Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Official Strategy Guide

Comment: Very good.

Delivered on time.

Comment: The Sands of Time is a puzzle game with few real puzzles. Instead the problem to be solved is architecture - how one accomplishes the apparently impossible task of getting from on place to another. You have a simple palette of actions from which to draw, and are often leaping into space with a wing and a prayer. For the player who runs up and down walls, bouncing from point to point there is an exhilaration that can only be compared with flying.

Unfortunately, for the beginner faced with a monumental task there can be a lot of frustration. The game provides a quick flash of hints, and then you are on your own. Thanks to the built in replay facility one can try different solutions until the answer materializes, but every once in a while the right sequence simply eludes us.

This guide is for those moments. It provides a lucid, brief walkthrough with illustrations and maps. While the maps are sometimes hard to read, and the screen shots too tiny, I only found one play where the suggestions just didn't seem to gel. I had to resort to random action, but eventually did find that the guide had been correct, but elusive. I like the guide's style, which focuses on what is necessary and sufficient rather than trying to be a souvenir.

If you are having trouble, or just want to get the Prince aloft as quickly as possible, this is the resource for you.