God of War III
Encyclopedia
God of War III is an action-adventure
video game released (as the fifth God of War game) by Sony Computer Entertainment
's Santa Monica
division for the PlayStation 3
in March 2010. The game achieved an aggregate score of 92% on both GameRankings and Metacritic
.
Based on Greek mythology
, the game focuses on protagonist
Kratos
, and forms part of a saga
(the sixth chapter in the God of War
series) with vengeance as a central theme.
Kratos and his initial allies, the Titans
, storm Mount Olympus
in an attempt to kill Zeus
and the Olympian Gods
.
, in a combination of first-person/third-person combat (including quick-time), platforming and puzzle game elements. Kratos' main weapons are the Blades of Exile (initially the Blades of Athena), with other new weapons, including the Claws of Hades, the Nemean Cestus and the Nemesis Whip. The Nemean Cestus (a pair of fist gauntlets), and the Nemesis Whip are crucial to the game, as they are required to advance through certain stages of the game.
Unlike the previous games in the series, the primary weapons also dictate the use of magic, with each weapon having an individual magic ability: Divine Reckoning (Blades of Athena), Army of Sparta (Blades of Exile), Soul Summon (Claws of Hades), Nemean Roar (Nemean Cestus) and Nemesis Rage (Nemesis Whip). The power of each magic ability increases via upgrading the weapon to which each is linked (excluding the temporary Divine Reckoning). Kratos also has an array of secondary weapons referred to as Items that have limited usage before needing recharging (which occurs automatically), being the Bow of Apollo, the Head of Helios
and Boots of Hermes
. All three are required to advance through certain stages of the game.
The relics (Poseidon's Trident, the Golden Fleece and Icarus Wings) that were acquired in previous games are automatically retained. The Blade of Olympus is also retained, but is no longer a primary weapon, being now utilized in conjunction with the special magic feature, The Rage of Sparta. The Rage of Sparta is the equivalent to the Rage of the Gods and Rage of the Titans from God of War
and God of War II
, respectively, and provides temporary invulnerability and increased attack damage. The Blade of Olympus is also used in several cut scenes to provide the finishing move on several foes and is used as the magic ability for the Blades of Athena.
Kratos also acquires another "passive" item similar to Poseidon's Trident: Hades' Soul, which allows Kratos to swim in the River Styx
without being attacked by lost souls. Health and Magic upgrades—Gorgon Eyes and Phoenix Feathers respectively—reappear, although in this instance, only three (as opposed to the original six) items need to be found for an upgrade. Minotaur Horns have also been added as a possible find and upgrade the charge for Items. All three upgrades are found in a style of chest that differs from normal Health and magic-giving chests, unlike the previous games.
Almost all upgraded weapons and magic acquired in previous games are gone at the beginning of gameplay, with Kratos only retaining the fully upgraded Blades of Athena, the Golden Fleece, Icarus Wings, and the Blade of Olympus. The Blades of Athena and Blade of Olympus are lost after the first main battle. The Blades of Athena, however, are replaced by the Blades of Exile and the Blade of Olympus is eventually recovered. Many of the familiar combination attacks reappear, with the new additions including the combat grapple: a ranged "grab" maneuver that, depending on the weapon, can either pull Kratos towards foes or forces them away (necessary at certain points in the game, with Kratos effectively "riding" harpies across chasms), and a simple grab with bare hands that allows Kratos to use lesser foes as a battering ram
. Kratos can also rapidly switch between weapons (eventually, all four primary weapons) in battle and continue the same attack combination.
Other changes include an increase in the number of enemies onscreen, increasing from 15 to a maximum of 50. During several major battles, the camera also pans out away from the fight sequence, although the player can still control Kratos while the camera is panning to add a new level of gameplay. Game director Stig Asmussen claimed that the hardware capabilities of the PlayStation 3
allow more flexibility in creating the characters of God of War III and allow for further interaction with the environment. Christer Ericson of SCE Santa Monica Studio
announced on his Twitter
page that God of War III has seamless loading (no Loading screens and No HDD installation requirement). The sex mini-game included in previous installments returns (an encounter with goddess Aphrodite
while her two servants watch), although, on this occasion, it links into the story. Other extra features includes the addition of 10 "godly possessions", which are often hidden near foes and provide additional abiliities during bonus play. The game also features 36 Trophies, which are awarded for Kratos' achievements (e.g. "Releasing the Floodgates" for killing Poseidon
). Upon obtaining the platinum trophy, players are linked to the website, spartansstandtall.com. On May 4, 2010, it was revealed that the site was a teaser and the official site for the second PSP title in the franchise, God of War: Ghost of Sparta
.
As with previous game installments, a challenge mode is included (seven trials called the "Challenge of Olympus"). A bonus challenge mode was included in both the Ultimate and Ultimate Trilogy Editions of the game called the "Challenge of Exile", with an extra seven challenges (now available on the PlayStation Store). A new mode called the "Combat Arena" is also included in all versions, with the player able to create their own battles and set the level of difficulty. Stig Asmussen stated more challenges may be added as downloadable content
to maintain the series.
Gaia
, as she and the other Titans climb Mount Olympus
to assault the Gods of Olympus. The Olympian gods launch a counter-assault, and Poseidon
is killed by the combined efforts of Kratos and Gaia
- his death causing the oceans to flood. Kratos and Gaia attempt to attack Zeus
, but are driven back and plunge from Mount Olympus. Gaia clings to the side of the mountain and refuses to save Kratos, stating he was nothing more than a pawn.
Kratos falls into the underworld
, losing the Blade of Olympus. Kratos lands in the River Styx, and the souls of the underworld weaken Kratos and ruin the Blades of Athena. After exiting the river, Kratos is confronted by the spirit of Athena
, who provides him with the Blades of Exile and states that to destroy Zeus he must quell the Flame of Olympus. After several battles, Kratos locates the Three Judges of the Underworld and the Chain of Balance that maintains the equilibrium between the Underworld, Earth, and Olympus. After a conversation with the spirit of Pandora
, Kratos recovers the Blade of Olympus. Kratos encounters the Olympian blacksmith
Hephaestus
, and later kills Hades
. Hades' death releases the souls of the underworld and exacerbates the chaos caused by Kratos' assault on Olympus. After exiting the underworld, Kratos travels to Olympia, where he encounters a wounded Gaia. Kratos ignores Gaia's request for aid and severs her arm, causing her to fall from Mount Olympus to her apparent death.
As Kratos continues his ascent, he overcomes various foes, including the Titan Perses
and the god Helios
- the latter's death blotting out the sun and causing worldwide darkness and storms. Learning that Pandora's Box
is once again the key to the success of his quest, Kratos then kills an overconfident Hermes
, his death releasing a plague on the world. Kratos also encounters his half-brother Hercules
, who is encouraged by a watching Hera
to murder the "bastard". Kratos, however, kills Hercules and travels to various locations to find the key to opening Pandora's Box, finally discovering that Pandora, herself, is the key and that only she can quell the "Flame of Olympus", a lethal fire that surrounds the Box. After Kratos is forced to kill Cronos
and then Hephaestus, the Spartan travels through Hera's Gardens, where he kills the taunting goddess (her death causing the end of all plant life). Kratos then returns to the Labyrinth
to find Pandora.
After fighting his way through the Labyrinth and rescuing Pandora, Kratos is instructed by Athena to break the Chain of Balance so that the Labyrinth can be raised and Pandora can reach Pandora's Box. After neutralizing the Three Judges and breaking the Chain, Kratos raises the Labyrinth and Pandora attempts to enter the Flame of Olympus. Zeus intervenes, but, after a brief battle, Pandora successfully sacrifices herself (despite Kratos' protests) and quenches the Flame. Kratos discovers Pandora's Box is empty, and battles Zeus once again. Gaia suddenly returns and attempts to kill the pair, but both escape via a gaping wound in her neck. Kratos eventually kills Gaia by impaling Zeus against her heart with the Blade of Olympus, an act that apparently also kills Zeus. Kratos recovers the Blade and begins to depart, but is then attacked by Zeus' spirit. Losing consciousness, he is saved by Pandora during a mental journey into his own psyche
. Forgiving himself for his past sins, Kratos regains consciousness and viciously beats Zeus to death.
Athena reappears, demanding Kratos return what he apparently took from Pandora's Box. Kratos states the box was empty, which Athena refuses to believe. Athena explains that when Zeus sealed the evils of the world (greed, fear and hate) within the box, she foresaw that it would eventually be opened, and so she placed her own power — hope
— within the box. Athena then realizes that when Kratos first opened the box to defeat Ares, the evils escaped and infected the Olympian Gods, while Kratos was endowed with hope. Athena demands Kratos return her power, stating she knows how to use it to rebuild the world. Kratos refuses and impales himself with the Blade of Olympus, releasing hope's power for all mankind. An angered Athena pulls the sword from Kratos and states that he has disappointed her. Kratos, nearing death, collapses as she departs.
In a post-credits scene
, a trail of blood is shown, leading away from an abandoned Blade of Olympus, leaving Kratos' final fate unknown.
stated that it would be "hell on earth" as the gods and the titans battle each other for domination and that "God of War explains, or ultimately will explain, why there are no more Greek myths". Jaffe also envisaged a very different end for the series, with other mythological pantheons becoming involved once Kratos killed Zeus and the other Greek gods. The end result would have apparently been mankind no longer believing in the gods, which according to Jaffe is the only true way a deity can die. Although Jaffe and Barlog left Sony for other opportunities, they are still credited for the series. On December 8, 2009, Stig Asmussen told IGN
that Cory Barlog "was with the team as Game Director for the first eight months of development," and that "he has had a major impact on the game." Asmussen also mentioned that even though Cory left the team, they spoke several times and "bounced a few ideas off him," but there was no formal collaboration. He also mentioned that David Jaffe "has been around the studio a few times" and that they've spoken as well and "have gone over some high level stuff with him to get his observations and feedback" on a few occasions. The finished game script was approximately 120 pages. God of War III was first discussed by Cory Barlog
at a God of War II
launch event. Barlog stated that the game would run at full 1080p
HD resolution, and the game would support Sixaxis
tilt and vibration functions. This was stated before the DualShock 3 controller was announced; therefore causing confusion as the Sixaxis controller did not support rumble. Barlog also expressed an interest in adding a cooperative
mode "if we can do something unique with it". In March 2009 during the Game Developers Conference, the developers stated that the Sixaxis capabilities have been removed, due to the fact that the developers "could not find a suitable situation to use Sixaxis in the game effectively", and have decided to scrap the idea altogether rather than put it in and have it working poorly.
In November 2009, Stig Asmussen, Game Director for God of War III, advised GamePro
that multi-player wouldn't work in God of War III, stating that there's a story we want to tell and an experience we want to deliver, and multiplayer doesn't fit into that." Asmussen, however, did mention that there were conversations about a multi-player option. When the game went gold on February 20, 2010, it was confirmed that multiplayer was not included. Asmussen also stated that one of the biggest challenges in developing God of War III on the PlayStation 3 was the "complexity of everything", and that individual tasks could take a year because the "level of detail that's expected is so high and intricate, it crosses multiple departments." Asmussen mentioned that the overall game length was between 10 to 20 hours, "depending on how good of a gamer you are." John Hight, studio director at Santa Monica, reassured that God of War III lasts longer than 10 hours. "We've done a lot of play testing on it...We know, for a really hardcore player, it'll take them longer than it took them to play either of the previous God of War games." In December 2009, Asmussen advised IGN that the game was in the final stages of development. "The entire game is together from start to finish and we're working our butts off putting on the finishing touches."
On December 16, 2008, Sony claimed that God of War III will be the last in the franchise. In January 2010, however, John Hight told Joystiq
that "while God of War III will conclude the trilogy, it won't spell the end of the franchise", claiming "We're going to be really careful about what we do next". In a February 2009 interview, God of War III director Stig Asmussen mentioned the possibility of downloadable content. In November 2009, he told GamePro that the game might be shipped with a certain amount of challenges, and that they might put out a download pack with new challenges to keep the series going. In the development of lighting the game, Illuminate Labs
product Turtle was used.
On March 23, 2009, it was revealed Sony sourcing opinions regarding a "Collector's Edition" from current PlayStation 3 owners. In October 2009, an "Ultimate Edition" was revealed for the North American release. An "Ultimate Trilogy Edition" was announced in December 2009 for a limited European, Australian, and New Zealand release. A "Trilogy Edition" was announced soon after for Japan, where CERO
gave the game an adults-only Z rating, after the previous two were considered suitable for teenagers. On February 16, 2010, it was revealed that there are no true CGI cinematics in God of War III. SCEA animator Bruno Velazquez stated "that while the first two God of War titles certainly boasted CGI cinematics, there will actually be no true CGI in the third and final installment", and "Everything you see is 100% in-game. All camera features, including motion blur, run real-time in the cinematics and in-game. For this game we decided to try and blend in the cinematic sequences with the in-game sequences, so all models and assets are used for cinematics and for in-game." Velazquez later stated "When I mentioned that GOW3 has no CG, I was referring to the fact that we do not have pre-rendered scenes that were created outside of the game engine, like GOW 1 and 2. In GOW3 all the cutscenes are created using our in-game engine, however some scenes were just too epic to run real time and thus are recorded videos." According to Sony Santa Monica's director of technology Tim Moss, God of War III uses 35 gigabytes.
logo) at the rear of the instruction manual of the retail version of God of War: Chains of Olympus
. On July 15, 2008, a teaser trailer was screened at SCE
's E3 press conference. On December 14, 2008, a second trailer premiered at the Spike Video Game Awards. The dubbed "official" God of War III trailer was released on February 13, 2009.
An exclusive God of War III game trailer debuted on Spike's GameTrailers TV on February 11, 2010. On the US PlayStation Blog, Director Stig Asmussen confirmed that all footage from the trailer "is pulled straight from the game – there is no trickery, etc. Everything is running in 'real time.'" Asmussen also stated that "there are no 'cinematic' sequences here, meaning this is all gameplay". A new trailer debuted at the launch of God of War III on March 16, 2010. All trailers, and three wallpapers for the PS3's XMB, are currently available to download and view in 720p
or 1080p
from the PlayStation Store
.
by nearly 400,000 units in its week one sales. According to the retail tracker NPD group, God of War III sold approximately 1.1 million copies by the end of March 2010 in the United States. It was the best-selling game on any console and its opening month sales were 32% higher than the one of its predecessor, God of War II.
announced the God of War III Ultimate Edition. With a pre-order, the package included a high-end sculpted replica of Pandora's Box
, a limited edition God of War art book, and exclusive digital content available via the PlayStation Network. The exclusive digital content included the "Challenge of Exile" mode, "Dominus" premium Kratos skin, God of War: Unearthing the Legend franchise documentary, the God of War trilogy soundtrack, and the God of War: Blood & Metal EP: a heavy metal
homage featuring original music from bands from the Roadrunner Records
label, such as Opeth
, Killswitch Engage
and Dream Theater
. The EP was released for purchase on March 2, 2010. On March 24, 2010, the God of War: Unearthing the Legend franchise documentary was released on the PlayStation Store
for purchase.
Pre-orders for the Ultimate Edition began on October 30, 2009. Select retailers also included a premium skin for Kratos, being the "Apollo" skin, the "Forgotten Warrior" skin, and the "Phantom of Chaos" skin, available from Amazon.com
, Game Crazy or Play.com
, and GameStop
respectively. Beginning February 11, 2010, pre-orders from GameStop also included a 17x24 poster signed by Andy Park, Concept Artist for God of War III. GameStop also held a "Be the Envy of the Gods" sweepstakes
for all pre-order customers, with prizes including pizza for a year, a Sony Home Entertainment System, a VIP trip to a premier music festival, or an MMA experience in Las Vegas.
On December 15, 2009, the God of War team accepted video submissions from players to determine who apparently was the "Ultimate God of War fan." The development team selected the top 18 submissions which are included within the ending credits of God of War: Unearthing the Legend – a full-length movie documentary depicting the history of the God of War franchise and how the events in the games relate to actual Greek Mythology. All the selected winners received a copy of the God of War III Ultimate Edition signed by the development team. The winners were announced on March 5, 2010. On December 17, 2009, SCE Studios Santa Monica
announced the God of War III Ultimate Trilogy Edition which contained more content than the God of War III Ultimate Edition for a limited release in Europe
, Australia
, and New Zealand
. The package contained all of the content in the God of War III Ultimate Edition, in addition to including God of War Collection, all four of the premium Kratos skins, and God of War postcards. Pre-orders for the Ultimate Trilogy Edition began on January 14, 2010 at Game
and Gamestation
.
On January 13, 2010, 7-Eleven
accepted pre-orders for God of War III, with an exclusive pre-order bonus, a God of War III poster. On January 29, 2010, it was announced that from February 1, 2010 until March 31, 2010, 7-Eleven would be selling a limited edition Slurpee drink called "Kratos Fury" (a blend of blackberries and frosty lime flavors) available in one of four exclusive God of War III Slurpee cups. The cups also featured codes that could also be used on the Slurpee website for exclusive God of War III and Slurpee themed downloadable content. The content included a God of War III Behind-The-Scenes Video, two God of War III themed PC wallpapers, a Kratos dynamic XMB
theme, a God of War III XMB theme, God of War III, Slurpee, and 7-Eleven themed virtual shirts for PlayStation Home
and an in-game Kratos skin - the Morpheus Armour. 7-Eleven also produced 2 Litre and 20 oz bottles of Mountain Dew
that featured a voucher that was redeemedable on PSN for another God of War III virtual t-shirt and a Mountain Dew virtual hoodie for PlayStation Home. The 7-Eleven promotions were only available in the United States.
In Japan, God of War III was released in two packages: a standalone version and a God of War Trilogy edition version, with latter including God of War III and the God of War Collection. Both versions of the game are published by Sony Computer Entertainment
, although the God of War Collection disc in the "Trilogy" edition is published by Capcom
(the company previously released all God of War games in Japan. In Europe, Amazon.fr released a special God of War III PS3 bundle, including a 250GB PS3 and a copy of God of War III. A line of action figure
s based on God of War III were also produced by DC Unlimited. On February 14, 2010, Sony and Spike TV
announced a competition, challenging the God of War III fans to become the "Last Titan Standing". Fans (21 years of age or older) could enter the contest and win a chance to play God of War III before mainstream release. On March 15, 2010, Spike's GameTrailers TV presented the God of War III: Last Titan Standing at 11:58 p.m. on Spike TV. The 30 minute special featured ten God of War fans from the United States engaged in physical and mental challenges, with the receiving a specially made God of War III PS3 emblazoned with an image of Kratos' face and the God of War III text.
On March 8, 2010 on GodofWar.com, the developers released a new exclusive feature called the "Path to Olympus." Produced in segments, the episodes provide backstory on Kratos' history. God of War III also featured in a humorous "It Only Does Everything" advertising campaign commercial with Sony character Kevin Butler
(a female called "Insignificant Other" phones PlayStation regarding her boyfriend constantly playing God of War III and ignoring her. Sony's "Regional Manager of War" is also playing God of War III and ignores the complaint).
On March 19, 2010, PlayStation.Blog Europe unveiled the God of War III: Media Kit which was distributed to a limited number of journalists across PAL Territories. The "Media Kit" consists of a Worn 'Omega' wooden box, God of War III, Kratos metal coin, DVD with screenshots, artwork, concept visuals, Art cards, and a mini-poster. SCEE also gave away several Media Kits via a competition that ran on the eu.playstation.com during the week of March 22, 2010. On Saturday, March 20, 2010, a NASCAR
vehicle, driven by Joey Logano
during the Scotts Turf Builder 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway
, was revealed, sporting a brand new God of War III and GameStop themed paint scheme. On April 1, 2010, Machinima.com
released five "Art of the Game" videos for God of War III on the PlayStation Store. The videos feature exclusive interviews with different developers of the team, including Lead Cinematic Environment Artist John Palamarchuk, Lead Combat Designer Adam Puhl, Design Director Tod Papy, Lead In-Game Animator Bruno Velasquez, and Character Concept Artist Izzy Medrano. Each episode is five to six minutes in length.
For a limited time, specially marked boxes of the PSP
game God of War: Ghost of Sparta included an exclusive voucher enabling a download of the "Deimos Skin" (Kratos' brother) for use in God of War III. To celebrate God of War III entering Sony's library of Greatest Hits, the SCE Studios Santa Monica team hosted a sweepstakes from March 4, 2011 until April 1, 2011. Fans had the opportunity to submit an original design of their own "Ultimate God of War Monster", with three prizes (various versions of a new book release, "The Art of God of War III") being awarded.
, a chimera
and a cyclops
); decapitates the god Helios and encounters the Titan Perses
; engages in "Harpy Riding" (courtesy of new Item, the Bow of Apollo) and uses the Blades of Athena and new weapons, the Cestus. On October 28, 2009, SCEE sent emails to PlayStation Network members with an activation code for the demo. As of October 30, 2009, GameStop provided voucher codes for customers who pre-ordered the standard or Ultimate Edition of God of War III. Specially marked copies of God of War: Collection were released on November 17, 2009 with voucher codes to download the demo.
On October 28, 2009, it was announced that all copies of the Blu-ray
version of the feature film
District 9
will have a copy of the God of War III demo and a "making of" featurette pre-loaded on the disc. The Blu-ray version of District 9 was released on December 22, 2009. The God of War III E3 2009 demo was made available to all current (at the time) Qore
subscribers on February 4, 2010. As of February 25, 2010, Sony Computer Entertainment
released the demo to download on the PlayStation Store
in Europe and North America regions. On March 9, 2010, Eurogamer
published an article comparing the graphics in the God of War III demo to those in the final game, showing improved lighting and motion blur
in the final release.
(free for PlayStation Plus subscribers, who can also receive the "Phantom of Chaos" and "Forgotten Warrior" skins when purchasing God of War and God of War II respectively). All previous pre-order bonus costumes ("Phantom of Chaos", "Apollo", and "Forgotten Warrior") were released (together with the "Morpheus Armour" from the 7-Eleven promotion) on the PlayStation Store, and are available separately or as a bundle ("Phantom of Chaos" and "Forgotten Warrior" are no longer available for purchase). The God of War III PlayStation Home t-shirts from the 7-Eleven promotion are also available.
, the first review score was given as 9/10. Reviewer Nathan Ditum says "the game is inches away from scoring 10/10, it's only the familiarity of the core gameplay that makes it feel less than the very, very best. But it's definitely the biggest, and if this is the finale, then God of War III gives PlayStation's toughest hero the send-off he deserves." Ditum also praised the graphics, stating it was as good if not better than Killzone 2 and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
. In the February 20, 2010 issue of the French version of PSM3 Magazine
, God of War III was given a perfect score of 20/20. According to the editorial, it is "simply one of the best games of all time."
X-Play
(5/5) stated that the game "finishes the trilogy on an exceptionally high note", and that it "blends all of its best attributes into a stellar experience." Of their complaints, they felt that one puzzle was "particularly inappropriate." IGN
(9.3/10) praised the game stating that "God of War III practically redefines what the word 'scale' means with regards to videogames, as it throws you into scenes with Titans that are larger than entire levels in some other games." The only complaint the IGN reviewer had was "that two of the three additional weapons that you'll earn are extremely similar to your blades. They have unique powers and slightly different moves, but by and large, they're more of the same." In terms of visuals, the reviewer said that "God of War III presents some of the most impressive visuals that I've ever seen in a game. Kratos in particular looks phenomenal, and is perhaps the single most impressive-looking character ever in videogames.
awarded God of War III with the "GameTrailers Diamond Award" for exceeding ten million views. At the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards, God of War III was awarded "Best PS3 Game" and "Best Graphics", with the character Kratos winning the "Biggest Badass" award. The game was also nominated for "Game of the Year", "Best Action Adventure Game", "Best Original Score" and "Character of the Year". PS3 Attitude awarded God of War III Game of the Year.
Other individual awards include Best Action/Adventure game (Game Trailers), Best Action game (GameSpy
), Best PS3 game (Game Revolution
) and Best PS3 Exclusive (Shacknews
). At the 2011 BAFTA
awards, God of War III was honored with the "Artistic Achievement" award.
, Ron Fish
, Mike Reagan
, Jeff Rona
, and Cris Velasco
- was released as downloadable content
(58 minutes and 42 seconds in length) through the God of War III: Ultimate Edition and Ultimate Trilogy Edition by SCEI
. It was released on CD
on March 30, 2010.
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video game released (as the fifth God of War game) by Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
's Santa Monica
SCE Santa Monica Studio
Santa Monica Studio is a video game developer, part of SCE Worldwide Studios which is owned by Sony Computer Entertainment. As implied by its name, it is based in Santa Monica, California and was established in 1999. It is mostly responsible for the development on the God of War series...
division for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
in March 2010. The game achieved an aggregate score of 92% on both GameRankings and Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
.
Based on Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, the game focuses on protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
Kratos
Kratos (God of War)
Kratos is a video game character from Sony Computer Entertainment'sGod of War series, which is loosely based on Greek mythology. Kratos first appeared in the highly successful video game God of War , which led to the development of five additional games featuring the character as the protagonist...
, and forms part of a saga
Saga
Sagas, are stories in Old Norse about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, etc.Saga may also refer to:Business*Saga DAB radio, a British radio station*Saga Airlines, a Turkish airline*Saga Falabella, a department store chain in Peru...
(the sixth chapter in the God of War
God of War (series)
God of War is a series of action-adventure video games based on Greek mythology.The main trilogy—God of War I, II, & III—in the series were developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division , with Ready at Dawn Studios developing the PSP and Javaground the mobile phone installment...
series) with vengeance as a central theme.
Kratos and his initial allies, the Titans
Titan (mythology)
In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age....
, storm Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 kilometres away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Mount Olympus has 52 peaks. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,917 metres...
in an attempt to kill Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
and the Olympian Gods
Twelve Olympians
The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon , in Greek mythology, were the principal deities of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, and Hades were siblings. Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Athena, Apollo, and Artemis were children of Zeus...
.
Gameplay
God of War III features gameplay similar to previous installments. The player controls the character, KratosKratos (God of War)
Kratos is a video game character from Sony Computer Entertainment'sGod of War series, which is loosely based on Greek mythology. Kratos first appeared in the highly successful video game God of War , which led to the development of five additional games featuring the character as the protagonist...
, in a combination of first-person/third-person combat (including quick-time), platforming and puzzle game elements. Kratos' main weapons are the Blades of Exile (initially the Blades of Athena), with other new weapons, including the Claws of Hades, the Nemean Cestus and the Nemesis Whip. The Nemean Cestus (a pair of fist gauntlets), and the Nemesis Whip are crucial to the game, as they are required to advance through certain stages of the game.
Unlike the previous games in the series, the primary weapons also dictate the use of magic, with each weapon having an individual magic ability: Divine Reckoning (Blades of Athena), Army of Sparta (Blades of Exile), Soul Summon (Claws of Hades), Nemean Roar (Nemean Cestus) and Nemesis Rage (Nemesis Whip). The power of each magic ability increases via upgrading the weapon to which each is linked (excluding the temporary Divine Reckoning). Kratos also has an array of secondary weapons referred to as Items that have limited usage before needing recharging (which occurs automatically), being the Bow of Apollo, the Head of Helios
Helios
Helios was the personification of the Sun in Greek mythology. Homer often calls him simply Titan or Hyperion, while Hesiod and the Homeric Hymn separate him as a son of the Titans Hyperion and Theia or Euryphaessa and brother of the goddesses Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn...
and Boots of Hermes
Hermes
Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...
. All three are required to advance through certain stages of the game.
The relics (Poseidon's Trident, the Golden Fleece and Icarus Wings) that were acquired in previous games are automatically retained. The Blade of Olympus is also retained, but is no longer a primary weapon, being now utilized in conjunction with the special magic feature, The Rage of Sparta. The Rage of Sparta is the equivalent to the Rage of the Gods and Rage of the Titans from God of War
God of War (video game)
God of War is an action adventure video game for the PlayStation 2 first released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March 2005...
and God of War II
God of War II
God of War II is an action-adventure video game released for the PlayStation 2 by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March, 2007....
, respectively, and provides temporary invulnerability and increased attack damage. The Blade of Olympus is also used in several cut scenes to provide the finishing move on several foes and is used as the magic ability for the Blades of Athena.
Kratos also acquires another "passive" item similar to Poseidon's Trident: Hades' Soul, which allows Kratos to swim in the River Styx
Styx
In Greek mythology the Styx is the river that forms the boundary between the underworld and the world of the living, as well as a goddess and a nymph that represents the river.Styx may also refer to:-Popular culture:...
without being attacked by lost souls. Health and Magic upgrades—Gorgon Eyes and Phoenix Feathers respectively—reappear, although in this instance, only three (as opposed to the original six) items need to be found for an upgrade. Minotaur Horns have also been added as a possible find and upgrade the charge for Items. All three upgrades are found in a style of chest that differs from normal Health and magic-giving chests, unlike the previous games.
Almost all upgraded weapons and magic acquired in previous games are gone at the beginning of gameplay, with Kratos only retaining the fully upgraded Blades of Athena, the Golden Fleece, Icarus Wings, and the Blade of Olympus. The Blades of Athena and Blade of Olympus are lost after the first main battle. The Blades of Athena, however, are replaced by the Blades of Exile and the Blade of Olympus is eventually recovered. Many of the familiar combination attacks reappear, with the new additions including the combat grapple: a ranged "grab" maneuver that, depending on the weapon, can either pull Kratos towards foes or forces them away (necessary at certain points in the game, with Kratos effectively "riding" harpies across chasms), and a simple grab with bare hands that allows Kratos to use lesser foes as a battering ram
Battering ram
A battering ram is a siege engine originating in ancient times and designed to break open the masonry walls of fortifications or splinter their wooden gates...
. Kratos can also rapidly switch between weapons (eventually, all four primary weapons) in battle and continue the same attack combination.
Other changes include an increase in the number of enemies onscreen, increasing from 15 to a maximum of 50. During several major battles, the camera also pans out away from the fight sequence, although the player can still control Kratos while the camera is panning to add a new level of gameplay. Game director Stig Asmussen claimed that the hardware capabilities of the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
allow more flexibility in creating the characters of God of War III and allow for further interaction with the environment. Christer Ericson of SCE Santa Monica Studio
SCE Santa Monica Studio
Santa Monica Studio is a video game developer, part of SCE Worldwide Studios which is owned by Sony Computer Entertainment. As implied by its name, it is based in Santa Monica, California and was established in 1999. It is mostly responsible for the development on the God of War series...
announced on his Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
page that God of War III has seamless loading (no Loading screens and No HDD installation requirement). The sex mini-game included in previous installments returns (an encounter with goddess Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
while her two servants watch), although, on this occasion, it links into the story. Other extra features includes the addition of 10 "godly possessions", which are often hidden near foes and provide additional abiliities during bonus play. The game also features 36 Trophies, which are awarded for Kratos' achievements (e.g. "Releasing the Floodgates" for killing Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
). Upon obtaining the platinum trophy, players are linked to the website, spartansstandtall.com. On May 4, 2010, it was revealed that the site was a teaser and the official site for the second PSP title in the franchise, God of War: Ghost of Sparta
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
God of War: Ghost of Sparta is an action-adventure game developed by Ready at Dawn and SCE Santa Monica Studio and released by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable in November 2010.Loosely based on Greek mythology and focused on protagonist Kratos, the game forms part of a saga...
.
As with previous game installments, a challenge mode is included (seven trials called the "Challenge of Olympus"). A bonus challenge mode was included in both the Ultimate and Ultimate Trilogy Editions of the game called the "Challenge of Exile", with an extra seven challenges (now available on the PlayStation Store). A new mode called the "Combat Arena" is also included in all versions, with the player able to create their own battles and set the level of difficulty. Stig Asmussen stated more challenges may be added as downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
to maintain the series.
Plot
In the opening sequence, Kratos stands on the back of the TitanTitan (mythology)
In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age....
Gaia
Gaia (mythology)
Gaia was the primordial Earth-goddess in ancient Greek religion. Gaia was the great mother of all: the heavenly gods and Titans were descended from her union with Uranus , the sea-gods from her union with Pontus , the Giants from her mating with Tartarus and mortal creatures were sprung or born...
, as she and the other Titans climb Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 kilometres away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Mount Olympus has 52 peaks. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,917 metres...
to assault the Gods of Olympus. The Olympian gods launch a counter-assault, and Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
is killed by the combined efforts of Kratos and Gaia
Gaia (mythology)
Gaia was the primordial Earth-goddess in ancient Greek religion. Gaia was the great mother of all: the heavenly gods and Titans were descended from her union with Uranus , the sea-gods from her union with Pontus , the Giants from her mating with Tartarus and mortal creatures were sprung or born...
- his death causing the oceans to flood. Kratos and Gaia attempt to attack Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
, but are driven back and plunge from Mount Olympus. Gaia clings to the side of the mountain and refuses to save Kratos, stating he was nothing more than a pawn.
Kratos falls into the underworld
Greek underworld
The Greek underworld was made up of various realms believed to lie beneath the earth or at its farthest reaches.This includes:* The great pit of Tartarus, originally the exclusive prison of the old Titan gods, it later came to be the dungeon home of damned souls.* The land of the dead ruled by the...
, losing the Blade of Olympus. Kratos lands in the River Styx, and the souls of the underworld weaken Kratos and ruin the Blades of Athena. After exiting the river, Kratos is confronted by the spirit of Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, who provides him with the Blades of Exile and states that to destroy Zeus he must quell the Flame of Olympus. After several battles, Kratos locates the Three Judges of the Underworld and the Chain of Balance that maintains the equilibrium between the Underworld, Earth, and Olympus. After a conversation with the spirit of Pandora
Pandora
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. As Hesiod related it, each god helped create her by giving her unique gifts...
, Kratos recovers the Blade of Olympus. Kratos encounters the Olympian blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
Hephaestus
Hephaestus
Hephaestus was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. He is the son of Zeus and Hera, the King and Queen of the Gods - or else, according to some accounts, of Hera alone. He was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes...
, and later kills Hades
Hades
Hades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades...
. Hades' death releases the souls of the underworld and exacerbates the chaos caused by Kratos' assault on Olympus. After exiting the underworld, Kratos travels to Olympia, where he encounters a wounded Gaia. Kratos ignores Gaia's request for aid and severs her arm, causing her to fall from Mount Olympus to her apparent death.
As Kratos continues his ascent, he overcomes various foes, including the Titan Perses
Perses (Titan)
Perses was the son of Titan siblings, Kreios and Eurybia, and was the Titan god of destruction in mythology. He was wed to Asteria, his cousin, daughter of Titans Phoebe and Coeus. They had one child noted in mythology, Hecate, honoured by Zeus above all others as the goddess of wilderness,...
and the god Helios
Helios
Helios was the personification of the Sun in Greek mythology. Homer often calls him simply Titan or Hyperion, while Hesiod and the Homeric Hymn separate him as a son of the Titans Hyperion and Theia or Euryphaessa and brother of the goddesses Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn...
- the latter's death blotting out the sun and causing worldwide darkness and storms. Learning that Pandora's Box
Pandora's box
Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology, taken from the myth of Pandora's creation around line 60 of Hesiod's Works and Days. The "box" was actually a large jar given to Pandora , which contained all the evils of the world. When Pandora opened the jar, all its contents except for one item...
is once again the key to the success of his quest, Kratos then kills an overconfident Hermes
Hermes
Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...
, his death releasing a plague on the world. Kratos also encounters his half-brother Hercules
Hercules
Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
, who is encouraged by a watching Hera
Hera
Hera was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of Greek mythology and religion. Her chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. Her counterpart in the religion of ancient Rome was Juno. The cow and the peacock were sacred to her...
to murder the "bastard". Kratos, however, kills Hercules and travels to various locations to find the key to opening Pandora's Box, finally discovering that Pandora, herself, is the key and that only she can quell the "Flame of Olympus", a lethal fire that surrounds the Box. After Kratos is forced to kill Cronos
Cronus
In Greek mythology, Cronus or Kronos was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the earth, and Uranus, the sky...
and then Hephaestus, the Spartan travels through Hera's Gardens, where he kills the taunting goddess (her death causing the end of all plant life). Kratos then returns to the Labyrinth
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos...
to find Pandora.
After fighting his way through the Labyrinth and rescuing Pandora, Kratos is instructed by Athena to break the Chain of Balance so that the Labyrinth can be raised and Pandora can reach Pandora's Box. After neutralizing the Three Judges and breaking the Chain, Kratos raises the Labyrinth and Pandora attempts to enter the Flame of Olympus. Zeus intervenes, but, after a brief battle, Pandora successfully sacrifices herself (despite Kratos' protests) and quenches the Flame. Kratos discovers Pandora's Box is empty, and battles Zeus once again. Gaia suddenly returns and attempts to kill the pair, but both escape via a gaping wound in her neck. Kratos eventually kills Gaia by impaling Zeus against her heart with the Blade of Olympus, an act that apparently also kills Zeus. Kratos recovers the Blade and begins to depart, but is then attacked by Zeus' spirit. Losing consciousness, he is saved by Pandora during a mental journey into his own psyche
Psyche (psychology)
The word psyche has a long history of use in psychology and philosophy, dating back to ancient times, and has been one of the fundamental concepts for understanding human nature from a scientific point of view. The English word soul is sometimes used synonymously, especially in older...
. Forgiving himself for his past sins, Kratos regains consciousness and viciously beats Zeus to death.
Athena reappears, demanding Kratos return what he apparently took from Pandora's Box. Kratos states the box was empty, which Athena refuses to believe. Athena explains that when Zeus sealed the evils of the world (greed, fear and hate) within the box, she foresaw that it would eventually be opened, and so she placed her own power — hope
Hope
Hope is the emotional state which promotes the belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life. It is the "feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best" or the act of "look[ing] forward to with desire and reasonable confidence" or...
— within the box. Athena then realizes that when Kratos first opened the box to defeat Ares, the evils escaped and infected the Olympian Gods, while Kratos was endowed with hope. Athena demands Kratos return her power, stating she knows how to use it to rebuild the world. Kratos refuses and impales himself with the Blade of Olympus, releasing hope's power for all mankind. An angered Athena pulls the sword from Kratos and states that he has disappointed her. Kratos, nearing death, collapses as she departs.
In a post-credits scene
Post-credits scene
A post-credits scene is a short clip that appears after some or all of the closing credits of a film have run...
, a trail of blood is shown, leading away from an abandoned Blade of Olympus, leaving Kratos' final fate unknown.
Characters
- TC CarsonTerrence C. CarsonTerrence C. Carson is an American singer and stage, film, and television actor. He is best known for portraying Kyle Barker on the FOX sitcom Living Single and Star Wars: The Clone Wars as the voice double for Samuel L. Jackson. He is also well known for voicing Kratos in the God of War series...
as KratosKratos (God of War)Kratos is a video game character from Sony Computer Entertainment'sGod of War series, which is loosely based on Greek mythology. Kratos first appeared in the highly successful video game God of War , which led to the development of five additional games featuring the character as the protagonist...
: The main protagonist. A former Captain of SpartaSpartaSparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
's army, a demigodDemigodThe term "demigod" , meaning "half-god", is commonly used to describe mythological figures whose one parent was a god and whose other parent was human; as such, demigods are human-god hybrids...
and the God of War after AresAresAres is the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and...
. Eventually betrayed by Zeus and stripped of godhood, Kratos seeks to destroy Olympus.
- Corey BurtonCorey BurtonCorey Burton is an American voice actor, perhaps best known as Count Dooku, Ziro the Hutt and Cad Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Brainiac in the DC animated universe and Spike Witwicky and Shockwave in the Transformers universe...
as ZeusZeusIn the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
: The main antagonist. The King of Olympus, brother to Hades and Poseidon, and Kratos' father. Zeus created the Blade of Olympus to win the Great WarTitanomachyIn Greek mythology, the Titanomachy or War of the Titans , was the ten-year series of battles fought in Thessaly between the two camps of deities long before the existence of mankind: the Titans, based on Mount Othrys, and the Olympians, who would come to reign on Mount Olympus...
against the Titans. Although initially Kratos' ally, Zeus betrays Kratos once he became infected with fear after the Spartan opened PandoraPandoraIn Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. As Hesiod related it, each god helped create her by giving her unique gifts...
's Box; he fears a perpetuation of the son-killing-father cycle (as he himself imprisoned his father Cronos).
- Susan Blakeslee as GaiaGaia (mythology)Gaia was the primordial Earth-goddess in ancient Greek religion. Gaia was the great mother of all: the heavenly gods and Titans were descended from her union with Uranus , the sea-gods from her union with Pontus , the Giants from her mating with Tartarus and mortal creatures were sprung or born...
: Embodiment of Earth and the Titans. Initially aids Kratos but ultimately wishes for the Titans to kill Zeus and destroy Olympus.
- Erin TorpeyErin TorpeyErin Catherine Torpey is an American actress and singer. She best known for her role of Jessica Buchanan & Megan Buchanan Rappaport as well as the new character Erin on One Life to Live .-Career:...
as AthenaAthenaIn Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
: The Goddess of Wisdom. Athena was Kratos' ally and mentor for many years and died to save Zeus from Kratos. Resurrected in a more evolved form, Athena again aids Kratos, but for personal motives.
- Natalie LanderNatalie LanderNatalie Jenette Lander is an American actress, voice actress, and singer. She is the daughter of actors David Lander and Kathy Fields...
as PandoraPandoraIn Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. As Hesiod related it, each god helped create her by giving her unique gifts...
: A creation of HephaestusHephaestusHephaestus was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. He is the son of Zeus and Hera, the King and Queen of the Gods - or else, according to some accounts, of Hera alone. He was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes...
, Pandora is the key to quelling the Flame of Olympus, thereby allowing Kratos to once again open Pandora's Box.
- Rip TornRip TornElmore Rual "Rip" Torn, Jr. , is an American actor of stage, screen and television.Torn received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film Cross Creek. His work includes the role of Artie, the producer, on The Larry Sanders Show, for which he was nominated...
as HephaestusHephaestusHephaestus was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. He is the son of Zeus and Hera, the King and Queen of the Gods - or else, according to some accounts, of Hera alone. He was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes...
: The SmithBlacksmithA blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
God who has fallen from the grace of Olympus. He is the husband of Aphrodite and creator of Pandora's Box and Pandora herself. Hephaestus is banished to the underworld by Zeus for Kratos being able to conquer Pandora's Temple, open the Box, and for Hephaestus hiding Pandora (whom he came to regard as a daughter) from Zeus.
- April StewartApril StewartApril Stewart is an American voice actress. She is best known for providing the voices of several female characters on the animated cartoon TV series South Park alongside fellow voice actress Mona Marshall. Born and raised in Truckee, California, Stewart started acting at the age 12. Her father,...
as AphroditeAphroditeAphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
: The Goddess of Love and wife of Hephaestus. Aphrodite is indifferent to Kratos' war on Olympus and as such is spared by the Spartan.
- George Ball as CronosCronusIn Greek mythology, Cronus or Kronos was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the earth, and Uranus, the sky...
: A Titan and father of Zeus, HadesHadesHades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades...
, and PoseidonPoseidonPoseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
. Banished to the underworld by Zeus as Kratos successfully penetrated the temple chained to the Titan's back and retrieved Pandora's box.
- Malcolm McDowellMalcolm McDowellMalcolm McDowell is an English actor with a career spanning over forty years.McDowell is principally known for his roles in the controversial films If...., O Lucky Man!, A Clockwork Orange and Caligula...
as DaedalusDaedalusIn Greek mythology, Daedalus was a skillful craftsman and artisan.-Family:...
: The constructor of the Labyrinth in which Pandora (and he himself) is imprisoned. Daedelus built the Labyrinth as Zeus promised to reunite him with his son IcarusIcarus-Space and astronomy:* Icarus , on the Moon* Icarus , a planetary science journal* 1566 Icarus, an asteroid* IKAROS, a interplanetary unmanned spacecraft...
.
- Clancy BrownClancy BrownClarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
as HadesHadesHades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades...
: The God of the Underworld. Hades also seeks revenge against Kratos for killing his niece, Athena, his brother, Poseidon, and his wife, PersephonePersephoneIn Greek mythology, Persephone , also called Kore , is the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld; she was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld....
.
- Crispin FreemanCrispin FreemanCrispin McDougal Freeman is an American voice actor, and Mythology scholar. His roles have included Alucard from Hellsing, Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Karasu from Noein, Togusa from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as Holland Novak from Eureka Seven, Touga Kiriyu in...
as HeliosHeliosHelios was the personification of the Sun in Greek mythology. Homer often calls him simply Titan or Hyperion, while Hesiod and the Homeric Hymn separate him as a son of the Titans Hyperion and Theia or Euryphaessa and brother of the goddesses Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn...
: The God of the Sun. Despite having once been saved by KratosGod of War: Chains of OlympusGod of War: Chains of Olympus is an action-adventure game developed by Ready at Dawn and released by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable in March 2008....
, the Olympian now opposes the Titans and Kratos himself.
- Adrienne BarbeauAdrienne BarbeauAdrienne Jo Barbeau is an American actress and the author of three books. Barbeau came to prominence in the 1970s as Broadway's original Rizzo in the musical Grease, and as Carol Traynor, the divorced daughter of Maude Findlay in the sitcom Maude...
as HeraHeraHera was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of Greek mythology and religion. Her chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. Her counterpart in the religion of ancient Rome was Juno. The cow and the peacock were sacred to her...
: The Queen of the Gods and Zeus' jaded wife. She refers to Kratos as another "bastard child" of Zeus.
- Kevin SorboKevin SorboKevin David Sorbo is an American actor best known for the roles of Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda and Kull in Kull the Conqueror.-Early life:...
as HerculesHerculesHercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
: A demigod and half-brother to Kratos. Hercules' wish is to claim the throne of "God of War" after performing a thirteenth unofficial labour: the murder of Kratos.
- Greg EllisGreg Ellis (actor)Greg Ellis is an English actor known for his TV, movie, and video game voice over work. He has appeared in films such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the 2009 Star Trek film , Titanic, Beowulf, To End All Wars, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith...
as HermesHermesHermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...
: The God of Commerce and Messenger of the Gods. Taunts Kratos and leads him on a chase through Olympus, until killed at a critical moment on account of underestimating the Spartan.
- Gideon EmeryGideon EmeryGideon Emery is an English actor and voice actor, known for his stage work in South Africa and for providing voices in video games. He lives in Los Angeles.-Early life:...
as PoseidonPoseidonPoseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
: The God of the Sea. He is determined to avenge the destruction of his city AtlantisAtlantisAtlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
, which was inadvertently caused by KratosGod of War: Ghost of SpartaGod of War: Ghost of Sparta is an action-adventure game developed by Ready at Dawn and SCE Santa Monica Studio and released by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable in November 2010.Loosely based on Greek mythology and focused on protagonist Kratos, the game forms part of a saga...
.
- Debi DerryberryDebi DerryberryDebi Derryberry is an American voice actress, singer, composer and kids' entertainer who won an American Anime Award.-History:...
as CalliopeCalliopeIn Greek mythology, Calliope was the muse of epic poetry, daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and is now best known as Homer's muse, the inspiration for the Odyssey and the Iliad....
: The daughter of Kratos, who was accidentally killed by her father.
- Gwendoline YeoGwendoline Yeo-Early life:Born in Singapore, Yeo is the niece of George Yeo, Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs. She moved to California as a teenager, graduating from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in 1994...
as Kratos' WifeLysandraLysandra was a daughter of Ptolemy I Soter and Eurydice, a daughter of Antipater....
: The wife of Kratos, who was accidentally killed by her husband. Helps Kratos forgive himself for his past sins (during the psyche sequence).
- Simon TemplemanSimon TemplemanSimon Templeman is an English voice actor known for his role as Kain in the video game series "Legacy of Kain", and as Teyrn Loghain Mac Tir in Dragon Age: Origins. He is also known as Simon Templeton. He is married to character actress Rosalind Chao with whom he has a son and daughter.- Animated...
as PeirithousPirithousIn Greek mythology, Pirithous - Πειρίθοος was the King of the Lapiths in Thessaly and husband of Hippodamia, at whose wedding the famous Battle of Lapiths and Centaurs occurred....
: A prisoner in the underworld who loved Persephone and owner of the Bow of ApolloApolloApollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
.
- Mark MoseleyMark Moseley (actor)Mark Moseley is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and a writer-sketch performer for radio. Even though he has appeared in a variety of films, TV shows, and video games, he is probably best known as a sound-double for Eddie Murphy.-Career:...
as King MinosMinosIn Greek mythology, Minos was a king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. Every year he made King Aegeus pick seven men and seven women to go to Daedalus' creation, the labyrinth, to be eaten by The Minotaur. After his death, Minos became a judge of the dead in Hades. The Minoan civilization of Crete...
: One of the three Judges of the Underworld (the others being King RhadamanthusRhadamanthusIn Greek mythology, Rhadamanthus was a wise king, the son of Zeus and Europa. Later accounts even make him out to be one of the judges of the dead. His brothers were Sarpedon and Minos . Rhadamanthus was raised by Asterion. He had two sons, Gortys and Erythrus. Other sources In Greek mythology,...
and King AeacusAeacusAeacus was a mythological king of the island of Aegina in the Saronic Gulf.He was son of Zeus and Aegina, a daughter of the river-god Asopus. He was born on the island of Oenone or Oenopia, to which Aegina had been carried by Zeus to secure her from the anger of her parents, and whence this...
). They judge all souls to determine whether they are rewarded with the Paradise of ElysiumElysiumElysium is a conception of the afterlife that evolved over time and was maintained by certain Greek religious and philosophical sects, and cults. Initially separate from Hades, admission was initially reserved for mortals related to the gods and other heroes...
or banished to TartarusTartarusIn classic mythology, below Uranus , Gaia , and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros . It is a deep, gloomy place, a pit, or an abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering that resides beneath the underworld. In the Gorgias, Plato In classic mythology, below Uranus (sky), Gaia (earth), and Pontus...
. Kratos is advised by the Judges during their first encounter he is not yet ready to be judged.
- Erin MatthewsErin MatthewsErin Matthews is an American actress, and voice actress. During 2001 to 2003 she was married to actor Christian Campbell, whom she appeared with in the hit musical Reefer Madness: The Musical.-Life and career:...
as the Poseidon Princess: A mortal lover of Poseidon, Kratos finds her imprisoned in the god's private chamber. Initially freed, but killed when Kratos uses her to further his quest.
- Linda HuntLinda HuntLinda Hunt is an American film, stage and television actress. After making her film debut playing Mrs. Oxheart in Popeye , Hunt portrayed Billy Kwan, her breakthrough performance in The Year of Living Dangerously...
as the Narrator (Although narrator throughout previous games, Hunt only provides an introductory narration).
- Elijah WoodElijah WoodElijah Jordan Wood is an American actor. He made his film debut with a minor part in Back to the Future Part II , then landed a succession of larger roles that made him a critically acclaimed child actor by age 9. He is best known for his high-profile role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's...
has a brief cameoCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
as the voice of Kratos' brother, Deimos (during the psyche sequence).
Development
In 2007, God of War director David JaffeDavid Jaffe
David Jaffe is a video game designer originally from Birmingham, Alabama and currently residing in San Diego, California. He is divorced and has two children. Jaffe graduated from Alabama's Mountain Brook High School, located in Mountain Brook, AL, a suburb of Birmingham. Jaffe then attended the...
stated that it would be "hell on earth" as the gods and the titans battle each other for domination and that "God of War explains, or ultimately will explain, why there are no more Greek myths". Jaffe also envisaged a very different end for the series, with other mythological pantheons becoming involved once Kratos killed Zeus and the other Greek gods. The end result would have apparently been mankind no longer believing in the gods, which according to Jaffe is the only true way a deity can die. Although Jaffe and Barlog left Sony for other opportunities, they are still credited for the series. On December 8, 2009, Stig Asmussen told IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
that Cory Barlog "was with the team as Game Director for the first eight months of development," and that "he has had a major impact on the game." Asmussen also mentioned that even though Cory left the team, they spoke several times and "bounced a few ideas off him," but there was no formal collaboration. He also mentioned that David Jaffe "has been around the studio a few times" and that they've spoken as well and "have gone over some high level stuff with him to get his observations and feedback" on a few occasions. The finished game script was approximately 120 pages. God of War III was first discussed by Cory Barlog
Cory Barlog
Cory Barlog is a video game developer who is best known for his work in on God of War and God of War II for SCE Studios Santa Monica. He previously worked on Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home and X-Men: Next Dimension....
at a God of War II
God of War II
God of War II is an action-adventure video game released for the PlayStation 2 by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March, 2007....
launch event. Barlog stated that the game would run at full 1080p
1080p
1080p is the shorthand identification for a set of HDTV high-definition video modes that are characterized by 1080 horizontal lines of resolution and progressive scan, meaning the image is not interlaced as is the case with the 1080i display standard....
HD resolution, and the game would support Sixaxis
Sixaxis
The Sixaxis Wireless Controller was the official gamepad for the Sony PlayStation 3 from launch until 2008 when it was succeeded by the DualShock 3....
tilt and vibration functions. This was stated before the DualShock 3 controller was announced; therefore causing confusion as the Sixaxis controller did not support rumble. Barlog also expressed an interest in adding a cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
mode "if we can do something unique with it". In March 2009 during the Game Developers Conference, the developers stated that the Sixaxis capabilities have been removed, due to the fact that the developers "could not find a suitable situation to use Sixaxis in the game effectively", and have decided to scrap the idea altogether rather than put it in and have it working poorly.
In November 2009, Stig Asmussen, Game Director for God of War III, advised GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
that multi-player wouldn't work in God of War III, stating that there's a story we want to tell and an experience we want to deliver, and multiplayer doesn't fit into that." Asmussen, however, did mention that there were conversations about a multi-player option. When the game went gold on February 20, 2010, it was confirmed that multiplayer was not included. Asmussen also stated that one of the biggest challenges in developing God of War III on the PlayStation 3 was the "complexity of everything", and that individual tasks could take a year because the "level of detail that's expected is so high and intricate, it crosses multiple departments." Asmussen mentioned that the overall game length was between 10 to 20 hours, "depending on how good of a gamer you are." John Hight, studio director at Santa Monica, reassured that God of War III lasts longer than 10 hours. "We've done a lot of play testing on it...We know, for a really hardcore player, it'll take them longer than it took them to play either of the previous God of War games." In December 2009, Asmussen advised IGN that the game was in the final stages of development. "The entire game is together from start to finish and we're working our butts off putting on the finishing touches."
On December 16, 2008, Sony claimed that God of War III will be the last in the franchise. In January 2010, however, John Hight told Joystiq
Joystiq
Joystiq is a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 that has since become one of the most successful sites within the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs. It is the centerpiece of WIN's own network of video gaming blogs, which also includes a blog dealing specifically with the popular MMORPG World of...
that "while God of War III will conclude the trilogy, it won't spell the end of the franchise", claiming "We're going to be really careful about what we do next". In a February 2009 interview, God of War III director Stig Asmussen mentioned the possibility of downloadable content. In November 2009, he told GamePro that the game might be shipped with a certain amount of challenges, and that they might put out a download pack with new challenges to keep the series going. In the development of lighting the game, Illuminate Labs
Illuminate labs
Illuminate Labs is a Swedish software company based in Gothenburg, founded in 2002 and specializing in video games lighting. The company produces two middleware products called Beast and , based on their proprietary LiquidLight technology. Autodesk, Inc...
product Turtle was used.
On March 23, 2009, it was revealed Sony sourcing opinions regarding a "Collector's Edition" from current PlayStation 3 owners. In October 2009, an "Ultimate Edition" was revealed for the North American release. An "Ultimate Trilogy Edition" was announced in December 2009 for a limited European, Australian, and New Zealand release. A "Trilogy Edition" was announced soon after for Japan, where CERO
Computer Entertainment Rating Organization
The is a Japanese entertainment rating organization based in Tokyo. rating video game content in console games with levels of rating that informs the customer of the nature of the product and for what age group it is suitable...
gave the game an adults-only Z rating, after the previous two were considered suitable for teenagers. On February 16, 2010, it was revealed that there are no true CGI cinematics in God of War III. SCEA animator Bruno Velazquez stated "that while the first two God of War titles certainly boasted CGI cinematics, there will actually be no true CGI in the third and final installment", and "Everything you see is 100% in-game. All camera features, including motion blur, run real-time in the cinematics and in-game. For this game we decided to try and blend in the cinematic sequences with the in-game sequences, so all models and assets are used for cinematics and for in-game." Velazquez later stated "When I mentioned that GOW3 has no CG, I was referring to the fact that we do not have pre-rendered scenes that were created outside of the game engine, like GOW 1 and 2. In GOW3 all the cutscenes are created using our in-game engine, however some scenes were just too epic to run real time and thus are recorded videos." According to Sony Santa Monica's director of technology Tim Moss, God of War III uses 35 gigabytes.
Trailers
The first teaser for God of War III appeared as an image (the PlayStation 3 logo surrounded by the omegaOmega
Omega is the 24th and last letter of the Greek alphabet. In the Greek numeric system, it has a value of 800. The word literally means "great O" , as opposed to omicron, which means "little O"...
logo) at the rear of the instruction manual of the retail version of God of War: Chains of Olympus
God of War: Chains of Olympus
God of War: Chains of Olympus is an action-adventure game developed by Ready at Dawn and released by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable in March 2008....
. On July 15, 2008, a teaser trailer was screened at SCE
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
's E3 press conference. On December 14, 2008, a second trailer premiered at the Spike Video Game Awards. The dubbed "official" God of War III trailer was released on February 13, 2009.
An exclusive God of War III game trailer debuted on Spike's GameTrailers TV on February 11, 2010. On the US PlayStation Blog, Director Stig Asmussen confirmed that all footage from the trailer "is pulled straight from the game – there is no trickery, etc. Everything is running in 'real time.'" Asmussen also stated that "there are no 'cinematic' sequences here, meaning this is all gameplay". A new trailer debuted at the launch of God of War III on March 16, 2010. All trailers, and three wallpapers for the PS3's XMB, are currently available to download and view in 720p
720p
720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan...
or 1080p
1080p
1080p is the shorthand identification for a set of HDTV high-definition video modes that are characterized by 1080 horizontal lines of resolution and progressive scan, meaning the image is not interlaced as is the case with the 1080i display standard....
from the PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
.
Release
God of War III was first released in North America on March 16, 2010. It was released on March 18, 2010 in Australia, March 19, 2010 in Europe, and March 25, 2010 in Japan. The God of War series has now sold over 11.5 million units worldwide as of the end of March 2010. God of War III outsold its predecessorGod of War II
God of War II is an action-adventure video game released for the PlayStation 2 by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March, 2007....
by nearly 400,000 units in its week one sales. According to the retail tracker NPD group, God of War III sold approximately 1.1 million copies by the end of March 2010 in the United States. It was the best-selling game on any console and its opening month sales were 32% higher than the one of its predecessor, God of War II.
Marketing
In October 2009, SCE Studios Santa MonicaSCE Studios Santa Monica
Santa Monica Studio is a video game developer, part of SCE Worldwide Studios which is owned by Sony Computer Entertainment. As implied by its name, it is based in Santa Monica, California and was established in 1999. It is mostly responsible for the development on the God of War series...
announced the God of War III Ultimate Edition. With a pre-order, the package included a high-end sculpted replica of Pandora's Box
Pandora's box
Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology, taken from the myth of Pandora's creation around line 60 of Hesiod's Works and Days. The "box" was actually a large jar given to Pandora , which contained all the evils of the world. When Pandora opened the jar, all its contents except for one item...
, a limited edition God of War art book, and exclusive digital content available via the PlayStation Network. The exclusive digital content included the "Challenge of Exile" mode, "Dominus" premium Kratos skin, God of War: Unearthing the Legend franchise documentary, the God of War trilogy soundtrack, and the God of War: Blood & Metal EP: a heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
homage featuring original music from bands from the Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
label, such as Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbandment of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Howard Jones, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer...
and Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
. The EP was released for purchase on March 2, 2010. On March 24, 2010, the God of War: Unearthing the Legend franchise documentary was released on the PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
for purchase.
Pre-orders for the Ultimate Edition began on October 30, 2009. Select retailers also included a premium skin for Kratos, being the "Apollo" skin, the "Forgotten Warrior" skin, and the "Phantom of Chaos" skin, available from Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
, Game Crazy or Play.com
Play.com
Play Ltd., trading as Play.com, is a Jersey-based online retailer of DVDs, CDs, books, gadgets, video games, DRM-free MP3 downloads, and other electronic products, as well as clothes and accessories. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Rakuten Group....
, and GameStop
GameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
respectively. Beginning February 11, 2010, pre-orders from GameStop also included a 17x24 poster signed by Andy Park, Concept Artist for God of War III. GameStop also held a "Be the Envy of the Gods" sweepstakes
Sweepstakes
The United States consumer sales promotion known as a sweepstake has become associated with marketing promotions targeted toward both generating enthusiasm and providing incentive reactions among customers by enticing consumers to submit free entries into drawings of chance...
for all pre-order customers, with prizes including pizza for a year, a Sony Home Entertainment System, a VIP trip to a premier music festival, or an MMA experience in Las Vegas.
On December 15, 2009, the God of War team accepted video submissions from players to determine who apparently was the "Ultimate God of War fan." The development team selected the top 18 submissions which are included within the ending credits of God of War: Unearthing the Legend – a full-length movie documentary depicting the history of the God of War franchise and how the events in the games relate to actual Greek Mythology. All the selected winners received a copy of the God of War III Ultimate Edition signed by the development team. The winners were announced on March 5, 2010. On December 17, 2009, SCE Studios Santa Monica
SCE Studios Santa Monica
Santa Monica Studio is a video game developer, part of SCE Worldwide Studios which is owned by Sony Computer Entertainment. As implied by its name, it is based in Santa Monica, California and was established in 1999. It is mostly responsible for the development on the God of War series...
announced the God of War III Ultimate Trilogy Edition which contained more content than the God of War III Ultimate Edition for a limited release in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The package contained all of the content in the God of War III Ultimate Edition, in addition to including God of War Collection, all four of the premium Kratos skins, and God of War postcards. Pre-orders for the Ultimate Trilogy Edition began on January 14, 2010 at Game
GAME (retailer)
The Game Group plc is a British video games retail company. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index....
and Gamestation
Gamestation
Gamestation is a chain of UK retail shops selling used and new video games, and was the second-largest specialist video game retailer in the UK until it was bought out by Game in 2007...
.
On January 13, 2010, 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
accepted pre-orders for God of War III, with an exclusive pre-order bonus, a God of War III poster. On January 29, 2010, it was announced that from February 1, 2010 until March 31, 2010, 7-Eleven would be selling a limited edition Slurpee drink called "Kratos Fury" (a blend of blackberries and frosty lime flavors) available in one of four exclusive God of War III Slurpee cups. The cups also featured codes that could also be used on the Slurpee website for exclusive God of War III and Slurpee themed downloadable content. The content included a God of War III Behind-The-Scenes Video, two God of War III themed PC wallpapers, a Kratos dynamic XMB
XrossMediaBar
The XrossMediaBar is a graphical user interface developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The interface features icons that are spread horizontally across the screen. Navigation moves the icons, instead of a cursor. These icons are used as categories to organize the options available to the user...
theme, a God of War III XMB theme, God of War III, Slurpee, and 7-Eleven themed virtual shirts for PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social gaming network developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network . It is available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar under PlayStation Network. Membership is free, and only requires a PSN...
and an in-game Kratos skin - the Morpheus Armour. 7-Eleven also produced 2 Litre and 20 oz bottles of Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew is a citrus-flavored carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in the 1940s by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman and was first marketed in Marion, VA, Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee. A revised formula was...
that featured a voucher that was redeemedable on PSN for another God of War III virtual t-shirt and a Mountain Dew virtual hoodie for PlayStation Home. The 7-Eleven promotions were only available in the United States.
In Japan, God of War III was released in two packages: a standalone version and a God of War Trilogy edition version, with latter including God of War III and the God of War Collection. Both versions of the game are published by Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
, although the God of War Collection disc in the "Trilogy" edition is published by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
(the company previously released all God of War games in Japan. In Europe, Amazon.fr released a special God of War III PS3 bundle, including a 250GB PS3 and a copy of God of War III. A line of action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s based on God of War III were also produced by DC Unlimited. On February 14, 2010, Sony and Spike TV
Spike TV
Spike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
announced a competition, challenging the God of War III fans to become the "Last Titan Standing". Fans (21 years of age or older) could enter the contest and win a chance to play God of War III before mainstream release. On March 15, 2010, Spike's GameTrailers TV presented the God of War III: Last Titan Standing at 11:58 p.m. on Spike TV. The 30 minute special featured ten God of War fans from the United States engaged in physical and mental challenges, with the receiving a specially made God of War III PS3 emblazoned with an image of Kratos' face and the God of War III text.
On March 8, 2010 on GodofWar.com, the developers released a new exclusive feature called the "Path to Olympus." Produced in segments, the episodes provide backstory on Kratos' history. God of War III also featured in a humorous "It Only Does Everything" advertising campaign commercial with Sony character Kevin Butler
Kevin Butler (character)
Kevin Butler is a marketing character used by Sony Computer Entertainment America as part of their It Only Does Everything and Long Live Play advertising campaigns for the PlayStation 3 in North America...
(a female called "Insignificant Other" phones PlayStation regarding her boyfriend constantly playing God of War III and ignoring her. Sony's "Regional Manager of War" is also playing God of War III and ignores the complaint).
On March 19, 2010, PlayStation.Blog Europe unveiled the God of War III: Media Kit which was distributed to a limited number of journalists across PAL Territories. The "Media Kit" consists of a Worn 'Omega' wooden box, God of War III, Kratos metal coin, DVD with screenshots, artwork, concept visuals, Art cards, and a mini-poster. SCEE also gave away several Media Kits via a competition that ran on the eu.playstation.com during the week of March 22, 2010. On Saturday, March 20, 2010, a NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
vehicle, driven by Joey Logano
Joey Logano
Joseph Thomas "Joey" Logano , nicknamed "sliced bread" by Randy LaJoie, is an American stock car auto racing race car driver who currently drives the #20 Home Depot Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series and the #20 GameStop/Sport Clips Toyota Camry in the Nationwide Series for Joe Gibbs...
during the Scotts Turf Builder 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
, was revealed, sporting a brand new God of War III and GameStop themed paint scheme. On April 1, 2010, Machinima.com
Machinima.com
Machinima.com is a gaming and media streaming website, that aims to be a hub for machinima, the art of creating animated videos in real-time virtual 3-D environments. The site features machinima-related articles, and news. Machinima productions can be submitted for possible redistribution after...
released five "Art of the Game" videos for God of War III on the PlayStation Store. The videos feature exclusive interviews with different developers of the team, including Lead Cinematic Environment Artist John Palamarchuk, Lead Combat Designer Adam Puhl, Design Director Tod Papy, Lead In-Game Animator Bruno Velasquez, and Character Concept Artist Izzy Medrano. Each episode is five to six minutes in length.
For a limited time, specially marked boxes of the PSP
PSP
PSP most commonly refers to the PlayStation Portable, a handheld game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment.PSP may also refer to:-Computing and programming:*Corel Paint Shop Pro, a graphics editor...
game God of War: Ghost of Sparta included an exclusive voucher enabling a download of the "Deimos Skin" (Kratos' brother) for use in God of War III. To celebrate God of War III entering Sony's library of Greatest Hits, the SCE Studios Santa Monica team hosted a sweepstakes from March 4, 2011 until April 1, 2011. Fans had the opportunity to submit an original design of their own "Ultimate God of War Monster", with three prizes (various versions of a new book release, "The Art of God of War III") being awarded.
Demo
At E3 2009, the God of War III demo was revealed. Kratos was featured on the cliffs of Mount Olympus battling various monsters (Olympian Legionnaires, a centaurCentaur
In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...
, a chimera
Chimera (mythology)
The Chimera or Chimaera was, according to Greek mythology, a monstrous fire-breathing female creature of Lycia in Asia Minor, composed of the parts of multiple animals: upon the body of a lioness with a tail that ended in a snake's head, the head of a goat arose on her back at the center of her...
and a cyclops
Cyclops
A cyclops , in Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, was a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his forehead...
); decapitates the god Helios and encounters the Titan Perses
Perses (Titan)
Perses was the son of Titan siblings, Kreios and Eurybia, and was the Titan god of destruction in mythology. He was wed to Asteria, his cousin, daughter of Titans Phoebe and Coeus. They had one child noted in mythology, Hecate, honoured by Zeus above all others as the goddess of wilderness,...
; engages in "Harpy Riding" (courtesy of new Item, the Bow of Apollo) and uses the Blades of Athena and new weapons, the Cestus. On October 28, 2009, SCEE sent emails to PlayStation Network members with an activation code for the demo. As of October 30, 2009, GameStop provided voucher codes for customers who pre-ordered the standard or Ultimate Edition of God of War III. Specially marked copies of God of War: Collection were released on November 17, 2009 with voucher codes to download the demo.
On October 28, 2009, it was announced that all copies of the Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
version of the feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
District 9
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
will have a copy of the God of War III demo and a "making of" featurette pre-loaded on the disc. The Blu-ray version of District 9 was released on December 22, 2009. The God of War III E3 2009 demo was made available to all current (at the time) Qore
Qore (PlayStation Network)
Qore is a subscription-based interactive online magazine for the PlayStation Network and replaces the Jampack series of disks offered by PlayStation Underground. Currently only available in North America, the service offers high definition videos, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage...
subscribers on February 4, 2010. As of February 25, 2010, Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
released the demo to download on the PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
in Europe and North America regions. On March 9, 2010, Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
published an article comparing the graphics in the God of War III demo to those in the final game, showing improved lighting and motion blur
Motion blur
Motion blur is the apparent streaking of rapidly moving objects in a still image or a sequence of images such as a movie or animation. It results when the image being recorded changes during the recording of a single frame, either due to rapid movement or long exposure.- Photography :When a camera...
in the final release.
Downloadable content
On November 2, 2010, the "Dominus" character skin and "Challenge of Exile" mode were released as a bundle to purchase on the PlayStation StorePlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
(free for PlayStation Plus subscribers, who can also receive the "Phantom of Chaos" and "Forgotten Warrior" skins when purchasing God of War and God of War II respectively). All previous pre-order bonus costumes ("Phantom of Chaos", "Apollo", and "Forgotten Warrior") were released (together with the "Morpheus Armour" from the 7-Eleven promotion) on the PlayStation Store, and are available separately or as a bundle ("Phantom of Chaos" and "Forgotten Warrior" are no longer available for purchase). The God of War III PlayStation Home t-shirts from the 7-Eleven promotion are also available.
Reception
God of War III has received universal critical acclaim. In the February 16, 2010 edition of the Official PlayStation Magazine UKPlayStation Official Magazine
The Official UK PlayStation Magazine is a now-defunct magazine, launched in November 1995 to coincide with the launch of the PlayStation console. It ran for 108 issues, with the last hitting news stands in March 2004. The first issue sold 37,000 copies...
, the first review score was given as 9/10. Reviewer Nathan Ditum says "the game is inches away from scoring 10/10, it's only the familiarity of the core gameplay that makes it feel less than the very, very best. But it's definitely the biggest, and if this is the finale, then God of War III gives PlayStation's toughest hero the send-off he deserves." Ditum also praised the graphics, stating it was as good if not better than Killzone 2 and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is an action-adventure platform third-person shooter video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the sequel to the 2007 game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. It was first shown and announced on December 1, 2008...
. In the February 20, 2010 issue of the French version of PSM3 Magazine
PSM3
PSM3 is a video game magazine specialising in all Sony video game consoles and handheld gaming platforms. PSM3 is published by Future Publishing, a UK-based publishing company....
, God of War III was given a perfect score of 20/20. According to the editorial, it is "simply one of the best games of all time."
X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
(5/5) stated that the game "finishes the trilogy on an exceptionally high note", and that it "blends all of its best attributes into a stellar experience." Of their complaints, they felt that one puzzle was "particularly inappropriate." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
(9.3/10) praised the game stating that "God of War III practically redefines what the word 'scale' means with regards to videogames, as it throws you into scenes with Titans that are larger than entire levels in some other games." The only complaint the IGN reviewer had was "that two of the three additional weapons that you'll earn are extremely similar to your blades. They have unique powers and slightly different moves, but by and large, they're more of the same." In terms of visuals, the reviewer said that "God of War III presents some of the most impressive visuals that I've ever seen in a game. Kratos in particular looks phenomenal, and is perhaps the single most impressive-looking character ever in videogames.
Awards
God of War III was awarded "Most Anticipated Game of 2010" at the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards and GameTrailersGameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
awarded God of War III with the "GameTrailers Diamond Award" for exceeding ten million views. At the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards, God of War III was awarded "Best PS3 Game" and "Best Graphics", with the character Kratos winning the "Biggest Badass" award. The game was also nominated for "Game of the Year", "Best Action Adventure Game", "Best Original Score" and "Character of the Year". PS3 Attitude awarded God of War III Game of the Year.
Other individual awards include Best Action/Adventure game (Game Trailers), Best Action game (GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
), Best PS3 game (Game Revolution
Game Revolution
Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
) and Best PS3 Exclusive (Shacknews
Shacknews
Shacknews, commonly referred to as "The Shack", is a website offering news, features, editorial content, and forums relating to computer games and console games. Shacknews and its sister site, FileShack, are currently owned by GameFly...
). At the 2011 BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
awards, God of War III was honored with the "Artistic Achievement" award.
Soundtrack
On March 16, 2010, God of War III: Original Soundtrack from the Video Game - composed by Gerard K. MarinoGerard Marino
Gerard K. Marino is a film and video game score composer, most notably contributing heavily to the God of War series. He is featured prominently on the soundtracks for the original God of War and its sequel God of War II for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Award. He also worked on Activision...
, Ron Fish
Ron Fish
Ron Fish is an American musician and recording artist. He was drummer for Dick Dale, a surf guitarist of the 1960s. He was one of four composers to contribute songs to the soundtrack of video game God of War.-References:...
, Mike Reagan
Mike Reagan
Mike Reagan is a composer, songwriter and music producer whose music has been featured in multiple videogames, TV commercials, and various film projects, including Any Given Sunday, and Elmo in Grouchland, which garnered a Grammy Award for Best Children’s Soundtrack.He is most recognized for his...
, Jeff Rona
Jeff Rona
Jeffrey Carl “Jeff” Rona is an American composer for film. He was a member of Hans Zimmer's Media Ventures. His credits include Sharkwater, Slow Burn and Whisper.-Biography:...
, and Cris Velasco
Cris Velasco
Cris Velasco is an American video game and film composer. He has been featured in the God of War video game series, with four tracks on the God of War, four on the God of War II, and five on the God of War III soundtracks...
- was released as downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
(58 minutes and 42 seconds in length) through the God of War III: Ultimate Edition and Ultimate Trilogy Edition by SCEI
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
. It was released on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
on March 30, 2010.
External links
- God of War III Official website
- God of War III Official European website
- God of War III at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...