God of War Ascension is the first game in the series to feature online multiplayer. To review the game fairly we’re reserving our overall judgement and holding back on scoring the game until we get to play the multiplayer properly, on retail servers when it releases next week. Until then you can find out what we thought about the single-player game below.
Few games embody the definition of epic quite like God of War. From tangling with the Hydra at the beginning of the first game to facing the Colossus of Rhodes and more recently the breathless, brutal battle against Poseidon, Kratos’ first steps into a new adventure are never forgettable. So it’s somewhat surprising and indeed disappointing that the beginning of God of War Ascension kicks off with more of a muted hand-clap than the usual rib-shattering bang.
Having broken a blood oath with the Gods, Kratos becomes the target for three demonic sisters known as The Furies. The opening fight against one Fury, Megaera, is essentially a string of small-scale scraps punctuated with the occasional QTE battle against bigger beasts. While it serves as a palatable introduction, it lacks the breath-taking scale and gut-punching action that God of War III delivered in spades. Yes, you’re fighting mythological beasts the size of a house, which may sound pretty damn incredible, but after the Titan-felling intro from the last game, it doesn’t impress in quite the same way.
Thankfully the tempo ramps up quickly and Ascension rapidly settles into the high-octane groove fans will be familiar with. It’s business as usual when it comes to combat, and therefore, it’s as solid and satisfying as ever. Weapon upgrades provide much-needed depth and variety without ever becoming overwhelming; so while it’s possible to punch and kick your way through most of the game using just a handful of basic moves, there are countless combo-strings to discover should you wish to experiment further.
God of War Ascension kicks off with more of a muted hand-clap than the usual rib-shattering bang.
There have been tweaks to the combat however, with Kratos now only using the Blades of Chaos rather than discovering new weapons along the way. It’s no great loss though, because instead you imbibe different powers into the Blades as you progress – the Fire of Ares torches enemies alive; Ice of Poseidon freezes foes; Lightning of Zeus delivers a vicious electric attack and the Soul of Hades calls upon the undead for help.
A further layer of depth is provided by learning how to use each power effectively: for example, vaporise an enemy using lightning and you’re rewarded with magic-restoring blue orbs; do the same with the Soul of Hades and green health-giving orbs are yours for the taking. It’s a subtle but effective way of getting players to mix and match their attacks, but also provides a strategic lifeline when there’s not an energy re-gen chest nearby.
There are secondary weapons, too – limited-use additions to your arsenal like the javelin, which is useful for ranged attacks, or the attack-blocking shield. While useful in the early stages of the game they rapidly become superfluous as your Blades get upgraded.
The magic system has changed slightly, too: super-powerful magic attacks are locked away much further down the weapon upgrade tree, meaning you cannot rely on them as heavily as you might’ve done in previous games. It’s a positive step because it really encourages you to think wisely about where to allocate experience points rather than being the ultimate badass from the outset.
Often, it’s moments when Kratos is overwhelmed with enemies that magic provides his only lifeline. God of War has always stacked the odds against the player but at times Ascension takes it to the next level, not necessarily by making it harder but by throwing so many bad guys on screen it’s hard to actually figure out what’s going on. Dying in such situations feels cheap and frustrating.
Ascension is a game that’ll make you cheer and wince in equal measure.
The game’s difficulty curve is, for the most part, balanced and well-considered. Checkpoints are in abundance and health chests are generously scattered around, so much so this is probably the easiest of all the God of War games overall. However, there is one section of the game – the Trials of Archimedes – that will frustrate even the most skillful of players. Many of the crutches you’ve relied upon earlier in the game – the ability to save often or top up your energy – are suddenly pulled from under your feet and the resulting level is tougher than anything I’ve played in a God of War game before. It’s not just that it’s hard – God of War games have always been tough and a stiff challenge is something I relish whenever I spend more time with Kratos – but there are times when it actually feels unfair, because occasionally there’s literally nothing you can do to avoid death.
Of course, it’s not impossible and the sense of achievement you get from actually beating it is immense, but the fact its difficulty is so out of line from the rest of the game is strange. To put it into context, I spent just over nine hours getting to that point in the game, then six hours straight trying to beat wave after wave of enemies. While hardcore God of War fans will no doubt lap up the challenge, for many it could be off-putting.
Elsewhere, the story isn’t as compelling as it has been in previous games. Kratos will always hold a special place in my heart but the Furies don’t quite cut it after you’re used to going toe-to-toe with Zeus and Ares. Indeed, I didn’t rally behind Kratos’ cause in quite the same way I did when it was him versus the Gods, and while the narrative is meticulously delivered – it always has been in God of War – the story felt a bit incidental.
There are occasions when the sheer scale of what you’re looking at will make your eyes pop. The game’s finale is a spectacle you’ll never forget and Kratos’ fight through the Statue of Apollo is a real highlight, but these ‘wow’ moments are few and far between. Now and then you’ll stand up and scream, “This is exactly what a God of War game should be like,” but these are often outweighed by the times when the action is by-the-numbers and feel like we’ve played the same thing countless times before.
For the most part, God of War Ascension looks sharp and deliciously brutal, and when I say brutal I mean it. Whether you’re yanking the brain from an Elephantaur or hacking a Gorgon in half, Ascension is a game that’ll make you cheer and wince in equal measure.
Quite how the multiplayer gels with story remains to be seen, but the initial signs are promising. Importantly, when you’re fighting online it feels like God of War, with much of the combat system carried across and many of the story’s themes present and correct. But God of War has always, up until now at least, been a solo experience and until we put more time into the multiplayer I’ll have to hold back on whether or not it adds to the experience.
For now, know that God of War: Ascension continues Kratos’ bloody tradition in fine form with a single-player game that’s satisfying rather than stunning.
Alex is IGN's UK Editor-in-Chief. He's old pals with Kratos so watch your back when you head into God of War: Ascension's multiplayer arena. Follow his ramblings on IGN IGN and Twitter.
Source : ign[dot]com
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