Review: God of War III

The God of War series has served as the gold standard for hack-and-slash action games since its inception in 2005. Amazing gameplay, top notch graphics and a compelling storyline have been hallmarks of Kratos’ adventures between Hades and Mount Olympus. For his first foray on the PS3, Kratos made sure to bring his A-game. There’s no doubt about it, this is a must own title and a system seller.

I’ve written and re-written this section of the review quite a few times in an effort to not throw out spoilers. Trust me, you want to experience this game without knowing what’s around the next turn. God of War III is beyond epic. From the levels set on moving Titans climbing Mount Olympus to the the enormous boss battles, this is something that needs to be experienced first hand. God of War III is filled with numerous “wow” moments. Whether it be sheer graphical prowess, technical capabilities, or the non-stop pacing of how things unfold, on quite a few occasions I found myself saying “I can’t believe they pulled that off.”

Throughout the course of the game, you’ll get a solid number of additional weapons, items and abilities that can be leveled up through collecting red orbs, similar to earlier games in the series. I found myself putting most of my early efforts into upgrading my Blades of Exile. Once you get to Level 3 or higher, you’ve got a dominant set of weapons on your hands. I found myself later in the game using the last weapon you acquire as my go-to mode of destruction, although I did switch around frequently for various death-dealing tasks. I particularly enjoyed the overall balance of all weapons and that you couldn’t really just rely on one. However, I did find myself neglecting the Claws of Hades more than any other weapon, but that was just a personal choice.

There is only one complaint I can really say about the game and it’s very minor. God of War III doesn’t do a terrific job catching up new players, so if you haven’t gone through the first two games, either pick up a copy of God of War Collection or read up on the story to get an idea of what Kratos has gone through already. Otherwise, there is very little wrong with the game. I got stuck on some puzzles the first time through, but that was more on me than the game.

If you own a PS3, this is beyond a must buy. This is a system seller if Sony plays their marketing cards right. God of War III is a very strong contender for 2010′s Game of the Year and we’re not even out of Winter. Whether you run out now and throw down a pre-order, camp out at your local Wal-Mart, or take the day off, if you don’t buy a copy of God of War III on March 16th, we’re going to have to question your status as a gamer.

[A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for review purposes.]