God of War introduced Kratos to the world of Sony Playstation as he battles against the Greek Gods. When the first two games were released for the Playstation 2, they left a phenomenal impression with their epic gameplay and incredible graphics. That tradition continued with the release of the third installment for the Playstation 3. Furthermore, two other God of War titles for the PSP. Well now, we’ve got another one coming titled Ascension which serves as the prequel for the very first game.
The story again centers around Kratos as he happens to escape while being tortured by Megaera, which he then sets out to take on all the Furies. The battles featured in God of War: Ascension is quite epic considering the enemies that he faces. On top of that, you’ll go through various unbelievable scenarios like sliding down the platforms downwards while the surrounding buildings start to break apart. There are also quick time events that zoom in on the action as you bear witness to all the ripping apart of gigantic enemies.
The combat in God of War: Ascension follows the same route as the previous titles within the series. You still get to slice and dice your enemies which give feelings of excitement and exhilaration. As you progress further, your weapons can be empowered with different element types associated with a specific god. In addition, you can have Kratos pick up other weapons including a club and javelin that your fallen enemies drop. However, you won’t be able to keep these for very long, much like you’d expect from such a game like Double Dragon.
Besides battling enemies, you’ll guide Kratos through situations that require the powers of your mind and concentration. These could involve such things as pulling levers and moving crates around in order to reach certain areas or unveil passages. As well, you could have Kratos climb across various platforms. The experience is pretty amazing considering how he’s just hanging on from such great heights. There’s also the Amulet of Uroborus which allows you to either enhance or decay an object. While some of the puzzles can be pretty engaging, most others can leave you frustrated as you may find that you require more time than necessary to solve. Nonetheless, if you could get passed through these moments, your accomplishments do feel rewarding.
An additional feature included in God of War: Ascension is the multiplayer mode. This is the first in the series to have such an inclusion. At this point, the action can get pretty crazy but also confusing when you can have up to eight players that take up the screen and battle all about. Consequently, there are many occasions where you won’t be able to decipher where your character is located. You may also engage in the game’s co-op mode where you have another player join in on a time limited survival match against waves of incoming enemies. Regardless, this multiplayer inclusion is what gives this game its replay value.
Presentation-wise, God of War: Ascension looks mighty impressive, but I feel that the previous titles still left a greater impression than this one here. That doesn’t go without saying that the characters are still well-designed and the color scheme is implemented in an attractive manner. The backgrounds are pleasing to look at while the battles themselves are filled with top-notch special effects. However, where improvements should be made is on the fluidity of the game’s animation. It seems that God of War: Ascension stutters at times for its frame rate. Luckily, if you factor in its extraordinary soundtrack as well as the sounds of chaos during battles, you’ll be enthralled by its gaming experience.
Expect the single-player campaign in God of War: Ascension to last around nine hours. Include the multiplayer mode and you’ve got yourself an everlasting game that offers hours of excitement. This particular title continues to provide an excellent action-packed experience behind a remarkably executed presentation that will leave you wanting more. It may not leave as much impact as previous titles within the series have left before. Nonetheless, God of War: Ascension certainly should not be missed with all its godly qualities.
