God of War 3 review roundup

As "God of War 3" review scores pour in, it's clear that the PlayStation 3 has a hit on its hands. This final chapter in Kratos's battle against the gods of Greek mythology is the first for Sony's PS3. The top-notch action has carried over to the new system, according to reviews, but the graphical difference is clear.

Warning to parents and squeamish gamers: This game is an adults-only adventure. Much like the vindictive Nazi hunters in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds," Kratos chooses a very bloody path toward vengeance. The body count is steep; the causes of death are brutal. "God of War 3" earns its Mature rating almost immediately and never looks back.

But reviews agree that, much as with Tarantino movies, the blood comes bottled in a gilded cup. God of War's signature style does not lie in witty dialogue and artistic allusions, but in its empowering combat, superlative graphics, and uncanny sense of scale.

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For a further breakdown, let's turn to the God of War 3 reviews:

The battle system

"Yes, the series remains bold in its use of [quick time events, where players tap a specific series of buttons on command], a mechanic that other games still implement awkwardly and often with a faint air of embarrassment," writes Eurogamer. "As with everything else in this game, it's a combination of focused use and shameless delight in brutality that sees Santa Monica Studios through. God of War III gets away with so many button prompts because they offer a change of pace from hammering away at light and heavy attacks, and because they allow some of the world's greatest game animators to really pile on the showmanship."

The old tricks

"Taking the old 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' rule at face value, Sony Santa Monica has done very little to alter how things work, though there's been a bit of welcome polish on nearly every facet of gameplay," describes IGN's very favorable review. "That is, if you were expecting a revolution in terms of design, you'll be sorely disappointed. But, if you simply wanted more of what has made the series so great up to this point, you're going to be quite happy indeed. What has worked in the past largely still holds true here in great fashion."

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