Greek mythology became uber cool the day that Kratos first hit our PS2 screens back in 2005. In 2007, the God of War sequel managed to blow our minds once again and feed our interest in his world and mythology. Now after three long years of waiting and twiddling our thumbs in anticipation, the time for chaos to be unleashed has come, but will the former God of War rise to the challenge or will he become a forgotten hero. Prepare your weapons and strap on your man skirt, we’re about to find out.
Without wasting any time with dull moments, the game begins where the second left off. In his attempt for revenge on the almighty Zeus, Kratos is in the process of braving mount Olympus with the titans by his side. However his journey of revenge takes a slight detour where he finds himself having to build himself up again, in order to take down Zeus and feed his anger once more. The story is well written and develops incredibly well with some excellent mythological backbone. Coupled with some great voice acting, the story is nothing short of epic.
God of War 3 remains true to the formula that gave it its much deserved fame, but carries enough new additions to keep the gameplay fresh and exciting. Firstly, this time around Kratos has a number of awesome weapons to make use of and you won’t find yourself constantly going back to the trusty old blades like you did in the previous installments. Players will also be able to use new items such as the bow of Apollo and other really cool mythological items. Real time action sequences have also changed slightly and will appear on the edges of the screen as they are set out on the controller. This is great as it keeps the focus on the fast paced action. There is also a new platforming element which is really fun to play through, and adds a nice touch to the frantic gameplay. With the exception of one puzzle, there is nothing that will leave your mind boggled, which does disappoint a little but does not ruin the experience in any way. It runs incredibly well considering all the chaos that can surround you at times.
The visuals are absolutely mind blowing and there is a seamless flow between cut scene and gameplay which makes the game incredibly immersive. All cut scenes are in-game and look as good as any other CG scene that you’ve seen before. Kratos and his supporting cast are modeled to perfection and their animations are fluid and dynamic. The environments are jaw dropping and carry enough depth and detail to capture the beauty and destruction of ancient Greece. This is also backed up by some great sound as well as a soundtrack that will even give Kratos himself goosebumps.
To add to replay value there are a number of awesome unlockables which include costumes and special items. There is also an additional difficulty level which is unlocked after your first playthrough, which is labeled ‘chaos’ and is ridiculously hard. An area mode known as the Challenge of Olympus is also available, which has several different area challenges for you to complete.
Overall, God of War 3 is an incredible, exciting and epic PS3 exclusive. Yes, we’ve been waiting for many years and yes, there have been buckets of hype, but for the first time in a very long time the hype has been worth it. It has added another chapter to a fascinating and immersive story, it has perfected its chaotic and fluid gameplay and it looks better than Megan Fox. Long live the God of War!
