PREVIEW
The Battle Fatigue of God of War: Ascension
(PS3)
Impeccable presentation can't shake the overwhelming feeling of familiarity.
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Kratos is angry. For some unknown reason, his body is chained to a pair of massive pillars; his limbs stretched far apart as if to embrace whatever crime it was that he committed. He's mocked by one of the three Furies, ancient beings who, for some reason, have taken offense against the warrior. But he is no God, not yet. As a prequel to the prior installments in the series, Kratos (Man of War?) begins the game in this strange predicament. And yet once he frees himself from these shackles and the player is allowed to take control, one fact becomes immediately clear -- we've done this before.
Every action I took throughout the opening 30 minutes of God of War: Ascension resonated with what I've been doing over the course of the past 8 years. It was more than just muscle memory; it's as if the series is a vinyl album stuck in an infinite loop as it futilely attempts to find the next groove, doomed to repeat the same crumbs of a song. I defeated the hordes of minor enemies by smashing the square and triangle buttons, just as I had in the original God of War. I opened glowing red chests and used their contents to upgrade by blades, just as I had in God of War II. I engaged in a variety of simple but cinematic QTEs, just as I had in God of War III. And once I came to the lengthy battle with the gargantuan Hecatonchires, whose imprisoned body was the entire level, I couldn't help but feel like I'd done this before. This was how I slayed the Hydra in 2005. This was how I brought down the Colossus of Rhodes in 2007. This was how I scaled Mt. Olympus and dethroned Poseidon in 2010.
Even the new features that Sony was touting, such as the ability to steal a foe's weapon and a more fluid system for climbing, felt like minor tweaks on actions we've been partaking in over the past two generations of consoles. At its core, the combat is still whistling the same tune it was back in Bush-era, and robust climbing animations seem like a necessity when making a 3D adventure in 2013. And despite the story's place as a prequel to the rest of the series, Kratos' current mortality doesn't reflect mechanically whatsoever. There's no difference between the Man of War and the God.
But while the game's core mechanics may feel rooted in 2005, there's no denying that its technology resides in the present. Even in this unfinished build, it's clear that Ascension is going to be a gorgeous, showpiece title for the PS3. The nightmarishly creative animations of battle highlight the brutality of your avatar. The Hecatonchires stretches towards the heavens and writhes in pain as a monument to the fickle nature of these deities. Kratos' angry and tired grunts are accompanied by a sweeping score that punctuates the madness occurring on screen. But despite how impressive it all looks and sounds, it too often feels like you're walking through the halls of an impeccably curated museum. The architecture is presented with a sense of supreme scale, but you're never allowed to explore beyond the confines of your predetermined path. An interesting hallway is blocked off by an invisible wall. Prisoners beg you from inside of their cells, but your blades can't free them from their torture. This future God can't even open a door to discover what's beyond it. Stark velvet ropes imprison you on both sides. You can look, but don't you dare even think about touching.
This event was centered around showcasing the single-player portion of Ascension. I've put in a few hours on the multiplayer beta, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It's a fresh take on the series that gives us an entry into a genre that seems to have been left at the wayside. It plays like a bloody, mythological version of Power Stone, which I consider to be one of the forgotten gems of the Dreamcast. It's fast, fun, and delivers a type of multiplayer that feels very different from the flood of competitive shooters that line shelves of any Best Buy. I'm glad that Sony Santa Monica took the risk to devote a large chunk of their development efforts into crafting this new facet of the series. It's just a shame that this same adventurous sense of risk doesn't shine on the campaign.
But maybe I'm insane. I played the demo right next to IGN's Greg Miller, and his thoughts on the game are vastly different than mine. Regardless, we both found it fitting that the news of February 20th's PS4 reveal broke during our time with Ascension. After all, God of War II was released amidst the dawn of the next generation, and yet it stood proudly as a title that showed the amount of potential still left in the aging PS2. But while Ascension's technical prowess reflects its release at the twilight years of the PS3, its ideology hasn't changed in the past six years. Kratos has every right to be in a perpetual state of anger. After all, it was his hand that struck down his wife and daughter. But just as he's justified, so are we in our expectance of something more from the God. You can only end so many lives before your hands become numb, your vision becomes blurry, and you begin to question whether you should try doing something new for a change.
See all God of War: Ascension Previews >
Comments (64)
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Happy that the obviously idiotic review of this game never went up...
Posted: Feb 21, 2013 12:00AM PST by BIGCHRIS2112
But I am sad that 1Up is going away.
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Evolution leads to Revolution
Posted: Feb 07, 2013 12:00AM PST by HeroAmongHeroes
There's no need to change the game mechanics as long as it sells well. Once a series starts to get stale, it leads to a reboot or a sequel with some serious changes. For example, the Resident Evil series turned into a joke until RE4 changed everything.
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Lame
Posted: Feb 07, 2013 12:00AM PST by FoxScope
It doesn`t have Combichrist music, it must suck.
Right, back to Halo with the real Spartan.
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Idc what these idiots say
Posted: Feb 07, 2013 12:00AM PST by genosidx
god of war will alwyas be an amazing game. its one of the few games they keep making and i keep playing, the stories, the characters, it all amazing. The cinematics still are freaken amazing. Games like halo where they cant keep a consistant online or story format is freakin retarded. santamonica studios knows how to make a gsme and im glad they dont turn into most develpoers who throw shit togteher and call it a game.
Awsome Game cant wait to play
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I apreciate All games and frankly...
Posted: Feb 08, 2013 12:00AM PST by genosidx
Halo online is fun its great depending on witch one u play online, but as for as story its propbly one of the most popular games and its story is soooo stupid and droll i will give halo4 major props with the story very nice but the other halos are fuckin stupid. I only compared it to halo because of comment i was reading below. God Of War is still an awsome game that grabs u to the very end, why change something thats perfect. its the only game where u can say fuck humanity i wanna just kill everyone and feel like a hero doing it.
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but...
Posted: Feb 06, 2013 12:00AM PST by ultimatepunchrod
But you can't change it, because then you'd get the DmC reaction.
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While the graphics look astounding....
Posted: Feb 05, 2013 12:00AM PST by lokey013
....the series is starting to show it's age with the gameplay.....I did enjoy the first three console games, but just seeing them retread similar elements is a bit disheartening.
SHAUN!!!!!!
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Chains of Olympus...
Posted: Feb 05, 2013 12:00AM PST by Pacario
...was already a fine prequel, so I'm not sure why Sony HAD to make yet another game taking place before that one.
(Incidentally, Mr. Silva, don't worry about differing with Mr. Miller on your impressions--from what I can tell, the game IS pretty old hat, which is the case with pretty much all the games in the series past the first two.)
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I know the fans are mad at this article but.....
Posted: Feb 04, 2013 12:00AM PST by thaneros
C'mon this series hasn't changed much. After watching the 30min playthrough I was let down because I thought we were going to get something new out of the series.... I guess the multiplayer is but still...
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The Battle Fatigue of 1up Articles
Posted: Feb 04, 2013 12:00AM PST by Dunster
Snooty journalism can't shake that overwhelming sense of familiarity.
Every article I've read throughout the last few years feels like a vinyil album stuck in an infinite loop as is tries to praise everything Nintendo and JRPG while simultaneously bashing everything else. Even while trying to subjectively read this article, I felt as if I had been here before.
Even the new featurettes, such as talking about all things old school (Nintendo, JRPG, or 8-bit Music) felt like a drab attempt to sound smart and hip within the video game journalism realm. At it's core this article was bland and drab; a sad attempt really. There's no difference between this, and the many others written by the 1up staff.
You can only end so many lives before your hands become numb, your vision becomes blurry, and you begin to question whether you should try doing something new for a change.
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And this is the reason why this site is dying a slow death...
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by Sega_AM2
It's rare that this site has anything good on it, and this article is a prime example of that. So you're saying they didn't completely change a great series that still sells a ton of games, you don't say?
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Want to go back further
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by kingsharkboi
With this being the 3rd/4th game to go "backwards" in the timeline, why haven't they made a game with Kratos as a normal Spartan, before he slaughters his wife and child. If they're gonna make a prequel, I'd want to play that chapter. Have him slightly disempowered, an above-average Spartan human who leads an army, doesn't use Blades of Chaos for once, swears to Ares at some climactic point in the Barbarian battle, gets the blades and we're in business, does stuff for Ares, meanwhile conquers lands for the glory of Sparta, then ends in a tragic slaughter of wife/child...and possibly have the player do it themselves...even better if the game finds a way to make you do it on accident. I mean, GoW3 did succeed in tricking me into beating up Zeus for 3 minutes straight out of primal rage, not giving him a chance to breathe and making sure I do the most damage I could (damn I feel horrible typing that). I think it could work if done right. A prequel before the family slaughter would have a much different tone, and a less powerful Kratos who only grows more noticeably superhuman throughout.
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That's Exactly The Prequel I've Wanted For Years
Posted: Feb 08, 2013 12:00AM PST by gigantor84
I wanted a full game centered around Kratos before losing his family for the longest time. Not only would it cover an important part of the story only seen in flashbacks and hallucinations, but I want to see how Santa Monica handles a weaker, blades-free Kratos while leading his own troops.
I'm not the least bit enthused about Ascension. I'll only be getting it once the price comes way down.
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In other news....
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by colinmccarthy16
...pizza still has cheese on it, hamburgers are made out of meat, heavy metal has guitars in it, pornos have sex in them, toothpaste has flouride in it, and the 1up staff likes none of these things because, you know, it totally sucks when something is exactly what it appears to be and delivers excatly what it promises.
I'm starting to hate everybody who works for this site except Parrish.
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not the same argument
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by transamsteve1
Videogames, for the most part, need to continually innovate as time goes on in order to survive. Mario started as a sidescroller with two buttons and has evolved into a 3D, motion controlled, galaxy traversing adventure.
Heavy metal has guitars, but if it played the same chords on every album you would get sick of it. If Dominoes, P\izza Hut, Round Table, etc, all tasted the same you would grow tired of it.
I LOVE GOW, and have beat every game except for the second PSP game. But I was really hoping for a new twist, especially since this is a prequel. I am not looking for the same X X X square, QTE game........but am still gonna Gamefly the shit out of it and enjoy the innovation in graphics and sound :)
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There's no difference between the Man of War and the God.
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by darrinA
"There's no difference between the Man of War and the God." Kratos isn't a God til the end of GoW1, amirite? Kratos was always a man, and the gods gave him badass shit to use so he good eff shite up for everybody else, amirite? Then Kratos gets so badass that he becomes a God by defeating Ares. Then he kills Zeus and everybody else in between. That's why they're so many prequels to God of War because the story definitively ends at the end and begins at the beginning. You could make a game with Kratos as a kid, there would probably be less blood. And it would be partly, a dating sim!
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GOW
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by ansmitty2004
The game will be awesome. I am looking forward to it without a doubt, just like all the exclusive Uncharted games. If it isn't broke then don't fix it. Too many negative complaints on here, not sure why. I do however have my doubts about the announcement of the PS4 NOT using the Dualshock controller and going with something completely new, which as I previously stated, if it isn't broke then there is nothing to fix. Sony just nailed the controller design from the get go, the Dualshock design is just the perfectly designed controller, hands down! Also, I have no interest in "Social" gaming aspects or fancy controllers with screens, just keep pumping out awesome games and new fresh IP's (Last of US)!
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Not in the slight interested in this game.
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by jgusw
I'm not so tired of GoW as I am with Kratos. We've played 5 games in the pass 8 years as Kratos. He's angry and wants to kill the gods. It's a freaking simple story. How much more can you squeeze out of that. At the very least, we could get another main character and another story.
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Lowbrow gore porn
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by Sablicious
Those who these simplistic button-masher games are targeted at hardly give a whit if what they're playing is a rehash of a rehash of a rehashed rehash. As long as the game(s) sate their base desire for wanton violence and gore coupled with shallow, casual gameplay, they will come.
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Is GOW / Kratos cool to hate nowadays?
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by ShinGino
What you're describing isn't any different than 'New Super Mario Bros 4', @Sablicious.
People make excuses all the time about how Mario gams aren't about character development, plot, narrative or depth, because it's all about the charming and fun gameplay, amirite? Similar case with COD, Pokemon, Gears, etc. One could easily say "I couldn't help but feel like I've done this before" as well, right 1up? But when the SECOND God of War game on PS3 does it, it's just too much, apparenlty.
And while the game attempts to touch on more emotions than simply anger, this article belittles it right from the first line.
Also, it may have sounded like I was picking on the games I mentioned above, but in all honesty, "familiarity" ISN'T a bad thing. It's all about the mindset in which one approaches different games.
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Take GOW out of the article
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by Hunterman328
and add almost any third or later game in a series and it'd apply. What's so surprising? We buy them because we liked doing it and want more.
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This is just my guess
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by Ever-LastAll
It's not about the normal formula, which has to be kept mostly the same (though imrpoved lightly), but other things need to be jumbled up to seperate it from the other games in the series. FPS have mostly had the same formula for combat, but new (sometimes dramatic) changes need to be added to keep the player interested and excited about buying the sequels.
Also, 3rds are usually concluding chapters which allow most people to overlook most flaws.
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You know
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by ScatPants
They're still going to give it a 9
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Hmm...
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by McBiggitty
I'm not entirely sure you've ever read one of our reviews...
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The first minute of the 30 minute demo was interesting
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by FeedOnATreeFrog
The rest was yawn inducing.
It showed a glimmer of something interesting, but it didn't give me enough new in to care about the subsequent 30 minutes of the same action we've seen before.
I think it's because the setting isn't that interesting or new.
Sequels generally warrant their existence by bringing the player to interesting new settings. (Himalayas in Uncharted 2, Desert in Uncharted 3, etc)
But GOW3 already brought the whole 'fighting on titans thing', which was fresh.I can't even remember what the setting was, thinking about the first 30 minutes now, except that it was on a big monster.
I'm hoping that this game will keep things fresh by giving us locales from Kratos's past. (what about defending a Spartan village, teaching young spartans hunting in the woods, putting us in the midst of a giant spartan battle, or something!).
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Yes!
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by McBiggitty
"...what about defending a Spartan village, teaching young spartans hunting in the woods, putting us in the midst of a giant spartan battle.."
All three of those things sound great. Here's to hoping that this opening scene isn't entirely indicative of the rest of Ascension.
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My main hope for this game...
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by HeroAmongHeroes
... is that it will have a better reward for beating it on the hardest difficulty.
Getting a checkmark next to Chaos mode in God of War 3 was lame. :P
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Finally
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by BelowSkyLevel
I've had issues with the general lack of change with this franchise since God of War II, even though it was a still great game. But the continuous showering of praise this series has recieved for no reason other than presentation, and the fact that any other game that emulates any aspect of this franhise is immediately labeled a copy cat has irritated me for years. Very refreshing read.
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Metroid and Castlevania
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by Juan__Doe
You must hate Metroid and Castlevania then if you get irritated when GoW clones are labeled as copy cats. I mean, we are talking about two franchises, or fan bases rather, that coined the term "Metroidvania" for games that use a formula similar to their own. Of course, the Castlevania fans would not sit idly by while they took a backseat to Metroid. And, that's how we got the word "Castleroid".
Metroidvania. Castleroid. Irritated yet? I don't know. I think they're funny myself.
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Yawn
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by dgekstrom
I'm definitely a GOW fan, but the whole "Kratos wanting revenge on Ares for killing his family" has been done before. The death of his family has been the subject of FIVE games now. I was really hoping to see a glimpse of Kratos's future after the events of GOW:III, but here we are treading through the same waters we've been in countless times before.
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this article is crap
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by Valcrist09
GOW to much the same but yet there has been what 10 Call of dutys and nearly all the same fing formula but yet you guys give it high scores everytime. More and more i feel this site is turning into bias crap.
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I don't agree so it's a conspiracy theory/paid off/bias etc....
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by Ever-LastAll
GOW3 would've gotten this same flak if it was released on the same console as 2, but it was a next-gen jump which made everything look completely different and allowed for new innovations due to technology.
Halo also would've been called out for the same stuff (it was just called out for other things) if they just kept the covenant and flood for Halo 4, a sequel on the same console generation.
If there is no dramatic change for this from GOW3 then whats the point? I'm pretty sure fans don't play GOW for the new storylines and even if they did, this new one is just walking worn ground at this point. For it being a prequel with an end we already know i'm guessing it can be summed up as follows.
Kratos is angry at Ares and stabs a bunch of greek mythology enemies while screaming. There's also a lot of blood and overkill. The end.
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Trifectas
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by Juan__Doe
"GOW3 would've gotten this same flak if it was released on the same console as 2"
Ratchet and Clank. Jak and Daxter. Splinter Cell. Prince of Persia.
That is a list of just a few franchises from last-gen that were trilogys and that were generally met with high praise. So, your argument that God of War 3 wouldn't have been well-received had it released on PS2 seems more than flawed.
Resistance. Gears of War. Uncharted. Dead Space.
That is a list of some of the franchises from this generation that have seen three entries. I couldn't help but notice on your profile that you're currently playing Dead Space 2. How would you summarize that game? Isaac is in space and killing a bunch of space aliens. There's a lot of blood and overkill. The end?
I can see that you're busy passing along your infinite wisdom to the other users so I won't waste anymore of your my time. When you finish though you should consider applying to write for 1up. You just might have what it takes to write the God of War: Ascension review.
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My 'Infinite Wisdom'? Wow, can you get anymore pretentious?
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by Ever-LastAll
My point is, GOW 3 kept most of its mechanics the same from 2 and would've gotten scrutinized for them if not for the generation jump.
As for Dead Space, DP2 looks completely different from the original and plays entirely different, so yes, there was a lot of change for that sequel (greatly imrpoved combat, voice actor for issac, new designs, bigger detailed setting, new weapons, many more things). Don't make and argument if you've never played the game. I'll have to wait to find out for DP3 though if its improved enough.
I haven't played all of the sequels you mentioned, but I know many either had significant changes or had the concluding chapters of their series, making it enjoyable for the ending. GOW:A is a prequel of tread ground.
Back to the point: If you're releasing another game in the seires on the same console generation you need to make some kind of significant change to seperate it from its predecessor and, in my opinion, it doesn't look like GOW: A is making enough to make it special. People want to find the same enjoyment, but if you don't change enough whats the point of buying it instead of just replaying GOW 3.
Lastly: I can also till your agruement is coming from a reasonable, unbiased mind seeing as you have a GOW icon for your username.
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Dost thou still think me pretentious?
Posted: Feb 04, 2013 12:00AM PST by Juan__Doe
Do you know what game looks completely different than Dead Space besides Dead Space 2? Dead Space: Extraction. For someone who seems to need such drastic change in games I don't see why you would even bother with playing any sequel. But, the fact that you do play sequels leads me to wonder why you would rather play Dead Space 2 when Extraction was clearly the more different entry in the series. According to your collection, you don't even own Extraction. You are practicing what you preach, right? Or, were you the one being pretentious?
And, I'm still trying to understand how it is you can instruct me not to make an argument if I haven't played a game only to follow up by supporting your argument with sequels you have not played. That seems a little pretentious to me.
Finally, your sarcastic suggestion that my avatar somehow renders me ill-equipped to offer a valid opinion/comment on God of War is nothing short of laughable. Are you seriously telling me that I can't offer adequate commentary on God of War because of my avatar? There are plenty of gamers on this site, as well as other sites, that represent any given video-game franchise with their avatars and/or usernames. Are those people incapable of speaking rationally when the topic turns to a game that they have affiliated their online persona with? I ask because I would have no idea. I'm so pretentious that I tend to read the messages attached to the individuals before deciding if what they're saying has any merit.
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Yes, after reading this last post, I beleive you're incredibly pretentious
Posted: Feb 04, 2013 12:00AM PST by Ever-LastAll
Yes, take a couple words I said and wind it into a giant speel of hurt accusations about how offended you are. Wow, that last paragraph was a bunch of dumb bullshit.
You're argument that i'm unqualified to make an argument on a game because of a different game I didn't play? So what if I don't own extraction. And I don't need dramatic changes, but yeah, game need changes to stay fresh, other wise you'd be playing the same game. I don't play games just because they're different but I appreciate good changes in the series I love.
And how the hell does not owning a game make me pretentious? You're argument makes absolutely no sense. I need to own extraction to judge DS 1 and 2? I don't even understand where you were heading for this to be an argument. I judged 2 as a great improvement over 1 in many aspects they changed. How does extraction even factor into this?
Also, DS has a very entertaining story, characters and innovation, so yeah, that's why I played the sequel to see where its going with Isaac. I don't really think you can say that for GOW:A seeing as its a prequel about events already covered in 2 psp games.
I had played many of the games you mentioned, just not all of them. Others I know many details on. I think I can make an argument on games I have played. You tried to make an argument on DS about how it was the same when thats a flat out lie in the sequel. They change a multitude of things. Completely different approach to the argument so don't try and put the blame back on me.
Also, you failed to respond to anything valid I said about GOW. You just nitpicked at unrelated things I said. Good job. Next time you can correct my grammar.
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Trilogy complete
Posted: Feb 05, 2013 12:00AM PST by Juan__Doe
You ask me to correct your grammar, but you seem to need more help with your reading comprehension. I never said you were unqualified to make arguments on the Dead Space series. I never said you needed to play Extraction to judge Dead Space 1 and 2. And, I don't recall ever saying Dead Space 1 and 2 were the same game. I simply asked you why you chose to play Dead Space 2 instead of Extraction. You placed such a heavy emphasis on games needing change that I felt like I was asking a reasonable question. Your last post makes it clear that you felt like DS2 made enough changes over the original title. Mystery solved.
You want me to respond to your GoW comments? Okay. You said that Ascension is a prequel, therefore it is going to cover events that already took place in Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense seeing as how CoO and GoS featured entirely different storylines and different characters, among other things that seperated the two prequels. Yeah, it's not like Ascension's story could be set a few years prior to the events of those prequels and feature a new storyline, characters and gameplay refinements. And, I don't know if you know this or not, but Ready at Dawn was the developer responsible for the previous prequels. God of War: Ascension marks the first time that Santa Monica will be at the helm of a prequel. Lastly, I would like to add that Ascension will have been under development longer than Dead Space 2 and will be just the second entry in the series developed specifically for the PS3. You thought DS2 made enough changes over the original, yet here you are questioning the legitimacy of a sequel/prequel with a longer development cycle and fewer entries on a system.
You know what else I noticed when I looked through your collection? You don't have a PS3 in there. Maybe you're like me and don't feel like adding every single piece of your video-game collection to your profile. But, if you don't own a PS3, I find it interesting that you're here devoting so much of your time expressing your opinion on a game for a system you don't even own.
So, in closing, your arguments are rooted in enough bullshit that minotaurs stop and take notice. lawlz
*button mashing* *quick time event*
Game over.
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I don't give a shit about devlopers. I care about the finished project.
Posted: Feb 05, 2013 12:00AM PST by Ever-LastAll
I can judge the Dead Space series for its main entries, which I did. I don't need to play extraction to enjoy or judge them or the series. I play the main games. Ok. Case solved on that.
Gow series as a whole is longer, the system doesn't matter and I don't really care at all about the developer. The value of the game as a whole is what matters, not the time put into it. I don't get strung in stupid details (both about the game itself and development), I care about the entry as a whole.
I think your notion that it has a longer devlopment cycle means its a better game makes no sense. Tons of games put tons of time and energy into thier project and can still be awful. As for the changes you mentioned in DS2, yeah it made a lot of changes. Just because GOW:A is taking longer to make doesn't mean its made any big ones or is superior. That a fairly big assumption to make.
I think I can safely assume any fan would rather have a new story in the future than another prequel. Sure, its a new story, but whats the point. If you're going to make a new story, make it a sequel or a start of a new trilogy.
I think I can also assume most fans love the combat, so yeah keep it, but fucking improve upon it to make it better. Just adding a couple new weapons each game isn't enough variation. And they should add some new enemy types as well. Most i've seen in the trailers look just like the ones from the previous entries and look to be handled in the same fashion. You can even see him taking out a cyclops type in the same way.
I'm really going to try and ignore those last few lines if you think that's being clever.
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Why don't idiots understand that...
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by Tontus
When you have a series that is hugely popular and has millions of fans you DON'T revolutionise the gameplay in the games successors, it's all about evolution.
God of War: Ascension introduces a ton of changes that Marty Moron Sliva didn't even talk about. 1) The art-style is completely new and different to past games in terms of colour, architecture and influences. 2) The score is by a new composer giving it a distinct sound from its predecessors. 3) The new free form promp-tless QTE's. 4) The new tether mechanic. 5) Weaponising enemies. 6) The ability to kick and punch. And this is just the beginning of the game, later on you'll get new magic, weapons and you'll see a different side of Kratos.
Why do game critics almost always gloss over the new features just so they can complain and moan that is hasn't changed enough even though the game has changed a lot? What do you what them to do, alienate their millions of fans and make it some open world nonsense with completely different gameplay just to please you, a.k.a the minority of self-entitled critics? The single most annoying thing you amateur critics say about God of War is that it should be open world... just get lost.
This will be one of the best games of not only this year or generation, but of all time. Anyone who owns a PS3 needs to buy this game.
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Agreed until...
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by pokemon.exe
I laughed a little when I saw how angry you were. Then as I ready your well spoken points, I nodded and stroked my chin in respect and understanding.
But then I read your last paragraph and laughed again... Haha. Best game of all time... teehee...
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Holy Crap!
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by Ever-LastAll
You can kick and punch? Already? Woah, they better scale it back a bit. That's a lot to offer in the 4th console game in the series.
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Also...
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by Ever-LastAll
This is just guess work but I don't beleive that's his actual middle name.
If i'm wrong, you have terrible parents Marty.
P.S. Enemies have weapons? I think they've jumped the shark
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Tontus...
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by McBiggitty
Your comment rage makes me understand why some people really love Kratos.
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I just wish Kratos' Character
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by adidaas
Would evolve and develop outside of being constantly angry. Sure that's his coolest aspect and it's very tragic what's happened, but holy shit dude it's been three games already, get over it. Anyway, I'll rent this whenever.
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Yes
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by SaviorMachine
It was super cool for the first few years but I'm just as tired of this one-note character as I am of anything that never changes.
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ShinGino...
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by McBiggitty
Is that Ascension's mission statement? Because I certainly didn't get any of that from the opening stage. And I was paying all sorts of attention.
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McBiggity...
Posted: Feb 12, 2013 12:00AM PST by BIGCHRIS2112
Actually, by the look of the first paragraph, it's overly apparent you paid the minimum of minimums amount of attention. Within the first fuckin' SECONDS of the demo, it is explained why Kratos is enchained by the Furies.
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No surprise whatsoever.
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by JoeyPina
I don't think anybody in their right mind would expect a brand new experience in GoW:A. The way I see it, GoW is like that great pizza place you keep going back, not because you expect a new kind of topping every week, but because you know exactly what you'll get.
That's good for some people, but I can see how it sucks for others. When I want a new experience, I turn to the indie scene, or try new IPs. As for Kratos, I'm glad (and relieved) things are still the way they have been for the last 7 years. ;)-
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Nice comparison...
Posted: Feb 03, 2013 12:00AM PST by McBiggitty
We all have our comfort food series that we go back to time and time again for the main reason that we know what to expect. It's just that...I don't know...I feel like God of War has the potential to be more than that. Or at least the talent behind the game has the potential to give us something new and refreshing, instead of what feels like retellings of the exact same story.
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GoW Ascension
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by Sebatronicus
Okay now this has to be amazing! I really wanna play it now!
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This Is Exactly How I've Felt About Ascension Since E3
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by gigantor84
I even wrote a blog about it a few weeks back. /shameless plug
Nothing we saw out of the demo, or any other footage of the single player campaign, show much difference from the last 5 games. Power Stone was one of my favorite Dreamcast games, though, so hearing that the MP plays like that has me interested. And the graphics ARE amazing; I had no idea there was still so much power left untapped in the system.
No way am I buying this new, though.
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You are wrong.
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by Tontus
This game has changed more from God of War 1 than: Zelda Skyward Sword has from Oricina of time, Uncharted 3 had from Uncharted 1, Halo 4 has from Halo 1, Mario has since forever. Why don't people understand a successful franchise has to stay close to what made it so in the first place and just evolve and improve certain things to keep it relevant and fresh. God of War: Ascension improved the combat, platforming, cinematography, sounds design, graphics, art-style, animation & level design. There's plenty of new and improved things in this game, why are you overlooking it all?
And if you want to try the powerstone inspired MP you have to buy the game new due the the online pass Sony now includes in every first party game. If you don't then you're mssing out, what else are you going to buy in March? Would you really skip out on what will be one of the best games of the year just because it's not a reboot? It's evolved a lot so don't be silly with the 'I'll be a rebel and buy it used' nonsense and just give the game a fair chance.
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Look around you
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by SaviorMachine
You're the only one on a campaign to prove that God of War has simultaneously evolved more than other (better) franchises and yet not changed because change hurts franchises. Pretty desperate over there, guy. It's fine if you like it, nobody else should be expected to.
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To Tontus
Posted: Feb 02, 2013 12:00AM PST by Ever-LastAll
Can you lend me a flux-capacitor because you obviously have time traveled to know how amazing this game is through and through despite the fact that it doesn't come out for another month.
Trolling a game like DMC 'true fans' did was absolutely annoying but so are completely dedicated fans that act like they're going to cut you if you speak one bad word about 'their' franchise.
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@Tontus
Posted: Feb 04, 2013 12:00AM PST by Maalstrom Aran
"what else are you going to buy in March?"
Well Simcity and Bioshock Infinity are both coming out in March. Both are sequels and both feature major gameplay improvements over the originals. This GOW, while it might be the best, doesn't look all that impressive for gameplay. Now where's my copy of Dante's Inferno? I wanna hit something with a spine sythe. Chain blades just aren't as cool.
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Vitals
- Game:
- God of War: Ascension
- Platforms:
- PS3
- Genre:
- Action
- Publisher:
- Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
- Developer:
- SCEA Santa Monica Studios
- ESRB Rating:
- Rating Pending
- Release Date:
- 03/12/2013
- Also Known As:
- N/A
1UP Editor Score: NA
Average Community Score: NA
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