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"Zeus! Your son has returned! I bring the destruction of Olympus!"

Those were the final words from Kratos in the monumental experience that was God of War II, a game that received universal acclaim and would ultimately become the pinnacle action game for the PS2. Two and a half years later I finally got my hands on a demo of the latest -- and final -- entry in the epic trilogy, God of War III.

The God of War series has always been about gorgeous graphics, signature gameplay and a truly captivating storyline.  Judging from what I've seen and played, God of War III encapsulates everything that made its predecessors great, while simultaneously raising the bar in every way imaginable.

Graphically, God of War III is like a classic Greek painting brought to life.  Maybe the best next gen visuals I have ever seen.  It's a gritty, gory experience from the minute you descend upon Mt. Olympus and unleash the first swing of your trademark Blades of Athena.  I played the demo at 1080p HD resolution on a 70" flat screen television which magnified the crisp graphics to such scale that it was hard to not just sit back and watch the game. 

There is staggering scope packed into the demo, including the massive Titan of Destruction, Perses, which can be seen crushing buildings with his bare hands and battling Helios, the Greek god of the sun, in the distance.  To put the scope of this game into perspective, areas will be up to 4 times larger than those found in God of War II, including hack-and-slash levels that take place entirely on the back of living, moving, breathing Titans that are as tall as the CN Tower.

The story of God of War III takes place right after the events of God of War II, with Kratos ascending Mt.Olympus with the aid of Gaia, and her legion of spiteful Titans, to exact vengeance on his father Zeus and the surviving members of the Greek pantheon.  The developers over at Sony's Santa Monica Studios have managed to perfectly capture this grand-scale Titan crusade to destroy their former captors with huge, smoldering city backdrops and demolished architecture that depict a land thrown into chaos.

Fans of the series will be immediately familiar with God of War III's trademark gameplay style which borrows quite a bit from previous entries. The Santa Monica team has intentionally kept the gameplay simple so that long-time fans can pick-up and play where God of War II left off. Kratos has recognizable dual-blade swinging attacks, as well as a new Fire Bow (presumably Apollo's) that can be used for rapid-fire aerial assaults, and the Cestus, a pair of lion head fist gauntlets that can inflict punishing damage. Kratos sports at least one returning ability with Icarus' wings which allow him to glide over long distances.

 

No God of War game would be complete without new moves, and there are few cool additions worth mentioning.  Firstly, when a horde of undead rush Kratos he can grab one of his enemies and use it as a battering ram to crush the remainder of the group into a pulpy mess.  He can also drive the undead head-first into wall effectively decapitating them instantly, or lift foes over his head and literally rip them in half.  It's all quite bloody, but extremely satisfying to perform. Expect much more on-screen carnage as this game can unleash up to 50 enemies at one time, compared to a maximum of 15 from God of War II.

Kratos also is capable of controlling Harpies for a short time by clinging on to a nearby creature and stabbing it a few times to make it take flight.  The huge Cestus gauntlets also have the ability to shoot chains from each end which plant themselves into the ground and violently bash the enemy.  Like previous titles, there is a combo system that allows Kratos to string together various moves and result in deadly finishers when inputted in the correct sequence.  During combat, the game tallies your consecutively timed hits and grades your performance. 

There are plenty of menacing Greek mythological creatures in the demo to keep Kratos on his toes.  Early on, you encounter a large Centaur commander equipped with a metallic spear that has a spiked ball-and-chain at the tail-end.  During this combat sequence a dozen undead creatures that are normally non-threatening suddenly exhibit moments of sentience when the Centaur commander issues an attack order that prompts them to dogpile Kratos.  Moments after slaying the Centaur, you're immediately thrust into another battle, this one with a snarling Chimera.  The creature is comprise of multiple animal parts: the body of a lion, tail of a snake, and the head of a goat protruding from its back.  In order to slay the beast, Kratos must systematically dismember each body part through cinematic quick-time kills.

God of War III is already shaping up to be a spectacular and visceral game that's set to showcase the capabilities of the PS3.  With incredible attention to detail, the game looks to redefine the franchise with graphics that provide a visual tour-de-force that simply could not be possible previously.  It's a cinematic, stylized affair that will at once feel familiar to veteran God of War gamers, yet provide new challenges for those seeking a fresh experience.  God of War III will likely turn a few heads when it drops in March 2010, and it will be a console seller for Sony.  I know I'll be among the first in line to get my hands on the game.

Message Edited by PaulH on 09-04-2009 08:49 AM