[Official Review] God of War III - Monday, March 8th

[Kevin Grey]

I do enjoy the puzzles but so far I don't think they have been as good or as memorable as the puzzles in the first two games.

KG, did you play Chains of Olympus?  It's fantastic, a must play!

Yeah, 3 times actually.  I unconsciously excluded it because it really only has one puzzle of note IMO (the light beam puzzle in Helios' temple).  I liked Chains of Olympus quite a bit but I don't think it's nearly as good as GoW 1,2, or 3.  

After the massive frustration I felt in the last 1/3 of the first two, I'm kind of nervous about playing Chains.  I worry when I have the ability to chuck the entire system across the room.

It's much shorter (like 5 hours) and I only remember the last boss being real tough.  Definitely worth playing, IMO.

Yeah, but people said the end of GoW2 wasn't hard either, and that had me ragin'.  I have low tolerance for GoW difficulty, it seems.  

I think Chains is probably the easiest of the the games though I share Leo's frustration with the final battle. I actually bumped it down to easy on the final boss the first time.  Then I felt guilty after beating it and promptly replayed the final battle on Normal and was able to get past it.

Personally I think that GoW 3 is easier than GoW 1 and 2 but I know that not everyone shares that opinion.  

Anyone having trouble with the double-jump control in the game?  I find that pretty much every time I go to jump over a "pit of death" I fall in at least once because somehow I manage to mess up the timing on the double jump.  Either I let go and hit the button a third time (thinking that deploying the wings is a separate "action") or I hold the button down somehow that causes him not to execute the second jump.  It's weird because if I just stand in place I can double jump all day, but I guess I'm subconciously doing something different when I jump over a pit.

They changed the invisible boundary for some reason.  According to a dev post I read, the moved the plane from just past the edge of of a cliff to exactly on the edge of the cliff.  As a result if you usually jump right before the edge of cliff then you will trip on the invisible boundary.  The solution is to jump earlier than previous games.  

[The Grue]

Anyone having trouble with the double-jump control in the game?  I find that pretty much every time I go to jump over a "pit of death" I fall in at least once because somehow I manage to mess up the timing on the double jump.  Either I let go and hit the button a third time (thinking that deploying the wings is a separate "action") or I hold the button down somehow that causes him not to execute the second jump.  It's weird because if I just stand in place I can double jump all day, but I guess I'm subconciously doing something different when I jump over a pit.

I read somewhere it has to do with hit detection in the game and it happens to me as well.  Basically, if you are the type of person who waits until the last minute to jump from a ledge, you will die.  This is because they put a mechanic in the game where it stops you so you can't just fall from a ledge without making a second effort.  Try jumper sooner than you want to and you should be fine.

[Chaz]

The post about the chests reminded me of this.  Of all the things that I like about the GoW series and the elements it's brought to other games, there's one I wish would die: the "mash B/O to open chest/door".  Really? My mashing speed has almost nothing to do with the process.  It's massively annoying.

[KePoW]

The post about the chests reminded me of this.  Of all the things that I like about the GoW series and the elements it's brought to other games, there's one I wish would die: the "mash B/O to open chest/door".  Really? My mashing speed has almost nothing to do with the process.  It's massively annoying.

You don't mash buttons to open chests anymore, you just hold R1.

I thought they already changed it to that way in GoW2, but it's been a while.  You do have to mash buttons to open some doors though.

[Kevin Grey]

The post about the chests reminded me of this.  Of all the things that I like about the GoW series and the elements it's brought to other games, there's one I wish would die: the "mash B/O to open chest/door".  Really? My mashing speed has almost nothing to do with the process.  It's massively annoying.

You don't mash buttons to open chests anymore, you just hold R1.

I thought they already changed it to that way in GoW2, but it's been a while.  You do have to mash buttons to open some doors though.

Yeah you didn't have to mash in GoW 2 either. 

[leo8877]

The post about the chests reminded me of this.  Of all the things that I like about the GoW series and the elements it's brought to other games, there's one I wish would die: the "mash B/O to open chest/door".  Really? My mashing speed has almost nothing to do with the process.  It's massively annoying.

You don't mash buttons to open chests anymore, you just hold R1.

I thought they already changed it to that way in GoW2, but it's been a while.  You do have to mash buttons to open some doors though.

Yeah you didn't have to mash in GoW 2 either. 

Are you guys not having trouble opening chests with R1 though?  Every chest has caused me problems.

[Chaz]

Was it just doors in GoW2 that required mashing? That's no good either.  Maybe I'm just transferring from Dante's Inferno, which I just finished, where you have to mash to open both doors and chests.

I thought it was funny when they gave the the Magic Key of Chest Opening that let you open chests without mashing, but only when it was equipped.

[leo8877]

Was it just doors in GoW2 that required mashing? That's no good either.  Maybe I'm just transferring from Dante's Inferno, which I just finished, where you have to mash to open both doors and chests.

I thought it was funny when they gave the the Magic Key of Chest Opening that let you open chests without mashing, but only when it was equipped.

Sometimes GoW makes you press O to open doors and stuff, but not like DF where if you didn't mash fast enough, the door wouldn't open.

[Chaz]

You think? I distinctly remember playing GoW and having Kratos sag under the weight of a door until I started mashing faster.  In DI, I figured out that you can actually mash very slowly and still have the thing open.  That doesn't make the mashing any less annoying.

Really, in either the mash or hold case, unless there's some sort of time pressure, I think you should be able to just hit the interact button and have dude open the item in question, even if he opens it slowly.

[kathode]

They changed the invisible boundary for some reason.  According to a dev post I read, the moved the plane from just past the edge of of a cliff to exactly on the edge of the cliff.  As a result if you usually jump right before the edge of cliff then you will trip on the invisible boundary.  The solution is to jump earlier than previous games.  

That's weird, I haven't played GOW 1 or 2 in years.  I guess I'll just jump earlier than I would if I really expected to clear the gap and see if that works for me   It's not that huge of a deal but kind of annoying to see Kratos impotently fall to his death

[MonkeyFinger]

Oddly enough, the in-game title screen for the Ultimate Edition even says so.  Ultimate Edition is written below God of War III.  It's actually a different title screen than the normal edition disc.

I remember reading this and then when I got mine - it doesn't say "Ultimate" anywhere. The case says "Not for resale" but nowhere on it does it say it's from the Ultimate Edition. There's a paper insert that says that and has all the extra content codes but on the XMB or in-game there's no indication of this. Now kinda curious if that's a US vs. other editions thing?  

[kathode]

haha, just got the "I didn't do it... But I wish I did" trophy.  Very funny.

[leo8877]

Oddly enough, the in-game title screen for the Ultimate Edition even says so.  Ultimate Edition is written below God of War III.  It's actually a different title screen than the normal edition disc.

I remember reading this and then when I got mine - it doesn't say "Ultimate" anywhere. The case says "Not for resale" but nowhere on it does it say it's from the Ultimate Edition. There's a paper insert that says that and has all the extra content codes but on the XMB or in-game there's no indication of this. Now kinda curious if that's a US vs. other editions thing?  

I wonder if it's because I downloaded the skin and combat arena code from the insert...that's why it says ultimate edition on my title screen?

[KePoW]

Are you guys not having trouble opening chests with R1 though?  Every chest has caused me problems.

I have problems opening them due to the fact that you have to be very close to the chest, and at a very finicky certain angle too, in order to 'initiate' opening the chest.  Which is annoying as shit.

But once Kratos does actually stick to a chest and start to open it, there is no problem.

[leo8877]

Man Holy Shit!  I am 6.5 hours in and wow wow WOW WOW!!!!!

[MonkeyFinger]

Oddly enough, the in-game title screen for the Ultimate Edition even says so.  Ultimate Edition is written below God of War III.  It's actually a different title screen than the normal edition disc.

I remember reading this and then when I got mine - it doesn't say "Ultimate" anywhere. The case says "Not for resale" but nowhere on it does it say it's from the Ultimate Edition. There's a paper insert that says that and has all the extra content codes but on the XMB or in-game there's no indication of this. Now kinda curious if that's a US vs. other editions thing?  

I wonder if it's because I downloaded the skin and combat arena code from the insert...that's why it says ultimate edition on my title screen?

I guess we'll see... haven't taken that step yet.

Edited to add - yup, as suspected, activating the 'Challenge of the Exile Arena and Dominus Skin' promo officially unlocks it as the Ultimate Edition.

[leo8877]

They are doing some interesting things with the story in this one (spoilers through about 7 hours into the game):

Spoiler for Hiden:

  It seems like they are kind of making Krators the villain of the piece.  He was never a "good" guy before but I aways felt that he was at least at moral parity with the Gods in the previous games.  This time out they are going to trouble to humanize his enemies a bit and even some of his foes from previous games (like when you read various notes from his victims in Hades).  Zeus's bad behavior seems to have been due to Kratos opening Pandora's box which released all of the hate and paranoia that Zeus had locked away.  Indeed it seems Zeus thought fondly of Krators before GoW2.  Every time that Kratos slays a god he is basically inflicting a great plight upon the mortals (blocking out the sun, releasing a plague, uncontrollable sea level, nothing but torment in the afterlife, etc).  Even his customary human sacrifice was a bit offputting- in past games it was either a soldier or translator (whose sole purpose in life was to be sacrificed) but here he casually sacrifices Posiedon's mistress.  Hell, I felt bad when he killed Hapheastus since the guy was only trying to protect his daughter.

I expect he will have some kind of epiphany or change of heart in the end.  Definitely an interesting tactic to take this time around. 

Interesting thoughts KG....

Spoiler for Hiden:

I can see your points.  I felt a little bad about Hephaestus, but the bastard did try and jump me!  With that said, I'm curious to see where the story keeps going.  Kratos is keeping to his word though, nothing is going to stop him from his vengeance!  And if something does, don't tell me, because I'm not there yet

[Kevin Grey]

Man Holy Shit!  I am 6.5 hours in and wow wow WOW WOW!!!!!

Lemme guess....

Spoiler for Hiden:

Cronos?

[leo8877]

Man Holy Shit!  I am 6.5 hours in and wow wow WOW WOW!!!!!

Lemme guess....

Spoiler for Hiden:

Cronos?

Yes!!!

Spoiler for Hiden:

WOW, that was one amazing thrill ride!!!  What amazing set pieces this game has!

[disarm]

Man Holy Shit!  I am 6.5 hours in and wow wow WOW WOW!!!!!

Lemme guess....

Spoiler for Hiden:

Cronos?

Yes!!!

Spoiler for Hiden:

WOW, that was one amazing thrill ride!!!  What amazing set pieces this game has!

i just finished that part as well...honestly has to be one of the most incredible things i've ever experienced in a game.  the large set-piece battles of this game have all been amazing so far, yet each one i come across is better than the last.  the creativity and originality of those sequences is what really makes them shine.  if they're doing things this awesome already, i can't even imagine what's in store near the end...

i saw adam sessler's X-play review for GoW3 earlier today, and he said a couple things that pretty much some up my feelings so far...

"How am i actually playing something that looks this good?" and "If you have a PS3, get this game.  If you don't have a PS3, get one, then get this game.  It's that damn good."

[leo8877]

All these neato items that I am getting that say you must beat the game to use, can I use them on a different difficulty level up, or only on the same one I am finding them on?

[leo8877]

Regarding the obligatory sex scene:

Spoiler for Hiden:

Does anything happen if you say no to Aphrodite at first?  Or does she just give her comment about men and war right away instead of after the act?

[Chaz]

Got about two hours in this morning. 

Yup, it's a really pretty God of War.  It is really damn pretty.  The opening sequence is damn impressive.

That said, I didn't like the first boss at all.  While giant, screen-filling attacks look cool, they're a pain in the ass to know how to avoid.  There's times when there's a safe spot that doesn't look like a safe spot, and other times where you'll get hit in what looks like safe.  It's also difficult to know what can be blocked and what can be dodged.  Lead me to a whole ton of deaths on that fight.

I've also been running into the spotty platform jumping and grab controls.  During one section with a pushable object, I had to pull it out of an alcove.  If I didn't pull in exactly the right direction, I'd let go.  In previous games, you'd just be unable to move it.

So I guess at this point, I'm kind of lukewarm.  I like the visuals, but don't so much like the gameplay.  Bayonetta has spoiled me.   

[WinoMcCougarstein]

This game has better opening credits than 90% of Hollywood movies.

Edit:  I finished God of War 2 last night thinking the graphics on that were amazing for the PS2.  10 minutes in tow God of War 3 and I've been floored again.  This team knows how to make good looking games!

[msduncan]

Hades is PISSING ME OFF.   I've been trying to beat him on NORMAL F'ING MODE for 1 hour and keep getting my ASS handed to me.    I am NOT what I consider a beginner level player, but this is freaking RIDICULOUS.

It's ALMOST enough to make me take the F'ing game out of the PS3 and break it in half over my knee.     

[KePoW]

I don't recall that boss being super hard... after a couple tries of waiting around to see his attack patterns, and therefore knowing when to dodge.

Take it slow on that boss, don't just get all up in its face and spam attacks.

[msduncan]

Ok... I finally beat him.

I'm not sure why he was giving me so much trouble.    But I can tell you that beating him was like not having sex for 10 years and then Megan Fox rings your doorbell and rides you like a cowboy without warning.

[leo8877]

Ok... I finally beat him.

I'm not sure why he was giving me so much trouble.    But I can tell you that beating him was like not having sex for 10 years and then Megan Fox rings your doorbell and rides you like a cowboy without warning.

LOL awesome.

[leo8877]

Beat the game last night and absolutely loved everything about it.  What an EPIC game.  Santa Monica studio really knows what they're doing.  Amazing visuals, outstanding set pieces, awesome music, and KRATOS!  I'll be playing through again for sure....KG was right, this is the easiest of the GoW games (I played on Normal and barely had any trouble).  I'd like to try a harder level where you have to actually block, etc.

The updates to the QTE were awesome, I never had to look away from the screen to see the button, hell they even make it flash white when it pops up, in addition to placing the command in that quadrant.  I also liked the changes to the push/pull, where you could turn the way an object was facing, so that you didn't have to release and then grab from a different side.  Combat was also better, with no real instances where I was screwed because I hit L1 and square and then got destroyed.

On to my end game thoughts....SPOILERS AHEAD

Spoiler for Hiden:

When I saw Athena talking to Pandora on top of the Labyrinth, I thought something was up.  When I heard Zeus tell Gaia that she should "have picked the other one", I thought something was up (maybe he meant Hercules?).  Then Pandora gets evaporated and the Box is empty.  I thought that's weird, nothing was up.  Kratos apparently has hope with his rage and vengeance and that's what allowed him to kill a god?  I just figured he was the supreme bad ass and after zeus was dead (shit and everyone else!!!) he had done what he set out and do and then it was time to die.

I read on Wikipedia that the after the credits scene may suggest that Kratos is still alive, but I thought it was showing the series come full circle, with Kratos jumping from the same cliffs to his final death, like he wanted to at the beginning of GoW1.  What did you guys think?

I liked how Zeus fight wasn't too bad, and the updated QTE made his sequence really easy.  And thank goodness you didn't die if you screwed up.  I was sad to have the game end and I really don't see what else they can do with the series?  Another CoO game would seem odd after knowing how this whole thing ends.  Nice that they properly finished it, but I've enjoyed these games so much I am sad that they seem to be coming to a close.

EDIT:  Oh an the Cronos section was my absolute favorite. I thought it even blew the intro out of the water.  What an AMAZING gaming sequence.

Also, did Hades have an item that you could use in a next playthrough?  I never found anything from him.

[disarm]

i finished the game this evening...absolutely awesome from beginning to end.  sure, it doesn't bring much new in terms of gameplay, but what is there has been refined to near perfection.  unlike previous GoW games, all of the weapons Kratos finds are well implemented and useful in different situations.  while i did use the Chains of Exile more than anything, i also found the cestus to be incredibly useful and used it quite a lot.  thanks to consistency in attacks between weapons, some great items (bow, boots, 'spotlight'), and the ability to switch quickly between all Kratos' powers, combat is has become even more fast-paced and varied.  while it may be a bit more of a 'button masher' than games like Bayonetta or Ninja Gaiden, it's still complex without being frustrating...a great combination.  add in fantastic level design, great graphics, and a satisfying conclusion to Kratos' story, and GoW3 is destined to be one of the year's top games.

end game spoilers...

Spoiler for Hiden:

i'll echo the thoughts of others that the game definitely seemed much easier on 'normal' difficulty...not sure if that's because it truly is more forgiving, or because i've just gotten better the gameplay having played the whole series, but i definitely didn't have much trouble beating the game this time.  i have to admit that i found the Zeus battle a little disappointing though.  while it has some very cool moments, i think the whole things was surprisingly easy and small-scale for the final battle of the game.  considering the epic setpieces you encounter through the rest of the game, playing out the final fight with Zeus in a small cavern next to Gaia's heart was just a bit of a let down...didn't come close to some of the other big boss battles.  with the rest of the game so full of epic moments, the Cronos battle being my favorite by far, the showdown with Zeus just isn't as memorable.  that said, beating him to a pulp from a first-person perspective was pretty cool (although not as cool as flattening Hercules' face).

as for the story, i thought it became pretty obvious well before the 'big reveal' that Kratos' strongest weapon would be Hope...an idea that also fits perfectly with the traditional story of Pandora.  in the original Greek myth, Pandora releases all the evils of mankind when she opens the box and leaves only hope locked away when it is closed...just as we find out happened when Kratos opened the box in the original God of War.  i thought it was a nice twist when Athena revealed that Zeus and the rest of the gods were initially benevolent, but became corrupted by the evils released from Pandora's Box by Kratos.  while Ares is to blame for bringing Kratos' wrath on himself, it turns out to be Kratos' own actions during his quest for vengeance against Ares that bring about all of the corruption that he faces from that point on...none of the events of GoW 2 or 3 would have come about if Kratos had never opened Pandora's Box to defeat Ares.  Kratos does find some bit of redemption in the end, however, because he discovers Hope and gives it back to the world.  too bad it took the destruction of pretty much everything and everyone for him to reach that point...sure was fun to watch it all be ruined though

i'm not sure of Kratos' fate at the end of the game, but i'm guessing that's what Santa Monica Studios intended...give some closure to his story, but leave open the possiblity that he survived to return in another game.  personally, i like the idea that Kratos found hope despite his committment to vengeance, then reached some final bit of peace in his death.  i think the conclusion is ultimately up to our own interpretation for now though...

Also, did Hades have an item that you could use in a next playthrough?  I never found anything from him.

there is an item for Hades that automatically maxes out all your meters...one of the ones i missed as well.  apparently it's at the bottom of the River Styx just after you beat him.  unfortunately, i managed to miss a couple other 'godly possessions,' so i guess i'll need to go back and play the game again to get them all...an absolute shame

[MonkeyFinger]

The updates to the QTE were awesome, I never had to look away from the screen to see the button, hell they even make it flash white when it pops up, in addition to placing the command in that quadrant.

Interesting. I'm just starting off with it but actually not liking that change so far, I'm not sure if it is the fact that I'm playing on a fairly large (65") screen or what but having them at the far edges means I have to keep scanning the outside for them to pop up and really can't watch and enjoy the action that they are triggering. I like to think I know where each one is without having that extra 'push the square button and pssst it's the one on the left' help on the screen, even if sometimes I have a brain-fart and screw up. I guess there's no option to go 'old style' so I'll just adjust, watch the action and trigger off the white flash Leo mentioned.  

[Chaz]

I've also got a large screen and am not crazy about the icons on the edge thing.  I find that since I have to keep my attention on all four edges, plus the lower right corner for "mash circle", plus the center for analog stick moves, I have to basically keep my eyes semi-unfocused to keep all areas in my peripheral vision. 

I vastly preferred the Heavy Rain version, where the button press showed up physically in the area where the action was going to happen.  If you were going to hit someone with your right blade, the button would show up there.

[Kevin Grey]

Playing on a 61" screen and I love the changes to the QTE screen. 

[Bullwinkle]

Add me to the list of not loving the icon placement.  It wasn't game-ruining, certainly, but it wasn't ideal.  I found that I'd screw up any time I got caught up in the story or action on screen.  That's not something you want.  I also thought the icons shouldn't be random, but contextual, in that you'd use, say, triangle for an action that had Kratos swinging over his head.  That kind of intuitive button-press would have helped.  

Also the switch to R1 from R2 really messed me up a bunch of times.  Not sure why they changed that.  Again, by no means game-tanking.  Just odd.

I finished last night (I didn't think I'd get to it until Tuesday, so that was exciting).  Really fantastic.  So many moments where I was just grinning from ear to ear.   The set pieces were fantastic, as everyone has mentioned.  Quite a few really disgusting moments, too.

Spoiler for Hiden:

Herc's face and Kronos' nail are the two that stick in my mind most

Something I found really interesting and great was the way the game made you get into Kratos' visceral destruction and vengeance, all the while showing you how destructively awful that path really is.  At every turn, people were telling Kratos how their lives had been impacted by his actions.  The world is in a constant state of ruin as a result.  There are dead bodies everywhere, and Kratos never comments or reacts.  Then he goes and rips out a cyclops eyeball.

Maze-like area near end of game -

Spoiler for Hiden:

A good example of this is Daedalus.  Hanging there, miserable and angry at Zeus, though it was Kratos who ripped his son's wings out.  Kratos never apologizes, of course, but he doesn't even set him straight.  Then, without a thought, he just starts moving boxes and crushes him.

This brings me to the one weak-point in the story.  It's a key moment, necessary for a lot of the action, but it rings false to me.  Put in just so that Kratos can extend his rampage.  

Spoiler for Hiden:

Gaia lets Kratos know he was a pawn.  He gets angry and directs his fury at the Titans, too.  First of all, why does this really matter to him?  Gaia was also a means to an end for Kratos.  They were after the same thing and fell in together.  This "betrayal" is nothing like what the other gods had done to him.  Secondly, why would Gaia even say this to him?  I suppose it was so that she could have the final blow against Zeus, but why mention it until you were finally at the top of Olympus?  It just felt stapled in to allow for the cool fights to come.   Athena's need for the hope juice at the end felt similar to me, but more because it was just vague.

Overall, though, incredible.  Stunningly beautiful, well-tuned controls, great characters.  Useful weapons/powers (like others have said, I found myself using everything at least some of the time.  Mostly the chains and fists, but everything came in to play for a little - more than in the past.  Linking the weapons to the powers made everything more stream-lined, too).  Perfectly balanced challenge, as well (I like it a little easy) - nothing felt insurmountable.  Start-to-finish entertainment, pure and simple.

[Kevin Grey]

Also the switch to R1 from R2 really messed me up a bunch of times.  Not sure why they changed that.  Again, by no means game-tanking.  Just odd.

Are you talking about for opening chests?  That was changed to R1 in GoW 2.

[Bullwinkle]

Also the switch to R1 from R2 really messed me up a bunch of times.  Not sure why they changed that.  Again, by no means game-tanking.  Just odd.

Are you talking about for opening chests?  That was changed to R1 in GoW 2.

Ah, that and the doors.  I had just come off replaying GoW 1, so that explains that little hang-up.

[KePoW]

Put me in the camp of not liking the new QTE button placements.

Ideally I thought it would be great, but in reality it's very distracting.  Heavy Rain's QTE style is better (although I don't like the game in general).

[vizionblind]

Did u really just say u like bayonetta controls better? For shame

[Chaz]

Yup, Bayonetta definitely controls better than GoW.  In Bayonetta, you'll never get locked into a combo animation because you can always dodge out, and can then pick up the combo where you left off.  In Bayonetta, I feel like I'm in control of the character.  In GoW, I feel like my button presses are suggestions.

[KePoW]

Did u really just say u like bayonetta controls better? For shame

As far as combat-wise and mechanics?  Uhh yeah, Bayonetta is 10x better in that regard.  I don't think even the most rabid GoW fanboys would deny that.