‘God of War: Ascension’ Review Roundup Reveals PS3 At Its Best In Gorgeous But Formulaic New Release

News

By iDigitalTimes Staff Reporter on March 11, 2013 10:48 AM EDT 0

Our "God of War: Ascension" review round up reveals critics mixed feelings toward singleplayer efforts on the new "God of War" for PS3. Gamers are dying to know how "God of War: Ascension" multiplayer stacks up. The "God of War: Ascension" release date on PS3 is slated for March 12 in North America. (Photo: Sony)

Kratos, Kratos, Kratos ... will he ever calm down a bit and stop eviscerating everything in his path? Probably not, and maybe that's OK, given the unadulterated fun of playing as the "God of War" protagonist, mighty Kratos. Not since Santa Monica Studio's 2010 release of the third "God of War" for PS3 have we seen a full-fledged PlayStation 3 exclusive title in the series. Finally, a new game in the "God of War" series will be released for PS3: The "God of War: Ascension" release date for PS3 is slated for March 12 in North America and March 13 in Europe. "God of War: Ascension" reviews have begun to filter in across the web, and we have compiled a "God of War: Ascension" review roundup for those curious as to how "Ascension" stacks up against past games in the series. "God of War: Ascension" multiplayer is a first in the series, allowing players to combat each other in online arenas.

With the "God of War: Ascension" release date slated for tomorrow in North America, we all want to know how the game is shaping up to be in the eyes of critics. So far, "God of War: Ascension" reviews indicate that is averaging a 7 to 9 out of 10 review range, and it currently hold an 80 percent approval rating on Metacritic. This is, comparatively, a lower score than every other game in the series, though not by too much. It is possible that yet-to-be released scores will tip the game closer to, if not into, the 90 percent range ... so why is it that we are seeing a lower score average in "God of War: Ascension" than in past "God of War" games? Critics are, unsurprisingly dubious of the similar gameplay formulas and settings used in "God of War: Ascension" as have been used in past games, though there is a general consensus that the game boasts gorgeous graphics.

And the "God of War" multiplayer?

According to critics, the "God of War: Ascension" multiplayer is adequate, though likely could not subsist on its own. It seems that perhaps Sony and Santa Monica Studios have sacrificed the exceptional quality of a single-player campaign for a passable experience divided between single-player and multiplayer. View our "God of War: Ascension" review roundup below:

Games Radar: 4.5/5 - Also somewhat disappointing are the newly added multiplayer features, which are held up by clever level design and strong game modes, but smacked down by uninteresting gameplay. It sounds great in theory, but in practice it turns out there's nothing less fun than being beat up by someone as powerful as Kratos. God of War's combat is at its best when you're battling many things smaller than you or few things bigger than you; fighting enemies that are just as strong as you isn't all that engaging. The exception is Trial of the Gods, a two-player cooperative mode that teams up warriors to take down waves of enemies, but even then it's not going to hold your attention for too long ... "God of War: Ascension" is confident, executing the franchise tropes flawlessly with an amount of self-awareness not often seen in gaming. It knows it's good--it knows it doesn't have to try hard to be good--but it struggles to be anything more than that. While it's worth experiencing for the massive battles, remarkable cinematic moments, and strong combat, it doesn't feel like a necessary chapter in the God of War franchise. As it would turn out, the God of War isn't worth much as a mere mortal.

Destructoid: 9/10 - "Ascension" had challenges coming from every direction from early on. Some of the franchise's core mechanics have grown a bit tired over the past years, which had gamers questioning the need for another title. Beyond this, some questioned the need for a prequel story. Most of all, the idea of a multiplayer addition was initially off-putting to vocal series fans. But, like Kratos, Sony Santa Monica ripped through every one of these challenges with their bare hands to bring us a game that is so fantastic that it should make anyone that ever questioned them feel bad for doing so ... God of War has never looked or played better than this. Kratos has never been as deep or interesting as this. They've set the bar so high that I have no idea how they'll be able to follow this one up. Sony Santa Monica should be proud. Series fans should be proud.

Edge: 7/10 - [Multiplayer is] chaotic at first, with the large multi-tiered maps just packed with things to capture, smash open, pick up and pull. You can yank a lever to activate a set of floor spikes, push a crank to spew flames from a nearby patch of ground, and even take control of a handily placed god and shoot enormous balls of fire at nearby enemies. The options are overwhelming, but start to make sense as you learn the levels, and the fixed camera you'll spend much of the singleplayer game cursing is an asset here: you can always see exactly what's going on and fight your opponents instead of the viewpoint ... "Ascension"'s biggest success is a colour-coding system that effectively lets you know when you have an opening and when to run. Unblockable attacks are signalled by a player glowing red, white denotes invincibility, and blue signals a player in recovery. It's a simple, smart system further improved by rock-paper-scissors combat (heavy beats parry beats light beats heavy), cooldown-controlled special moves and a logical, consistent approach to hitstun. Consider our expectations defied: this is the star of the show. While this series' singleplayer template is showing its age, there's plenty in "Ascension"'s multiplayer that deserves to survive the transition to PS4.

The Telegraph: 4/5 - "Ascension" is a highly-accomplished if not completely fulfilling rampage. There's a base level of quality that hasn't slipped from the excellent "God Of War III" - this looks even better, puts things onscreen that are, somehow, even bigger. But this technical muscle isn't given the best stage on which to oil and flex, thanks to a story that simply idles the roaring engine of death that is Kratos, and keeps the series ticking over until the next, more substantial step forward.

Machinima: 8.5/10 - The addition of multiplayer for the first time in the series offers up several fun modes that are variations upon classics (capture the flag, domination, horde mode, deathmatch). You play as either Trojan or Spartan in a class-based form of combat styled according to the format for each of four gods: Zeus, Ares, Hades or Poseidon. Each class offers up specific attacks that complement each other particularly well in team-based play. With controls as responsive as the single-player and a rich upgrade system, the multiplayer is a great addition that fans will love ... While many find the God of War series to be repetitive in its formula, it continues to deliver a refreshing take that satisfies the core fan base. And though the campaign is shorter and the number of epic boss fights leaves you wanting more, this is the most human we have ever seen Kratos and the story compels you to him unlike ever before. "Ascension" sets out not to reboot the franchise with a prequel but to add yet another layer of depth to one of the more complicated characters Sony has ever created.

Videogamer: 7/10 - The campaign is simultaneously more of the same and less of the same, being marginally shorter than "God of War III"'s story, yet lacking that game's ferocity and pacing. It arguably has the lowest 'wow' factor of the four mainline games to date, and in a series that trades on spectacle, that's not the best sign. Yet the multiplayer component is as fresh as the single-player is familiar.

Game Trailers: 8.3/10 - Multiplayer works, it's just goofy at times. An intricate rock, scissors, paper of when to block, attack, grapple, and when to parry sometimes leads to two players turtling up, blinking parry flashes like schizophrenic lighthouses. The learning curve that feels a bit steeper when challenging advanced players packing advanced gear and abilities, but things start to come together with a few matches under your belt. There's a lot of information on the screen, with name bars, alternating colored text, chest icons, announcements from the gods, and little icons popping up over players, calling out various states. It can all get a little messy, and when the action heats up the game will sometimes slow down. It's also worth noting that the Trials of the Gods mode gives a solo and co-op horde mode where you can grind some xp and just slaughter the A.I. without the intrusion of story elements. There aren't many multiplayer experiences out there quite like this, and certainly nothing similar that's been buffed to this level of shine. You'll curse the gods when someone spills your entrails, then you'll respawn and jump back in ... "God of War: Ascension" combines bold action with a certain level of restraint, taking a few chances but still hewing close to the familiar. The unexpected multiplayer arenas will click with some, while others may not even touch it, and only the server logs, written on ancient papyrus scrolls, will show if it has staying power. This "Ascension" is perhaps more a small step than giant leap, making an interesting motion toward more calculated combat and ultimately crafting a satisfying side-story that's assuredly part of the myth, but not quite a legend in its own time.

Official PlayStation Magazine UK: 8/10 - "God Of War: Ascension" is a fantastic game, just one that quite can't compete with the true greats of the genre, like "Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow." Whether multiplayer was a distraction that led to standards ever so slightly slipping in single-player is debatable. With such a strong combat system and beautiful looks, Kratos' prequel could have eclipsed them all with a handful of key tweaks. Not quite the murdery meteoric rise we were hoping for then, but certainly not a fall from grace either.

Metro: 8/10 - Like any multiplayer game it will take weeks before its true worth is obvious and we'll certainly return to it again and update the score as necessary. But even at this stage the multiplayer seems to have enjoyed not just the lion's share of innovation but also inspiration. As disgusting as many of them are the set pieces and level design for the multiplayer are often much more intricate than in the story campaign, which is very surprising ... Indeed the only major problem with the multiplayer is that it does sidestep the issue of how to evolve the single-player experience. But Sony can worry about that when it comes to the PlayStation 4. For now we're satisfied that, despite problems with the story campaign, this is a more than worthwhile entry in the series. Who knows, at this rate we may even end up liking Kratos.

Polygon: 7/10 - "God of War: Ascension" is a pair of halves that don't add up to a cohesive whole. The multiplayer succeeds at making God of War work as a cooperative and competitive experience, but doesn't have the depth to exist on its own. The campaign feels derivative and lacking the forceful confidence that made the series a showpiece for cinematic character-driven action games. When "Ascension" works, it still does what no other game save God of War manages to achieve. But it lacks the vision and force to stand up to the rest of the series.

TheSixAxis: 8/10 - It's a fun ride - there are some lovely set pieces -- but it's largely a ride to a conclusion we already know and without enough focus to make it an unforgettable experience. Kratos' backstory is fleshed out, his motivations explained and the rest of the series built on solid foundations, but is this really an essential slice of the story?

EGM: 7/10 - Really, this multiplayer isn't anything we haven't seen before; it reminded me of "BioShock 2"'s in many ways, as it takes modern designs and conforms them to the God of War theme. But the gimmick wears out quickly, and I found myself bored far too often. It's not a bad add-on, but for as much as it's been hyped, it's not something that was really necessary, either-and I doubt many players will put more than a couple of semi-enjoyable hours into it ... "God of War: Ascension" is a highly polished action-adventure game-and probably one of the strongest we'll see from a technical standpoint this year. But the soul of what made this franchise great is lost here, as this ultimately feels like a last-ditch attempt to squeeze in one last Kratos appearance this console generation. In the end, "Ascension" will be remembered as if Kratos' legendary rage and anger simply faded out as an exasperated sigh of resignation.

That wraps up our "God of War: Ascension" review roundup! "God of War: Ascension" sounds intriguing, though we will approach it skeptically until we've tried it ourselves. View a trailer for "God of War: Ascension" multiplayer on PS3 below, and stay tuned for up-to-date news on all things "God of War."