![]() ![]() Before you hop online, you first must make a blood oath to one of the gods - Ares, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. Unlike previous iterations in the franchise, "Ascension" sports multiplayer. These brain teasers deliver a little downtime in a game chock full of action but not to the detriment of the campaign's pacing. Many of the puzzles implement the Amulet of Uroborus, which can heal or decay objects in the world. The puzzles, another staple of the series, are challenging but not to a fault. But despite this misstep, the combat system has never been so enjoyable. This change robs the parry system of any fluidity because timing is so critical and the combat is so fast-paced. In previous games in the franchise, it was a simple one-button press but now this has been changed to a combination of buttons. The one drawback from all these changes is to the parry system. These weapons are mapped to the circle button, so switching between the Blades and these world weapons is very fluid. Swords, spears, clubs, shields and slings are some of the armaments that Kratos can wield, offering another way to create carnage. ![]() ![]() You can also pick up weapons from the ground. This adds a level of depth and choice that was missing in the previous titles. Poseidon's power yields upgrade orbs, Hades health, Ares rage and Zeus magic. The Blade powers also have a specific benefit when killing enemies after triggering the rage meter. This change makes it more rewarding to fill the meter and unleash the rage power, which changes based on which Blade power you have active. Instead of slowly but continuously filling up the meter as you rack up kills like in previous games in the series, now you build the meter more quickly but taking any damage will drain your rage. Switching between these powers is effortless as each is mapped to the directional pad. Ares provides fire, Poseidon delivers ice, Zeus offers lightning and Hades power is summoning the dead. As you progress through the campaign, four new powers become available. Magic doesn't play as large of a role in "Ascension", but the Blades are now affected powers from the gods. Kratos has his trusty Blades of Chaos, which now emit a stunning glow that makes each battle a visual marvel. ![]() The combat system has never felt as fluid. But the camera does a solid job keeping up with the fast-pace action for the most part. Sometimes the perspective is too removed from the action because it's trying to put the spotlight on the unbelievable backdrop, but this makes it difficult to pick out Kratos from the horde of enemies. The camera work during this sequence is hit or miss though. The camera zooms in to give an up-close look at the brutal battles Kratos is waging and then panes out to reveal the enormous creature - Hecatonchires - that is serving as the battleground. The opening sequence rivals anything the franchise has previously concocted, pushing scale and scope to astonishing levels. Though the story doesn't delve into Kratos' relationship with his family as much as I thought, it does show a more human side of a character that has been defined by rage and vengeance.Īs with previous titles in the series, the set pieces are some of the most jaw-dropping in all of video games. The campaign then switches to three weeks before his capture, revealing the events that got him to this point. Upon freeing himself, Kratos sets out to try to break his allegiance to Ares while also trying to end the visions he sees of his wife and daughter. Taking place months after being tricked into killing his wife and daughter, Kratos is captured by the Furies, three sisters who dole out punishment to anyone who betrays the gods. Add to that a multiplayer that is unlike anything currently out there, and this is a worthy entry into one of the most beloved franchise in Sony's stable of exclusives. The combat - the franchise's bread and butter - has never been so visceral and developer Sony Santa Monica has added an additional layer of depth to the tried and true Blades of Chaos. Kratos' latest epic journey is just as compelling, heart-pumping and bloody as his five previous tales. With the initial build up for "God of War Ascension" centered on multiplayer, series veterans began to fear that the grandiose single player would be a thing of the past. ![]()
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