God of War III – The Geekscape Review

Read any review about God of War III, and you’ll run across the word epic. It’s kind of like reading a review for Avatar and finding the words game-changer. While we have to wait and see if Avatar turns out to be the game-changer it was heralded as, it is clear from the very first instance that God of War III is truly epic; in both the modern and classical usage of the word.

God of War 3 is wonderful in how one aspect seems to complement every other facet of the game. The beauty of the game elevates its scope. The scope allows the story to go above and beyond. The grandeur of the story allows both sound and game play to draw you in that much more.

It’s hard to not to let this review take a nose dive into the world of review cliché, but that’s all I really want to do. The way this game looks is beyond amazing. I most certainly was not sitting with my jaw literally on the floor, but I did pause my game during the first level, gathered my roommates who were playing NES in the other room, and sat them down to watch me play through it. A hush quickly came over the room as they sat and watch just how far we’ve come since the game they were playing moments ago. The fact that you can see Kratos grimace a number of different ways while he hacks and slashes his way through ancient Greece is quite an accomplishment. The lighting in this game is incredible and the way you get to play around with it is absolutely delightful.

The scope of the game is also something that deserves to be marveled at. When I picked up the game, both guys at the register were incredibly excited to sell it to me. It felt weird to have someone pitch a game so hard to me that I was already set to buy before they even started. 

“Dude, this is the most insane first level of a game I have ever played. If you’ve got something planned after this, cancel it. You gotta go home and play this game.”

Well, that guy was completely right. I didn’t take him seriously because of the fact that he then tried to sign me up for a number of different cards and mailing lists, but I should have. This is the most insane first level of a game I have ever played. I’m not going to spoil it for you because it’s something that is best experienced untainted. More impressive than the first level, is the fact that the game manages to out do itself from its amazing start.

I don’t think it’s completely out of line to say that this game is the best blockbuster movie of 2010. The game is incredibly cinematic. It’s clear that the designers had camera placement in mind from the get-go, as you are continuously treated to the best view and best angle possible. The cut scenes are gorgeous and, at times, are hardly distinguishable from actual game play (in a good way). The animated cut scenes that fill in back-story take ancient Greek art and injects them with a modern sensibility. I would easily buy a print of any frame from those cut scenes and hang it on my wall.

God of War III, being the last chapter in the series, ties the story up so completely that I sincerely hope the makers of Lost take notice. The stories in the previous games were good, but it was always unclear where the story was going and how it would fit in within the world of ancient Greek mythology. It may not be the most original way to fit Kratos and his story in the world, but it works so well. You might be able to call the ending half way through the game, but I still had a smile on my face upon realizing how clever the ending actually was. Due to the game’s scope and beautiful score, the rather obvious story is lifted from mediocrity and placed upon its throne on Mount Olympus, where it belongs. (Sorry about that one, I couldn’t help myself) The only complaint is that the game runs a little short, having finished it around 10 hours. It’s hardly an issue given that the scope of the game makes it feel enormous.

Finally, we have the game play. It’s rather unchanged from the previous incarnations of the game, aside from two or three more moves, tools, and weapons that Kratos needs to get his revenge upon the gods. While not a huge issue, I did have some problems with the weapons system. Kratos gets four different weapons during his journey that you are able to change with the D-Pad. That worked out fine, but I found the quick button (L1 + X) to change weapons on the fly problematic. During heated button-mashing, I found myself accidentally changing weapons more than once. This normally wasn’t too much of a problem, but it did cause me some trouble during one fight in particular. There’s also the fact that the weapons you pick don’t seem to matter. The one exception is the gauntlets, which break up onyx and are essential on any enemy that has onyx shields. The other weapons have slight differences but they ultimately do not matter. It just comes down to which one you think looks the coolest while Kratos flings them about.

The only other gripe about game play I have is the location of the quick time events. They are now pushed to the sides of the screen corresponding to their position on the controller. While it’s something you get use to quickly, I would have liked it if God of War III took the Heavy Rain approach and put the cut scenes in the action, that way I could have my eyes glued on the screen instead of focusing outside of the action so I wouldn’t miss the correct button to press.

So, all in all, God of War III is the perfect ending to one of the best action franchises in video game history. Any PS3 owners that may be agonizing over their purchase will instantly be reminded why they wanted the system as soon as they play it. The game also has a set of challenges, costumes, and additional items to up the replay value but that’s all just gravy since you’ll be revisiting this one because of how wonderful the experience is.