Wall Running

Lore & Background

In *The Rogue Prince of Persia*, wall running is part of the Prince's natural agility, a skill he uses to traverse the city of Ctesiphon and its surroundings as he rushes to save his homeland from an army of Huns. The game's developers at Evil Empire identified fast traversal and acrobatic combat as key gameplay pillars from past *Prince of Persia* games, and sought to recreate them in a roguelike format. The Prince's ability to wall run, wall jump, swing from poles, and vault over enemies in combat reflects this design philosophy, making movement a continuous, fluid action rather than a series of discrete inputs.

In Their Own Story

The Prince's wall running is not tied to a specific narrative moment in the source, but the game's plot centers on his race against time after provoking the Hun army. Their chief, Nogai, sends an army of possessed soldiers to destroy the city of Ctesiphon, and the Prince must use every acrobatic skill at his disposal—including wall running—to navigate the chaos and prevent the city's destruction. The game's roguelike structure means the Prince repeatedly returns to the hub area, The Oasis, after death, using his mysterious time-travel artifact to try again, with wall running remaining a constant tool in his arsenal across each run.

Reader's Guide

Wall running in *The Rogue Prince of Persia* is one of several parkour moves available to the Prince, alongside wall jumping, swinging and jumping off poles, and more. These moves are essential for navigating the game's procedurally generated levels, which change layout each run. In combat, the Prince can also use dodging by vaulting over enemies, integrating wall running into a fluid combat system that includes melee and ranged attacks, kicks that send enemies backwards, and a freely changeable loadout of primary and secondary weapons. The game's roguelike elements mean that players will need to master wall running to efficiently explore levels, collect coins from enemies to buy new weapons and health items, and find chests containing new weapons. The Memory Board tracks the Prince's interactions with supporting characters, some of whom provide additional information on a level's layout and secrets, potentially revealing optimal wall-running routes.

Did You Know?

• The developers at Evil Empire briefly experimented with a time-rewind mechanic similar to the Sands of Time trilogy, but scrapped it because it broke the rhythm of combat.
• The game's early access release was delayed from May 14, 2024 to May 28, 2024 because the developers wanted to give Hades II a head start, stating they were 'not prideful enough to ignore the implications'.
• The early access version of the game included only one of the three acts planned for the final game; the second act was added in November 2024 as part of 'The Second Act' update.
• As of the latest update, *The Rogue Prince of Persia* remains in early access with no announced full release date or console ports.
• The game's art style is described as 'ligne claire', a clean, clear-line style often associated with European comics.