Prince of Persia ascends to Two Thrones

With Santa Claus no doubt sitting down to hash out who's been naughty and who's been nice this year, the Prince of Persia is no doubt giving St. Nick fits. Ubisoft today released Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and PC, and its protagonist clearly belongs in both categories.

A noble hero in 2003's Sands of Time, and an angst-ridden dervish of death in Warrior Within, the prince is both in The Two Thrones. After a lengthy exile from his kingdom, the prince returns home to find his land invaded and his people slaughtered. Making matters worse is the returning Sands of Time, which have now corrupted the acrobatic hero and are fueling the evil intentions of his alter ego.

That dichotomy of good and evil is represented in the gameplay as well, where players will control both of the prince's personalities through exploration, combat, platforming, and puzzle-solving. New gameplay features include speed kills, in which the prince sneaks up behind enemies and dispatches them without a fight, chariot races, and new time-altering abilities.

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones is rated M for Mature and will retail for $49.99. Check back later today for GameSpot's full review.