HUSH!
I like these games for what they are! Provides some nice basic fun but with some absolute amazing production values and memorable set pieces and boss battles. It's out this week!
BAAAAAD!!!!
Anyway, E3 Demo has been out now on PSN for a while, given it a few bashings already. Demo looks a bit dodge at times but it's early build. Reading up and wathcing a few newer vids it seems the Demo is just a little taster compared to the full game.
Kratos starts off with his standard move set from GOWII using his chains plus a few new additional moves. Firstly though...
Delicious.
You have your standard spammy chain attacks which can be activated by pressing or holding the light and hard attack buttons. You can add a jump, grabs and spins into the combo by holding the L1 button. Simple. You can also switch between his new stone boxing gloves which seem a bit limited so far in their moves. Fun to use though and can take out a group quite quickly.
He also has access to his arrows using L2, dodging is done via the analog and L1 allows you to block or counter incoming attacks. The counter is limited in it's range or what you are able to do after it. It was the same in GOWII where once Kratos countered, he would have one ground pound move to hit anything in close proximity out of the way. Hopefully this is expanded upon in the main game.
You are also able to use enemies as battering rams by grabbing them with Circle and the pressing Square to rush into crowds of other enemies. If you can't be bothered with all that you can tear them apart with triangle or continue to stab them with X or throw them into groups by pressing X.
Demo gives you about 10 mins worth of gameplay and nice taster of things to come. You enter 3 main arenas to fight some grunts and the occassional sub boss. There's a bit of platforming, ledge shuffling, QTE finishers and an odd flying section right at the end.
They've changed a few things for the better from the previous two games. QTE markers are placed on the edge of the screen corresponding to the position of each face button, and there is no more rapidly pressing buttons to open a simple chest or door.
Level sees you trying to make it towards Mount Olympus. Helios is raining down some pain on one of the Titans that is also making his way to the top of the Mountain. You fight through some grunts and meet a Centaur (Half man, Half Horse), a Chimera (Lion, Snake, Goat combo) and a hulking Cyclops for a little bit of challenge.
Not really much scope for being flamboyant in your kills, just basic attack, defend and dodge and finish the enemy off. Then just sit back and watch the violent ending. Best thing about God of War was the entire spectacle and absurdity of some of it's most epic moments.
Massive enemies, disgusting kills and multiple enemy encounters and some of the BEST use of QTE I've played. Button presses which actually correspond with the action on screen, not just random rubbish or constant button presses like in Bayonetta for a recent example. Made me want to get an autofire pad!
Really looking forward to this, the set up for this game at the end of God of War II was amazing. Really looking forward to watching and butchering my way through to see how the story pans out.
Not got the God of War collection yet, might go back through that after this though. Not really the type of game you would probably go back and play multiple times to be fair. A lot of fun going through it atleast once though. The spin Santa Monica Studios have done on the various Greek myths and legends in the God of War games has been fun to see. Takes me back to the old days with Jason and the Argonauts and the Clash of the Titans movies.
One of the best moments in God of War II is when Kratos meets Icarus. 
That entire scene is brilliant. For those that have not played or seen it, let's just say, Icarus doesn't have his wings any more. ;\/
*Singho bites the head off a baby lamb
RORRRRR, I AM TEH KRATOS! VENGEANCE SHALL BE MINE!!!!
Oh GOD...if you want to play some actual proper TRASH though. Download the Dante's Inferno game off PSN and Market Place. Piss take of a game that is...there are no words. Shockingly, it's from the same Devs as Dead Space.
Top 5 shittest games i've played in a while, right next to MGS4.
Shit don't let Saur see this ¬_¬
I probably should play one of these games at some point just so I can hold down a conversation on the subject. This is going to sell by the truck load isn't it. I have to say there is a definite niche for a game like this. I've enjoyed a few of this ilk over the years as the perfect after club drunken game that doesn't really require your full concentration, but looks good to play. Classic example Sword of the Berserker on the DC.
I don't go clubbing anymorem, so I can't see when I'd get to play it! Might take a gander at the demo I suppose.
I played the first God of War. I won't be playing any more of them.
I played the Dante's Inferno demo in good spirit, being a fan of Dead Space and their ability not to completely cock up a game.
However, Dante's Inferno was the most miserable piece of crap I've ever attempted to play. Screensavers have more gameplay.
I've never really played a God of War and Dante's Inferno hasn't helped kindle that fire.
For foul unspeakable cesspits of gaming Dante's Inferno and Heavy Rain are neck a neck.
Papercut: Oh paper! lol
Jib: o/\o It is so fucking awful, it's embarrassing. I might pick it up when it goes ultra cheap just to see what the whole game is like. No originality at all, it's just a total rip from GoW but with the Crusades and the Devine Comedy as it's reference point.
I think you guys are giving GoW an unfair deal though! There's enough in there to hold your attention span but not enough to break you and leave you wimpering in the corner. Playing the demo and I was already wishing that they allowed you to X, Y, Z.
Also, Saur doesn't hate God of War from my recollection...just people who thought it was a better game then DMC3. lol.
Not got the depth of all the usual favourites around here, but I do have to rate highly in certain areas where other games in the genre have tried to copy it and failed. An overused word but EPICNESS in the past GoW games hasn't even been surpassed by games like DMC4.
You should play it Madders, guaranteed you will have a laugh. As I said, not enough to make you want to come back and replay it, but it will be a memorable romp. You can pick up both the older games on the PS3 from VG+ for £22 in a collection.
One thing that I have found to have crept into all 3 games, even though it is a demo for 3, that there always seems to be one rage inducing section that could've done with more thought. In GoW there was this section where if you didnt push a block right next to the wall, you will never be able to jump up on that platform. I forgot what it was in II but in the demo on III, theres this bit where you have to shoot down Helios using the big wooden arrow launcher. First playthrough I got it no problem. 2nd and 3rd playthrough, I couldn't get the timing down to hit and sat there for 20 minutes at a time! URGHHH.
Finished it in 2 sittings. For what it was, it was a good ride, but I had no desire to replay any of it on the harder difficulties or to go through the game on normal again. There is no incentive to do so. Hard and Titan modes are enemies with more health and deal more damage.
Combat was more or less the same, but they added a different counter that launched. Never really used it and some non shit weapons and new magic attacks.
Best part about the game was the sense of scale on some of the levels. The opening 5 mins was really impressive with Titans running up the mountain and then the Gods rushing down taking them out.
Amazing set pieces, which once you've seen you can get the same awe from it by watching Youtube. The initial fight with Posieden...
BATTERED AT THE END. lol
Crazy on my first go. Breaking it down, it was just attack spam. But credit where credits due, it was a good scene. It's basic, defend and attack and hit the QTE. Coming from other games, I fell for the trap of believing I could counter anything. The timing, cues and window to do it in didn't seem to be there.
Had fun with it though and there are some equally epic moments that you play which are impressive to watch.
Needed a bit more polish in some areas. Platforming is dreadful and I died more times from mistimed jumps then enemy encounters on Normal. The one good thing they did was stick to various Chain weapons instead of using swords and staffs. They were never as good as the chains.
Worth a rent, play through it, soak it up and send it back. Took me about 8-9 hours. Took mine back to the shop and lost a fiver. Not gutted, i'll pick it back up when it's £15 in the sales.
Shh, don't let Saur see, but I've picked up God of War US version on PS2 for £1 delivered. Not arrived yet. I thought for that price it would be worth a punt.
... out the nearest window.
£1! I mean what can you get for a pound these days...?
A frisbee?
I can't be much worse than Ninja Gaiden II, surely? That can go out the window before anything else.
Man, you guys go overboard in your hate over certain games at times. It's no different to when you are scolding or spitting venom at other people for not understanding, appreciating game X, Y, Z by your favourite Japanese developer. Or some random 80s guy who made something on a defunct system that 3 people bought and had a feature done on him in some magazine and Tomorrow's World or some shit.
It's not as bad as you may think.
It's a basic action adventure to us. There is more action in this game then some people will ever need or discover in a DMC or Bayonetta. Singing the blind praises of a game like DMC and Bayonetta without actually have putting the time, effort to get even a fraction of what you can get out of that game to what you could get out of a God of War game.
When I played it...I enjoyed it for what it was. It was fun and it had some amazing set pieces, boss battles and cinematics. Playing it all the way through I hungered for something more to do and that's when I went and got DMC3. Play it, enjoy it for what it is, watch the pretty graphics and the QTE kills, finish and throw it out the fucking window or use it as a coaster if you must.
It makes you realise if anything, that games like DMC and Bayonetta offer more for you to do and learn. But there's still a place for games like this which you can invest a fraction of the time in and get your moneys worth. Or in this case, a quids worth.
Although I forget, everyone here has got SS Ranks on DMC3, all Viewtiful Ratings on VJ and 100% Pure Platinums on Bayonetta. Right? How about even a fraction of those...3 SS Ranks? 5 Pure Platinums? Whatever.
All that said, Ninja Gaiden II was fucking horrid though.
Its only me really slagging off GoWIII, and I'm exaggerating my dislike of it. I wouldn't take me so seriously
I really did have a bad time with it though. Visually it is technically impressive, certainly on PS2. The gameplay sends me to sleep, I never feel like I'm achieving anything other than button mashing. The style of it really rubs me up the wrong way, the Gladiator/300 vibe is frustratingly one note. I think the creators can see how preposterous the setup is, but that doesn't translate into any humour or self awareness coming from the game itself (which I suppose would kill the vibe). I get a sense that big and dumb with muscles is all they've aimed for, and that feels empty when you play it.
It's the kind of brainless game that deserves the same type of criticism actually good stuff tends to get from people not very familiar with video games, when something good gets assessed purely at face value, and that irritates me too. It's a mindless but exhilarating roller coaster ride, tuned to very specific macho tastes, and does nothing at all for me. If I wanted mindless entertainment I'd sit and watch a summer blockbuster.
I have played Bayonetta a lot, and I'm pretty rubbish at it, but the game system is still a lot more fun, and the story and characters multi-layered, intriguing and engaging. If sketchy and ambiguous in places, but that is still a lot more fun to get involved with than playing everything obvious and direct. I think Bayonetta herself is overly caricatured, but at least they are messing around with it, and the back story adds a lot more to the character than you would initially think possible (judging at face value). There is just a lot more to engage elsewhere for me.
Still interested in what someone who enjoyed playing GoW thinks of it.
Man, you guys go overboard in your hate over certain games at times. It's no different to when you are scolding or spitting venom at other people for not understanding, appreciating game X, Y, Z by your favourite Japanese developer. Or some random 80s guy who made something on a defunct system that 3 people bought and had a feature done on him in some magazine and Tomorrow's World or some shit.
Yeah you're right. Not all the time though eh (at least I hope not
). I mean I enjoyed bits of Stranglehold for example, but the game is mediocre at best. I'm sure I'll enjoy God of War, but in a different way to Bayo, which I adore even though I've not got the skilzors to get full appreciation of it. At the end of the day I'm willing to give anything a go.
I guess in many ways we have failed here by becoming the elitist fuckwits that we wanted to aviod in the first place
If we were elitist we'd be slagging people off for playing it.
I'm just making jokes about throwing it out of a window. I wasn't being terribly serious.
Chucking it in the bin would more sensible. Someone might find it again otherwise.
We're clearly elitist just for buggering off and doing something for ourselves.
There isn't any collective elitist attitude towards games though, that is something different.
There isn't much collective anything in fact, I'm on my own liking Rock Band for example. Mads has his Stranglehold fixation, which he described here when I don't think anyone else thought much of the demo. etc. etc.
There is elitism, then there is ignorant sneering snobbery. I slag off GoW after having actually played it.
'Open Senses - home to informed snobbery' is about the strongest criticism I'd grant you. Better than blinkered sycophancy, or unfettered optimism, which seems to be the general rule for critical discussion these days.
The only game to have ever been literally thrown out of my window was Sonic Adventure 2.
Ultimate MK3 on the Saturn got microwaved, I had to try and deface the game without actually scratching it so that I could get a refund - it worked! The staff were in both awe and disbelief at what had happened to the disc, as the silver foil looked like it had crackled up around a lightning motif. I don't know what the hell I was thinking buying it in the first place, I think I was just giving the series another 'chance'.