Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a truly stunning and incredibly fun entry in the Metroidvania genre of games. It features many important aspects players will need to know. Such as incredibly fast-paced combat, plenty of time-manipulating abilities, and enough collectibles to satisfy those eager to explore every nook of the game’s map.
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In order to traverse through this map to explore all it has to offer, players will come across their fair share of puzzles and platforming challenges. One of the first they find will be the Water Wheel Puzzle, located in the lower city.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
- Released
- January 18, 2024
How Does The Water Wheel Puzzle Work
Players will enter the room from the left side and see a large water wheel with some poles sticking out of it. These poles will not rock or move the wheel at all and are there to help the player traverse around the room. There is a third pole that is not attached to the wheel, which can be found to the right of it.
There are two square plates on the floor. The first of these plates is on the left and the second is on the right. Stepping on these plates will cause hatches to open — which will release streams of water down the sides of the water wheel. When this happens, the wheel will turn in a direction determined by which plate was stepped on. Stepping on the left plate will cause water to come down from the left side of the wheel, making it turn in an anti-clockwise direction. Stepping on the right plate will cause water to come down from the right side of the wheel, making it turn in a clockwise direction.
Finally, there are two levers sitting on the room’s ceiling, as well as some hand grips on each side of the screen’s walls. Players will use the grip on the left side to reach one of the levers of this puzzle, while the highest grip on the right wall will be used to open the door leading out of the right exit of the room.
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How To Solve The Water Wheel Puzzle
As you enter the room, move right and jump over the first square plate on the floor. You will now be standing directly under the first pole of the water wheel. Jump up and grab this pole. Swing and grab onto the second pole — which is located to the upper left of the first pole. From the second pole, look up and to the left to see the first grip — which will be sticking out of the left wall. Jump towards this grip to grab it, and you will be able to see both levers on the ceiling of the room. Jump towards the left lever and attack it in order to activate it.
Drop back down to the floor and step on the square plate you jumped over (the left one). Keep standing here and letting water move the water wheel until the second pole is between the two square plates — it is better if it is slightly closer to the second one to make sure the wheel has turned enough. Once the wheel is in this position, move off of the plate you’re standing on and jump to grab onto the second pole. From the second pole, jump and grab onto the first pole. You will now be able to reach the second lever by jumping towards it from the first pole and attacking it like you did with the first lever.
Drop back down to the floor again and stand on the right square plate to have water rotate the wheel clockwise until it is back to its initial position at the start of the puzzle. The position of the wheel is not important, but this will also cause the third pole on the right side to also move — it will now be at the highest point it can be. While this third pole is at the highest point, go back and stand on the left square button to have water move the wheel once more so that the second pole has reached the bottom position of the water wheel, and the first pole is pointing to the right wall. Jump and grab onto the second pole at the bottom position of the wheel, then jump to the first pole. From this pole, you can jump and reach the third pole.
Finally, you will see the right wall grips of this puzzle — the higher of the two is the one you want to grab, However, when you jump and grab onto it, it will slide down — and in doing so, open the door on the right side of this room.
Step By Step:
- First pole, second pole, left wall grip, left lever.
- Left plate until the second pole is at the bottom of the wheel.
- Second pole, first pole, second lever.
- Right plate until the third pole is at the highest point of rotation.
- Left plate until the second pole is at the bottom of the wheel again.
- Second pole, first pole, third pole, highest grip on the right wall.
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What Is Behind The Door?
Unfortunately, beyond this puzzle’s locked door is not some grand treasure or player upgrade, but instead the boss arena of the Undead Prisoner. Players will need to defeat this boss in order to continue on the path ahead, but in doing so, will get a Soma Tree Petal as a reward. This boss is easy to read and will not be high up on any list of tough Metroidvania bosses.
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