Kratos has made the jump to PS3, but unfortunately this move is to be his last as God of War 3 is the final installment of the series (supposedly). Picking up right where its predecessor left off, Kratos is on the war path and fast becoming the destruction of Mt. Olympus. The gore, fantastic combo system, and over-the-top execution kills are back.
Right in the opening sequence, we see the immense battle taking place between the Titans and Gods of Olympus. Kratos, armed with chained blades and a massive thirst for blood, nears the top of the mountain on the back of the titan Gaia. This opening picks up exactly where GOW2 left off. For any newcomers of the series, there is a short cut-scene that plays before the main menu that may help with the story's origin (but not much - I highly recommend playing 1 and 2 if you haven't had the chance). None-the-less, there is much fun to be had disemboweling, beheading, crushing, slicing, and smashing all types of mythical creatures. I was left in amazement during numerous EPIC encounters that showcase the awesomeness that is Kratos.
As the sadistic spartan makes his way to the top of the mountain, he'll quickly be knocked back down and must begin his long journey back to the top. He'll have to collect new weapons, new accessories, and cut through an endless amount of enemies in order to satisfy his hunger for revenge. As his journey progresses, he learns the secret to killing his father, Zeus, and what must be done. What's interesting about this character, is he is an anti-hero of sorts. Almost villain-like with his complete disregard for the possible consequences of his actions. At various points in the game, I wanted to show some mercy, but that is against Kratos' nature. He is a relentless warrior who does not care how he meets his goal or how it may affect others.
What I have always loved about the series was the larger-than-life feeling you get during various encounters. From the environments to battling titans, large-scale puzzles, and boss battles, you get a sense of how massive everything can be in this fictional world. The developers do such an excellent job of combining in-game cut scenes with gameplay that you forget to take control of Kratos at certain points.
Of course, what's a God of War game without some quick romp in the sack? This game has a M rating for a reason - Gore and Sex. A little bit past the halfway point of the game, you'll find yourself in Aphrodite's chambers. You'll be rewarded with some experience and some funny dialogue from the chamber maids.
Some have plagued this as a button masher, but I strongly disagree. While the learning curve isn't as steep as some combo systems (like the Tekken or Mortal Kombat series) the game makes it easy for anyone to pick up the game and immediately begin kicking major ass. Of course as you upgrade your weapons, newer moves will unlock and skilled gamers will be able to string a seemingly never-ending combo (There's a 1000-combo trophy to unlock).
Quick Time Events (QTE) are back and better than in previous installments. Rather than popping up in the middle of the screen (sometimes hindering your view of the amazing action playing out), the onscreen prompts now appear in the screen position in relation to the placement of the button on the controller. For example, the circle button is on the lower right. When a circle prompt appears, it will display on the right-hand side of the screen.
4.5 out of 5 - This is one of my favorite action games of the year so far and holds a special place with the greek mythology (making up for the crap that was the "Clash of the Titans" remake). Right as you get into the game, it's non-stop, over-the-top, completely barbaric action that you can't get enough of. Without a doubt, this is a MUST-PLAY for any fan of the God of War series. Newbies may not get the whole story, but it'll still be tons of fun.
