There were plenty of games out this month that were hard to resist - Final Fantasy XIII, Yakuza 3, and Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition to name a few. But one game that definitely gives gamers a run for their money is the long awaited release of God Of War III - the game that represents action-adventure and hack and slash gaming at its finest!The wait was agonizing and the teases were infuriating, but come March 17, on St. Patrick's Day itself, I finally landed myself a copy of God Of War III! That's right, the epic journey of Kratos was released this week to all the hungry fans and PS3 owners around the world, and I can definitely say for the most part of my playing experience that THE WAIT WAS DEFINITELY WORTH IT (See how I placed that in all caps). The gameplay we've come to know and love through the series is intact, along with a few new additions and innovations to turn the most sadistic person upside down with glee.Not only that, the graphics are sweet... TOO SWEET to behold, and anyone with High Definition TVs will surely enjoy the carnage on display and fine detail and lengths Sony and Santa Monica Studio have gone through to make this sequel feel EPIC.
God Of War III
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Since it's God Of War, expect a lot of that bloodthirsty action, puzzle solving, and insanely superb storytelling as you play the adventure. Those unfamiliar with the earlier games, fear not, for the makers have gone the extra mile to tell Kratos' backstory through a well made intro that looks like an animated Tapestry infused with something from the recent James Bond movies. Afterwards, you begin the game proper, and it starts just as all hell breaks loose (Slight SPOILERS here, so look back now, purists!). Taking place directly after the cliffhanger ending of GoW II, Kratos charges head on to Mount Olympus alongside the Titans, as they seek to gain their vengeance upon the Greek Gods and ultimately defeat their almighty leader, Zeus. At this point, you take control of the rage-filled Ghost Of Sparta, cutting down enemies through a mini-tutorial until you come face to face with the first God blocking your way - Poseidon, king of the seas. Anyone who's new to these types of games will surely feel this like this is the final confrontation of a bad-ass game. However, this is GOD OF WAR, and any boss battle of this magnitude is considered normal and fair play... and it's only a taste of things to come. From this point, something happens to Kratos (again) that makes his journey for revenge harder than he expected, and after acquiring a new mission that will help him achieve his one desired goal, it falls to his own persistence and determination once more to complete the labors and tasks set forth before him... with an uncertain future waiting beyond the gate.
A couple of hours into the game and still stretching my skills into it, I can definitely say that I have my A-Game with this baby, especially when it comes to unleashing Kratos' fury and abilities on various monstrosities of Greek mythology. What I found pleasant was the fact that many useful abilities from GoW II return, such as Icarus' wings which allow Kratos to glide and fly at certain points in the game. However, the new abilities are where it's at, and early on, Kratos gets many new upgrades that do more than help traverse obstacles, they leave enemies agonizing in pain. Without offering too much of a spoiler since it was in the E3 Demo, one of these abilities is the Head Of Helios, ripped from the head of the God himself, which illuminates paths and stuns enemies with a blinding flash. Kratos can later gain new eapons and power-ups with makes him stronger and faster, but to what those are, I'll leave it for you to find out. Also, don't forget the Button Pressing mini games that prompt up usually when you're about to finish off an enemy. These are legend among GoW titles, and leaves a satisfying smirk on your face everytime a brutal kill is being shown. It's these moments that prove God Of War's worth to the PS3 crowd... and why it's simply a beautiful exclusive to own. If you still need convincing, here's a trailer to see and make your eyes pop open with excitement:
Hands down, God Of War III os a masterpiece, and the wait was absolutely worth it. I've enjoyed the past games too much to ignore this one, and seeing Kratos' adventure come full circle is a blessed sight to my gaming eyes. I'm still on the running and enjoying my playthrough, but hopefully my words are enough to convince you that this is definitely worth the pick up, especially to those justifying a PS3 purchase at this point. Fans of the series will also get a taste of deja vu here and there, and there are easter eggs to pick up as you go along with the adventure and narrative. Bottomline, get GoW III... or face Kratos' wrath in your dreams.XD
Rating - 5/5
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