God of War: Ascension was announced back in 2012 via an Amazon leak. They released a 15 seconds trailer showing Kratos bound by chains. [reference]
The game is the sequel to God of War 3, which was released in 2010. The box art was also released with the trailer.
It also has an online mode which was revealed by Sony. It’s the first God of War game to ship with a multiplayer component. Sony had also held a multiplayer beta for the game.
The multiplayer is comprised of 8 players and a lot of different modes.
The game will be released on March 15th in the UK, 14th March in Australia and New Zealand, and March 13th in Europe and PAL. [reference]
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The game is built on GoW3′s engine, but will offer better textures, lighting and better visuals all around. Kratos’ character is also supposed to be much less angry than usual, given the fact that this is a prequel.
It looks beautiful and Sony Santa Monica have optimised the game well.
The game’s details were revealed a few months ago and the game was revealed to have God of War’s length. The combat and weapon system has been revamped and there are promptless mini-games. [reference]
There are also new puzzles. The music composer is revealed to be Tyler Bates. The game also features 3D support.
It will be more like God of War and God of War 2 and will feature more color than God of War 3.
The single player campaign will have bigger creatures than Polyphemus in the single player and the game has a variable frame rate just like God of War 3.
Since this is a prequel, Kratos’ model will be rebuilt to reflect a younger version. You can smash chests. The game features more destruction than the previous game. There are no big open environments.
For people who are new to the God of War franchise, this is for certain, Kratos is the least likable protagonist ever created. [reference]
Todd Pappy, creative director of God of War: Ascension has mentioned that this will change in this game.
“And that was something I wanted to get across,” he said. “The whole idea behind the story is more, ‘how do you undo selling your soul to the devil?’ In essence, that is the question that we are answering in this story.
“Where does Kratos pick up roughly six months to a year after he killed his wife and kid? What’s his mental state? It’s not a very pleasant one.”
It is still a God of War game at its core and people will be able to play as Kratos and hack and slash enemies. The game also contains a multiplayer mode which follows the same philosophies but with a comprehensive level up system.
There was a multiplayer beta held recently to give gamers a taste of how the game actually plays, and it was pretty good.
As many guessed after seeing the debut trailer, the game is set before all other GoW games, becoming the first chronological game in Kratos’ timeline. It is set six months after Ares tricks Kratos into killing his wife and child and sees the protagonist vying for his revenge on the titular antagonist and his own redemption. [reference]
“God of War: Ascension is a prequel that will show Kratos’ emotional path of redemption, while detailing the rise of his rage to break free from Ares’ bond,” Sony said.
“Six months after being tricked into killing his wife and child, a younger Kratos is sentenced to a life of madness with the Furies, caged in a titan sized prison for the living damned,” they continued. “Fighting insanity, his will is tested to the limit as he seeks to break his bond and gain the clarity to seek revenge on Ares for his part in the death of his family.
“Armed with double-chained blades, Kratos must take on mythology’s darkest creatures while solving intricate puzzles throughout his merciless quest for redemption.”
So, Kratos is armed with the Blades of Chaos, contrary to what many were expecting.
SSM also said that they didn’t name Ascension God of War 4 because they wanted to make it clear that it’s a prequel and that fans can start fresh with it, without playing the first three games.
The game is supposed to be shorter than God of War 3’s campaign.
The multiplayer will have 8 players battling it out against each other, as the two teams battle each other while trying to bring down a massive boss. In the beginning, you create your own Spartan warrior. You will rank up and gain EXP points as the game progresses.
Each player gets the Blades of Chaos and an assortment of various hammers, spears, swords and more.
USA Today was shown the Domination mode, while two teams tried to be the first to bring down a huge cyclops boss to gain access to the Spear of Olympus, as the camera zoomed in to individual ”visceral battles.”
“In one, two warriors who look like cousins of Kratos disembowel an enemy and his innards flow out. Later, one combatant cleaves an opponent in half from head to thorax,” describes USA Today.
“Eventually, the dominating team turns their attention to the Cyclops, attach some chains to restrain it and one leaps to put out its eye. ‘The whole idea behind it is that we want to bring the big moments to multiplayer,’ game director Todd Papy said after the demonstration.” Kratos is not playable in the online component.
Vengeance is born in the fires of betrayal in this prequel to the best-selling God of War franchise. Six months have passed since Kratos stood over the bodies of his wife and child, his hands stained with their blood – tricked by Ares into murdering the only people he ever loved.
Swearing to avenge them, Kratos broke the blood oath that bound him to Ares, but oaths to Olympus are not so easily broken… Sentenced to an eternity chained within a prison for the living damned, Kratos battles insanity at the hands of the Furies. He will be tested as he seeks freedom, redemption for his sins, and the clarity to avenge his family.
The Collector’s Edition features the ultimate GoW collectible, a 8″ Kratos figurine.
Packaged in a premium steel book game case, the set will also include the official game soundtrack (digital version), a PS3 dynamic theme and avatar pack, a double XP bonus for multiplayer (more info on this soon) and a DLC pass to unlock all future DLC for the game at no additional cost (more info on this soon too). [reference]
The Special Edition will feature a premium steelbook game case, the official game soundtrack (digital version), PS3 dynamic theme and avatar pack, and the multiplayer double XP bonus.
God of War 3 had a spectacular collector’s edition, so this one has every chance to turn out similar.
PS3 bundle: