. Swing to the ledge, and go back inside. Pull the lever above you and Farah will do the same. Now you can leap to the ledge in front of you. Climb the ladder, then wall-walk to pull the hanging lever. The ladder will move for Farah to get up, and then she'll slip into another hole and open the door. Kill the birds, then save after the bridge collapses.
Hang down from where the bridge used to be, shimmy across the ledges then jump on the pillars behind you. Jump back to the left edge, shimmy around until you're hanging from the top of a ravine. Do the kick-back-and-forth motion to lower yourself to the bottom. Run before the floor crumbles and leap onto the flagpole. Swing to the platform, hang off the edge, and drop down. Run to the next ledge, shimmy, and leap to the pillar behind you.
Use the other pillar to leap to the ledge where Farah was. Shimmy around and tiptoe across the wall. Drink from the fountain, then continue into the room. Wall-walk to the flagpoles, and swing to the save point to save your progress. Drop down and tiptoe across the walls. Leap from wall to wall - if those pesky birds knock you off, there’s a spot where you can kick back-and-forth to get back near the first tiptoe point.
When you've made it into the room, hang on the lever and go down the ladder. Go into the newly opened gate, and hang on the lever. Go to the next open gate, kill the badguys and pull the lever to raise the gate. Now you'll have to make your way back to where you started, so head up the ladder and begin the tiptoe process. Wall-walk across the gate to get to the sand cloud, then go into the room and hang on the switch. A ladder will appear by a big red-crested door. Wall-walk across the crevice to hit the next floor switch. Go in the open door.
Tiptoe across the tree, then shimmy until you reach the little island in the river. Head toward the other fallen tree, following the path of ledges. Kill the bats there and save.
Head across the fallen tree at the bottom of the pit, break the wall, and wall-walk across the platforms at the end of the cave. Be quick, or they'll fall. Drink from the fountain and go through the next cave and wall-walk across the falling planks. Shimmy to the hanging rocks and leap onto them. Grab the ledge and shimmy. Keep leaping to the hanging rocks, and refill at the sand cloud. Go into the next room and make your way to the bottom. Head to the opening and smash the wall.
In the next room, climb on the pile to the left and hoist yourself up. Jump to the hanging rope and swing to the save point. Climb to the ledge and leap to the tiptoe walkway in the middle of the room. Make your way to the opposite corner and climb up a level. Jump onto the rope and swing across the ledge. Shimmy around it to get to another tiptoe walkway. Leap to the next rope and swing to the door. Avoid all the traps in the room and pull the hanging lever at the end. A door in the floor will open and a load of bats will fly out. Kill them, then drop down. Make sure to avoid the blades – move as fast as you can.
Push the crate blocking your path. Drop down, drag the crate to the nearest ledge and refill at the sand cloud. Go up, get on the ledge, and make your way to the nearest rope. Swing from rope to rope. Climb up the final rope.
Kill the badguys and save. Run into the building, jump onto the rope and hit both switches on the wall. Get back on the rope as quickly as you can and swing to the door before it closes.
In the next room, refill at the sand cloud and pull the lever on the wall. Hit the switch on the floor and run to the door as fast as you can. Kill the badguys and save. Run through the curtains to the left into the hidden hallway, break the walls and hang on the switch. Work your way back to the last room, run through the other curtains, and break some more walls. Kill the badguys, drink from the fountain and save your progress.
Move the statue and Farah will climb through the hole in the wall it reveals. Head to the open gate and turn the lever. Go down the hall and rotate the mirror so that the light reflects into the room. Kill the badguys then set the rest of the mirrors to reflect into the dish which is in the middle of the room. Break one wall, and drink from the fountain before saving.
Climb up the statue and jump to the back wall before wall-walking to the poles. Swing to the second level and point the mirror to where Farah is. Hit the switch on the wall and a shelf will appear. Kick back-and-forth to get to the top then wall-walk to the next platform and head up the ladder.
Jump from the wall to the high beams and keep moving until you reach the next platform. Wall-walk past the buzz saws and break the wall to get a life power-up. Head back the way you came, past the buzz saws, and tiptoe to the middle platform. Turn the mirror towards the mirror that’s above Farah and tiptoe on the high beams to where you aimed the light. Move the mirrors to align with the mirror on the opposite side then wall-walk to the opposite side before dropping down the ledges.
Wall-walk to the right and head towards Farah by leaping on the large platforms. Swing on the rope and go up the ladder to break three walls then pull the lever. Then move the last mirror into place before switching the position of the other mirrors so the light goes in the opposite direction. The gate will open, so rearrange the mirrors again so they’re the way they were before. There’s a sand cloud on the way to your snazzy new sword. Pull the red switch and make a dash for the door.
Head down the hall, kill the badguys and save. Farah will flip a switch which will raise the centre island when you’re on it. Jump to the platform, refill at the sand cloud then jump to the flagpoles on the right. When you get to the top, you’ll see a switch – rotate it until the poles sticking out of the planets cross the centre pillar, and do this again at the next switch. The planets will rotate allowing you to swing and hit the switch on the wall, causing a platform to appear.
Wall-walk to the left and when you reach it, hit the last switch and hang on it. The red door will open, so slide down the ropes and go through it.
There’s a fountain on the left if you need it. Avoid the traps and head into the next room before wall-walking past the spikes and hitting the switch. Pull the trigger on the wall and rush to the door. Kill the badguys in the courtyard and save before climbing the ladder that’s on the right. Jump to the tiptoe walkway in the middle and go all the way around. Watch out for the birds. Leap to the rope and climb half way down before swinging to the sliver of wood. Head into the walkway and wall-walk to the wood on the wall.
Swing to onto the roof of the walkway and do the same again to get to the platform on the other side. Wall-walk to the small roof and drop down. Get inside and rotate the lever, which will open Farah’s door. Shimmy around the snake pit to follow her.
There’s a sand cloud, so refill and watch out for the traps as you go on. Kill the scarabs and hook up with Farah before going down the long hall. Kill the badguys on the way and leap over the spike pits. Go outside.
Leap across the crevice, kill the badguys and save. Head for the yellow door – a pole will help you get to the other side. As the bridge crumbles, you’ll fall into the prison. Go down the ladder, then wall-walk to hit the switches and the platforms will grow. Do this three times until you can get down. Kill the badguys at the bottom and save. Move the crate into the cell with the switch.
Go into the torture chamber, get the sand cloud and pull the white switches on the wall. The walls will start to close in, so kick back-and-forth and leap onto the wood planks. Hit the white switches on the wall, and the walls will close in again. Kick back-and-forth to get up and leap to the pole to where there are more white switches. Can you guess what you have to do? That’s right, keep going by hitting the switches and you’ll work your way up to meet Farah.
Kill the badguys before saving, then head upstairs for a sand cloud and fountain. Hit the switch by the water and run down by the raised block. Wall-walk to the other switch and run to the other side. Wall-walk to get the crate, push it off the roof and move it below the red switch. Run to the gate, get to the sand cloud and kill the birds there. Head into the tower.
Go left (or right for a sand cloud) and break the cracked wall. Get the life upgrade and get into the tower elevator. Kill the badguys as you go up. When you stop, hit the switch on the wall to open the door, and go into the treasure room. Save and leap onto the outside ledges and wall-walk to get to the pole. Jump onto the hourglass and watch the cutscene as Vizier sends you into a tomb.
Head down the hallway and into the room with seven doors. Clockwise, enter the doors in this order – 4 7 3 then 1. There are now nine doors. Again, going clockwise, go into the doors in this order – 4 9 and 5. You’ll know if you’re going the right way because you’ll hear a splashing sound. After some frolics with Farah you’ll wake up again.
You’re unarmed so run away from the badguys. Now you have to mess with the mirrors. Move the mirror on the right of the entrance to intercept the light shined by the mirror in the middle. The light from the right mirror you just moved should shine down – adjust it so that it hits the first pillar, and shines towards the second pillar, which will reflect the beam upwards. Move the mirror on the left so that it catches the light from the second pillar and shines it to the left. Use the last mirror, the one you haven't moved, to intercept the beam and adjust it so that it hits the symbol. If that sounds complicated, try doing it without a guide! Ahem, now you have the super, duper, uber sword. This baby kills sand creatures with one hit. Break through the door, swing up to the platform on the poles and use your new found sword to take care of the badguys. Be careful, though, you no longer have the dagger so dying means dying. No rewinding of time for you, Princy.
Save and hang off the ledge. Drop down, shimmy around the building and drop down to the planks below you. Swing up on the pole, wall-walk to hit the switch and the trapdoor will open. Break down the door to get the final health upgrade, then head down the trapdoor. Shimmy up the ledges and get to the fountain. Climb up the pillars to get to the planks overhead, then jump to the pole and on to the next plank. Kill the bats and drop down to the door. Wall-walk to get on the ledge then hoist yourself up to the tower entrance.
Kill the badguys then deflect off the right wall to grab the pole. Head up then climb the pillar and kick off the wall. Shimmy around, kick back-and-forth, shimmy some more – keep this up until you reach a yellow switch. Hit it and wall-walk across the gap where the bridge used to be, then head up the ladder.
Kill the badguys, then climb up and down the pile of debris to get to the save point. Climb back up the debris, swing on the pole and work your way up and tiptoe to the skinny tower. Stand opposite the wall and kick back-and-forth until you get to the top.
Wall-walk to the left and balance your way around the two small towers. Keep going until you can leap onto the hanging pillar, then on to the roof of the tower. Keep heading up.
Oops, she shouldn’t have done that… anyway, you’ve got your dagger back, that’s what counts. There are fountains everywhere, use them or you won’t last long. Block the attacks from the hologram version of Vizier, and flip over his head to hit him. When the holograms are gone, hit Vizier himself. That’s it, you’ve completed the game!
Tips –
When you’re not swinging at the enemy, block to defend yourself from their attacks.
You can counter-attack by hitting the attack/dagger button while blocking an enemy’s attack.
You don’t want to get stuck in a corner during a fight, so stay away from them at all costs if you can.
Always be on the look out for fountains, ponds or rivers, so you can dip in and out during a fight to get your health back.
Don’t get too close to the badguys with dual blades, never flip over them or you’ll end up on a kebab somewhere.
Jump off walls to get out of tricky situations when in a fight.
If you can avoid the enemy, they will often hurt each other. If they swing, and miss, they can hit another badguy, so keep the jumps and flips going.
And, of course, reverse time if you make a mistake. Don’t think that you’re wasting it, that’s what it’s there for.
Sometimes Farah might get stuck and won’t do anything. This is a bug; just hit her a few times, she’ll soon snap out of it.
Play through the start of the game with the tutorial on to help you learn the basics of the game. Up until you get the dagger, the game is basically one big lesson on how to play, so we can skip all that.
When the game really kicks in, you’re in a giant hall surrounded by enough enemies to make even Luke Skywalker shudder. Take them all out; as you kill them, you'll notice a save point slowly forming. After you’ve killed everything, save, head through the hole in the wall and up the stairs.
After a quick cutscene showing a girl running away, a wall will come crashing down, blocking your path. Go into the room on the right, wall-walk to the bottom of the room and over to the bars and start swinging, which will start another cutscene.
Keep following the girl, and more walls will collapse around you, so swing on the bars to get past. Go into the next room and lower yourself down to the first floor by dropping off the bars. Kill the badguys, swing on the bars in the corner to grab the ledge then save.
Go down the hall and refill your dagger with the sand cloud. Grab the ledge, get onto the bar and proceed to the next level. Climb over the rocks, crawl through a crack, then head down the hallway and into the darkness.
Now you’re in a weird, dreamlike place, so head across the bridges. Drink from the fountain at the end and you’ll get an upgrade on your health bar. You’ll be sent back to where you were before, so climb down the pile of rocks and go down the hall. The girl will grab you, and a cutscene will play. After a bit of chin wagging, kill the scarabs and drink from the fountain, then head down the hall again. Get outside and wall-walk across the collapsed balcony, then leap onto the columns. Jump onto the ledge, drop down, grab onto the pillars then climb down the rock pile. Wall-walk and push yourself off the wall to reach the ledge. Refill at the sand cloud and continue on, pillar leaping and going from ledge to ledge until you can drop down. Kill the scarabs here, then swing across the poles to kill some more scarabs. Slide down the large pillar that comes up from the ground and kill some more of the badguys. Heal up at the fountain and save.
Push the bookshelf that’s in the corner aside and go down the stairs it was hiding. Watch out for the spikes and stop off at the sand cloud. Step onto the switch to open the door. The bridge will collapse, so wall-walk on the right side and make a leap for the other side of the bridge. Push the box over the switch on the floor, this will open the door, then pull the level to create a bridge. Be quick though, the bridge doesn’t last long, run as fast as you can.
You’ll come into a huge room, and a palace bloke will ask for your help to turn on the emergency defence system. Here’s how you do it (pick up the generator sticks on your way) – right, up, all the way to the left, down three times, up, right twice, up twice, right, down, up, right three times, up. Simple (well, not really)
When you’ve finished, go across the bridge, up the ladder and stand on the switch. Head back down the ladder and kill the badguys. Go through the doorway, up the stairs and save your progress. Continue up the stairs, but watch out for the rotating traps. Get to the lever in the next room, pull it, and then continue upstairs again. Jump across the wall and leap from ledge to ledge.
Kill the badguys in the courtyard. There’s a fountain to your left, if you need it, as well as a sand cloud.
Wall-walk on the switch, which causes a pillar to appear in the middle of the courtyard. Climb it and grab the bar, swinging to the top of the platform. Leap to the closest ledge, avoid the sword trap by wall-walking and keep doing this – jump onto the bar and swing across, wall-walk to avoid traps. Leap off the wall to reach the ladder, climb up and shimmy.
Get up on the ledge, but watch out for the spikes. Head down the hall – another dreamlike section. Get yourself another life upgrade.
Wall-walk along to the poles and swing across them to grab the ledge, then kick off backwards and keep going. You’ll come to a fountain – stand on the switch to open the door and rush back to it, then pull the lever on the wall in the next room. After shouting to Farah, wall-walk past the saw blade, roll to avoid the sword and hit the switch, which will reveal a ledge. Deflect onto it, and jump onto the next ledge, jump up again and leap to the other side of the wall and keep jumping. Head past the buzz saws by wall-walking, but be quick.
Kill the badguys – you kill the boss by flipping over his head and hitting him. Save after defeating him and, after teaming up with Farah, keep going. Wall-walk across the roof tops, keeping up with Farah.
Kill the badguys in the courtyard, drink from the fountain and save.
Go upstairs to the sound cloud, then head left. Wall-walk as the platforms collapse and keep going across the circular platforms until you reach the poles. Swing on them, and you’ll find yourself in another courtyard.
Kill the badguys, have a recharge in the sand cloud and save your progress. Then, climb the pile of blocks, run up the wall, shimmy to the left, leap onto the bar and start swinging. Break the containers you’ll see and you’ll reveal a fountain.
Wall-walk past the buzz saw and head through the door and into another dreamlike sequence which will give you another upgrade.
Climb the ladder and wall-walk away from the buzz saws – keep going until you can hit the switch. Go through and wall-walk past the spikes, following Farah’s voice. Head downstairs, stand on the switch and release her. Head back up and Farah will crawl through a crack in the wall and open a door on the right.
Run down the ramp, then wall-walk and run up the wall to hit the lever, which will turn the bridge so Farah can get across. She’ll do the same with another lever. Continue down the ramp and pull the lever – but be quick, there are obstacles on the way.
If all goes well, you’ll have done a full circle and met Farah. Run down the ramp, hit some snazzy moves to get to the next lever and Farah will hang on another lever. Keep doing this three more times.
Jump onto the crates on the left and push off the box at the top. Push the box onto the switch on the floor, then find another crate on the opposite side of the room and push it to the other switch on the floor.
There’s a fountain in this room, as well as a sand cloud on the crates, so stock up. Climb up to meet Farah when the platform has risen and hit the seal on the wall to open the door.
Wall-walk over the pits. Keep going until you to the Sultan’s zoo. Kill the badguys here and head up the steps to save your progress.
Climb the tree, move to the edge of the cliff and jump onto the bar to swing and hit the switch to open the gate.
Farah will go in, and some enemy birds will appear. Wait for them to come to you, and swing at them as they come near. Be careful, they can scratch your eyes out very easily.
Head into the cave and move the box to reveal a crack in the wall which Farah will crawl through. Farah will open the gate to the big cage, so grab the poles and work your way up. When you’re out of the cage, jump onto the ledge, bounce off the wall to reach the tree branch, then leap to the top to pull the lever which will open the door.
Head down and grab the lever to let Farah climb the ladder. Head through the cave entrance, go down the path, kill the scarabs, get on the higher ground and wall-walk to the switch on the wall, then jump to the pole.
The door will be open so go through it (there’s a sand cloud to refill) and move the crate out of the way so Farah can crawl through the crack. She will open the door at the bottom of the cave.
Pull the lever after going through the door and run through the obstacle course. Head across the bridge to the save point, then wall-walk to the trees, get to the top and kill the birds. Shimmy around and leap onto the tree, then slide down to get to the sand cloud, and so the same on the next two trees. When you get to the waterfall, kill the birds and drink from the fountain. Shimmy along the ledge beside the waterfall, drop down, cross the bridge, and turn the lever. Make your way through the door to meet up with Farah and save.
Head down the corridor, killing the scarabs as you go until you reach the crack. Kill the badguys and drink up at the fountain. Go upstairs and move the podium with a vase over the switch on the floor. Dangle off the ledge in the pit, but watch out for the pendulum. Drop down, jump to the other side then get back up by using the back-and-forth kick motion, this time watch out for the OTHER pendulum.
Head into the next room, kill the badguys and save your progress. Push the statue on the left against the wall trigger, then wall-walk up to hit the other switch. Farah will stand on the third trigger, and the door to the left of the room will open. Head through and turn the crank inside. Now you can reach the ledge that you couldn’t before. Grab it, jump onto the bars and make your way up to the hanging pillar. Go to the back of the room using the same technique.
Hang on the lever. Go to the other side of the room, grab the ledge, and do the same move. After hanging on the other lever, head down to the box near the entrance and push it into the hole. Head back through the pit with the pendulums, and you'll see that the box has dropped. Push it down the waterfall and over to the short ladder, then go through the opening in the wall, drop down, and jump onto the pillar before jumping onto the ledge. Keep following the path of ledges and you'll eventually come to a floor switch. Hit it and run past the obstacles before killing the badguys and saving. Head up the stairs.
Move the dresser in the corner to reach the bar, then jump around the pillars to get to the other side. Refill at the sand cloud, then wall-walk to get to the upgraded sword. Wall-walk back and break the rusted door with your snazzy new weapon. Just slightly down the stairs, you'll notice another crack. Break through the wall for another life upgrade and sand cloud. Break through another rusty door at the bottom of the steps and meet up with Farah.
Head to the side of the room where light is shining through the wall and break through the wall. Head into the ancient ruins of the palace and move the crate to the middle of the room. Jump to the bar - Farah will crawl through another crack. Leap onto the ledges and shimmy around. At the bottom, do the kick-back-and-forth motion to get to the top of the ledge. Keep shimmying then jump to the middle platform. Hang from the ledge and shimmy some more.
Turn the crank and go through the door. Kill the scarabs then move the rock at the end of the hallway to reveal another crack, which Farah will go through. Wall-walk across the crevice, go up the ladder and enter the room. Kill the badguys and save. Destroy the cracked wall, drink from the fountain, then head into the mess hall where you’ll have to kill some more badguys. Head to the back of the room and climb up the pile of debris. Wall-walk to the pole, and keep going. At the top right, refill at the sand cloud, then wall-walk to the door.
Head to the drawbridge, drink from the fountain, then go left and swing on the flag poles. Make your way to the rooftop, dodge the rotating spikes and wall-walk to the lever which opens the door. Go downstairs and hang on the lever, which will cause a ladder to go up for Farah. Head back upstairs. The door that appeared blocked can now be opened by Farah crawling under it. Hang on the lever on the ceiling to lower the drawbridge. Go outside; drop down by the scaffolding, and cross the bridge.
Kill the badguys and save your progress before heading into the room to rotate the switch. Go down a few steps, then wall-walk to grab the lamp pole. Make your way to the top ledge and hang on the lever. The bridge will rotate halfway. Farah will hang on the lever. Do this two more times then stand on the debris to grab the ledge. Avoid the buzz saw, then jump onto the raised bridge. Leap to the hole in the wall, watch the cutscene, then jump down before wall-walking to the pole outside. Swing to the ledge, and go back inside. Pull the lever above you and Farah will do the same. Now you can leap to the ledge in front of you. Climb the ladder, then wall-walk to pull the hanging lever. The ladder will move for Farah to get up, and then she'll slip into another hole and open the door. Kill the birds, then save after the bridge collapses.
Hang down from where the bridge used to be, shimmy across the ledges then jump on the pillars behind you. Jump back to the left edge, shimmy around until you're hanging from the top of a ravine. Do the kick-back-and-forth motion to lower yourself to the bottom. Run before the floor crumbles and leap onto the flagpole. Swing to the platform, hang off the edge, and drop down. Run to the next ledge, shimmy, and leap to the pillar behind you.
Use the other pillar to leap to the ledge where Farah was. Shimmy around and tiptoe across the wall. Drink from the fountain, then continue into the room. Wall-walk to the flagpoles, and swing to the save point to save your progress. Drop down and tiptoe across the walls. Leap from wall to wall - if those pesky birds knock you off, there’s a spot where you can kick back-and-forth to get back near the first tiptoe point.
When you've made it into the room, hang on the lever and go down the ladder. Go into the newly opened gate, and hang on the lever. Go to the next open gate, kill the badguys and pull the lever to raise the gate. Now you'll have to make your way back to where you started, so head up the ladder and begin the tiptoe process. Wall-walk across the gate to get to the sand cloud, then go into the room and hang on the switch. A ladder will appear by a big red-crested door. Wall-walk across the crevice to hit the next floor switch. Go in the open door.
Tiptoe across the tree, then shimmy until you reach the little island in the river. Head toward the other fallen tree, following the path of ledges. Kill the bats there and save.
Head across the fallen tree at the bottom of the pit, break the wall, and wall-walk across the platforms at the end of the cave. Be quick, or they'll fall. Drink from the fountain and go through the next cave and wall-walk across the falling planks. Shimmy to the hanging rocks and leap onto them. Grab the ledge and shimmy. Keep leaping to the hanging rocks, and refill at the sand cloud. Go into the next room and make your way to the bottom. Head to the opening and smash the wall.
In the next room, climb on the pile to the left and hoist yourself up. Jump to the hanging rope and swing to the save point. Climb to the ledge and leap to the tiptoe walkway in the middle of the room. Make your way to the opposite corner and climb up a level. Jump onto the rope and swing across the ledge. Shimmy around it to get to another tiptoe walkway. Leap to the next rope and swing to the door. Avoid all the traps in the room and pull the hanging lever at the end. A door in the floor will open and a load of bats will fly out. Kill them, then drop down. Make sure to avoid the blades – move as fast as you can.
Push the crate blocking your path. Drop down, drag the crate to the nearest ledge and refill at the sand cloud. Go up, get on the ledge, and make your way to the nearest rope. Swing from rope to rope. Climb up the final rope.
Kill the badguys and save. Run into the building, jump onto the rope and hit both switches on the wall. Get back on the rope as quickly as you can and swing to the door before it closes.
In the next room, refill at the sand cloud and pull the lever on the wall. Hit the switch on the floor and run to the door as fast as you can. Kill the badguys and save. Run through the curtains to the left into the hidden hallway, break the walls and hang on the switch. Work your way back to the last room, run through the other curtains, and break some more walls. Kill the badguys, drink from the fountain and save your progress.
Move the statue and Farah will climb through the hole in the wall it reveals. Head to the open gate and turn the lever. Go down the hall and rotate the mirror so that the light reflects into the room. Kill the badguys then set the rest of the mirrors to reflect into the dish which is in the middle of the room. Break one wall, and drink from the fountain before saving.
Climb up the statue and jump to the back wall before wall-walking to the poles. Swing to the second level and point the mirror to where Farah is. Hit the switch on the wall and a shelf will appear. Kick back-and-forth to get to the top then wall-walk to the next platform and head up the ladder.
Jump from the wall to the high beams and keep moving until you reach the next platform. Wall-walk past the buzz saws and break the wall to get a life power-up. Head back the way you came, past the buzz saws, and tiptoe to the middle platform. Turn the mirror towards the mirror that’s above Farah and tiptoe on the high beams to where you aimed the light. Move the mirrors to align with the mirror on the opposite side then wall-walk to the opposite side before dropping down the ledges.
Wall-walk to the right and head towards Farah by leaping on the large platforms. Swing on the rope and go up the ladder to break three walls then pull the lever. Then move the last mirror into place before switching the position of the other mirrors so the light goes in the opposite direction. The gate will open, so rearrange the mirrors again so they’re the way they were before. There’s a sand cloud on the way to your snazzy new sword. Pull the red switch and make a dash for the door.
Head down the hall, kill the badguys and save. Farah will flip a switch which will raise the centre island when you’re on it. Jump to the platform, refill at the sand cloud then jump to the flagpoles on the right. When you get to the top, you’ll see a switch – rotate it until the poles sticking out of the planets cross the centre pillar, and do this again at the next switch. The planets will rotate allowing you to swing and hit the switch on the wall, causing a platform to appear.
Wall-walk to the left and when you reach it, hit the last switch and hang on it. The red door will open, so slide down the ropes and go through it.
There’s a fountain on the left if you need it. Avoid the traps and head into the next room before wall-walking past the spikes and hitting the switch. Pull the trigger on the wall and rush to the door. Kill the badguys in the courtyard and save before climbing the ladder that’s on the right. Jump to the tiptoe walkway in the middle and go all the way around. Watch out for the birds. Leap to the rope and climb half way down before swinging to the sliver of wood. Head into the walkway and wall-walk to the wood on the wall.
Swing to onto the roof of the walkway and do the same again to get to the platform on the other side. Wall-walk to the small roof and drop down. Get inside and rotate the lever, which will open Farah’s door. Shimmy around the snake pit to follow her.
There’s a sand cloud, so refill and watch out for the traps as you go on. Kill the scarabs and hook up with Farah before going down the long hall. Kill the badguys on the way and leap over the spike pits. Go outside.
Leap across the crevice, kill the badguys and save. Head for the yellow door – a pole will help you get to the other side. As the bridge crumbles, you’ll fall into the prison. Go down the ladder, then wall-walk to hit the switches and the platforms will grow. Do this three times until you can get down. Kill the badguys at the bottom and save. Move the crate into the cell with the switch.
Go into the torture chamber, get the sand cloud and pull the white switches on the wall. The walls will start to close in, so kick back-and-forth and leap onto the wood planks. Hit the white switches on the wall, and the walls will close in again. Kick back-and-forth to get up and leap to the pole to where there are more white switches. Can you guess what you have to do? That’s right, keep going by hitting the switches and you’ll work your way up to meet Farah.
Kill the badguys before saving, then head upstairs for a sand cloud and fountain. Hit the switch by the water and run down by the raised block. Wall-walk to the other switch and run to the other side. Wall-walk to get the crate, push it off the roof and move it below the red switch. Run to the gate, get to the sand cloud and kill the birds there. Head into the tower.
Go left (or right for a sand cloud) and break the cracked wall. Get the life upgrade and get into the tower elevator. Kill the badguys as you go up. When you stop, hit the switch on the wall to open the door, and go into the treasure room. Save and leap onto the outside ledges and wall-walk to get to the pole. Jump onto the hourglass and watch the cutscene as Vizier sends you into a tomb.
Head down the hallway and into the room with seven doors. Clockwise, enter the doors in this order – 4 7 3 then 1. There are now nine doors. Again, going clockwise, go into the doors in this order – 4 9 and 5. You’ll know if you’re going the right way because you’ll hear a splashing sound. After some frolics with Farah you’ll wake up again.
You’re unarmed so run away from the badguys. Now you have to mess with the mirrors. Move the mirror on the right of the entrance to intercept the light shined by the mirror in the middle. The light from the right mirror you just moved should shine down – adjust it so that it hits the first pillar, and shines towards the second pillar, which will reflect the beam upwards. Move the mirror on the left so that it catches the light from the second pillar and shines it to the left. Use the last mirror, the one you haven't moved, to intercept the beam and adjust it so that it hits the symbol. If that sounds complicated, try doing it without a guide! Ahem, now you have the super, duper, uber sword. This baby kills sand creatures with one hit. Break through the door, swing up to the platform on the poles and use your new found sword to take care of the badguys. Be careful, though, you no longer have the dagger so dying means dying. No rewinding of time for you, Princy.
Save and hang off the ledge. Drop down, shimmy around the building and drop down to the planks below you. Swing up on the pole, wall-walk to hit the switch and the trapdoor will open. Break down the door to get the final health upgrade, then head down the trapdoor. Shimmy up the ledges and get to the fountain. Climb up the pillars to get to the planks overhead, then jump to the pole and on to the next plank. Kill the bats and drop down to the door. Wall-walk to get on the ledge then hoist yourself up to the tower entrance.
Kill the badguys then deflect off the right wall to grab the pole. Head up then climb the pillar and kick off the wall. Shimmy around, kick back-and-forth, shimmy some more – keep this up until you reach a yellow switch. Hit it and wall-walk across the gap where the bridge used to be, then head up the ladder.
Kill the badguys, then climb up and down the pile of debris to get to the save point. Climb back up the debris, swing on the pole and work your way up and tiptoe to the skinny tower. Stand opposite the wall and kick back-and-forth until you get to the top.
Wall-walk to the left and balance your way around the two small towers. Keep going until you can leap onto the hanging pillar, then on to the roof of the tower. Keep heading up.
Oops, she shouldn’t have done that… anyway, you’ve got your dagger back, that’s what counts. There are fountains everywhere, use them or you won’t last long. Block the attacks from the hologram version of Vizier, and flip over his head to hit him. When the holograms are gone, hit Vizier himself. That’s it, you’ve completed the game!
Tips –
When you’re not swinging at the enemy, block to defend yourself from their attacks.
You can counter-attack by hitting the attack/dagger button while blocking an enemy’s attack.
You don’t want to get stuck in a corner during a fight, so stay away from them at all costs if you can.
Always be on the look out for fountains, ponds or rivers, so you can dip in and out during a fight to get your health back.
Don’t get too close to the badguys with dual blades, never flip over them or you’ll end up on a kebab somewhere.
Jump off walls to get out of tricky situations when in a fight.
If you can avoid the enemy, they will often hurt each other. If they swing, and miss, they can hit another badguy, so keep the jumps and flips going.
And, of course, reverse time if you make a mistake. Don’t think that you’re wasting it, that’s what it’s there for.
Sometimes Farah might get stuck and won’t do anything. This is a bug; just hit her a few times, she’ll soon snap out of it.
Submitted By: Dadio500
---1-Intro
---2.0 Combat
2.1 Basic Combat
2.2 Combos
2.3 Vaulting/VAULTGRAB
2.4 Wall Vaulting
2.5 Wall Launching
2.6 Blocking
2.7 Countering
2.8 Dagger Power - Rewind
2.9 Dagger Power - Freeze
2.10 Dagger Power - Haste
2.11 Dagger Power - Slow
---3.0 Interface
3.1 Your Life Bar
3.2 Sand Tanks
3.3 Power Tanks
3.4 Farah's Bow
---4.0 Miscellany
4.1 Sand Clouds
4.2 Sand Columns
4.3 The Hub
4.4 Switches
4.5 Fountains
4.6 Sound
---5.0 Hints and Tips
---6.0 The Walkthrough
--6.i How to Use This Section
6.1 Introduction
6.2 The Maharajah's Treasure Vaults
6.3 The Sands of Time Unleashed
6.4 Had I Really Seen Her?
6.5 A Secret Passage
6.6 The Palace's Defense System
6.7 A Booby-Trapped Courtyard
6.8 Death of a Sand King
6.9 I'll Try to Find A Way In
6.10 The Warehouse
6.11 The Sultan's Zoo
6.12 Atop a Birdcage
6.13 Cliffs and Waterfall
6.14 The Baths
6.15 There's Something Glowing Up There
6.16 Above the Baths
6.17 A Long Buried Secret
6.18 Daybreak
6.19 A Soldiers' Mess Hall
6.20 The Drawbridge
6.21 A Broken Bridge
6.22 I'll Meet You at the Baths
6.23 Waterfall
6.24 A Cavern of Ladders
6.25 An Underground Resevoir
6.26 Out of the Well
6.27 The Sultan's Harem
6.27 What Did You Call Me?
6.28 The Hall of Learning
6.29 Observatory
6.30 Hall of Learning Courtyards
6.31 On the Ramparts
6.32 A Prisoner Seeking Escape
6.33 At Last We're Here
6.33b THE ELEVATOR FIGHT
6.34 The Hourglass
6.35 The Tomb
6.36 Farah, Come Back!
6.37 Climbing the Tower of Dawn
6.38 The Setting Sun
6.39 Honor and Glory
Intro-this is for ps2 version as i played through it,i dont know if there any differences to the game on different consoles so may be innacurate for other consoles
2.0 Combat
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Outside of the introduction stages, every enemy you meet is a zombie. Sure, they call it a Sand Creature, but it's a Persian Zombie. You knock 'em down, they keep coming back.
But fortunately, by the time you meet 'em, you have the Dagger of Time, and really, that's the whole point of the game. If you're not up to that, then go home... er... someone else's home.
2.1 Basic Combat
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Ah, basic combat. What can you say about basic combat? It's very much like a new girlfriend. It's fun for a while, but sometimes you just wish it were over. Okay, that's unfair... some combat systems are better than girlfriends. *cough*
In any case, combat in POP is easy as mashing on a button. But for those of you who actually want to survive your fights, mashing on a button may not be the best course of action.
X will serve as your sword button. Your sword is used to wear your enemies down, but unfortunately, it won't dispatch them with the great fury of your fallen ancestors. Fortunately, the Dagger will.
Once your enemies are prone on the ground, they can be absorbed into your trusty sidekick, the Dagger of Time, by aiming at the body and pressing Y. By doing this, you'll gain a tank's worth of sand, and the body will disappear.
How will you know when all those warping Sand Creatures are gone? A short scene of the Prince putting away his weapons will let you know that it's safe to think again.
2.2 Combos
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It is very, very unlikely that you'll ever be in a one-on-one situation. I mean, these guys respawn like nothing else, and running away means they'll only teleport to your location and smash you with something large and heavy.
And here is the reason why you don't mash on the buttons: with each press of the attack button, you can combo and hit everyone with some good timing. Mashing on X will more than likely result in you working on just one guy while the guy next to you is winding up for a hit.
Be sure to hit as many guys as you can as it can interrupt wind-ups and also give you an opening to flip away to safety. For example, if you've just laid someone out on their back, ready for a dagger strike, but a big ol' brute is hovering over him, give the guy who's up a hit or two to stop him from whatever his simple mind is urging him to do and then free yourself up for the dagger hit.
2.3 Vaulting
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A really fun thing to do in POP is to vault over your enemies and hit 'em while you're flying over their heads. Not only is this really cool looking, but it also serves to put enemies on their back in a very short amount of time. Plus, it gets you out of the way of three hammers coming down on you at once.
Simply aim at an enemy and hit the jump button. You don't even have to be facing them (which is a cooler animation, imo) to do it. And while you're up in the air, hit your attack button twice. Most of the time, this will knock them down for a dagger strike.
WARNING: Enemies in blue, and ONLY blue (browns and reds are safe) will NOT let you vault over them. You can try, but they'll put you on your back and you'll feel none the better for it. I mean, it's a huge blow to the ego, being put on your back by a zombie. Shame on you. There are, however, better and quicker ways to take down Blues.
***EDIT*** VAULTGRAB
Ooh, neat trick, neat trick! I dub it the VAULTGRAB. Sounds cool, doesn't it? Anyways, the trick above is A, X, X, which will knock someone down to the ground when successfully done. Usually, this can be accomplished by mashing on buttons until it works.
However, instead of A, X, X... try A, X, Y. This is the Vaultgrab. If you are successful with the maneuver, the Prince will vault as usual, do his strike in the air, BUT instead of knocking the sucker down for the count, he will whip out the dagger and collect the baddie before there's even a chance for gravity to take effect. It's a really neat trick and a big time saver. Give it a try.
(To be fair, someone mentioned this to me before, but I can't remember who, but at the time I wasn't able to give it a shot and re-discovered it myself. Thanks, whoever you were.)
2.4 Wall Vaulting
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Wall vaulting is one way you can get over a Blue, but it's not always successful, like everything else. But again, it's a good chance to get away if you can do it.
Aim at a nearby wall, bridge, block (anything above your midriff) and hit A twice. The Prince will plant himself on the wall and use it to do a big high jump over an enemy, which you can then strike down in the air.
2.5 Wall Launching
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The more effective attack of the two wall strikes you can do is Wall Launching (and yes, I'm using my own terms here). Very much like wall vaulting, simply move toward a wall, but instead hit jump and attack (A+X) at the same time. The Prince will rocket himself off the wall in a GORE tackle that 80% of the time will knock down any enemy, including Blues.
If this attack hits, the enemy is instantly on the ground. Do this enough during combat and you can cut down the fight time by half.
2.6 Blocking
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Yes, you can block, and most of the time, you can block anything coming your way. And some of the time, it's the only thing you can do to prevent yourself from being laid out onto the ground.
Simply hold the R trigger to block.
Something they won't tell you is that if you DO get put onto your back, you can still block while you're on the ground. It's easy to get pounded on while you're trying to get back up, so hold onto the trigger for as long as it takes to get an opening to bounce back up.
2.7 Countering
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After you block, you can counter attack. The timing here is swift, but it's not really all that necessary to learn this as it's not paramount to survival, BUT, the best I can describe it is to simply hit X immediately after you block a blow. It doesn't always work, and it's really iffy, but it's there if you can master it. The counter is usually a kick which you can follow up with more sword strikes. Just be sure to let go of R when you're following up.
2.8 Dagger Power - Rewind
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This isn't a combat-only power, and in fact, you'll probably be using it a lot over the course of the game, but here's as good a place as any other to talk about it.
There's a little dial in the corner that shows how much time you can rewind by. Hold L to rewind time up to ten seconds (the entire dial). This can undo even death, so learn it. It will actually become second-nature to you once you're aware of it.
But one caveat: each rewind takes one full tank of sand. No sand, no rewind. However, seeing as combat is where you'll use it the most, it's a simple matter of retreiving sand from a fallen enemy as it will fill one Sand Tank.
2.9 Dagger Power - Freeze
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Once you get a Power Tank up and running, you can freeze your enemies in time. It's really more like putting them into slow motion land than anything else, but this is the only way to dispatch an enemy with your sword.
Attack with your dagger to freeze an enemy. He'll turn a sandy color to let you know that he's not a threat anymore. You can move onto other enemies if you want to save him for collecting sand, or you can hit him twice with your sword to get rid of him. One will put him up in the air, the next one will split him in half. You get no sand, but he won't be coming back.
2.10 Dagger Power - Haste
------------------------
This power requires all your power tanks to be created and filled (one for each Sand Tank). A word to the wise, though: save it for when you really need it.
Pulling on both triggers will activate this power. Time will speed up and all you have to do is MASH on X and wiggle the stick around to the next enemy. For about ten seconds or so, you'll be flashing from one enemy to the next, taking them out in one hit. It's a real time saver if you know there's a cloud near for after the battle, but it can also prove a very useful tool when dealing with Blues.
2.11 Dagger Power - Slow
------------------------
This slows everything down including you, but it gives you more time to think. Simply tap L (holding it rewinds, you know) and everything will slow down. Doing this isn't necessary at any point in time, but sometimes you need it so you don't have to think so hectically on the fly. It consumes one Power Tank.
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3.0 Interface
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Learn the layout of your screen. There's quite a bit of information being presented to you and you ought to know what it is.
3.1 Your Life Bar
-----------------
The bar going across the top of your screen is your life bar. It's pretty short, so you have to keep an eye on it, especially when you meet stronger enemies than the puny welps you start off with. Fortunately, you can extend this bar by finding rooms that lead to the Hub (I have no idea what you call it), a weird place filled with bridges and populated by a single fountain.
Oh yeah, you can replenish your life bar by heading to a source of water and holding the R trigger. Hold it for as long as needed.
3.2 Sand Tanks
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Your Dagger will probably be the only dagger you ever see that has its own balls. And they're easily distinguishable due to the size of its balls. When your balls are empty, you'll have to refill them. And you'll want to, because remember, your balls are your source of power. *sigh*
Joking aside, the large balls on the left side of the screen are your Sand Tanks. Each Sand Tank is one chance to rewind time. Keep this in mind if you're trying something you're not quite sure is going to work, otherwise you're going to have to start again from a retry point.
You can gain extra Sand Tanks by collecting a number Sand Clouds.
3.3 Power Tanks
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Power Tanks represent all of the other dagger powers. For each Sand Tank you have, you can create a Power Tank. Each time you retrieve sand from any source, a portion of a Power Tank is created and/or filled. It will appear as a tiny crescent moon next to your Sand Tanks. When they're filled, they're white.
Each Power Tank represents once chance to freeze an enemy, or if they're all filled, the ONLY chance to cast Haste and deal out some massive destruction.
This is why you might want to collect sand from enemies instead of freezing them, as each time you retrieve, you build part of a Power Tank. If, however, you have them all created (one for each Sand Tank), feel free to freeze/haste away.
3.4 Farah's Bow
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Over the course of the game, you'll catch up with one Princess Farah Something- or-Other. Regardless, she's paramount to your survival, and thus, if she ever gets caught up in combat with you, you'll have to make sure she stays alive.
The Bow only appears if Farah's being hit. As she loses health, the Bow loses color. When the Bow is black, it's game over for you. Keep her alive, or it's game over. Nuff said.
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4.0 Miscellany
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4.1 Sand Clouds
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If ever you're running around and you hear a soft humming, it means a sand cloud is near. These are those glowing white puffs you find every now and again, and you should hunt them out and grab them at every chance you get, regardless of how much sand you have.
After 5 or 6 (?) Sand Clouds, a new Sand Tank will be created. You can see it building as a clear circle underneath your main Sand Tanks. Remember, with each Sand Tank is another chance to take back time and another chance to build another Power Tanks.
The other bonus to picking up Sand Clouds is that it fills EVERYTHING. When you grab one, all your sand tanks and power tanks are filled. So if you know you're going to be picking one up after a battle, feel free to waste your resources in order to survive.
4.2 Sand Columns
----------------
The other hunk of glowing sand is a Sand Column. These things will allow you to save your game, but moreover, will give you a good glimpse at what you must accomplish for the upcoming puzzle. They also serve as a plot device, so pay attention.
4.3 The Hub
-----------
I guess you'd be better off calling this the Cavern of Dreams or something, but I'll call it the Hub. At certain points throughout the game, you'll have an opportunity to enter the Hub. The way there isn't always obvious, but you'll learn to recognize when you're on your way to it as there's a tell-tale chime and a familliar hallway each time.
In any case, you'd best go hunting for paths to the Hub when you can as this is your one and only chance to extend your life bar past its measly beginnings.
Just follow the bridges to the fountain and the game will do the rest for you.
4.4 Switches
------------
Now it's pretty obvious what switches are for. The game even makes a point of cutting away to show you exactly what that switch you're absent-mindedly pressing is doing. There are, however, differences in switches.
Now I don't think this is 100% always true, but a rule of thumb is that if the switch is White, it's permanent. If a switch is orange, it's a main objective and sometimes time based. If a switch is yellow, it's either time based or pressure sensitive. Just try to remember this when figuring out your escape.
4.5 Fountains
-------------
Fountains are life. Hold R to replenish your life bar if you're running low on it. Try not to worry about keeping it high when you're fighting. Just concentrate on surviving, and don't waste Sand Tanks unless you're taking a series of hits. After EVERY battle, there is water to be found, so simply survive and you'll do fine.
4.6 Sound
---------
Sound is your second best tool (the first being your own head). A lot of this game has excellent sound design, from voice cues, to ambient effects. Moreover, sound plays an important role in giving you clues as to what's about, what's coming, or where to go. Make sure you play this game with your volume turned up, and if you can play in 5.1, even better.
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5.0 Hints and Tips
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This is seriously a game I urge you to experience for yourself. It's very much a mix of Ico and a mix of Soul Reaver. Much of the time, you're required to think your way out of a situation rather than beat your way out of it, and that's just one of the many appeals of the game. This guide is meant more to be like a security blanket than a hand to hold. Trust me, you'll feel much more satisfied if you complete it yourself.
That said, if you're up to the task, keep these things in mind:
- If you're stuck, take a look around in first person view and see what's around.
- If you see something you want, but can't get to it, there's probably a reason you can't. Move along and an opportunity will most likely present itself in due time.
- Combat can be a pain, but keep in mind that A+X off the wall knocks every creature down if it hits. Keep at it, and don't worry about how much life you have left after the fact. In every case, there's always water nearby after a fight.
- When in doubt, take note of the camera angle. Most of the time, the camera will adjust itself to show you where to go or what to do next.
- Pay attention to your sixth sense. Those glimpses into the future aren't just for show. They're a really good way to see what you have to do.
- If you think you're about due for a life bar extention, you're probably right. Take the time to look around and see if the Hub can be reached from where you are.
- This game doesn't need to be rushed through. There are no bonuses for a quick completion, so take your time when you can and figure out what needs to be done. Remember that the Prince has a gaggle of tricks up his sleeve and all you need is a little time to figure out which one will work best for the situation.
- Dying isn't so bad. There's no penalty for retrying, so don't worry about it. You can rest assured that you won't have to re-tread too much.
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6.0 The Walkthrough
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6.i How to Use This Section
---------------------------
I've divided up the walkthrough by save point, outside of the introduction or what not. If the titles seem to be after-the-fact, that's because of the naming convention that the game uses. After I save, I quit and find out what they titled the section. So if it's after-the-fact, blame Ubi, not me.
6.1 Introduction
----------------
Enter the curtain to begin the tale.
Start by running off to the right, climbing up the blocks. When all else fails, follow the tutorial pop-ups. Shame on you if you turned them off. What are you doing reading this if you have them off, you're so good? Pfft.
When you reach your first guard (in fact, all of the guards in this intro), simply vault over him and knock him down. He's as good as dead. Keep moving along. It's all very linear. Up the ladder, bla bla bla.
Remember this scene after you've cut everyone down: The Prince puts his toys away. This means that there are no more enemies to fight. Here it's not so much a relief as it is an annoyance, but trust me, you'll love it sooner or later.
After that, your first chance at getting water appears in the form of a... what the hell is a pool of water doing in here anyway? Whatever. If you've lost any life, now's the time to replenish it. Stand in the water and hit R.
Continue on and drop down from the wall. Kill everyone and cackle maniacally. Even if you don't, I will. Bwahahahaha. I feel better.
Run through the next hall to a wooden bridge which will get subsequently blown away before you reach it. Run along the wall to get across by holding R while running... along... the wall. Listen, once you do it, it makes more sense. Remember to let go before you overshoot and fall.
On that note, if you die anywhere in the introduction, simply retry. It'll get easier, I promise.
Up the ladder and to the left please, thank you. Get water if you need it.
Looks like another fight, this time with even MORE guys *gasp*. Trust me, this is the easy part. Again, just vault over them if you can and knock 'em all down. Or, I suppose, you could use this opportunity to practice comboing. It's up to you. It's also a good time to practice countering, if you wish.
Continue forward toward the wall and pull yourself up (A). Tap B to drop down and shimmy on under the head, climb back up and jump to the next, drop when needed, etc. The fun hasn't begun yet, but here's your first clue that you can move around corners without letting go.
When you get to the end, tap B and you'll eventually drop into the hole. Dispatch the guards here. See the fountain? Use it if you need it. You'll find that there's always a source of water nearby after a fight. Have I said that enough yet?
Now here's where you might get stuck. There's only one pole you can climb from the ground. Stand near it and press A. Move on up and aim yourself at the pole off to the right. Then leap to the one far away (you can make it). Up all the way, and then leap off to the left. Welcome to Monkeyland.
Here's your first unofficial save point, so go ahead and save if you wish.
6.2 The Maharajah's Treasure Vaults
-----------------------------------
Run along the left wall over the pit. You should know how to do this by now. Turn the corner and stick under the chains. Here's your first Wall Jump.
Run along the wall to your right and when you're directly across from the ledge, leap off. You should make it. If not, retry and retry. This is something that should become second nature to you, so learn to love it.
Again, run on the wall to your right into the little alcove. Here's Wall Jump type 2. Face the wall on your right and run directly up it. Before the Prince flips off, jump and he should catch the ledge.
Ooh, your first PanAround. There's lots of 'em. Wall run to the nearest platform. Do it again, but since there's no platform to land on, you gotta jump to the one jutting out. Easy, right?
Run into the little space between the walls and if you so wish, blind yourself by peeking through the hole in first person view. Told you so. Anyways, run up the left wall and catch the ledge. Pull yourself up. Wall Run yet again to the next platform. One more and you're out.
Avoid spiky poles. I love that. Drop down and avoid them spiky poles. Those messages don't pop up for fun, you know. Oh, and in case you skipped the above on controls, etc., walk up to the edge and press B to hang down. Tap B a few times more and you'll be on the ground safe and sound.
Past the poles, wall run left and just hold it. You'll grab a ledge on the opposite wall which you should climb onto. Shimmy down until the camera shifts and you'll be able to gauge the jump to the next ledge. Just edge the stick toward it, and jump. Simple, no? Do the same when you get to the end of this one and some more Spiky Poles(tm) should pop out. Avoid them.
Wall Run the left wall and at the very last moment, leap off to the ledge across the way. Shimmy onto safety.
This part is pretty straightfoward. Drop down and move along to your left. If you're not taking the right path, the ledge will crumble away before you reach it. You'll find this happens a lot in the game as a guide, so pay attention. It's easy to get around this. Climb and drop as needed. At the end, you'll need to leap onto a pole. Aim the stick toward and jump. Cake.
Here you can practice quick jumping, or you can carefuly rotate toward the next pole and jump. Keep going til you reach the center one, then slide all the way down to the ground. Hit B to let go, by the way. There's a fountain here if you need one.
Up the wall. You'll need to run up the wall (from now on, Upwall) to get onto the statue. Upwall again and jump to the next hand. Upwall again and to the head. Here's where we learn how to rebound jump.
Upwall and jump. When you land, jump again before you lose footing. Keep this up and you'll scale the 'chimney'. Now you can pick up the wonderous thing that started all this mess. Wall Run out to the right (left wall). Keep it up after the floor crumbles. Oops, the floor is crumbling again; jump before you land in the Hell of Spikes. Wall Jump to safety. Ah.
It's those spiky poles again! Run past 'em. There's a wall of them coming. As soon as they bound away from you, follow and choose an alcove to run into. When they go past, keep moving and you'll come to a ledge with more spiky poles. Avoid them and climb back up to safety. Once you pass the doorway, the fun begins. This is where the real adventure starts.
6.3 The Sands of Time Unleashed
-------------------------------
Here's your first battle with Sand Creatures. Since they're weaker ones, you can vault over them. As soon as they're down, you can hit Y to collect them up into your dagger. Keep vaulting as you will, and collect everyone up. You're done when you see a cut scene.
Here's your first glimpse into the future. Most of them are glimpses into puzzle solutions, so best pay attention. These sand columns are your only way to save a game. They are frequent in appearance (usually after a battle) so don't worry about being forced through long sittings.
In any case, after you've saved (or not), head toward the door the Princess ran to. One of the gates fell off, so simply walk around to the right and go through. If you need it, however, there's water at the end of the reception hall.
Head left up the stairs and follow the princess. The ceiling will collapse after her, but there's a door on the right behind the curtain. Head on in. Pay attention to these PanArounds as they'll give you a good idea of what needs to be done. Don't say the developers didn't try to help you out.
Wall run over the gap in the stairs. By now you should see a Sand Cloud. Your first. Use the dagger (Y) to pick it up. It's the start to a new sand tank, so be sure to pick these up.
If you're facing the bed, run over to the left corner of the wall by the dresser. Climb up the dresser and get to the bar. Turn yourself around and hold R to start swinging (you can also turn around at the apex of your swing). Jump to get to the next bar and jump again to get to the ledge. Pull yourself up and shimmy to the platform. Wall Run to the next platform. Wall Jump to the bar (run and jump) and then swing to safety. Or you can run to the opposite corner and start from the lower bar and achieve the same thing.
Through the doorway, you should hear another Sand Cloud. It's up above on top of the rubble on your right. Climb up and get it.
Look, it's the princess again. Oh look, the ceiling conveniently collapsed AGAIN. Turn to the left and jump up onto the bar. Swing across. I think you can figure that much out. At the second-to-last bar, you'll have to stop swinging and shimmy over to your left. I'm sure you figured that out, too.
And look! A fountain! Continue down the hallway and ignore the rubble. If you don't hear a sand cloud, there isn't one there. :P Another PanAround, another room to solve. Yay.
Wall Run to the bar and swing across. The doorway is blocked (duh) so move to your left. Run to the next bar and drop down. I hear a Sand Cloud. But you can't get it yet, so drop down. Oh, and when you reach the ground, be prepared to fight. Don't worry, I'll wait here for you. By the end of this battle, you should have a new Power Tank. Yay. You can now use the dagger to freeze enemies. This can be useful when fighting Blues.
Again, go to the left corner. Upwall and jump to the bar. Here's some clever bit of acrobatics: Face the wall, swing, and jump off. When you hit the wall, jump again and you should rebound to the next bar. Remember this whenever you see two bars above each other. Turn around, swing to the ledge and through the hole to your next save point.
6.4 Had I Really Seen Her?
--------------------------
There's a fountain in this hall. See? What'd I tell you. Down the hall and through the wreckage. Turn right and find that Sand Cloud you heard in the other room. Turn around and head to the wall. You can climb the ledge, jump off to the bar, shimmy and swing in. Or you can Upwall, bar, swing in.
Go into that very inviting hole. This is your first trip to the Hub. Run across the bridges to the fountain in the center. Magic life.
Drop down into the pit and wall run over the gap to grab a Sand Cloud. You're now on the correct side to drop into the gap, so please do so and stop wasting time. Sheesh.
Follow the hall and you'll be treated to a cutscene. But OHMYGOD BEETLES! Or are they scarabs? Whatever. Kill them. They're harmless, really. When the swords are away, the beetles/scarabs are gone. There's water on that platform in the room if you need it. Oh, and now's a good time to notice that the Princess can fit into the smallest of cracks. Is it also a good time to mention that the Prince has some really nifty hair? No? Okay, then.
Down the hall, but hang a left. You'll get a nice Sand Cloud. At this point in time, it's easier to see the growing Sand Tank on the left. This is why we go out of our way to get Sand Clouds, class. Go back the way you came. Really. Go. There's nothing here. I mean it.
Hmm.. that wasn't so far a trip. Note the sand clouds in the room. Jump across and pull yourself up. Hang a right out the doorway. Marvel at the sheer beauty of the game. It's okay to cry if you want to... er... not that I did, or anything. *flex*
Hm, that floor looks crackly. I wonder if it will crumble. OH! I was right. Boo. Just Wall Run across and head back into the room. Climb up the marvellously clever pole and off to the right. Follow the poles along til you see the two equally clever cracks in the wall that look like ledges. Jump to them and drop on down. You're going to have to Wall Run here, but when you cross the shadow of the pole, jump and wouldn't you know it, you're grasping yet another pole. Slide on down to the ground and bring out your swords. It's beetle crushing time. And if you think these things are stupid, just wait for the joy that are Sand Bats. But I digress. Fight on, Prince.
I shouldn't have to say it. I really shouldn't. But get the sand cloud. Sometimes your dependancy makes me sick. Really. Kidding.
Go near the only wall you can run on next to the broken slab... because, hey, you're going to run on it. Again, when you hit the shadow, jump to the pole. I should also mention that when you're Wall Jumping, it's not necessary to aim your jump. In any case, jump on over to the next pole, to the platform and up the corner. You'll have to Upwall to get up the taller slab.
Ignore the bar and Upwall to your right so you can jump off to the little insert of the slab. Pick up the sand cloud. Mmm, sandy goodness...
You can either climb up the poles and jump, or you can simply Wall Run to the next familliar, but different platform. Walk to the left edge and hit B to drop down. Shimmy over into the crack on the wall and you can now drop down to safety.
---2.0 Combat
2.1 Basic Combat
2.2 Combos
2.3 Vaulting/VAULTGRAB
2.4 Wall Vaulting
2.5 Wall Launching
2.6 Blocking
2.7 Countering
2.8 Dagger Power - Rewind
2.9 Dagger Power - Freeze
2.10 Dagger Power - Haste
2.11 Dagger Power - Slow
---3.0 Interface
3.1 Your Life Bar
3.2 Sand Tanks
3.3 Power Tanks
3.4 Farah's Bow
---4.0 Miscellany
4.1 Sand Clouds
4.2 Sand Columns
4.3 The Hub
4.4 Switches
4.5 Fountains
4.6 Sound
---5.0 Hints and Tips
---6.0 The Walkthrough
--6.i How to Use This Section
6.1 Introduction
6.2 The Maharajah's Treasure Vaults
6.3 The Sands of Time Unleashed
6.4 Had I Really Seen Her?
6.5 A Secret Passage
6.6 The Palace's Defense System
6.7 A Booby-Trapped Courtyard
6.8 Death of a Sand King
6.9 I'll Try to Find A Way In
6.10 The Warehouse
6.11 The Sultan's Zoo
6.12 Atop a Birdcage
6.13 Cliffs and Waterfall
6.14 The Baths
6.15 There's Something Glowing Up There
6.16 Above the Baths
6.17 A Long Buried Secret
6.18 Daybreak
6.19 A Soldiers' Mess Hall
6.20 The Drawbridge
6.21 A Broken Bridge
6.22 I'll Meet You at the Baths
6.23 Waterfall
6.24 A Cavern of Ladders
6.25 An Underground Resevoir
6.26 Out of the Well
6.27 The Sultan's Harem
6.27 What Did You Call Me?
6.28 The Hall of Learning
6.29 Observatory
6.30 Hall of Learning Courtyards
6.31 On the Ramparts
6.32 A Prisoner Seeking Escape
6.33 At Last We're Here
6.33b THE ELEVATOR FIGHT
6.34 The Hourglass
6.35 The Tomb
6.36 Farah, Come Back!
6.37 Climbing the Tower of Dawn
6.38 The Setting Sun
6.39 Honor and Glory
Intro-this is for ps2 version as i played through it,i dont know if there any differences to the game on different consoles so may be innacurate for other consoles
2.0 Combat
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Outside of the introduction stages, every enemy you meet is a zombie. Sure, they call it a Sand Creature, but it's a Persian Zombie. You knock 'em down, they keep coming back.
But fortunately, by the time you meet 'em, you have the Dagger of Time, and really, that's the whole point of the game. If you're not up to that, then go home... er... someone else's home.
2.1 Basic Combat
----------------
Ah, basic combat. What can you say about basic combat? It's very much like a new girlfriend. It's fun for a while, but sometimes you just wish it were over. Okay, that's unfair... some combat systems are better than girlfriends. *cough*
In any case, combat in POP is easy as mashing on a button. But for those of you who actually want to survive your fights, mashing on a button may not be the best course of action.
X will serve as your sword button. Your sword is used to wear your enemies down, but unfortunately, it won't dispatch them with the great fury of your fallen ancestors. Fortunately, the Dagger will.
Once your enemies are prone on the ground, they can be absorbed into your trusty sidekick, the Dagger of Time, by aiming at the body and pressing Y. By doing this, you'll gain a tank's worth of sand, and the body will disappear.
How will you know when all those warping Sand Creatures are gone? A short scene of the Prince putting away his weapons will let you know that it's safe to think again.
2.2 Combos
----------
It is very, very unlikely that you'll ever be in a one-on-one situation. I mean, these guys respawn like nothing else, and running away means they'll only teleport to your location and smash you with something large and heavy.
And here is the reason why you don't mash on the buttons: with each press of the attack button, you can combo and hit everyone with some good timing. Mashing on X will more than likely result in you working on just one guy while the guy next to you is winding up for a hit.
Be sure to hit as many guys as you can as it can interrupt wind-ups and also give you an opening to flip away to safety. For example, if you've just laid someone out on their back, ready for a dagger strike, but a big ol' brute is hovering over him, give the guy who's up a hit or two to stop him from whatever his simple mind is urging him to do and then free yourself up for the dagger hit.
2.3 Vaulting
------------
A really fun thing to do in POP is to vault over your enemies and hit 'em while you're flying over their heads. Not only is this really cool looking, but it also serves to put enemies on their back in a very short amount of time. Plus, it gets you out of the way of three hammers coming down on you at once.
Simply aim at an enemy and hit the jump button. You don't even have to be facing them (which is a cooler animation, imo) to do it. And while you're up in the air, hit your attack button twice. Most of the time, this will knock them down for a dagger strike.
WARNING: Enemies in blue, and ONLY blue (browns and reds are safe) will NOT let you vault over them. You can try, but they'll put you on your back and you'll feel none the better for it. I mean, it's a huge blow to the ego, being put on your back by a zombie. Shame on you. There are, however, better and quicker ways to take down Blues.
***EDIT*** VAULTGRAB
Ooh, neat trick, neat trick! I dub it the VAULTGRAB. Sounds cool, doesn't it? Anyways, the trick above is A, X, X, which will knock someone down to the ground when successfully done. Usually, this can be accomplished by mashing on buttons until it works.
However, instead of A, X, X... try A, X, Y. This is the Vaultgrab. If you are successful with the maneuver, the Prince will vault as usual, do his strike in the air, BUT instead of knocking the sucker down for the count, he will whip out the dagger and collect the baddie before there's even a chance for gravity to take effect. It's a really neat trick and a big time saver. Give it a try.
(To be fair, someone mentioned this to me before, but I can't remember who, but at the time I wasn't able to give it a shot and re-discovered it myself. Thanks, whoever you were.)
2.4 Wall Vaulting
-----------------
Wall vaulting is one way you can get over a Blue, but it's not always successful, like everything else. But again, it's a good chance to get away if you can do it.
Aim at a nearby wall, bridge, block (anything above your midriff) and hit A twice. The Prince will plant himself on the wall and use it to do a big high jump over an enemy, which you can then strike down in the air.
2.5 Wall Launching
------------------
The more effective attack of the two wall strikes you can do is Wall Launching (and yes, I'm using my own terms here). Very much like wall vaulting, simply move toward a wall, but instead hit jump and attack (A+X) at the same time. The Prince will rocket himself off the wall in a GORE tackle that 80% of the time will knock down any enemy, including Blues.
If this attack hits, the enemy is instantly on the ground. Do this enough during combat and you can cut down the fight time by half.
2.6 Blocking
------------
Yes, you can block, and most of the time, you can block anything coming your way. And some of the time, it's the only thing you can do to prevent yourself from being laid out onto the ground.
Simply hold the R trigger to block.
Something they won't tell you is that if you DO get put onto your back, you can still block while you're on the ground. It's easy to get pounded on while you're trying to get back up, so hold onto the trigger for as long as it takes to get an opening to bounce back up.
2.7 Countering
--------------
After you block, you can counter attack. The timing here is swift, but it's not really all that necessary to learn this as it's not paramount to survival, BUT, the best I can describe it is to simply hit X immediately after you block a blow. It doesn't always work, and it's really iffy, but it's there if you can master it. The counter is usually a kick which you can follow up with more sword strikes. Just be sure to let go of R when you're following up.
2.8 Dagger Power - Rewind
-------------------------
This isn't a combat-only power, and in fact, you'll probably be using it a lot over the course of the game, but here's as good a place as any other to talk about it.
There's a little dial in the corner that shows how much time you can rewind by. Hold L to rewind time up to ten seconds (the entire dial). This can undo even death, so learn it. It will actually become second-nature to you once you're aware of it.
But one caveat: each rewind takes one full tank of sand. No sand, no rewind. However, seeing as combat is where you'll use it the most, it's a simple matter of retreiving sand from a fallen enemy as it will fill one Sand Tank.
2.9 Dagger Power - Freeze
-------------------------
Once you get a Power Tank up and running, you can freeze your enemies in time. It's really more like putting them into slow motion land than anything else, but this is the only way to dispatch an enemy with your sword.
Attack with your dagger to freeze an enemy. He'll turn a sandy color to let you know that he's not a threat anymore. You can move onto other enemies if you want to save him for collecting sand, or you can hit him twice with your sword to get rid of him. One will put him up in the air, the next one will split him in half. You get no sand, but he won't be coming back.
2.10 Dagger Power - Haste
------------------------
This power requires all your power tanks to be created and filled (one for each Sand Tank). A word to the wise, though: save it for when you really need it.
Pulling on both triggers will activate this power. Time will speed up and all you have to do is MASH on X and wiggle the stick around to the next enemy. For about ten seconds or so, you'll be flashing from one enemy to the next, taking them out in one hit. It's a real time saver if you know there's a cloud near for after the battle, but it can also prove a very useful tool when dealing with Blues.
2.11 Dagger Power - Slow
------------------------
This slows everything down including you, but it gives you more time to think. Simply tap L (holding it rewinds, you know) and everything will slow down. Doing this isn't necessary at any point in time, but sometimes you need it so you don't have to think so hectically on the fly. It consumes one Power Tank.
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3.0 Interface
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Learn the layout of your screen. There's quite a bit of information being presented to you and you ought to know what it is.
3.1 Your Life Bar
-----------------
The bar going across the top of your screen is your life bar. It's pretty short, so you have to keep an eye on it, especially when you meet stronger enemies than the puny welps you start off with. Fortunately, you can extend this bar by finding rooms that lead to the Hub (I have no idea what you call it), a weird place filled with bridges and populated by a single fountain.
Oh yeah, you can replenish your life bar by heading to a source of water and holding the R trigger. Hold it for as long as needed.
3.2 Sand Tanks
--------------
Your Dagger will probably be the only dagger you ever see that has its own balls. And they're easily distinguishable due to the size of its balls. When your balls are empty, you'll have to refill them. And you'll want to, because remember, your balls are your source of power. *sigh*
Joking aside, the large balls on the left side of the screen are your Sand Tanks. Each Sand Tank is one chance to rewind time. Keep this in mind if you're trying something you're not quite sure is going to work, otherwise you're going to have to start again from a retry point.
You can gain extra Sand Tanks by collecting a number Sand Clouds.
3.3 Power Tanks
---------------
Power Tanks represent all of the other dagger powers. For each Sand Tank you have, you can create a Power Tank. Each time you retrieve sand from any source, a portion of a Power Tank is created and/or filled. It will appear as a tiny crescent moon next to your Sand Tanks. When they're filled, they're white.
Each Power Tank represents once chance to freeze an enemy, or if they're all filled, the ONLY chance to cast Haste and deal out some massive destruction.
This is why you might want to collect sand from enemies instead of freezing them, as each time you retrieve, you build part of a Power Tank. If, however, you have them all created (one for each Sand Tank), feel free to freeze/haste away.
3.4 Farah's Bow
---------------
Over the course of the game, you'll catch up with one Princess Farah Something- or-Other. Regardless, she's paramount to your survival, and thus, if she ever gets caught up in combat with you, you'll have to make sure she stays alive.
The Bow only appears if Farah's being hit. As she loses health, the Bow loses color. When the Bow is black, it's game over for you. Keep her alive, or it's game over. Nuff said.
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4.0 Miscellany
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.1 Sand Clouds
---------------
If ever you're running around and you hear a soft humming, it means a sand cloud is near. These are those glowing white puffs you find every now and again, and you should hunt them out and grab them at every chance you get, regardless of how much sand you have.
After 5 or 6 (?) Sand Clouds, a new Sand Tank will be created. You can see it building as a clear circle underneath your main Sand Tanks. Remember, with each Sand Tank is another chance to take back time and another chance to build another Power Tanks.
The other bonus to picking up Sand Clouds is that it fills EVERYTHING. When you grab one, all your sand tanks and power tanks are filled. So if you know you're going to be picking one up after a battle, feel free to waste your resources in order to survive.
4.2 Sand Columns
----------------
The other hunk of glowing sand is a Sand Column. These things will allow you to save your game, but moreover, will give you a good glimpse at what you must accomplish for the upcoming puzzle. They also serve as a plot device, so pay attention.
4.3 The Hub
-----------
I guess you'd be better off calling this the Cavern of Dreams or something, but I'll call it the Hub. At certain points throughout the game, you'll have an opportunity to enter the Hub. The way there isn't always obvious, but you'll learn to recognize when you're on your way to it as there's a tell-tale chime and a familliar hallway each time.
In any case, you'd best go hunting for paths to the Hub when you can as this is your one and only chance to extend your life bar past its measly beginnings.
Just follow the bridges to the fountain and the game will do the rest for you.
4.4 Switches
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Now it's pretty obvious what switches are for. The game even makes a point of cutting away to show you exactly what that switch you're absent-mindedly pressing is doing. There are, however, differences in switches.
Now I don't think this is 100% always true, but a rule of thumb is that if the switch is White, it's permanent. If a switch is orange, it's a main objective and sometimes time based. If a switch is yellow, it's either time based or pressure sensitive. Just try to remember this when figuring out your escape.
4.5 Fountains
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Fountains are life. Hold R to replenish your life bar if you're running low on it. Try not to worry about keeping it high when you're fighting. Just concentrate on surviving, and don't waste Sand Tanks unless you're taking a series of hits. After EVERY battle, there is water to be found, so simply survive and you'll do fine.
4.6 Sound
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Sound is your second best tool (the first being your own head). A lot of this game has excellent sound design, from voice cues, to ambient effects. Moreover, sound plays an important role in giving you clues as to what's about, what's coming, or where to go. Make sure you play this game with your volume turned up, and if you can play in 5.1, even better.
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5.0 Hints and Tips
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This is seriously a game I urge you to experience for yourself. It's very much a mix of Ico and a mix of Soul Reaver. Much of the time, you're required to think your way out of a situation rather than beat your way out of it, and that's just one of the many appeals of the game. This guide is meant more to be like a security blanket than a hand to hold. Trust me, you'll feel much more satisfied if you complete it yourself.
That said, if you're up to the task, keep these things in mind:
- If you're stuck, take a look around in first person view and see what's around.
- If you see something you want, but can't get to it, there's probably a reason you can't. Move along and an opportunity will most likely present itself in due time.
- Combat can be a pain, but keep in mind that A+X off the wall knocks every creature down if it hits. Keep at it, and don't worry about how much life you have left after the fact. In every case, there's always water nearby after a fight.
- When in doubt, take note of the camera angle. Most of the time, the camera will adjust itself to show you where to go or what to do next.
- Pay attention to your sixth sense. Those glimpses into the future aren't just for show. They're a really good way to see what you have to do.
- If you think you're about due for a life bar extention, you're probably right. Take the time to look around and see if the Hub can be reached from where you are.
- This game doesn't need to be rushed through. There are no bonuses for a quick completion, so take your time when you can and figure out what needs to be done. Remember that the Prince has a gaggle of tricks up his sleeve and all you need is a little time to figure out which one will work best for the situation.
- Dying isn't so bad. There's no penalty for retrying, so don't worry about it. You can rest assured that you won't have to re-tread too much.
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6.0 The Walkthrough
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6.i How to Use This Section
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I've divided up the walkthrough by save point, outside of the introduction or what not. If the titles seem to be after-the-fact, that's because of the naming convention that the game uses. After I save, I quit and find out what they titled the section. So if it's after-the-fact, blame Ubi, not me.
6.1 Introduction
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Enter the curtain to begin the tale.
Start by running off to the right, climbing up the blocks. When all else fails, follow the tutorial pop-ups. Shame on you if you turned them off. What are you doing reading this if you have them off, you're so good? Pfft.
When you reach your first guard (in fact, all of the guards in this intro), simply vault over him and knock him down. He's as good as dead. Keep moving along. It's all very linear. Up the ladder, bla bla bla.
Remember this scene after you've cut everyone down: The Prince puts his toys away. This means that there are no more enemies to fight. Here it's not so much a relief as it is an annoyance, but trust me, you'll love it sooner or later.
After that, your first chance at getting water appears in the form of a... what the hell is a pool of water doing in here anyway? Whatever. If you've lost any life, now's the time to replenish it. Stand in the water and hit R.
Continue on and drop down from the wall. Kill everyone and cackle maniacally. Even if you don't, I will. Bwahahahaha. I feel better.
Run through the next hall to a wooden bridge which will get subsequently blown away before you reach it. Run along the wall to get across by holding R while running... along... the wall. Listen, once you do it, it makes more sense. Remember to let go before you overshoot and fall.
On that note, if you die anywhere in the introduction, simply retry. It'll get easier, I promise.
Up the ladder and to the left please, thank you. Get water if you need it.
Looks like another fight, this time with even MORE guys *gasp*. Trust me, this is the easy part. Again, just vault over them if you can and knock 'em all down. Or, I suppose, you could use this opportunity to practice comboing. It's up to you. It's also a good time to practice countering, if you wish.
Continue forward toward the wall and pull yourself up (A). Tap B to drop down and shimmy on under the head, climb back up and jump to the next, drop when needed, etc. The fun hasn't begun yet, but here's your first clue that you can move around corners without letting go.
When you get to the end, tap B and you'll eventually drop into the hole. Dispatch the guards here. See the fountain? Use it if you need it. You'll find that there's always a source of water nearby after a fight. Have I said that enough yet?
Now here's where you might get stuck. There's only one pole you can climb from the ground. Stand near it and press A. Move on up and aim yourself at the pole off to the right. Then leap to the one far away (you can make it). Up all the way, and then leap off to the left. Welcome to Monkeyland.
Here's your first unofficial save point, so go ahead and save if you wish.
6.2 The Maharajah's Treasure Vaults
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Run along the left wall over the pit. You should know how to do this by now. Turn the corner and stick under the chains. Here's your first Wall Jump.
Run along the wall to your right and when you're directly across from the ledge, leap off. You should make it. If not, retry and retry. This is something that should become second nature to you, so learn to love it.
Again, run on the wall to your right into the little alcove. Here's Wall Jump type 2. Face the wall on your right and run directly up it. Before the Prince flips off, jump and he should catch the ledge.
Ooh, your first PanAround. There's lots of 'em. Wall run to the nearest platform. Do it again, but since there's no platform to land on, you gotta jump to the one jutting out. Easy, right?
Run into the little space between the walls and if you so wish, blind yourself by peeking through the hole in first person view. Told you so. Anyways, run up the left wall and catch the ledge. Pull yourself up. Wall Run yet again to the next platform. One more and you're out.
Avoid spiky poles. I love that. Drop down and avoid them spiky poles. Those messages don't pop up for fun, you know. Oh, and in case you skipped the above on controls, etc., walk up to the edge and press B to hang down. Tap B a few times more and you'll be on the ground safe and sound.
Past the poles, wall run left and just hold it. You'll grab a ledge on the opposite wall which you should climb onto. Shimmy down until the camera shifts and you'll be able to gauge the jump to the next ledge. Just edge the stick toward it, and jump. Simple, no? Do the same when you get to the end of this one and some more Spiky Poles(tm) should pop out. Avoid them.
Wall Run the left wall and at the very last moment, leap off to the ledge across the way. Shimmy onto safety.
This part is pretty straightfoward. Drop down and move along to your left. If you're not taking the right path, the ledge will crumble away before you reach it. You'll find this happens a lot in the game as a guide, so pay attention. It's easy to get around this. Climb and drop as needed. At the end, you'll need to leap onto a pole. Aim the stick toward and jump. Cake.
Here you can practice quick jumping, or you can carefuly rotate toward the next pole and jump. Keep going til you reach the center one, then slide all the way down to the ground. Hit B to let go, by the way. There's a fountain here if you need one.
Up the wall. You'll need to run up the wall (from now on, Upwall) to get onto the statue. Upwall again and jump to the next hand. Upwall again and to the head. Here's where we learn how to rebound jump.
Upwall and jump. When you land, jump again before you lose footing. Keep this up and you'll scale the 'chimney'. Now you can pick up the wonderous thing that started all this mess. Wall Run out to the right (left wall). Keep it up after the floor crumbles. Oops, the floor is crumbling again; jump before you land in the Hell of Spikes. Wall Jump to safety. Ah.
It's those spiky poles again! Run past 'em. There's a wall of them coming. As soon as they bound away from you, follow and choose an alcove to run into. When they go past, keep moving and you'll come to a ledge with more spiky poles. Avoid them and climb back up to safety. Once you pass the doorway, the fun begins. This is where the real adventure starts.
6.3 The Sands of Time Unleashed
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Here's your first battle with Sand Creatures. Since they're weaker ones, you can vault over them. As soon as they're down, you can hit Y to collect them up into your dagger. Keep vaulting as you will, and collect everyone up. You're done when you see a cut scene.
Here's your first glimpse into the future. Most of them are glimpses into puzzle solutions, so best pay attention. These sand columns are your only way to save a game. They are frequent in appearance (usually after a battle) so don't worry about being forced through long sittings.
In any case, after you've saved (or not), head toward the door the Princess ran to. One of the gates fell off, so simply walk around to the right and go through. If you need it, however, there's water at the end of the reception hall.
Head left up the stairs and follow the princess. The ceiling will collapse after her, but there's a door on the right behind the curtain. Head on in. Pay attention to these PanArounds as they'll give you a good idea of what needs to be done. Don't say the developers didn't try to help you out.
Wall run over the gap in the stairs. By now you should see a Sand Cloud. Your first. Use the dagger (Y) to pick it up. It's the start to a new sand tank, so be sure to pick these up.
If you're facing the bed, run over to the left corner of the wall by the dresser. Climb up the dresser and get to the bar. Turn yourself around and hold R to start swinging (you can also turn around at the apex of your swing). Jump to get to the next bar and jump again to get to the ledge. Pull yourself up and shimmy to the platform. Wall Run to the next platform. Wall Jump to the bar (run and jump) and then swing to safety. Or you can run to the opposite corner and start from the lower bar and achieve the same thing.
Through the doorway, you should hear another Sand Cloud. It's up above on top of the rubble on your right. Climb up and get it.
Look, it's the princess again. Oh look, the ceiling conveniently collapsed AGAIN. Turn to the left and jump up onto the bar. Swing across. I think you can figure that much out. At the second-to-last bar, you'll have to stop swinging and shimmy over to your left. I'm sure you figured that out, too.
And look! A fountain! Continue down the hallway and ignore the rubble. If you don't hear a sand cloud, there isn't one there. :P Another PanAround, another room to solve. Yay.
Wall Run to the bar and swing across. The doorway is blocked (duh) so move to your left. Run to the next bar and drop down. I hear a Sand Cloud. But you can't get it yet, so drop down. Oh, and when you reach the ground, be prepared to fight. Don't worry, I'll wait here for you. By the end of this battle, you should have a new Power Tank. Yay. You can now use the dagger to freeze enemies. This can be useful when fighting Blues.
Again, go to the left corner. Upwall and jump to the bar. Here's some clever bit of acrobatics: Face the wall, swing, and jump off. When you hit the wall, jump again and you should rebound to the next bar. Remember this whenever you see two bars above each other. Turn around, swing to the ledge and through the hole to your next save point.
6.4 Had I Really Seen Her?
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There's a fountain in this hall. See? What'd I tell you. Down the hall and through the wreckage. Turn right and find that Sand Cloud you heard in the other room. Turn around and head to the wall. You can climb the ledge, jump off to the bar, shimmy and swing in. Or you can Upwall, bar, swing in.
Go into that very inviting hole. This is your first trip to the Hub. Run across the bridges to the fountain in the center. Magic life.
Drop down into the pit and wall run over the gap to grab a Sand Cloud. You're now on the correct side to drop into the gap, so please do so and stop wasting time. Sheesh.
Follow the hall and you'll be treated to a cutscene. But OHMYGOD BEETLES! Or are they scarabs? Whatever. Kill them. They're harmless, really. When the swords are away, the beetles/scarabs are gone. There's water on that platform in the room if you need it. Oh, and now's a good time to notice that the Princess can fit into the smallest of cracks. Is it also a good time to mention that the Prince has some really nifty hair? No? Okay, then.
Down the hall, but hang a left. You'll get a nice Sand Cloud. At this point in time, it's easier to see the growing Sand Tank on the left. This is why we go out of our way to get Sand Clouds, class. Go back the way you came. Really. Go. There's nothing here. I mean it.
Hmm.. that wasn't so far a trip. Note the sand clouds in the room. Jump across and pull yourself up. Hang a right out the doorway. Marvel at the sheer beauty of the game. It's okay to cry if you want to... er... not that I did, or anything. *flex*
Hm, that floor looks crackly. I wonder if it will crumble. OH! I was right. Boo. Just Wall Run across and head back into the room. Climb up the marvellously clever pole and off to the right. Follow the poles along til you see the two equally clever cracks in the wall that look like ledges. Jump to them and drop on down. You're going to have to Wall Run here, but when you cross the shadow of the pole, jump and wouldn't you know it, you're grasping yet another pole. Slide on down to the ground and bring out your swords. It's beetle crushing time. And if you think these things are stupid, just wait for the joy that are Sand Bats. But I digress. Fight on, Prince.
I shouldn't have to say it. I really shouldn't. But get the sand cloud. Sometimes your dependancy makes me sick. Really. Kidding.
Go near the only wall you can run on next to the broken slab... because, hey, you're going to run on it. Again, when you hit the shadow, jump to the pole. I should also mention that when you're Wall Jumping, it's not necessary to aim your jump. In any case, jump on over to the next pole, to the platform and up the corner. You'll have to Upwall to get up the taller slab.
Ignore the bar and Upwall to your right so you can jump off to the little insert of the slab. Pick up the sand cloud. Mmm, sandy goodness...
You can either climb up the poles and jump, or you can simply Wall Run to the next familliar, but different platform. Walk to the left edge and hit B to drop down. Shimmy over into the crack on the wall and you can now drop down to safety.
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