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Prince of Persia 3 Speed Kill System Explained

Prince of Persia 3 'Speed Kill System' Q&A

Q1: What is the Speed Kill System?

The Speed Kill System is a whole new gameplay system we’re
introducing in POP3. It allows you to perform very dramatic moves that
take your enemy down in a single shot. Speed Kills require excellent
timing and reflexes but are hugely rewarding. They really make the most
of the Prince and Dark Prince’s athletic abilities in fast-paced
action-packed sequences.

Q2: Why did you develop this new Speed Kill System for POP3?

In POP3, the Prince is back in Babylon and finds his city ravaged by
war. He soon becomes a fugitive in his hometown, hunted by the numerous
and relentless invading army. The Prince must adapt his fighting skills
to this new situation and try to take the upper hand by developing new
techniques, such as the Speed Kill System. Speed Kill will be a chance
for the player to kill one or several enemies in a single shot before
engaging in fierce sword combats. Nevertheless, the player will always
have the choice between using the Speed Kill System or the expanded
Free Form Fighting System that was originally developed for Warrior
Within.

Q3: What does this new system imply in terms of AI?

Speed Kill is about killing your enemy BEFORE being detected. This
new system made us rethink the whole AI of the enemies in the game, and
the results so far are very impressive. Patrolling enemies will be able
to detect the Prince, either by seeing him or by hearing him.

If the Prince goes undetected, he will be able to trigger a series
of Speed Kill attacks that lead to spectacular finishing moves. The
Prince will often have to use his environment and his athletic skills
to reach upper positions in order to take his enemies by surprise from
above.

If patrolling enemies detect the Prince, they will call for
reinforcement and the Prince will not be able to trigger his Speed
Kills anymore: he will have to fight his enemies heads-on.

Q4: In POP3, there are two playable characters: the Prince and the
Dark Prince. Will they both use the Speed Kill System?

Yes, both the Dark Prince and the Prince will use the Speed Kill
System. However, the gameplay mechanism to launch the Speed Kills will
vary between the Prince and the Dark Prince as a reflection of their
very different personalities. The Dark Prince is a corrupt version of
the Prince; he is ruthless, reckless, and only out for himself. This
dark and sadistic personality particularly shines through the violent
nature of his Speed Kills.

The Dark Prince’s Speed Kills will be launched by a fast-paced
combination of buttons, whereas the Prince’s Speed Kills will be based
on specific button sequences and very precise timing during a window of
opportunity.

Also, their finishing moves will be very different as the Prince
uses the Dagger of Time for his Speed Kills and the Dark Prince uses
the Daggertail, a powerful mid range chain-like weapon.

Click HERE for some 'Speed Kill' action screeshots.