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The Forgotten Sands The Observatory Bug Fix | Prince Of Persia

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands – The Definitive Guide to Fixing the Observatory Bug

Introduction: The Frustration of a Soft-Lock

Few things shatter the immersion of a classic action-adventure game like a progression-breaking bug. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (2010), while a beloved return to the series’ roots, is notorious for one specific, maddening glitch: The Observatory Bug.

Located roughly midway through the game, the Observatory is where the Prince must manipulate massive celestial orreries, climb rotating rings, and use his newfound power to freeze water mid-air. For many players, this section ends not with a triumphant leap, but with a soft-lock: an NPC refuses to move, a door stays sealed, or the Prince clips through a critical platform.

If you are reading this, you are likely stuck. Your save file isn’t corrupted, and your PC isn’t failing. You’ve encountered a well-documented scripting error. Below is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to diagnosing, bypassing, and permanently fixing the Observatory bug.

6. If absolutely nothing works

This bug is a known script trigger failure. The only guaranteed fix is:

  1. Restart the entire level (not just checkpoint) – from the level select in main menu.
  2. Reach The Observatory again without quitting the game (triggers seem more stable if you play continuously).

3. Do Not Use Cheats or Trainers

Cheat Engine tables or trainers that enable “one-hit kills” or “freeze enemies” are almost guaranteed to break the Observatory script. The game needs to count each enemy’s death individually. Overkill or instant despawn breaks the counter.

Fix #1: The “Reset & Re-kill” Method (Works 40% of the time)

Sometimes, the script is just lagging, not broken.

  1. Save and reload. Pause the game, save manually to a new slot, then immediately load that save.
  2. Upon reloading, the game re-evaluates the state of the room. Look around. Did the enemies respawn? If yes, kill them again slowly on the ground.
  3. If the enemies are dead and nothing happens, run to every corner of the room. Jump off the edge into the abyss to respawn on the platform. Sometimes this forces a "check position" trigger that advances the quest.

Advanced workaround (when saves are irrecoverable)

Solution 3: The "Airwalk" Glitch (The Last Resort)

If the game simply will not trigger the mirror cutscene, or if the door simply won't open, you can bypass the puzzle entirely using a movement exploit. This allows you to exit the Observatory without solving the puzzle. prince of persia the forgotten sands the observatory bug fix

Steps:

  1. Position the Prince on the edge of the balcony near the exit door (the one you are trying to open).
  2. You need to perform a "Wall Run" jump into a corner.
  3. Locate the corner where the wall meets the balcony railing.
  4. Jump toward the corner, then jump again rapidly. The goal is to get the Prince "stuck" in the geometry between the wall and the invisible barrier of the railing.
  5. If done correctly, the Prince will hover in the air.
  6. Continuously jump or attack while holding the direction toward the exit platform.
  7. This glitch pushes the Prince through the invisible wall, allowing you to land on the other side of the door.

Note: This takes patience. It is easier to perform with the Power of Time equipped, so you can rewind if you fall.

Conclusion: Restoring the Sands of Time

The Observatory bug in Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is a frustrating reminder of the challenges of PC game preservation. A game designed for a 60Hz, dual-core world now runs on 144Hz octa-core monsters — and the scripts simply cannot keep up.

But with the fixes above — especially the 60 FPS cap and CPU affinity adjustments — you can conquer the bug and reclaim one of the most visually stunning sequences in the franchise. The rotating heavens, the cascading frozen waterfalls, and the Prince’s acrobatic triumph await you on the other side of this glitch.

Now, go. The celestial alignment must be completed. The observatory will not break you.

Did this guide help? If you discovered an alternative fix (e.g., specific graphics driver rollback or a hex edit), share it in the comments on the original forum post. The sands of time may shift, but solutions are forever.

The "Observatory bug" in Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands – The

usually refers to a game-breaking glitch where a critical lever or switch (for the Astrolabe) fails to appear, preventing progression. Because the game often uses a single auto-save slot, this can effectively "soft-lock" your playthrough. Primary Fixes 1. Limit Frame Rate (PC Only)

Running the game at high refresh rates (above 60Hz or 60FPS) is a known cause for physics and event-triggering bugs.

Limit your game to 60 FPS in your GPU settings or using a third-party tool. Ensure your monitor is set to 60Hz while playing. 2. Manual Save Manipulation (PC/PS3)

If you are already stuck, you may need to bypass the glitched state by reverting to an older save or using a community file.

PC: Download a "clean" save file from a community member or site like Lorehound that has already passed the Observatory.

PS3: Go to your Saved Data Utility. If multiple save points exist, delete the most recent one. The game may report the remaining save as "corrupt," but it often allows you to resume from an earlier, non-glitched checkpoint. 3. File Renaming (PC)

For some versions, specific save files can be "reset" to trigger the event correctly. Restart the entire level (not just checkpoint) –

Navigate to the save path (e.g., ...\Local Settings\Application Data\storage\...).

Rename your current save file (e.g., 4.save to 4.bak) and restart the game to see if it forces a re-trigger of the room's events. Prevention for Future Play

Disable Cloud Saves: If you are swapping save files on PC, turn off Cloud Saves in your launcher (e.g., Uplay/Ubisoft Connect) to prevent the game from overwriting your local fix with the glitched cloud version.

Alternate Saves: Whenever possible, manually back up your save folder or use multiple slots to avoid being locked into a single glitched auto-save. If you're on a specific platform, let me know: Are you on PC, PS3, or Xbox 360?

Do you have a backup save from before you entered the Observatory?

Is the lever missing entirely, or are you stuck in a death loop?

I can provide the specific folder paths or step-by-step instructions for your version. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands General Discussions

The Problem: What breaks in The Observatory?

Late in the game, the Prince must use the Memory Plate (a glowing floor panel) to rewind time and align moving platforms. However, due to a frame-rate dependency issue (common in ports and backward-compatible versions), two specific bugs occur here:

  1. The Soft Lock: You stand on the pressure plate, but nothing happens. The camera doesn’t pan, and the gears don’t turn.
  2. The Grab Glitch: The Prince refuses to jump to a specific handhold on the rotating cylinder, causing you to fall to your death repeatedly.

Reload checkpoint