In a market dominated by franchises and sequels, the slow-building commercial success of Prince of Persia (2.4 million copies and counting) was a heartening testimony to its - get this - quality gameplay.

While far from perfect - we can pick holes in the camera, lack of bosses and somewhat patchy pacing for starters - Prince of Persia is still one of the very best console games you could pick, and easily the best adventure platformer of the last year. So imagine what a new combat system could add.

Touting a new 'free-form fighting system', Ubisoft are hinting at a stringable move/attack system that may well turn out to be almost Tony Hawk-ish in its complex flexibility.

Yves Guillemot, President and CEO of Ubisoft said, "With Prince of Persia 2, we intend to take Prince of Persia one step further to take over the action-combat genre. We will offer you an even higher level of excellence that should once more convince the critics and the public."

Good-o.

Prince of Persia 2 is yet to be given a release date - expect it before Christmas, however