Summary

• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown aims to combine beloved core facets with fresh gameplay and a unique soundtrack.
• Composer Gareth Coker discusses the process of creating character themes and the intense style of music for the game.
• The game strikes a balance between something fresh and something familiar, with a soundtrack that enhances the immersive experience.

The Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the first mainline entry the franchise has seen in over a decade, and it aims to combine the series' beloved core facets with a fresh take on gameplay. Both developed and published by Ubisoft, the release was first officially announced during last year's Summer Game Fest. The title draws influence from sidescrollers and Metroidvanias, following warrior protagonist Sargon and his clan, known as The Immortals.

The game will shake things up not just in of gameplay, but in its soundtrack as well, deriving influence from a wide array of musical sources. One of the title's main composers is Gareth Coker, known for his work on games like Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Screen Rant can exclusively present a new musical track from the game, as well as a recent email interview with Coker that discusses the soundtrack's influences, the recording process, and putting a fresh spin on an old classic.

Gareth Coker On Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown

I know you largely worked on the more narrative musical elements in this game, like boss fights and character themes. What's the process like behind constructing compositions to represent characters in that way?

Gareth Coker: It all starts with theme and melody, something recognisable to signify our characters. This is especially important in the cases of our protagonist and antagonist, we need to give the player something to latch on to when they are on screen. Of course, the most fun is had on a compositional level when you get to play different the separate protagonist/antagonist themes against each other. I've done this successfully before in other games I've worked on, and have applied a similar concept here. When you are able to use motifs/themes and vary them throughout a soundtrack, they are audio 'calling cards' to the player and can bring a much greater sense of connectivity between the player and the game.

The hope is that between the environment music and the narrative music is that we are able to transport players to this rich and fascinating setting while providing them with musical hooks and tracks to create moments that will stay with them long after the game is finished.

A lot of the music you're best known for is much softer than the music of Prince of Persia, like your work on the Ori series. What was it like coming into this project and creating this more intense style of music?

Gareth Coker: I'd actually be inclined to disagree with this statement. While it's true that I'm most known for my work on the Ori series - especially as the music is heavily featured and 'up front' in that game, a quick listen through my discography will show that I am definitely not afraid of large musical forces! Additionally, several of the most popular tracks are from chase sequences and boss fights which are the more intense ones in Ori. This is to say that I am not unfamiliar with this style of writing, and in fact, it was because of my boss fight music on Mario Rabbids - specifically the track 'Daphne's Trap' - that got the attention of Ubisoft Montpellier for this game.

In many ways, The Lost Crown is taking the already-established world of Prince of Persia and putting a fresh spin on it while keeping its roots intact, including with its soundtrack. What was it like trying to strike that musical balance between something fresh and something familiar?

Gareth Coker: I think we were aided by the game's unique aesthetic and animation style. This combined with the 'back-to-roots' gameplay and the 2D setting means we were already set up musically and just had to respond to what we were seeing. When visuals and animation are exaggerated as they are in this game, it gives you a justified reason to go over the top with the music and try things that you might not normally try. Indeed the story goes to such a place that I never thought in a million years for a Prince of Persia game that I'd be combining synths, guitars, Persian instruments, and a 70 piece orchestra, occasionally with a rock drum kit (and sometimes combined with an electronic/hybrid drum kit too!). Every time I tried something new and sent it off to the team, they'd come back and tell me to go harder or push more. It was quite liberating. There are obviously some common themes throughout the history of Prince of Persia soundtracks, particularly with the rock elements and of course the Persian elements, however, we were able to 'genre-bend/mash' and get lots of different influences there to create something quite unique. This is exaggerated even more when you have two different composers with extremely different styles and voices. Between Mentrix and myself, we cover a lot of ground both aesthetically and emotionally, and that is definitely reflected in the game's score.

I always say that a soundtrack is at it's best when you can't imagine it anywhere else, and is not interchangeable. I don't think you could put this soundtrack in any other game in a similar setting - or any other Prince of Persia game - it feels like it's own thing and due to the story, setting, and visuals, it cannot be separated from this game.

I know you're a long-time fan of the Prince of Persia series - do you feel like that influenced your composition process in any way?

Gareth Coker: Yes, I fondly playing the original (and realize I'm turning 40 this year...) I wouldn't say it influenced me so much because we were so heavily encouraged to try something new, as mentioned above. However, I can definitely say that it added a little extra motivation to deliver something that best fits the game, knowing full well the history of the series, and how well its music has been received over the years. It was definitely nice to not just copy the past but instead make it feel 'new but familiar'. I think fans of the game will notice that when they play the game.

Is there a piece of music in the game that's your favorite, or that you're the most proud of?

Gareth Coker: It will seem obvious but I have to go with the game's Main Theme, simply because of the work it took to get that track finalized. It was something that got shaped and evolved throughout production. I'd often complete a separate boss cue, or a cinematic, and we'd then think: "How can we get a representation of that sound/idea into the Main Theme as well?" and so it got sculpted over a period of several months. The Main Theme represents Sargon's journey through all its highs and lows, and you hear so many of the musical influences that accompany him during the game. The goal was to make a roller-coaster of a piece and also establish his melodic representation. Much of what's in the Main Theme is drawn upon by the score in the rest of the game so you can sort of experience the genesis of what we were going for in the music all within this piece. It's a pretty epic track that showcases the full range of our score. But honestly, I hope what players will from this game's music is that it fit the game like a glove and that it enhanced their experience and helped contribute to making it memorable.

The Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown will release January 18 for PlayStation consoles, Xbox consoles, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Source: Ubisoft Music/YouTube