First Xbox Prince of Persia screens

Ubi Soft recently announced, to no-one's surprise, that Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was coming out on Xbox and Gamecube, with the PS2 exclusivity obviously coming to an end. Now we have the first Xbox specific shots and a definite release date.

The game is a stunning interpretation of the old 2D classic, bringing it bang up to date in the next-gen 3D world. It keeps the formula of acrobatic puzzle solving with the odd sword fight popping up here and there (there's more fighting than in the original).

The only gripe we have is that the bane of third-person 3D games rears its ugly head once again - a slightly dodgy camera. At times, it makes things more difficult than they really are and frustration ensues. That said, the game really is top notch and you'll forgive its occasional camera blip.

The Xbox will almost certainly present a tidier looking version - the PS2 was none too shabby, mind - but apart from that, all remains the same. Sometimes a port is just a port. It'll be a post-Christmas pre-spring treat for Xbox gamers who will now have access to the best character-oriented puzzler out there.

Prince of Persia will arrive on Xbox on 27 February