Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown vs Sword of the Sea
One demands precise parries and platforming; the other asks you to surf and breathe.
The best Ubisoft release in years — Lost Crown nails 2.5D metroidvania flow with Hollow-Knight comparisons, but Ubisoft canceled the sequel after sales disappointed.
Giant Squid's at the height of their flow-state powers — Sword of the Sea is sand-surfing as meditation, and Wintory's score makes every dune feel monumental.
Steam popularity
Shared scale — sparklines are directly comparable across both games.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
May 2026 peak CCU 388 ↑ 111% MoM
All-time peak 1,446
Sword of the Sea
May 2026 peak CCU 20 ↓ 23% MoM
All-time peak 493
Key differences
Core gameplay
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a 2.5D metroidvania with combat, time powers, and puzzle-platforming.
Sword of the Sea is an atmospheric traversal game with no combat, focused on speed and flow.
Length and depth
Lost Crown runs about 15 hours with RPG-style upgrades and ability gating.
Sword of the Sea is a 5–6 hour one-sitting experience with minimal progression systems.
Combat presence
Lost Crown centers on parry-and-juggle combat against mythological enemies and boss mirrors.
Sword of the Sea has zero combat; interaction is limited to surfing and environmental puzzles.
Which one is for you?
Pick Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown if
- You love Hollow Knight or Metroid Dread and want a 15-hour challenge.
- You enjoy combat-puzzle hybrids and time-based platforming mechanics.
- You prefer a game with bosses, upgrades, and a clear progression arc.
Pick Sword of the Sea if
- Abzû and The Pathless were your perfect meditative experience.
- You value atmosphere and music over mechanical challenge or length.
- You want a short, relaxing session with no combat or failure states.
Bottom line
Pick Prince of Persia for dense 2.5D action and platforming; pick Sword of the Sea if you want a tranquil, music-driven flow state with no combat.