Ah, Prince of Persia. You either love it for what it tried, or hate it for what it tried. We love it, though, and Tom Cross at GSW does a good job of explaining why.
Mostly because he takes everything the haters hate and breaks it down, then points out the game's most endearing legacy may not even be its stance on death and difficulty; it may be your easy-on-the-eye sidekick, Elika.
Sure, superficially she's a lot like Ico's Yorda. Clad in white, there to help you overcome otherwise insurmountable platforming obstacles...but there's a relationship there that, while stifled at times by the inappropriate choice of voice actor for the Prince, is still doing well at something most other games won't even attempt.
Column: 'Diamond in the Rough' : Caring About The Prince [GameSetWatch]