It’s been a long and winding road for Kratos. On his quest to thwart the plans of Zeus, the battle hardened warrior has endured much suffering. From seeing his family die by his own hand to taking out some of the most well known and, let’s be honest, kick-ass Gods and creatures in Greek mythology, he’s undoubtedly had a hard time of it. Now, however, his quest for vengeance comes to an end in the Playstation 3’s first outing for the Santa Monica team and their extremely well loved series.
To say this has a reputation to uphold would be one of those understatements that would stick in folklore, much like saying the sky is blue and the grass is green (unless you’re colour blind, as then it can be any shade you like, I suppose). The first game brought about a high-octane, massively impacting change to the more standard sword hurling genre it tried to re-define. Combos became commonplace and the pace was well met, with some rather meaty boss battles mixed with some rather cunning puzzles to keep the grey cells working, usually to help remind them to pick your jaw up off the floor from how the game looked.
The second God of War took what the first had done and didn’t just enhance it; it honed it to such a precise level in both graphics and structure that it became to many people the game of the Playstation 2’s lifespan. Some battles would last for a long time, running at such a smooth and silky frame rate that it was a joy to behold. It was pushing the hardware so much that 60 frames a second on a constant basis was never going to be possible, but it was never far off, producing an extremely good mid section for this three act play.
And so we reach the final act. Kratos, along with Gaia and the rest of the Titans are ascending Mount Olympus to finally put an end to Zeus’ rule and bring peace to the land, but the King of the Gods has other ideas and sends his compatriots to battle. What this does produce is one of the most breathtaking introductions to any game I have seen…EVER!! You can be forgiven for thinking you’re watching a 20 minute FMV section, thinking that sooner or later you’ll be pressing the start button to find out that the game was never meant to look that good. It’s only when you actually start bashing away that you begin to realise the graphical quality has no signs of slacking, maintaining a very healthy 60 fps. Up until recently I thought Heavy Rain was the best looking thing on a console, but now I’m really starting to have my doubts.
Now, I know that last statement may well have a few people humming and hawing. I mean, people will be going on saying “It can’t look as realistic as Quantic Dream’s game.” and many more comments to that effect, but to me that doesn’t really matter too much when you take everything into context. Some of the backdrops have such moody atmosphere and can then be followed by some rather intricate interiors. The character animation is spot on and when you see the faces close up you really cannot fail to be impressed by just how mesmerising the cut scenes are. It’s not the most remarkable feature of God of War 3 though.
What really impresses is the sheer scale of everything. The intro is a very good case in point. One minute you’re battling some minions on Gaia’s arm, the next you’re heading down a cliff face with Poseidon’s horse/crab creature hybrid trying to destroy you. Whilst all this is happening, you can’t help but see huge moments of visual intensity, such as other Titans falling from the side of Mount Olympus as they’re dragged off by their enemies. It’s fair to say that this third instalment takes whatever the second one did in its first five minutes and gives it the equivalent of a lifetime ban’s worth of steroids, simply because there is just so much going on it’s almost impossible to take in first time round.
The main quest of Kratos is to be reunited with Pandora’s Box, which he had previously opened in the first God of War to defeat Aries. Through this story you catch up with some familiar faces; the only problem being that they don’t look at you very fondly (well, apart from Aphrodite… ‘nuff said). I daren’t say any more, as there is no way I would even want to spoil things, but the way it pans out is very nice. The pace is steady, but it never seems to drag its heels at any point. The fantastic vocal talent, including TV Hercules Kevin Sorbo, dodge ball hurling wheelchair operative Rip Torn and screen legend (who we can always forgive for doing Star Trek: Generations) Malcolm McDowell, is really top notch. You really get to feel a great bond with the characters, bringing you ever closer to what’s going on in front of you.
The music again plays a huge part in GoW 3. Every major battle is accompanied by some suitably paced music, with booming drums, eerily harmonic choral work and a great sense of immersion, which audio is meant to do in a gaming sense. I personally thought the second one couldn’t be bettered, but again Santa Monica has pulled the stops out. The score is quiet and dainty when it needs to be, but as soon as it’s required to go into overdrive then away it goes, providing a truly epic soundtrack.
In terms of the gameplay elements we have the almost standard formula of Kratos losing nearly all of his health, magic and weaponry, but you do get to keep the Golden Fleece this time. The armaments you get to play with though are really cool (as much as that sounds like something an 8 year old would say, it’s indeed relevant) and are yours by beating the Gods as you slay them one by one. There are also items to attain, such as the head of Helios, which many people will no doubt remember from the demo. The really great thing is that the control system allows you to have over 7 choices at your fingertips, all very easily changeable without breaking your stride.
The biggest new addition is the combat grappling system, allowing our main protagonist to weave some truly awesome combos together by latching on to an enemy and pulling himself at a rather speedy velocity towards them. It’s also really handy for plucking winged baddies from the sky and hurling the underground minions up to your level. With all of these tweaks put together you do get a feeling of something really well crafted. The way the action flows and how it is almost effortless is a credit to the design team and it does create an unbelievable sense of fulfilment and achievement when you get that combo meter to 3 figures.
God of War 3 clocks in on a normal setting at a shade over 9 hours, which for a hack and slash isn’t too bad. The pace is well set and never lets up. There are some breaks in the limb snapping and head chopping, with a blend of puzzles and some flying sections. There’s even a miniature nod to Ico when you have to help someone get from one place to another by fending off the evil monsters, but I can’t say who. (Good God, now I know what a politician feels like during an interview.)
The really big question that I think was asked of this game before release was whether or not it could be better than its predecessor. The simple answer in this instance is an extremely emphatic YES! I cannot sing the praises of this title highly enough, especially for those of us who are fans of the genre. It brings the story of Kratos to a truly incredible end and rewards you, the player, with a really memorable game. Much like Heavy Rain, it’s a special title and an essential for every PS3 owner (as long as you‘re over 18, of course). There is such an underlying quality on show here that you can’t stop yourself from being content whilst playing it.
In my own opinion I would say it’s one of the best games I’ve played this year. The experience is something you get hooked on and can’t finish until the owls are hooting and the candles are nothing more than wax puddles, as the clock says quarter after “way past your bed time”. Whilst there has been talk of more God of War titles in the franchise, one thing is for absolutely certain, the ash skinned, gravel voiced warrior we know as Kratos reaches the end of the third and final act in his own trilogy; and whatever the outcome, I will miss him.
VideogameUK verdict: 9.5/10
