I’m slightly late to the party as The Lost Crown was released eight weeks ago, but after a hefty 40% price drop, I couldn’t put this off any longer. I’ve been a long-time fan – from the 2D original, my showpiece game on the Sam Coupé, through the 3D transition with the Sands of Time trilogy, plus the reboot and spin-off which failed to reignite the sales. That 14-year drought has ended, this time with the release of a 2.5D Metroidvania-style game – and it works extremely well.
I have long craved for a new 3D sequel – and still do – however, The Lost Crown has filled that PoP-shaped void. The controls are extremely tight, the platforming is a great deal of fun, and the combat is extremely deep and satisfying. If you want an easier time in combat, that’s fine, you can dial down the difficulty and tweak damage given and received to varying degrees. If you’re struggling with a particular platforming section, you can simply skip it – although I’ve not had to use that as yet.
So far I’m about 16 hours into the adventure, and is about 35% of total game completion. My powers are increasing in interesting ways, and the game environments and foes are getting tougher as my skills improve. A lot has been said about the amazing boss battles, but I’m more impressed by the variety of environments. Opponents who don’t always attack you unless provoked, they set traps for you, and the jailer who, if he catches you, throws you in prison.
I paid £23.99 for a physical PS5 disc and it’s worth every single penny. If you’re a fan of the series or genre, you really should support this game or we may have to wait another 14 years. [4.5/5]
