Thread: God of War 3

God of War 3 Review
The god-killer returns to finally enact his revenge

God of War 3 (GoW3) is an action-adventure for PlayStation 3, developed by Sony Santa Monica and published by Sony Computer Entertainment.



The Ghost of Sparta, Kratos, returns in the third and final tale of the GoW trilogy (but not the final game, just to end this story arc) to enact his revenge on Zeus and the gods of Olympus. Betrayed by the titan Gaia in the early part of the game, Kratos is aided by Athena's ghost (who he killed by accident in GoW2). She gives him new weapons (the Blades of Exile), and he must destroy the Fire of Olympus to weaken Zeus. This brief summary will do without blowing the whole story.

The first 40 minutes of GoW3 is worth admission alone.

The graphics are simply remarkable. If you are still playing on the same SDTV you used when the original GoW came out in 2005, sit this out until you can get a HDTV.

GoW3 can likely be considered one of, or the best looking game on PS3. Kratos' details, down to his skin, is just amazing. Unfortunately, some of the other characters lack the same details. Also, there are certain graphical anamalies that are unexplainable and just dont look good at all. Zeus' lightning looked like a PS3 game... from 3 years ago, and some other textures lacked the same polish as others. Overall the graphics are amazing. All the stony environments and especially Kratos and the Titans are phenomonal. The cutscenes all use the same in-game graphics, so there is no transition.

The one problem I have with the game is they added very little to the core experience that is new. Anyone familiar with GoW or played any game in the series will have no problem jumping right in. If you wanted revolutionary changes to the formula, you will be disappointed. If you werent expecting any radical new additions and just wanted more of the same in it's bloody, gory tradition, you will be pleased.

This game unleashes buckets of blood and violence. It definitely earns its M rating and is even more visceral than past games.

There are a few new additions to the core play, but Kratos' combos are still about the same. Some of the moves that were once abused can no longer be, but you can change combos, weapons, dodges and rolls on the fly. Some of the puzzle features and the like have been refined, but is largely the same.

Kratos' character has also been fleshed out much better. I dont know if it's the same voice actor, but he sounds a little different too. His facial and speech reactions now are much smoother, and it shows he has matured throughout the series, even though the god-killer is still the baddest mother****er around. His speech has different tones and you can hear the emotion in his voice, other than the constant raging lunatic.

The sound is thunderous and the music the equivalent of a Hollywood epic. Home theater owners will rejoice.

The quick-time events (button pressing sequences) are now moved to the corresponding corners of the screen. It does make it easier but it doesnt obstruct the action on screen.

No other PS3 game can match the epic scale of GoW3, but the tale that is told is convoluted and not as smooth and deep as past games. I found I liked GoW 2 the best (I just finished GoW1-2 in the GoW collection) in terms of story and memorable moments.

You can likely finish GoW3 in about 10 hours and there are other challenges and arena battles to extend the experience. There are also behind the scenes interviews and a new costume if you preordered it from retailers like Gamestop.

GoW3 puts the final chapter to this stage of Kratos' journey to a close. The game is great, looks fantastic, highly refined and with a lot of polish. But with a story that isnt as smooth as it's predecessors and core gameplay that has remained almost unchanged, some wishing for an all-new experience may feel it didnt add enough that is new for the current-gen. It is still a must-have for fans of the series, and probably one of the best games on the PS3.

9/10

Rated M for Mature - Blood and gore, intense violence, strong language, nudity, sexual themes

If you never played GoW, pick up the GoW Collection for PS3 ($29.99) before you jump into the latest iteration. (See below)

God of War Collection
Follow Kratos' bloody journey and relive his tale from the beginning

The God of War Collection (GoWC) is an action-adventure compilation for PlayStation 3, developed by Sony Santa Monica and published by Sony Computer Entertainment.



GoWC contains remastered versions of GoW and GoW2 in HD.

In the original, Kratos, a former captain of the Spartan army, is on a mission to kill the God Of war, Ares, who betrayed him. Aided by Athena to stop Ares' destructive assualt on the city of Athens, Kratos seeks to claim the legendary Pandora's Box, which will give him the god-like powers he needs to confront Ares.

In the sequel, GoW2, Kratos is the new God of War. His Spartans, mad with devotion to their god, raze cities to the ground in his name. Kratos is killed by Zeus, and he seeks the Sisters of Fate to return back in time to escape death (again) and kill Zeus.

GoW1-2 have been totally remastered in HD, featuring smoother textures and better lighting. The screen tearing and slowdown of the originals are gone and the game is locked in at a smoother framerate. While the game looks markedly better, it still is, at it's core, a PS2 game. So if you were expecting a near-new game, you will be disappointed.

Graphics Comparison-


Unforunately and unexplainably, the cutscenes were unchanged, and I cannot understand this. When going from the in-game graphics which are HD remastered to the non-altered original cutscenes, the difference is jarring and stands out like a sore thumb. They look exactly the same as they did in 2005, which pushed the now archaic PS2 hardware to the limit. Even in HD, thay are still primitive looking, looking bland and jagged compared to the smoothed-out refined gameplay. This was the biggest disappointment and my only complaint, but it is a major one. Still, for those new to the franchise, it isnt too big a deal.

GoWC is the ultimate compilation for fans of the series. However, if you played them before, you will find nothing new. If you started playing them again, after making your way through some of the more difficult sequences you may regret starting it all over again if you beat them already. If youve never played the games, there is no better way to get into the franchise than here, gearing up for GoW3. There is a ton of content and almost 30 hours of playtime between the two, and additional bonus content, all for one low price.

10/10

Rated M for Mature - Blood and gore, intense violence, strong language, nudity, sexual themes