game characters of all time. In an article for Retro Gamer concerning the creation of the series, David Crookes noted the Prince's importance as an early example of the acrobatic lead character, comparing him to later game leads including Lara Croft. Critics and fans praise the Prince's portrayal in The Sands of Time continuity, and this is generally seen as the most popular version of the character. The Prince's change into a darker character for Warrior Within saw mixed reactions, with fans and many critics seeing it as a change for the worse. Others praised the change, such as Heather Newman of Detroit Free Press. Despite the mixed critic and fan reception, Ubisoft have defended the change as a legitimate evolution of the Prince's character. The Prince's portrayal in The Two Thrones both pleased Mechner and was more favorably received by critics and fans. GameSpots Bob Colayco saw this latest portrayal as an interesting self-reference to the criticism, suggesting that "the internal strife in the schizophrenic prince's mind forms a compelling part of the storyline". The Prince from the 2008 reboot was well received by video game critics, but criticized by fans of the series, whose main complaint was the performance of North in the role. In an article concerning Prince of Persia reboot, Gamasutra editor Tom Cross did not understand the negative reactions, seeing comparisons of the new Prince to Nathan Drake as unfair despite the Prince being a less likeable character. In a review for IGN, Hilary Goldstein enjoyed the interactions in gameplay and story between the Prince and Elika, but disliked his personality due to his acerbic manner and frequent "groan-worthy" lines. By contrast, Matt Miller of Game Informer praised the game for communicating a genuine emotional bond between the Prince and Elika, describing it as a rarity in the gaming medium. Commenting on the Prince's portrayal in the film, Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert felt Gyllenhaal "plays Dastan as if harboring Spider-Man's doubts and insecurities", clashing with his physical appearance. By contrast, Chris Tilly of IGN praised Gyllenhaal's portrayal as the Prince, citing him as a highlight of the movie overall. Gyllenhaal's appearance and especially his haircut for the role of the Prince were ridiculed by several sources, but was defended by Ghazzal Dabiri, a lecturer and coordinator of Iranian studies at Columbia University. The film was also criticized for whitewashing the cast. Brian Ashcraft