___   ___   _   _      __    ____       ___   ____  ___   __   _    __
| |_) | |_) | | | |\ | / /`  | |_       | |_) | |_  | |_) ( (` | |  / /\
|_|   |_| \ |_| |_| \| \_\_, |_|__  OF  |_|   |_|__ |_| \ _)_) |_| /_/--\
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯|THE FORGOTTEN
SANDS|¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
________________________________
| PoP: The Forgotten Sands Guide |
| Created by: Axel7174           |
| FAQ and Walkthrough            |
| Copyright 2010 Ryne Gardner    |
|________________________________|
Version History
---------------
Version 1.00 - 5/21/10 - 5/30
--Welcome to the guide. I've got the first full version of it completed. I'm
hoping to do a bit more as time goes by. Hopefully what I have here will
suffice and prove helpful.
Version 1.05 - 7/1/10
--Been several weeks but I finally have a really small update to put in. As
this isn't exactly a premiere guide, I might take my time a little more in
between updates. Rest assured I won't be ignoring it, but I may not be in
extreme haste to make updates. Anyway, for this one I added the Trophies
section and I also did a spellcheck.
Table of Contents-------------------------------------------------------
1. Introduction................................................... [itro]
* About This Guide
* Using This Guide
2. Basics......................................................... [bscs]
* Controls....................................................... [bc01]
* Combat Basics.................................................. [bc02]
* The Prince's Powers............................................ [bc03]
* Platforming.................................................... [bc04]
3. Walkthrough.................................................... [fs00]
* The Ramparts, The Fortress, and The Palace Courtyard........... [fs01]
* The Treasure Vault, The Stables, and The Works................. [fs02]
* The Palace Courtyard and the Fortress Gates.................... [fs03]
* The Prison, The Sewer, and the Baths........................... [fs04]
* The Royal Chambers and the Observatory......................... [fs05]
* The Throne Room, The Terrace, and The Rooftop Gardens.......... [fs06]
* The Aqueducts and Solomon's Tomb, and The Ruins of Rekem....... [fs07]
* Rekem's Throne Room and the Sacred Fountain.................... [fs08]
* The Rekem Resevoir, Solomon's Hall, and The King's Tower....... [fs09]
* The Palace and the Final Climb................................. [fs10]
4. Extras......................................................... [exra]
* Hidden Sarcophagus Locations................................... [ex01]
* Challenge Mode................................................. [ex02]
* Trophies/Achievements.......................................... [ex03]
5. Miscellaneous.................................................. [misl]
* Frequently Asked Questions..................................... [fak4u]
* Credits/Special Thanks
* Contact Info
* Legal Brouhaha
___     ___ _ _____ ___ ___
| _ \___| _ (_)_   _| __/ __|
|  _/ _ \  _/_  | | | _|\__ \=================================================
|_| \___/_| (_) |_| |_| |___/  Introduction
==============================================================================
[itro]
About This Guide
----------------
Welcome to the guide. The game is Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and the
name is Axel, that is, my name or pseudonym rather. In any case, this is my
guide and it's my sincere hope that it is helpful in some way. This marks my
second guide of 2010 for what that's worth. This new Prince of Persia is a
worthwhile experience for PoP fans, though it might not be the most grand
experience in the series. Still, it was enjoyable for me to play and so I
bring this to you.
Using This Guide
----------------
If you'd like to navigate quickly around this guide, you can use the
quickjumps, those little codes at the end of the items in the Table of Contents
(above) and copy them into the ctrl+f function of your web browser to jump
around. You can do this for certain keywords you may wish to look up as well.
If you have any questions, please read the Frequently Asked Questions section
first before sending me an e-mail. If you wish to bring something to my
attention or request to add something, then I implore you to read the Contact
Info section. I have certain rules on people e-mailing me tips/strategies so
please read this.
Otherwise, enjoy your stay, whether you're just stopping by for a quick tip,
or if you plan on going through the walkthrough for a while.
___     ___ _ _____ ___ ___
| _ \___| _ (_)_   _| __/ __|
|  _/ _ \  _/_  | | | _|\__ \================================================
|_| \___/_| (_) |_| |_| |___/  Basics
=============================================================================
[bscs]
----------------------
| Controls || [bc01] |
----------------------
______________________________________________________________
|Action                 |    PlayStation 3    |    Xbox 360    |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Movement               |Left Analog Stick    |Left Stick      |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Slash (hold for Power) |Square               |X               |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Push/Kick              |Triangle             |Y               |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Dodge/Drop from ledge  |Circle               |B               |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Power of Memory        |L1                   |Left Button     |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Power of Flow          |L2                   |Left Trigger    |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Power of Time (Rewind) |R1                   |Right Button    |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Wallrun                |R2                   |Right Trigger   |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Stone Armor            |D-Pad Up             |D-Pad Up        |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Ice Blast              |D-Pad Left           |D-Pad Left      |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Trail of Flame         |D-Pad Right          |D-Pad Right     |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|Whirlwind              |D-Pad Down           |D-Pad Down      |
'--------------------------------------------------------------'
---------------------------
| Combat Basics || [bc02] |
---------------------------
COMING SOON
----------------------------------
| The Prince's Powers || [bc03] |
----------------------------------
Once you get far enough and acquire the powers of the Djinn, the Prince is able
to use new abilities in combat and while platforming. The powers that help him
do platforming sequence I will cover in the next section. This section will
cover the four elemental powers the Prince uses in combat.
[Trail of Flame]
This power causes a trial of fire to follow the Prince's movements. Enemies
that step on the trail or get too close to the Prince will be burned, slowly
dealing damage for a limited time.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
[Ice Blast]
The Prince's sword slashes are charged with an icy cool blast of Ice. Each
slash deals extra damage by sending a blast of Ice toward foes.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
[Stone Armor]
The Prince calls upon Mother Gaia itself to shield him from his enemies. He
will become clad in stone that will make you temporarily impervious to all
forms of damage. This power does not prevent the Prince from being staggered
or knocked down but it will prevent damage.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
[Whirlwind]
Blow your enemies away with the Whirlwind power. The Prince hits the ground
with his fist and it sends out a powerful gust of wind that knocks down all
nearby surrounding enemies. This lets the player get a breather in tough
battles and also lets them perform easy finishers before the enemies get up.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
-------------------------
| Platforming || [bc04] |
-------------------------
Defying gravity, making spectacular leaps of acrobatic grace, all while
challenging a player's reflexes. This has become a staple in the Prince of
Persia series. Platforming is still just as satisfying in The Forgotten Sands
but has a new dynamic.
[What You'll Deal With]
Wall running gaps
----------------
Wall running is a staple of the Prince of Persia franchise since Sands of
Time. This ability, activated by holding R2 as you run beside a wall, allows
the Prince to run along and traverse large gaps.
Climbing Walls
--------------
To climb up short wall to a ledge, face the wall and just hit R2 to go
straight up. If there's anything in reach that the Prince can grab, he should
grab it.
Getting to greater heights on walls
-----------------------------------
Sometimes you will leap toward a wall straight on from another object such as a
beam, pole, or even another wall. You're not yet high enough to get to the
ledge above, so what do you do? Well, when you hit a wall in mid-air, you can
hit R2 just like you would climbing up a wall from the ground and the Prince
will go straight up for a few steps before losing momentum. This is enough to
reach higher ledges or give the Prince more height to reach other objects by
jumping. In the guide, when I say "climb up" after hitting a wall, this is
usually what I mean.
Poles
-----
Jumping to a pole will allow the Prince to swing. These often serve as an
interlude between other platforming objects but you can often find many in
succession. To swing, push the Left Stick in the direction the Prince is facing
and then you can hit X to jump.
Beams
-----
Beams, like swing poles, are usually just steps that link large platform
sequences. Tops of walls also count as beams as the Prince behaves the same on
them. There is no balancing act necessary so beams are really self-explanatory.
Columns
-------
When you're up high and need to get across, columns will often be there for you
to use. When the Prince jumps to a column, he then has the ability to shift
around it. Basically the column has four possible sides and therefore four
potential directions the Prince can jump to from it. You can move around with
the Left Analog Stick. If you wish to quickly jump, just point the stick to
where you want to jump and hit X.
Tapestry
--------
You won't see it quite as much, but tapestry is usually found at the end of a
platforming sequence. You'll usually wall run or jump to it. That's all you
need to do and the Prince will slide down using his sword to cut through it.
On a few occasions though, tapestry won't always be the end, requiring you to
jump before falling off the tapestry so you can continue platforming.
[The Powers]
The Prince will acquire powers from the Djinn that will assist in platforming,
accomplishing feats that would be otherwise impossible. These powers make the
platforming in this PoP game rival that of almost any other in the series.
The Power of Time (Rewind)
--------------------------
Rewind returns in Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. Holding R1 lets the
Prince turn back time and undo a certain stretch of time. The time that can
be undone is displayed by a meter near the Prince's life bar and energy slots.
This can be applied to platforming, where mistakes will probably happen
relatively often. It can also be used in combat too however, allowing you to
prevent large losses to your life bar.
The Power of Flow
-----------------
Easily one of the most impressive abilities I've ever seen in a Prince of
Persia game. Flow lets the Prince freeze time for water. It therefore freezes
the motion of flowing water, not freezing it into ice, but making it
motionless and somehow, solid.
Holding L2 activates this power. When you hold L2, a blue meter under the
Prince's life bar and energy slots will start decreasing. When it runs out,
Flow deactivates. It recharges quickly when Flow is not being used. Flow turns
vertical water spouts into columns that the Prince can climb. It turns
horizontal water spouts into poles he can swing from. It also turns waterfalls
into solid walls he can run along.
The Power of Flight
-------------------
Earn those Persian flyer miles by using the Power of Flight. Some gaps will
just be too big no matter what acrobatic feats you attempt. Flight allows the
Prince to zoom over a large gap. The only requirement is that there is
something on the other side he can lock onto. This will always be an enemy of
some sort. So therefore, using Flight, the Prince will fly over a large gap in
a boosting sort of movement, and collide with an enemy on the other side. This
traverses the gap and more often than not, kills the enemy.
The Power of Memory
-------------------
With the power called Recall, the Prince can materialize sections of the
fortress and underground city that were once standing in the past but are now
gone. This merely recreates other platforming objects but the skill is in doing
this on the fly when there are multiple objects to Recall. The Prince can only
Recall one object at a time.
___     ___ _ _____ ___ ___
| _ \___| _ (_)_   _| __/ __|
|  _/ _ \  _/_  | | | _|\__ \=================================================
|_| \___/_| (_) |_| |_| |___/  Walkthrough
==============================================================================
[fs00]
Welcome to the walkthrough. Here is where most of the guide's bulk comes from.
My aim is to provide detailed assistance in getting a reader through the game.
I'll provide tips, strategies, and anything else to assist you along the way.
I don't claim to be perfect, but I hope that this section will prove useful in
some manner or another. I'll be highlighting certain sections that you should
notice as you read to point out more important things.
This guide also contains no plot spoilers. It is not 100% spoiler free as names
are mentioned and so on but they are usually never mentioned before you, the
player would meet them. I will not spoil cutscenes or anything like that so
have no fear!
Now, let's get to business...
___________________________________________
PoP: The Forgotten Sands   /                                           \
--------------------------|  THE RAMPARTS                               |------
[fs01]           \___________________________________________/
As you gain control for the very first time, like an infant learning to crawl,
you are greeted by--what else?--tutorial messages. I won't repeat what they're
saying unless necessary to help you out.
So, without wasting any more time, run down the staircase in front of you. Just
as you approach the gap that was created by a flaming mortar, hit X (or A for
you 360 players) to jump. Do it again as you near the next gap to hop into the
following room.
Engage the soldiers, using Square (X) to attack with your sword. It's really
easy since there's only two of them. Once they're dead, you can break the pots
and barrels in the corners of the room for red energy to restore your health.
Approach the top-right corner of the room and hold R2 as you hold the Left
Analog Stick near the wall to run up and climb it. Break some more vases if you
wish, then head to the left.
Watch more soldiers become toast, then hug the right wall while still going
forward and hold R2 as you're moving to wall run. If you're even fairly
familiar with past Prince of Persia games, you can probably pull this off
without a hitch.
At the next battle site, you'll learn that to knock enemies down, you just need
to hit Triangle. This is a good way to balance battles out and focus on certain
enemies, allowing you room to breathe and strategize. Try it out and then slash
and kill them to finish.
Another section of the platform ahead is destroyed. Wallrun again to make it
across. Then, run straight up the following wall to reach the fissure. To
maneuver across this, merely move the Left Analog Stick left or right.
Thankfully, the Prince moves fairly quickly doing this.
When you go as far left as you can go, hit Circle (B) to drop down. Now
continue moving to the left. When you see another ledge or fissure above you,
hit R2 without using the Left Analog Stick to run straight up to it. Go left
again, and then when you're out of ledge, hold the Left Analog Stick to the
left and hold R2 to wall run to the adjacent fissure. Continue going to the
left, then wall run to the platform to get a quick scene.
A whole group of enemies comes out to attack you, and you're told about Dodging
which is simple enough. It may not seem useful at first, but it can come in
handy when the odds are stacked against you.
Use variations of slashes and kicks to keep the enemies from attacking you all
at once. Dodge when their well advertised strikes are about to hit you. After
you have defeated them all, continue forward.
Smash the vases and barrels to get some red energy and gain entrance to this
room. Inside, go to the top-right corner and climb up the wall to reach the
fissure. Shimmy to the right and run straight up to reach a higher fissure.
Now, without hitting the Left Analog Stick, press X to jump away from the wall
to the opposite fissure.
Take this fissure to the left, around the wall and then jump away from it to
the next one like before. Take this one to the Prince's left. Wallrun to the
corner and another fissure. Go as far left on this one as you can and then run
straight up to yet another. Wallrun to the next, shimmy left, then jump away to
reach a platform.
There are plenty more vases and barrels to break for red energy so get them to
recharge your life bar. Wallrun across the gap and then keep going. Inside the
next room, get on the fissure and wall run to the next one. From there, wall
run to the red tapestry and you'll automatically slide down.
Go up, toward the far wall and then Wallrun to the fissure ahead of you.
Wallrun to another and then shimmy to get above the tapestry and drop down
with Circle to ride it to the floor below.
You'll see an obvious pressure switch in the center here. Step on it to open
the door which lets some enemies in. Whoops... It's not too many though, so it
shouldn't be too troubling. Just mind what you have learned (says Yoda) and
save you it can.
Once they're all dead, step on the switch again. You'll notice the diagram on
the left of your screen, which shows how long you have until the door closes.
This time you're afforded so much time you could take a big bite or two out of
a sandwich and still walk through in time. Hmm... a sandwich sounds really good
right now........
Anyways... you'll drop down a ledge to a corridor below. Take it to the corner
where you'll want to run up the wall to climb onto that platform. From here,
wall run on the right-hand wall and you'll reach a fissure. Go as far to the
end as you can, then jump across to the opposite one. Go to the end of this one
and wall run to the next platform.
This next part is a tiny bit trickier. You want to wall run long enough so that
you hit the pressure switch on the wall. As soon as the Prince is about to
touch it, hit X to jump away. From here, just run forward to easily make it
through before the door closes.
Climb up one fissure in this next room, then use R2 to climb straight up to the
next. Take this one around to the left and climb up when you're clear to get to
the above platform. A cutscene will take over as you step forward.
___________________________________________
PoP: The Forgotten Sands   /                                           \
--------------------------|  THE FORTRESS                               |------
[fs01]           \___________________________________________/
After the scene, walk across the beam (no balancing act necessary) to the
subsequent platform. Another short beam is on the other side. Step out onto
this and then jump to the tapestry to slide down.
The room next to the one you land in has two more soldiers. The tutorial
chimes in with finishing moves. When an enemy is down on the ground, get near
them and hit Square (X) to finish them off with one strike. Although it
appears to leave you vulnerable, you can't take any damage during the attack
except for the very brief second when it's over. You should be able to roll
away and avoid an attack though.
Try it out by kicking the soldiers down, and then finishing them off. Go into
the corner now and climb up to the fissure. There's another fissure above it
to the left, so climb up to that one. Shimmy around and then wall run to the
beam.
Walk left across the beam to the wall with all the door shapes and bars. Climb
up this as you would any other wall and the top part, you'll find, is also
like a beam. Go left, then out on the beam that is sticking out. Jump to
another beam, then another. From the following beam, jump to the tapestry.
Another group of enemies, another tutorial. The Power Attack will come in
handy time and time again as you progress. Well, it's quite simple, actually.
Just hold Square (X) to charge your attack and then unleash for a much
stronger blow. These soldiers won't exactly give you the freedom to use it as
you please, so just dodge their attacks by rolling and then wind up a Power
Attack after that and you should be able to get it in. Be mindful of other
enemies though and vary your kicks, dodges, and so on.
Walk into the next room and try to notice the stones on the wall jutting out.
Run up the wall to reach these and just use the Left Analog Stick and you can
guide the Prince along wherever the stones are. Climb all the way up, and then
left as the stones allow. This puts you in a position to wall run to the
pressure switch.
The switch brings up a section of the wall, which you can then wall run across
to the other side. Move forward and around the corner for a scene now.
After that's over, wall run on the left wall and climb onto the beam. Take this
to the right, and run up to the fissure above. Shimmy around to the front and
use R2 to run straight up the wall to the stones. Climb these just as you did
before, guiding the Prince along. Go up and to the right until you can't go
right any further. Lean to the right and wall run across. Take this set of
stones down the wall.
Drop down on the beam. Go across and out on the section pointing at the next
wall. Jump from there to the stones and drop from one set of stones to the
next. When you get to the bottom, look for the broken section in the wall that
you can roll underneath with Circle (B).
On the other side--you guessed it--more soldiers. Only five this time, although
one may not come out of the next room. Dispatch them all; it really doesn't
take much strategy at this point. Proceed into the that room they came out of
and climb up the wall on the left side. Go to the right and climb up two
fissures, then wall run to the right and when you're parallel to the beam, jump
away from the wall in the middle of your run.
Once on the beam, go to the adjacent wall and climb up using the stones. This
is easy enough. Just wall run from section to section, climbing up, until you
can wall run to the platform at the top.
In this next open area, wall run on the left wall and when you get to the near
end of your run, jump away to reach the beam. Jump from one beam to the next
and at the last one, jump to the next balcony.
Jump from the beam in the next room to the stones on the wall. You have to
climb up and around, then down to reach the floor. Go through the door and then
jump from beam to beam to reach the next platform. Wallrun to the left to
reach yet another beam. Walk toward the wall and climb up the stones. Hit R2
again at the top to climb over the side. Move forward for a scene.
When you regain control, move toward the screen and look for the two pressure
switches on the walls on the left and right. Hit one and the timer starts. Go
to the other one either by walking across the beams or jumping across and run
up the wall to hit it. Once both are active, return to the center and jump
across to a beam that is reachable now. Wallrun up to get the next switch and
a scene.
Next, jump back across and then go through the opened door. Jump from the beam
ahead to the fissure. Shift over to the right and wall run to the stones. Climb
and drop down to the next platform. Wallrun across a gap and enter the next
corridor.
Wallrun to the stones, and from there, wall run and jump away to reach the next
platform. The two enemies up ahead have shields, and therefore, add a new
dynamic to combat. Kick them with Triangle (Y) and you'll be able to attack
them straight on.
On the left side of this room is another switch on a wall. Run up it to press
it down. The door on the other side opens, so step on through.
Now get ready for your first real challenging fight. You've got a whole mess of
enemies here to deal with. The challenge is focusing on one and not getting
pummeled by the rest. Attack and dodge repeatedly. Try to attack soldiers away
from the rest. Kick some down, dodge again and again, and stay out of their
reach. If possible, charge a Power Attack to take down multiple foes in one
swing. Be cautious but aggressive and you'll win this one.
Find the pressure switch in one of the corners of this room, then run up and
hit it. It opens a door on the other side of the bars. Run all the way around
and you should easily make it. If for some reason it's a closer call, you can
roll to just make it under the door.
In this room, jump onto one of the columns and then climb up and jump away and
to the other one. From here, you can climb up and reach the ledge at the top of
the room.
___________________________________________
PoP: The Forgotten Sands   /                                           \
--------------------------|  THE PALACE COURTYARD                       |------
[fs01]           \___________________________________________/
On the balcony in the next room, jump to the column here and then to the next.
You can do this easily by pointing the Left Analog Stick toward the next column
and hitting X. From here, just a few more columns will take you up to the high
ledge where more soldiers await.
Wait for them to draw near as you charge up a Power Attack. That should take
down at least a few of them. Deal with the rest with the moves you've learned.
Know that if you attack enemies that are standing in front of balcony railings
or in front of walls, you can do quick finishers on them.
Go to the other side of the balcony and wall run. Get as much out of your run
as you can, and as the Prince begins to fall, jump away to grab the column.
Jump down across all the columns here to the end. On the last one, slide down
and you'll be level with the tapestry. Jump to this to reach the floor.
Here you'll encounter more soldiers that will slowly creep down the stairs
toward you. Charge up Power Attacks to take them down. When they begin to
surround you, kick and roll. Try to attack ones that are more separated from
the pack, and then dodge the other attacks.
Once they've all bitten the dust, go up the stairs and approach the door for
a scene. Walk on the debris next and climb up the stones. Run up the wall from
one section to the next. Jump away from the wall to grab the column. Jump to
the next column, but be careful on the third as the lower section is missing,
so you want to jump from a high point and not a low point or you'll die.
Jump all the way around until you can reach a balcony ledge from the last
column. The next gap is traversed by jumping to the swing pole and then jumping
to the next ledge. To keep swinging, hold the Left Analog Stick forward.
Next, you'll have two consecutive poles to swing across, followed by a break.
The next pole is too far to jump to. Instead, wall run to reach it. Swing from
here to a hole in the wall. Jump from the edge to the tapestry to gain entry.
___________________________________________
PoP: The Forgotten Sands   /                                           \
--------------------------|  THE TREASURE VAULTS                        |------
[fs02]           \___________________________________________/
Go down the stairs to the beam. Step out and jump to the wall. As the tutorial
instructs you, hit R2 when you hit the wall to climb up. It might seem weird
to defy gravity as such, but trust me, this technique will be very helpful as
time goes by.
Wallrun on the left wall and then jump away to a swing pole. Swing and jump to
the next, and then from there to the wall. Hit the wall and hold R2 to climb
up.
Up here you need to put this new skill to use. Start with one wall, climbing up
with R2, and then jumping away. As soon as you hit the opposite wall, hold R2
again and you'll go higher. Jump away again and repeat until you reach the top.
Wallrun to the tapestry. Wallrun down here to another piece of tapestry. At the
bottom, go down the corridor a bit, then wall run on the left wall. As soon as
you get far enough, jump away and when you land on the opposite wall, again
hold R2 to climb up.
After the scene, dispatch the enemies that attack. When you get surrounded,
dodge or better yet, perform an Aerial Slash on an unshielded enemy. Kick the
shield guys, then swipe them to finish them off. Just avoid being surrounded
and you'll be fine.
To get out of here, find the large cube shaped platform that is made of metal
grating. Climb onto it, then jump toward the center of the room to grab the
column. Jump to the next column in front of the pole. Jump to said pole and
swing across to the next column. Jump to the column on your right and from
there you can easily jump to the platform ahead of you.
Jump from the end to a swing pole. From here, each time you jump to a new pole,
you'll have to turn around and reach jump to the next one. Jump from the last
one to a ledge high above.
Jump to a gold bar that is actually a switch. It opens the following door.
Swing on it like a pole and jump to the next platform. Pass through the open
doorway and go up the stairs for a scene.
Once all is said and done, you'll be in a new corridor. The floor will crumble
and fall away in certain sections so be ready. The first two are easy to jump
over. The next several gaps you'll have to wall run across. Keep doing so until
you reach a room and a scene.
Enter the portal once you have control and then go up the staircase for a
scene. Once that's over, return from whence you came.
Back in the corridor, you won't go far before an interjectory scene gives you
a look at your new power: Rewind, baby! Oh yeah!
That same section of the floor will crumble again, so be ready and wall run
over it so you don't fall. If you fall again, Rewind time again by holding R1
to go back as far as you want to or are able to. Vases and barrels will now
carry blue energy on top of red energy so be sure to replenish your stock by
breaking them open.
The corridor is lined with more pitfalls so be ready to wall run over and undo
your mistakes if you make any. Just hug the walls and when you see the floor
begin to sink, enter a wall run. At the end of the corridor, wall run and then
jump away to reach the other side. Enter the next room.
___________________________________________
PoP: The Forgotten Sands   /                                           \
--------------------------|  THE STABLES                                |------
[fs02]           \___________________________________________/
"Why is it so quiet?"
Yes, what you saw in the cutscene IS lurking about. If you go behind that wall,
sure enough, you'll be attacked by sand creatures! Before you know it, you're
totally surrounded. Retreat to the center of the room and let them come to you.
Again, your strategy should be to vary your attacks from target to target,
using slashes and kicks so that you can avoid damage. When too many enemies
start to prepare their swords, dodge or use an Aerial Slash to get out of the
way. When you can get a few enemies away from the crowd, take them out and
then prepare Power Attacks.
With your new powers comes the chance to get... well, more power! Killing all
the enemies gives you enough new XP to get an upgrade. Hit select to see your
Upgrade Menu.
The game lets you go about how you want, but you are forced to make certain
choices to open up even more choices. There's still a lot of freedom, just...
not yet.
o-----Upgrade-------------------------------------------------o
|Your only choices are Health Increase or a new Energy Slot. I|
|would go with Health Increase, especially if this is your    |
|first time through the game. This opens up more selections   |
|for later.                                                   |
o-------------------------------------------------------------o
Hit Circle when you're done and it will ask you if you want to save the upgrade
you've made. Select "Apply Changes and Exit" to do so or go back and do
something different if you change your mind.
Go back behind that wall again where the enemies attacked. Climb up the wooden
wall and jump across the top to the next wall. From there, jump to a swing pole
and swing and jump to the following platform.
After a quick scene, run to the wall and climb up to the fissure. Wallrun along
and then jump away at the end to reach the column. Make your way all the way
across the room using the columns. You'll reach another fissure. Wallrun to the
Prince's right and jump away to get to yet another column.
Make your way back across and reach another fissure. Wallrun to the Prince's
left to land on the platform. Go up the stairs and you can now jump to the
bar which opens the door across from you. Swing to the next several poles and
you can make it across.
Go through the door and down the corridor. Roll under the opening in the door
and you get a quick scene.
Getting by these traps is pretty simple. Wait for it to move toward you, then
follow it as it moves back and away. Once it stops again and is about to
return, have the Prince perform a roll and you'll come out unscathed. Might
take a try or two to get used to it, and you can Rewind if you want.
Break vases to restore red and blue energy. In the next room, more sand
creatures attack. There's 20 of them again, but they're still not too tough
if you apply all the tactics and moves you've learned. If you end up taking
too much damage, you can again, Rewind if you please. You get 20 more XP for
beating them all.
Go to the top right corner, where there is a swing pole hanging. Wallrun
straight up the wall that is parallel to the pole and jump away so you'll grab
onto it. This weighs it down, activating a switch, bringing more swing poles
into play. Go to the other corner and do the same as before. This time, turn
around on the swing pole and use it to reach the fissure on the wall.
Go to the right on the fissure. This puts you in position to wall run straight
up and jump away. You'll land on another pole. Now swing and jump your way
across to the far wall. Wallrun from one fissure to the next, then to the
climbable stones. Jump up to the next section of stones, then jump away to get
onto the beam.
Jump to the next beam, and then to the swing pole. Jumping from that lands you
on another beam. Move over to the right and leap to yet another pole, then
another beam. From here, you can take your pick, jumping to either piece of
tapestry you wish.
In the next corridor, after the scene, you're presented with a switch that
opens the door at the end. It's timed and you have to dodge all the swinging
axes. You have the luxury of being able to stop if an axe is right in your
way, waiting for it to pass, but you won't be able to do it more than just a
couple times. You want to judge all the swing paths and try to make it through
as fast as possible.
Approach the crank in this next room and grab it with R2. Holding it down,
turn the crank once, counterclockwise. Now go over to the top-right corner
where a section of a wall folded out. Wallrun up the wall here and jump, then
hit R2 to run up the section that folded out. You'll climb onto it and can now
reach a hanging bar. Jump to it to raise a platform near the front. Swing and
jump to the tapestry now.
Engage the crank again, turning it twice more counterclockwise. This will make
a different wall fold out. Run up the wall in that corner and jump to the pole.
Use that to jump onto the wall and climb up by holding R2 when you hit it.
Again you can jump to a bar that will weigh down and raise another platform.
As you drop down via the tapestry, the door that you've no doubt noticed has
been shaking, will burst open, allowing the entry of yet more sand creatures.
There's 25 of them, but again, not much to worry about. Watch them closely,
dodging when you see too many charging their strikes. Back away, let them come
to you and charge up Power Attacks. Kick some large groups to thin their
numbers temporarily. When you're surrounded, dodge or use Aerial Slash.
You'll get 25 XP, more than enough for another upgrade.
o-----Upgrade-------------------------------------------------o
|Now this I will leave entirely up to you. I will just make   |
|suggestions but you're free to choose how you do it. For now |
|I went with the Energy Slot upgrade. You're free to opt for  |
|the start of your elemental powers though if you so choose.  |
o-------------------------------------------------------------o
Wallrun and jump back and forth between the two sections you raised up and you
can reach the top. Go through the doorway here for a scene.
The game shows you one of the many Hidden Sarcophagi. These contain extra XP
and also red and blue energy. It takes a Power Attack to break it open. That's
the easy part. The hard part is finding them, all 21. Many are well hidden.
You will usually know one is nearby though, by the telltale blue particles in
the air.
o-----HIDDEN SARCOPHAGUS (1/21)-------------------------------o
|This first one couldn't be easier. Wallrun up the wooden door|
|in front of the frozen soldiers and jump away. You'll grab a |
|beam. Pull yourself up and then jump back to that wall to    |
|reach the stones. Climb up just a bit and then wall run up to |
|get up into the opening with the Sarcophagus.                |
o-------------------------------------------------------------o
Drop down and enter the adjacent corridor. Go across the first beam, then turn
the corner. The next beam is protected by the swinging axes. Time your
movements and you'll be fine. Time your jumps as well, as you make your way
across. Once you're through safely, enter the next room for a scene.
From the balcony, jump to the tapestry. On the lower level, wall run and then
jump away to reach the bar. This weighs it down, allowing you to traverse the
gap using the column that rises up. Jump to it, then jump to the left side of
the room. You can wall run and jump again to weigh down another bar. This raises
another column in front of a pressure switch. Wallrun on this back wall and as
soon as you hit the switch, jump to the column. Now quickly jump across to get
to the door before it lowers.
___________________________________________
PoP: The Forgotten Sands   /                                           \
--------------------------|  THE WORKS                                  |------
[fs02]           \___________________________________________/
Watch for all the moving parts in this room. Start by wallrunning on the left
when the section of wall recedes, flattening it out. The next part has the wall
slide down so wall run when it's down. Don't jump away too early so you can
reach the adjacent platform.
Jump onto the fissure near the spinning gear. Wait for the gear to turn and it
will create an opening, allowing you to wall run through. Two sections of this
wall will allow you to wall run across so do so when they're down.
Use the stones to wall run up to a fissure. Wait for the openings in the two
gears to align and wall run across. Now, wait for the sliding wall to recede and
you can wall run to the fissure on the front side of it. Hang here as the wall
extends out again. Once it's out, jump away to the column. Wait for the wall
here to slide up and jump to the fissure on that one.
From here, wall run to the left when the wall has slid up and you'll reach a
swing pole. Swing through the opening in the gears after it turns and then keep
swinging through to reach the exit.
In the next chamber, jump to the platform in the center. Rotate the crank once
counterclockwise. Use the long beam to reach the platform it's pointing toward.
Wallrun across, being mindful of the spinning saw trap on the wall. As you
go across, the Prince talks and makes one of the very few references (sadly)
to the original trilogy that this game is set between.
Jump across the gap when the spinning trap has descended. Climb up the wall
here and wait. The rotating section changes. Wait for it to be flat, and then
wall run straight up to the next fissure. Jump straight across to another
fissure. Take this to the Prince's right and you'll be able to pull yourself
onto a platform. Run up the wall and jump to reach the bar. This raises the
center platform.
Jump to the platform and rotate the crank so the beam goes 180 degrees behind
you. Jump to the following platform. Wait for the first saw blade to get high
enough, then start your wall run. When the two spiked logs descend, jump across
that gap as well. Wallrun up and again wait for the flat section to appear to
get higher. Jump from one fissure to the next, then go around. Wait for the
saw blades to rise, then wall run over and pull yourself up. Wallrun and jump to
grab another bar.
The platform rises again. You'll want to pull the crank toward you, rotating
the platform counterclockwise. This will line you up with a pressure switch on
that wall. Jump to the wall, hold R2 to go up, and immediately jump away as the
Prince hits the switch. Quickly engage the crank to rotate the platform 180
degrees. Jump from the beam to the platform and get under the door before it
closes.
This room had me confused for a minute. Rotate the crank once in either
direction. It aligns a pair of beams and a swing pole in between. Use them to
get to the far corner. Jump the gap by grabbing the hanging bar. This also
raises a platform near the entrance. Go across and then use another pair of
beams and poles to get across, being sure to hold R2 when you hit the wall to
climb up.
Here you find crank #2. Rotate it once. Now, use the swing poles ahead of you
to reach the tapestry, taking you back to crank #1. Rotate this one once as
well. Pay attention not to the gear, which is what I did, but to the columns in
the center. The top column should land on the bottom one. This is your way out.
You raised a platform earlier with the hanging bar. This platform is now under
crank #2. So instead of going around the room again, just jump back across and
run up the wall. Ignore the crank if you already rotated it before. Just jump
across, using the pole to reach a beam. From the beam, go right and jump to the
column that was lowered. Jump to the beam on the other gear and you'll be able
to reach a swing pole which lets you jump to the platform... where the sand
creatures are waiting for you.
Not too many, and the close quarters can let you deal with them more
efficiently hopefully. Knock them down with a kick if they bunch up, then
plunge your blade into them for easy kills. You should get enough XP for
another upgrade, so go ahead and make your pick.
o-----Upgrade-------------------------------------------------o
|I went with my first elemental power upgrade finally: Trail  |
|of Flame. Choose what you want though, you should have a few |
|options.                                                     |
o-------------------------------------------------------------o
Break open the vases and barrels to get back red and blue energy. Enter the
next corridor and leap over the trap. Around the corner is a gap you must
wall run over on the right side. Wait until the trap is at the bottom or the
top before going.
Jump over the next, then quickly roll under the one coming toward you. Don't
sit by and wait for it to stop and go away as this one and the previous one
converge, leaving you no room. Do it in one motion, then jump over the lower
one as well.
Wallrun on the left when the next trap is pretty much at the top, then jump
away to reach the adjacent ledge.
___________________________________________
PoP: The Forgotten Sands   /                                           \
--------------------------|  THE PALACE COURTYARD                       |------
[fs03]           \___________________________________________/
You'll get a cutscene. After that, a whole horde of enemies will ambush you.
This group will come with some newcomers, larger sand creatures that are much
more ugly (if that was possible). They take a lot of hits and can't be knocked
down with kicks. Power Attacks will come in handy.
Again, your strategy should be relatively the same. Slash, kick, roll. When
you are surrounded, turn to dodges or Aerial Slashes. Assuming you did pick up
an elemental power, this will also add some new dynamics to your combat. The
most useful now are probably Stone Armor and Whirlwind. Trail of Flame and Ice
Blast also are decent but may not be as efficient just yet.
Feel free to use either power at least once or twice. Many of the enemies will
drop red and blue energy to replenish your stock. Definitely watch your health
in this fight, and Rewind if necessary to prevent big losses of that life bar.
Once they're all down, go into the top-left corner and wall run up and jump to
the pole. Swing all the way across to the fissure. Wait for the blades to move
down a bit, then wall run and jump away from the wall to the column. Use these
columns to jump to the stones on the wall ahead. Go as high as you can, then
watch the two saw blades. When they pass each other, just wait about another
second and perform your wall run. Jump away and use the swing pole to reach the
balcony. Wallrun when the next two blades move up, then use the next few
columns to jump to another ledge.
More enemies wait for you, the same new ones as before. There's a few ways to
go about taking them down. Although you can't kick them onto the ground
normally, you can perform the Aerial Kick which will do it. Do this like the
Aerial Slash, but instead of hitting Square, hit Triangle. This way, you can
approach them for very easy finishes. You can also just charge up constant
Power Attacks since there's not too many of them, or whatever you want. The XP
you get should be enough for yet another upgrade.
o-----Upgrade-------------------------------------------------o
|Not sure what to get? Well, depending on how you're handling |
|combat so far may help you decide. If you're really having a |
|hard time, you may want to consider Stone Armor or the next  |
|Health Increase. Whirlwind is also a very useful ability for |
|battle. I decided to get Whirlwind.                          |
o-------------------------------------------------------------o
Roll under the spinning trap. Make your way across the gaps, past the traps.
Wallrun past the two sawblades, then jump away to reach the beam. Swing across
a pole, then jump to a beam and finally, some tapestry.
Down here, you'll notice the blue particles. You know what that means!
o-----HIDDEN SARCOPHAGUS (2/21)-------------------------------o
|Near you is a door that is closed with a gate. Across from   |
|this is a broken staircase and a gap due to the loss of said |
|staircase. Jump across this gap and you can clearly see the  |
|Sarcophagus. Bust it open for more XP.                       |
o-------------------------------------------------------------o
Jump back across and return to where you got off the tapestry. Wallrun on the
left wall here. Wallrun again but after the sawblades go up high enough. The