Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown brings a fresh take to the beloved series with its Metroidvania-style exploration and intricate combat system. After spending over 30 hours in the game, here are some advanced tips and tricks that can save you from unnecessary frustration and help you master the game more effectively.

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1. Understanding Exploration and Time Powers

The game’s Metroidvania design means not every path is accessible right away. As you progress, you’ll unlock six time powers that open previously inaccessible areas. For example, the Dimensional Claw allows you to break golden boulder doors, while the Fabric of Time—the final power unlocked in Chapter 7—lets you overcome every obstacle on the map.

Tip: Don’t waste time trying to open doors or destroy walls until you’ve unlocked all six time powers. Focus on progressing the main storyline until you gain the Fabric of Time to fully explore the map.

Fast travel is a critical tool in such a vast game world. Whenever you unlock a new fast travel point, make sure to head back to Haven and unlock the corresponding door. This ensures you can quickly navigate between distant locations without being blocked by locked gates.

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2. Mastering Movement and Avoiding Setbacks

The game offers a range of movement options beyond the standard jump and dodge. Use the right joystick to expand your field of view, revealing hidden platforms and chests. Also, learn to crouch-slide past enemies with large aggro ranges to avoid being sent to Mount C prison, which sets you back about 10 minutes of progress.

There’s no fall damage in The Lost Crown, so feel free to take risky jumps. If you get stuck on challenging parkour sections, remember you can jump repeatedly against walls to pause your descent and plan your next move. Sliding down walls by pressing down on your controller further helps in managing fall times and maintaining control.

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3. Optimizing Ather Charges and Loadouts

There are 10 Ather Charges in the game, allowing for powerful special moves in combat. Equipping a mix of offensive and defensive Ather abilities ensures balanced gameplay. For example:

• Barman’s Breath: Creates a healing zone that restores all health. It’s invaluable for boss fights as it temporarily pauses enemy phases.
• Vernus’ Smite and AR Crashes Ray: Excellent offensive options for crowd control and dealing massive damage.

Experiment with different combinations but keeping one offensive and one defensive Ather Charge in your loadout is a reliable strategy for most encounters.

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4. Essential Amulets and Upgrades

Out of the 38 amulets available, a few stand out:

• Blade Dancer: Adds an extra hit at the end of your melee combo. Upgrade this early for additional attacks.
• Shield of Mithra: Grants a time-slowing effect on successful parries, creating a bubble that allows for extended damage opportunities.

Focus on upgrading these amulets first at the blacksmith to enhance your survivability and damage output. Additionally, consider investing in health potions and sword upgrades as soon as possible.

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5. Combat Techniques You Should Master

The game’s combat system is built around a mix of offensive and defensive tactics. Here are some key tips:

• Air Parry: You can parry even while airborne, making it a powerful tool against bosses with sweeping attacks.
• Platform Kick: Sprint and attack to kick enemies off platforms, instantly dealing with mid-tier foes.
• Slide Attacks: Use slide attacks to launch enemies into the air, setting them up for devastating aerial combos.

Mastering these techniques can drastically reduce the difficulty of both regular enemies and bosses.

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6. Secret Activities and Collectibles

There are nine Mystery Chests scattered throughout the game, identifiable by black altars. To unlock them, perform specific moves while standing on the altars. These chests contain valuable rewards like new outfits, amulets, and diamonds.

Additionally, keep an eye out for destructible walls. If you enter an empty room, try attacking the walls to uncover hidden loot. Memory Shards can help you mark such locations for later exploration.

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7. Efficient Farming and Resource Management

• Time Crystals: Earned from combat challenges at Artaban’s training arena, which also helps you master advanced combos.
• Xerxes Coins: Use these for high-risk, high-reward items at the Scrapper’s shop near Haven.
• Sand Vials and Lore Items: Destroy all 30 Sand Vials to uncover hidden lore and collect all 57 lore items to deepen your understanding of the game’s world.

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Conclusion

By mastering time powers, optimizing your loadout, and uncovering secrets efficiently, you’ll be well-prepared for the challenges of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Keep experimenting with different abilities and don’t hesitate to backtrack with your new powers for a 100% completion.

Good luck, and may your blades strike true!