God of War 3 review roundup

The new tricks

"Another change comes from the addition of several new, smaller features, but I'm going to lump them together and just call it 'variety,' " writes 1UP.com, in a glowing review. "Sony Santa Monica has always done a good job of mixing up the series' level design and objectives so you don't feel like you're repeating the same tasks over and over, but God of War 3 is clearly the most impressive in this regard. You seemingly see, acquire, and participate in something new around every corner; it got to the point where, at the end of my first playthrough, I wanted to spend more time just messing around with the game's mechanics."

The graphics

"The art is beautiful; intricately designed beasts segueing with God of War’s authentic amalgam of Greek mythos," critiques The Daily Telegraph, who gave it one of the lowest scores of any major outlet – an 8 out of 10. "The direction is stunning; God of War III’s camera is comfortably the most dynamic and best-guided we’ve ever seen, pirouetting around Kratos to frame the action in the most jaw-dropping way possible. It even pulls back to the heavens at times, taking in the view of the landscape while Kratos becomes little more than a speck on the canvas. A quick stab at the attack button sees a small flurry of colour, confirming you’re still in control."

The story

"God of War 3" delivers "a weak and uneven narrative that's full of plot holes; it's a small vulnerability in an otherwise stellar game, but that's all you need to bring down a hero sometimes -- just ask Achilles," complains GamePro, which still gave the game a 4.5 out of 5 stars. "I've invested a lot of time and energy into Kratos' journey, and I both wanted and needed God of War III to make sense of the whole thing. There is an admirable attempt made to tie up all the loose ends and give some meaning to Kratos' struggle, but the narrative lacks the sense of momentum and drive that made the series so special. The quality of the actual gaming experience, and what the game means to the PS3, is undeniable, but from a storytelling perspective, I consider it a bit of a failure."

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