You can discard them at any time with a special attack (L1+O) and create combos using a mixture of your Blades of Chaos and equipped World Weapon. Kratos can also pick up one of five 'World Weapons' which are either lying around in a level or brandished by enemies, which range from spears to clubs and can be used during battle by pressing the 'Circle' button. The Blades of Chaos come in four different elemental forms and are the only primary weapons in the game. Climbing now feels more organic and these platforming sections are often the focus of game play for a good few minutes rather than a brief means to an end as they were in previous God of War games.Ĭombat has also seen some refinements and changes, with a renewed emphasis on Kratos' Blades of Chaos which allow him to grapple enemies with the chains wrapped around his wrists. There's a surprising amount of platforming in God of War: Ascension, too, including plenty of 'slidey bits' that reminded me of the sand-surfing in Journey. There are a few instances when Kratos disappears behind a wall but for the most part the camera design does a wonderful job of highlighting the scale of each level and providing you with visual cues about where you need to go next to solve a puzzle or exit an area.Īscension is one of the most cinematic games you’ll find on PlayStation 3 since it’s often difficult to distinguish between cut-scenes and game play.Įvery frame of the game fills up the entire TV screen and almost every scene is rendered in real-time, resulting in some truly thrilling moments that blur the line between watching the game and playing it.įor example, there's one scene where Kratos is hanging on the side of a mechanical python as it hurtles upward and suddenly you're prompted to grapple to another platform - forcefully pulling you out of the trance induced by this incredible visual spectacle. The game still uses preset camera angles that allow Santa Monica Studio's artists to pack each level with intricate detail, atmospheric lighting effects and highly tactile textures. If you've played God of War III then God of War: Ascension's visuals and gameplay will feel instantly familiar. Cape Town - Santa Monica Studio's God of War series is renowned for its brutal action, epic scale and show-stopping set-pieces, not to mention its hulking hero Kratos.Īll of these elements are once again on full display in God of War: Ascension - a prequel to the series that sees Kratos attempting to break free from the shackles put in place by the original god of war, Ares.

God of war ascension