Game:

God of War III (2010)

Category:

Review

Duration: 7:52

4,934 views

111

Our Analog Review of God of War 3 by Valente
Voice and Editing by: Valente
Written by: Valente and Trent

Be Sure to Like, Comment and Subscribe for more Reviews!

God of War 3 Review

First impressions are lasting and for developer Santa Monica Studios bringing God of War 3 to the PS3 and attempting to top the gameplay heights of its forbearers has proved to be a colossal effort. At the end of the PS2 era God of War 2 pushed that console to it's limits, it delivered and offered everything that fans enjoyed from the debut entry. Now, with new hardware and a new story, God of War 3 promises to elevate the standards set by its predecessors.
God of War 3 is the continuing story of Kratos' revenge against Zeus, who refused to free him from the nightmares of his past and stripping him of his godly powers. Going back in time, Kratos summons the titans from the Great War using the powers of fate. As Kratos ascends mount Olympus amidst the titans raging war on the Olympians, Zeus rallies the Gods to defend against the assault.
By the hands of Zeus, Kratos falls from the heights of mount Olympus back into the darkness of hell. Landing in the River Styx where, once again, Kratos' powers are taken, this time by the souls of the dead. Removing the complications of time travel introduced in God of War 2, God of War 3's story is straight forward relying more on Kratos' small cutscene interactions between NPCs and the world around him. Additionally, through statues and notes scattered across the world, the narrative pulls the player into the game's unique spin on Greek Mythology. While not groundbreaking in terms of story telling, it manages to offer a compelling campaign that keeps the player engaged until the end. Refraining from cheap twists or melodrama, God or War 3 ends the series at a high note; even if certain plot aspects were left to question. (Optional)
God of War 3'd debut on the Playstation 3 continues its heritage of setting the bar high for visual and technical standards. Scaling the Titans is breathtaking, invoking the same sense of wonder as Shadow of Colossus a generation before. Textures are detailed and rich, every bump and wrinkle on the titans is rendered and despite their massive scale these textures don't break down as the camera moves in. Speaking of the camera, it's cinematic and keeps you focused on the action while never tripping over itself. Reflections and specularity from rain breaths life into the world and facial animations are superb; in fact, the rage on Kratos' face is so palpable that an entire bottle of muscle relaxers would seem to do little to quell his rage.
God of War lives and dies by it's combat and the third entry makes changes to the old system, leaving it feeling familiar but refined. Like previous games in the series, sub weapons are rewards from conquering bosses. Every addition to Kratos' arsenal is useful and welcome, inviting you to switch up your offensive options. The Blades of Exile replace the blades of Athena, becoming the game's Swiss Army knife— suitable for every battle. The Claws of Hades offer speed, and the ability to drag smaller enemies towards the player in the middle of combos for a more in your face approach. The Nemean Cestus being the brute of the bunch is the weapon of choice when facing large and shielded enemies. The Nemesis Whip is capable of stunning, the Bow of Apollo, facilitates ranged battle... it doesn't end there as each weapon is upgradeable unlocking new combos. Whether its unveiling secret passages or items' by using the head of Helios, to scaling walls and stunning enemy with the boots of Hermes, no weapon gets the cold shoulder. Did I mention the Blade of Olympus, which is used when Rage of Sparta is triggered? The combat of God of War 3 is flexible when it comes to play style, with the option to play very offensively or conservative. Though it leans more towards the offensive with all the available combos, God of War 3 rewards patience and precision. It all comes down to how you prefer to play. Either way works, you can go full assault stunning your enemies or exercising finesse and skill with counter attacks which open space between your opponents for more efficient enemy slaying.

Game design also takes a step forward for the series, removing the annoying pull this lever while being attacked, as the spiked ceiling comes down at you sequences. Yes, I'm looking at you God of War 2... Not to mention the repetitive escort missions where a large amount of enemies attack and usually kill the npc. God of War 3's pacing is improved overall, removing these senseless sequences by replacing them with a more cohesive mix. The included escort mission is handled well, removing the vulnerable npc with a character that doesn't just stand around waiting to be mauled.

Other Statistics