The wait is finally over. At long last, the final chapter to the God of War series has arrived on the Playstation 3.
There is no denying this is easily one of the most anticipated titles of the year for Playstation owners. The franchise has been wildly successful, and for good reason. The combat is intense, the story engaging, and the violence is over the top.
Sony has teased us for months with demos and screenshots showing off the fifth (including one PSP and one mobile title) and final game in this story arc. Can it possibly live up to player expectations? Read on, dear gamers, read on.
The Story
God of War 3 starts right where God of War 2 left off. The transition between titles is seamless. The Titans are climbing the cliffs of Mount Olympus to destroy the Gods. Of course, Kratos is right there with them as you also want nothing more than to kill each of the Gods, Zeus in particular.
Kratos will make his way from the depths of Hades to the top of Mount Olympus taking on mythological creatures and Gods along the way. As each of the Gods fall, Kratos will receive a new power or weapon in anticipation for the final battle against Zeus himself.
The Gameplay
It’s nice to pick up a game that feels familiar, and God of War 3 feels oh-so-familiar. Anyone who’s played any of the God of War games will feel right at home controlling Kratos. But while core game mechanics remain the same, a few tweaks have been made here and there.
For the most part, God of War can be considered a button masher, with the exception of the quick time events. The precisely-timed button sequences are back, but players will notice a subtle change. Instead of button symbols appearing in the center of the screen during quick time events, they’ve been moved to the outskirts of the display. On top of that, each symbol will appear on the side of the screen which corresponds to the button positions on the controller. For example, if you have to press the triangle button the triangle symbol will appear on the top of the screen. Or if you need to press the circle, a prompt to press the circle will appear on the right side of the screen. This makes it very easy to know which button to press on the controller without having to look down or guess. The other benefit is it moves the symbols just out of the main viewing area so it does not interfere with the action taking place.
Kratos still has some of his features from GOW2 including the Icarus wings, but he will also gain a variety of new weapons to choose from which can be quickly swapped out in real time during intense battles. Magic abilities are also given to Kratos which can be used in a pinch to disperse large groups of enemies which tend to gather around Kratos from time to time.
- Kratos still has his Icarus wings and this time you’ll actually use them to fly
Another new feature includes the ability for Kratos to ride on creatures. Harpes can be harnessed with your chains to give you a lift to higher platforms, and larger creatures like the Cyclops can be rode and used to attack other enemies. You can not controls these creatures for very long, but it is a fun new aspect of game control which we haven’t seen in previous titles.
As in all the games in this franchise, you collect experience points to upgrade your weapons and magical abilities. Nothing has changed here other then the fact that some of the treasure chests are now hidden or invisible. Kratos will have to use one of his new powers to seek out these hidden chests which adds to the exploration factor of the game.
While the main focus of the game continues to be action, there is quite a bit of puzzle solving thrown in as well. You’ll have to guide Kratos through labrynths and mazes, looking for ways to open new routes and get through the exit. While they’re not very difficult, they do require some intelligence. It’s important to note that the game never feels bogged down by the puzzles. The action is intense throughout, even more so than in other GOW titles, so the puzzling mazes give you a bit of a breather.
Finally we can’t omit the flying scenes. Yes, this time Kratos will actually use the Icarus wings for more than just gliding from platform to platform. You will encounter three different scenarios where Kratos must take to the skies, flying while avoiding falling obstacles. Unfortunately each of the three scenes is basically a repeat of the previous ones, but it still makes for fun gameplay.
The Graphics
God of War 3 looks fantastic. From the water effects to the creatures themselves, the game is a feast for the eyes. The environments feel alive and the animations are top notch. It’s clear a lot of work went into this title to make it shine.
The Soundtrack
Just like the graphics, the musical score is also top notch. The soundtrack is movie quality from beginning to end. In fact, some of the tracks can be downloaded online so you can listen to it when you’re not killing Gods.
- God of War 3 looks beautiful. Need we say more?
The Downsides
God of War 3 comes pretty close to perfection, although if there is one small flaw it could be the high level of gore. The sheer amount of blood and violence will make most mothers cringe. Of course, the kids will love it, but any parent concerned about the images their children see in video games these days will have reason to be concerned. Mature gamers will love the over the top violence, but not everyone will feel the same way.
The Bottom Line
I loved God of War 3. The game comes ever so close to perfection. The action is intense, the puzzles are smart, and the controls are fluid. Sure it feels a lot like previous God of War titles, but that isn’t really a bad thing. When a game is so good, why should a developer change it. If you’re looking for a smart, fast-paced action title, you can’t afford to pass up God of War 3.
The Good
Amazing graphics
Smart puzzles
Fluid controls
Nice end to the story
The Bad
Parents won’t like the over the top violence
Is it really over? We hope not
9.5/10