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Sunday, September 19, 2010

God of War III: Ultimate Edition

God of War III: Ultimate Edition Review



Every God of War game that has been released since the first in 2005 has been incredible. Amazingly enough, they even got the mobile game right! And despite this being the final core chapter of Kratos' quest to murder the gods and take down Olympus brick by brick, there are still more games to come. So how does this one stack up versus the rest of them?

Every person is going to have their own opinions as to which is the best game but in my eyes this is the best. You can pick it up, having known nothing of the earlier games, and still get the full experience. There is even a slight nod to Chains of Olympus and because of the nature of this nod, I would strongly recommend picking that game up first if you intend to play it. That said, though, it still can be picked up by almost anyone and the player can be sucked in. The back story is explained as you go and many things that happened in the earlier games come back and deeply affect the story of this game.

Many have, and will, cry out about how this game doesn't bring anything new to the table. At it's core, no it doesn't, but it not only refines it for a faster, smoother, and much more well-rounded playthrough. Sure three out of the four weapons are nearly the same, but they're different enough that you can still use them in different scenarios to better (or worse) effect. And even beyond that, the gameplay of the other games was darn near perfect and people knew it. Why else would you be seeing so many clones starting to pop up on the market? So with that in mind, why try fixing what isn't already broken? The gameplay is smoother, even in situations that take up a lot of performance power and the weapon/magic upgrades are a lot faster. No more sitting bored to tears while waiting for your meter to fill.

And speaking of areas that take up a lot of power: this is not a game that should be viewed on a standard TV. You will miss so much in doing so it would be almost criminal not to play it on an HDTV. Right off the bat you begin by climbing Mount Olympus and are engaged in battle with Poseidon and his Leviathan beast. Your jaw may just about fall out when you witness this fight, I know mine wanted to. The sheer level of detail and depth in this game is staggering and will leave you awestruck and breathless. If you enjoyed the brutal methods of killing in the previous games, just wait until you see this one. This is not a game for kids, at all, but the greater amount of horsepower in this system has given rise to probably some of the most visceral displays of violence in modern media. Yes the fight with Poseidon is amazing to watch, but you'll likely be wide-eyed thinking "I can't believe he's doing that" when you, yes you, are killing him.

All in all, the game, though short, is a truly incredible gaming experience and definitely comes as essential for all mature gamers. The amount of trophies and little extras make the game well worth revisiting.

But how does the Ultimate Edition compare to the standard? Well, first there's the price difference. You get the following:

- The God of War III game
- A special alternate costume for once you beat the game
- A special documentary about the making of the game (standard and high definition)
- The God of War Blood and Metal EP (a value on iTunes or Amazon MP3)
- The God of War Trilogy Soundtrack
- A special unlockable arena
- Art Book
- Pandora's Box Replica

Is it worth the more? (Yes I realize it's more now that it's a collector's item of sorts) To me it was, as I like the Pandora's Box replica, the art book, and the soundtracks, and I will likely watch the documentary and get lots more play time out of the game with the alternate costume and arena. Some won't get the same experience as me, a future art major, from the art book, or the soundtrack because, let's face it, how many people regularly listen to movie scores? .00001% of the American populous? Sounds about right. If you don't listen to those, chances are you won't listen to this regularly. I don't, but I do enjoy listening to it from time to time and likely will even more come school, as I do enjoy listening to scored music when doing schoolwork.

Thus, it works for me, but even then, the box itself is rather empty. You open Pandora's Box and there's just a little art book (it's smaller than you might think and only has a small fraction of the concept art pieces in it) and the game under the secret board thing. The space under here can also fit the God of War Collection, seeing as it's also the same model Pandora's Box as the one included in the Trilogy edition internationally. The rest of the bonuses are included as codes in a little booklet of scratch-offs inside the game case.

When all's said and done, though, whether you chose to get the standard version, you're still getting one of the most breathtaking experiences in modern gaming. This is, to me, at least, one of the greatest games I have ever had the pleasure of playing. If you are mature enough to handle the extreme levels of first person violence and hands-on sex in this game, then you're in for one hell of a wild ride.

*Five Stars*



God of War III: Ultimate Edition Feature


  • True to the series roots, the four pillars of game play - brutal combat, intricate puzzles, exploration of awe-inspiring worlds, and a compelling story - all return.
  • Along with the God of War III game, the Ultimate Edition includes a wealth of exclusive physical and digital content. See the full list below.
  • God of War III is the epic conclusion to the Greek mythological trilogy, which will complete Kratos' story that began in the original title for the PlayStation 2.
  • New deadly weapons like the Cestus, powerful metal gauntlets with devastating strength, and other brutal instruments of war that open up ruthless new techniques.
  • The menacing creatures of Greek mythology can now be manipulated against their will, to cross chasms, inflict blind rage against enemies, reveal puzzles and secrets, and as tools of complete annihilation.



God of War III: Ultimate Edition Overview


The God of War® III game finds Kratos raining carnage and destruction upon the Gods who have betrayed him and the entire Ancient Greek world. Armed with his deadly double-chained blades, Kratos will take on mythology’s darkest creatures while solving intricate puzzles on his merciless quest to destroy Olympus and the mighty Zeus himself. Built by the fans and for the fans of the God of War franchise, the God of War® III Ultimate Edition features exclusive digital content and collectible content. Ultimate Edition Includes: God of War® III - The God of War® III game finds Kratos raining carnage and destruction upon the Gods who have betrayed him and the entire Ancient Greek world. Carve through the massive army of Olympus while its Centaur Generals command waves of merciless undead soldiers. Ascend Mount Olympus to reach revenge while navigating on the back of a creature who could crush the Statue of Liberty in the palm of its hand. Use the creatures of Greek legend to cross chasms, reveal secrets, and destroy anything in its way. Uncover new deadly weapons and brutal instruments of war that allow ruthless new techniques such as grappling with enemies and launching explosive wall to ground attacks


God of War III: Ultimate Edition Specifications


The God of War III Ultimate Edition is everything that new and longtime God of War fans need to experience the final chapter in one of the most acclaimed action series of all-time. God of War III is a single player action game, exclusive to the PlayStation 3, and the final installment of the God of War trilogy. It is packed with signature and addictive God of War gameplay — a combination of over-the-top action combat, exploration and puzzle-solving — along with an engrossing mythologically inspired storyline and a selection of new weapons and a new weapons system. Couple these with the wealth of extras and exclusive content included in the Ultimate Edition and you have a fitting conclusion a franchise fit for the gods themselves.

God of War III Ultimate Edition game logo
Story and Gameplay
God of War III allows players on the PlayStation 3 to take on the climatic role of the ex-Spartan warrior, Kratos, as he treads through the intimidating heights of Mt. Olympus and the dark depths of Hades once more to seek revenge on those who have betrayed him. Armed with double-chained blades, as well a selection of new weapons, Kratos must take on mythology's darkest creatures while solving intricate puzzles throughout his merciless quest to destroy Olympus and the mighty Zeus himself.

Key Game Features

    Kratos in profile from God of War III
    The Ghost of Sparta returns in the final chapter in the God of War trilogy.
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  • Exclusive Ultimate Edition Content - Along with the God of War III game the Ultimate Edition includes a wealth of exclusive physical and digital content. (see the full list of content below)
  • Only on the PS3 - The award-winning development team leverages the processing power and technology of PlayStation 3 system to make God of War III one of the most-graphically advanced next gen titles available, with even the dramatic cut screens running off the in-game engine.
  • Groundbreaking Depth of Scale - Kratos will explore areas up to 4 times larger than those found in God of War II, as well as carve through entire armies while navigating on the back of Titans - living, moving, breathing levels as tall as the Empire State Building.
  • Realism - Players will battle in detailed and unique 3D worlds lit by thousands of dynamic lights and textures with quadruple the resolution, which allows for realistic muscle striations, detailed facial expressions, and new heightened levels of brutality and gore.
  • Signature Gameplay - Brutal combat, intricate puzzles, exploration of awe-inspiring worlds, and a compelling and satisfying ending to Kratos’ epic story.
  • Sophisticated Storyline - The God of War III storyline is the epic conclusion to the trilogy; the storyline will be told in a way that is true to traditionalist roots in Greek mythology, from moral consequences to brutal battles against the gods.
  • Ridable Creatures - Several of the menacing creatures of Greek mythology in God of War III can now be manipulated against their will, as Kratos uses them to cross chasms, inflict blind rage against enemies, reveal puzzles and secrets, and as tools of complete annihilation.
  • New Weapons and Combat System - New deadly weapons such as the Cestus — powerful metal gauntlets with devastating strength — and other brutal instruments of war that will allow Kratos to learn ruthless new techniques such as grappling with enemies and launching explosive wall-to-ground attacks.
  • Lighting Technologies - The dynamic lighting solution employed in GOW III is only feasible through the computing power provided by the Cell SPUs. For example, using the High Dynamic Range Lighting (HDRL) technology, the camera – when using Krato’s sightline - will emulate the human retina, causing players to feel a sharp brightness when Kratos exits a dark area and enters a sunlit area, similar to how the human eye would need to adjust.
The God of War III Ultimate Edition Includes:
God of War III Ultimate Edition contents
The God of War III Ultimate Edition.
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  • Copy of God of War III.
  • High-end sculpted replica of Pandora’s Box.
  • Limited edition God of War art book featuring exclusive art, content and interviews.
  • Exclusive content downloadable via PlayStation Network.
    • God of War Combat Arena containing an exclusive environment and seven challenges.
    • Premium Kratos Skin – Dominus.
    • God of War: Unearthing the Legend Franchise Documentary – a full-length movie documentary depicting the history of the God of War franchise.
    • God of War Trilogy Soundtrack – God of War, II, and III scores from the game (mp3 digital download).
    • God of War: Blood and Metal EP – a heavy metal homage featuring original music inspired by God of War (mp3 digital download).
Screenshots:
Kratos with new weapons the Cestus gauntlets in God of War III
Feel Kratos' wrath.
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Kratos grappling towards a centaur boss in God of War III
More baddies and bosses.
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Explosive action in God of War III
New devastating weapons.
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Kratos working his way out of a titght spot in God of War III
Action/combat/puzzle play.
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Available at Amazon Check Price Now!




*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 19, 2010 21:35:37

Review Feature Office 2010

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