God of War III Review

Since playing and watching how God of War II ended, I couldn’t wait for the last game in the series that will put an end to Kratos’ journey. With God of War III finally here, there are a lot of things to talk about as to why game could potentially be a contender for Game of the Year. The game has indeed nice graphics but what else is there to look forward to?

Playing God of War III ten hours straight is no joke but indeed a riveting experience. The ending makes it quite clear as to why this is the last in series. Could Kratos’ final journey to Olympus be a memorable one? What other elements in the game can we expect aside from the amazing graphics? Let’s take a look on the HOTs and the NOTs.

HOT

Presentation
This has been one of the praises God of War III has gotten since people had the chance to play the demo of the game. What you played and saw in the demo is nothing compared to the visual seen in the final game. The graphics indeed look nice in the demo and you will get a glimpse on the kind of graphics to expect. Since the demo only shows 5% of the final game, you will be excited to know that there are places in the game where you will drop your jaw due to its amazing clarity and crispness of the environments. One of my favorits is the prologue where Gaia and Kratos is climbing Mount Olympus. We’ve seen that scene at the end of God of War II but this time, in PS3 graphics. A lot of things are going on, all at the same time and you wouldn’t believe how every scene in the game isn’t pre-rendered.

I believe 90% of the scenes are in-game graphics and not pre-rendered. Fans that have not played the first two titles will be briefed on the game’s story through Egyptian-like drawings. It sure looks weird at first but then you will realize it’s a nice change in telling the story of the game.

Comparing the character models of the main protagonists and enemies of the past two God of War titles to God of War III, you will see how much the game has improved and advanced during this time. Kratos’ skin has gotten more realistic and the way everyone talks in the game is fully synced with their lips. Thanks to the wonderful voice actors of in the series, God of War III’s story-telling and scenes are conveyed properly making the characters feel more realistic.

Story
Without spoiling the story of the game, God of War III will revolve around Kratos as he settles his revenge on Zeus. Sure that is indeed a clichéd story but fans of the series that have played both God of War titles will be pleased to find out that the story of this game will go back to its roots where the game started. I’m not going to spoil it for you but if you know what the first God of War is all about, that is where the God of War III will focus on.

Oh, the PSP version, Chains of Olympus is somehow tied to the game’s story of as well. So if you have not played Chains of Olympus on the PSP and you want play this game, it’s best if you play Chains of Olympus first just in case you don’t want the story to be spoiled for you as God of War III will touch upon Chains of Olympus a lot.

New Arsenals and Powers
What I like about the God of War series aside from the in-depth storyline are the weapons and powers Kratos can wield. I am sad to say this but the Blades of Chaos will be gone in this game. The only time you will get to play Kratos’ legendary Blades of Chaos is through the prologue but once it’s done, you will now be using the Blades of Exile. Honestly, it’s the same thing as Blades of Chaos because it has the same combos and attacks.

Defeating the majority of the gods will reward you with a weapon or a power up. One of the weapons that I found to be quite useful is the Claws of Hades. It is like the Blades of Exile but more badass as you can use snatch Souls and also use it to attack enemies. Another one is the Bow of Apollo which is somewhat similar to Zeus’ Lightning that Kratos used in God of War II.

Phew Few Gorgon Eyes, Phoenix Feathers to Collect
Collecting six Gorgon Eyes and Phoenix Feathers in the first two God of War titles seemed like a chore just to gain upgrades to your Health and Magic. One of the changes in God of War III that everyone will be happy to know about is that collecting Gorgon Eyes, and Phoenix Feather has dropped down from six to three.

With the Special Items you will be getting in the game, there’s a new item that you will have to collect if you want to boost its Item Meter. With the Minotaur Horns scattered throughout Olympus, collecting three is required to have your Item Meter raised. With your Item Meter raised, you will be able to use items such as the Bow of Apollo more frequently rather than waiting for it to charge.

Puzzles to Solve
Without puzzles to solve in God of War III, the game will be a lot easier. If you think the puzzles that you have to solve in the first two God of War titles were tedious, you will be disappointed to hear that God of War III’s puzzle are somewhat more difficult to solve. It is not impossible just as long as you use common sense and patience.

I’m Flying With Style
There is no Pegasus horseback riding in God of War III! There are times in the game where Kratos will be flying using Icarus’ Wings to find his way out in of a certain area. Through a series of rubbles coming at Kratos, you must glide and prevent these rubbles from hitting you or else you’ll die. It sure is a refreshing way for me trying my very best not to let my Kratos get hurt or else I have to back and do it again.

Replayability and Game Length
God of War III can be finished in roughly ten hours under Normal difficulty. After finishing the game, you will unlock “Chaos”, which will be the hardest difficulty in the game. It’s brutal enough fighting that last boss but with Chaos mode, oh, trust me; you will just throw your controller away.

Aside from unlocking Chaos Mode, the classic Challenges of Mount Olympus will make a comeback in this game. Making it all new and unique, this feature is a great way to test your skills such as your speed in killing enemies. After completing the Challenges of Mount Olympus, you will then unlock the Combat Arena where you have to pit yourself against other monsters in the game.

Stylish Finishing Moves
God of War III wouldn’t be the same without Kratos’ finishing moves. After dealing a certain amount of damage to an enemy, you will begin to trigger a Quick Time Event. By pushing buttons that appear on your screen at the right moment, you will help and see Kratos deliver his unique stylish finishing moves to an enemy. We’ve seen him do it in the past God of War titles and seeing him one more time in his final game are even more exciting as they are deadly! Not to mention they look better in HD.

NOT

The End of Kratos’ Journey
The only bad thing about the game is that this is the last game in the series. God of War III gives a conclusion to Kratos’ journey and is the final chapter to his story.

Weak Story
The God of War series has never had the most groundbreaking storyline. We have seen many stories in both games and movies that focus on revenge and watch as character go to the ends of the Earth to exact their form of justice. The story is easily weakest point of God of War III, but what it focuses more is the action. It will make sense once you finish the game and remember, In the end, There Will Always Be Chaos…

VERDICT

God of War III is no doubt one of the best games of 2010. With its stunning visuals and packed action adventure game, Kratos’ journey will be remembered for many years to come. God of War fans or not should definitely pick up this game without hesitation. Despite its weak story, I can still consider God of War III a gaming perfection.