Developer: Evil Empire
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2
Tested on: Switch 2
The Rogue Prince of Persia (Switch 2) – Review
Good to see you again, your highness. Between 2024’s Early Access build and August’s PC release, this is the third time we’re looking at The Rogue Prince of Persia. We’ve never been happier to dive into the game, however, as this time around, we’re covering the Switch 2 version. That means we get to play The Rogue on the go, which is a unique selling point that sets the game apart from other platforms… but it’s the ONLY unique selling point that this specific port has to offer. Does The Rogue successfully make the jump -pun not intended- to the Switch 2, or were compromises made here?
Given that this is essentially the same game as what we reviewed back in September, we’re not going to go over everything in full detail again -we’ll instead refer you to our original review for that. Instead, we’ll be looking at how The Rogue performs specifically on Nintendo’s hybrid handheld. As we’ve seen countless times before, a good game doesn’t necessarily equal a good port. Before we get into the question of whether or not Dead Cells developer Evil Empire succeeded here, we’ll quickly give you the TL;DR. As the title implies, The Rogue is a roguelite spinoff of the venerable Prince of Persia series. Harkening back to the roots of the franchise, The Rogue combines side-scrolling parkour platforming action with roguelite elements, resulting in a satisfying, fast-paced experience.
Looking at the Switch 2 version specifically, then, one of the first things you’ll notice is just how fluid the game feels on the platform. Running at a buttery smooth 60 FPS with a native 1080p resolution in handheld and up to 4K (upscaled) when docked, the game’s striking animated style looks as good here as it did on our PC. Controls are tight and immediately felt familiar, probably owing to the fact that we used our trusty Switch Pro Controller on the PC version of the game. While the game definitely runs comparably well on Switch 2 as it does on PC, we’re not entirely convinced whether or not the added bonus of being able to play the game on the go warrants double-dipping. Maybe it was because we played The Rogue just a couple of months ago, but it did feel like retreading familiar ground. As enjoyable as The Rogue is, this is more of a case of considering the Switch 2 as your first choice to play the game on, rather than returning to it if you’ve finished it on a non-portable platform.
One very minor visual niggle we had with the game was that the game’s version number is permanently displayed in the bottom left corner. This is likely an artefact left behind after porting the game. In the PC version of the game, this was also an issue, and eventually it was patched so that this could be turned off, but as far as we could tell, the toggle to do so is missing here. Hopefully, a future update fixes this. More annoying is the game’s insistence that you log in to Ubisoft Connect upon booting it up for the first time. Doing so is mandatory, but with no actual rewards waiting for you, this feels pointless. Ubisoft could have at least implemented cross-saves for existing owners.
It’s worth noting that The Rogue is also available on the original Switch, at the same €29.99 RRP as on other platforms. The difference here is that buying it will actually net you both Switch versions. Perfect if you haven’t upgraded to a Switch 2 yet, but also the other way around: if you prefer taking your Switch Lite on the go instead of lugging your bulkier and far more expensive hardware around. A word of warning, though: Switch 1 performance isn’t going to be quite up there with the Switch 2 version, at least in terms of fluidity. If you’re looking for a point of comparison, look no further than Dead Cells. That game performed adequately but not outstandingly so on the platform, and The Rogue’s performance feels very similar. This does make the Switch 2 port specifically stand out, because although the Switch 1 version also offers that portability, it sacrifices performance in doing so.
Conclusion
The performance differences between the Switch 2 and PC versions of The Rogue are negligible. Being able to play on the go is the key selling point here, and although we’d argue that’s a plus, ultimately this port doesn’t add anything that makes the game worth revisiting if you already own it. That said, if you haven’t guided the prince towards Ctesiphon’s freedom, then this is as valid an opportunity to do so as anything.
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