First God of War III details emerge

By Robert Purchese Published 11 February, 2009

Beast-riding! Titans! PS3 power!

God of War III will see Kratos hop on and control mythical beasts such as Cyclops, crashing through hordes of enemies to get to objectives and solve puzzles.

And that's just one of the new mechanics in Sony Santa Monica's new game, according to a preview in the latest issue of GameInformer magazine.

The biggest challenge will be harnessing what the PS3 can accomplish. "We want this to be the game that shows people what the PS3 can do," game director Stig Asmussen told the magazine.

That means titans: enormous and ancient god-like beings that have been tussling with the Greek gods for a while. Whereas action sequences involving titans in previous God of War games were restricted to cinematic sequences, they're now integrated on a much more dynamic level.

Kratos - a tiny cluster of pixels compared to the full model of a titan - clambers up their immense frames as they rock to and fro, some even aggressively interacting as our hero ploughs forward. "It's not just a set piece anymore; it's a living, breathing character," added Asmussen.

As for Kratos himself: he'll be around four times as detailed as on PlayStation 2. "Kratos on PS2 was probably about 5,000 polygons, and now he's 20,000," said art director Ken Feldman. "We wouldn't even be able to load him on PS2."

The gnarled warrior also visually carries the scars obtained in previous God of War games, as well as some of the abilities acquired: the Golden Fleece and the Icarus Wings are mentioned.

There's plenty of room for him to grow, though. The skill-set has expanded to include a wider array of combos and grapples and environmental interaction like smashing heads on walls. And a brand new supernatural magic-type has been introduced, as relying on god-powers of the past would be thematically daft; the gods are no longer friends of Kratos and are unlikely to grant him any more power, so his magic will come from somewhere intrinsic, somewhere else.

Additional weapons also await, and Sony Santa Monica promises each weapon will feel completely different to the signature Blades of Chaos, providing real alternatives rather than quick-thrill distractions. The Cestus gauntlets are given as an example; these spout spiked balls on chains from their decorative animal mouths, causing shockwaves that throw enemies back on each hit.

Abilities such as those will come in handy, as Kratos faces much stiffer opposition than ever before. The developer reached around 12 to 15 enemies on-screen in God of War II, and has bumped that number somewhere closer to 50 on PS3. Enemies can also jump on Kratos, eventually weighing him down and smothering him. This can be broken by wiggling the analogue stick.

Multiple baddies will now coordinate attacks, too, or take orders from a commander to organise into formations. And, of course, Kratos will face boss battles.

"You can look at the cast of characters from the end of God of War II, and you can kind of deduce [the bosses] from that," hinted Asmussen. One confirmed battle will be with Hades, who rules the underworld.

Sony Santa Monica went on to confirm that God of War III will not have multiplayer, although DLC remains a possibility for the future.

As far as story is concerned, God of War III will bring the trilogy to a close, but the franchise will live on, although we're told it won't be "run into the ground".

God of War III is in development exclusively for PlayStation 3. No firm release date has been set. Sigh.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (44) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • quantumsheep #1 3 years ago

    Faust?
    Edited by 1 at 11/02/09 @ 15:56

  • DFawkes #2 3 years ago

    Usually I'm skeptical when devs say they're pushing a console, but seeing the miracles they managed with chains of Olympus, I believe this one.

  • Widge #3 3 years ago

    Good. No co-op or multiplayer. Concentrate on a cracking single player game please.

  • KayJay #4 3 years ago

    This has to be my most eagerly awaited game in 2009...

    or if it slips to 2010 then I suppose 2009's will be Killzone 2 and or Infamous

  • ParanoidZombie #5 3 years ago

    more enemies, more polygons, and probably more QTEs. And I hate QTEs so count me out. If you think I'm wrong, quickly press L1 then R1, then hammer the X button. If you succeed, I will bow down my head in shame and surrender to your impressive display of gaming skill.
    Edited by 1 at 11/02/09 @ 15:16

  • Santino #6 3 years ago

    looking forward to this. could do with less of the 'harnessing the ps3 power' and ps2 comparison talk though, that kind of thing seems better suited to the start of the generation not a couple of years in to me, its just not impressive now, its just the norm. just make the game as good as the first 2 were and i'll be happy.

  • KayJay #7 3 years ago

    Yep ParanoidZombie that's all the God Of War series had/has to offer... QTEs.

    Move along.

  • callum9999 #8 3 years ago

    The PS2 games were amazingly (graphically and gameplay wise - I think they were 2 of the 3 games I actually bothered to complete!).

    I'd like to see multiplayer, but I don't know how they would make it with a game like this.

  • fiery_jackass #9 3 years ago

    @quantumsheep
    if only you'd have written "faust".

    this is the one game that could propel me shop-wards for a ps3

  • Dizzy #10 3 years ago

    So is this teh start of the next gen?????

  • Vanmunt #11 3 years ago

    So is this teh start of the next gen?????

    No, thats KZ2.....

    /runs
    /hides from xbot slating
    /comes back again, to point and laugh.

  • hiddenranbir #12 3 years ago

    I'll be too busy with 64-bit(OS) games in 2010.

  • Machiavellian #13 3 years ago

    I am like Santino, enough with the PR speak and just make GOW3 as good if not better than the first two games. GOW series is right up there with the Nija Gaiden games as my favorite Hack/Slash games so I definitely looking forward to GOW3. I really hope the team doesn't get so focus on making a game that "Shows the power of the PS3" that they forget about gameplay, balance and fun.

  • quantumsheep #14 3 years ago

    @fiery - indeed!

    I considered it, but thought people wouldn't get it.

    Actually, sod it. I'll edit it :)

  • AllenSpawn #15 3 years ago

    @vanmunt
    "so this is teh start of next gen"

    "no thats kz2"


    nooooo.........thats fable 2

  • Vanmunt #16 3 years ago

    @Allen-Spawn

    Cock......

  • b00n #17 3 years ago

    Will no doubt be a fab game, but why o why do they always feel the need to talk about the 'PS3 powah'. It has been sufficiently proven now that that's not going to be what wins Sony the console war. Just focus on the game...

  • FeralUK #18 3 years ago

    @AllenSpawn

    Go away you 360 fanboy.
    These comments are for PS3/GOW people!

    /runs

  • AllenSpawn #19 3 years ago

    lol

    gow 3 is the top of my list this year ......and that includes resi 5 and kz2

    even played gow2 on my ps3....

  • tomb85 #20 3 years ago

    I'm becoming dangerously tempted to shell out for a PS3 now. I promised myself i'd stick to just two consoles this generation as well.

  • SBfistfun #21 3 years ago

    "Kratos on PS2 was probably about 5,000 polygons, and now he's 20,000," said art director Ken Feldman. "We wouldn't even be able to load him on PS2."


    I used to have a diesel car, I've now got a petrol car, I wouldnt even be able to drive to work on diesel.


    Edited by 1 at 11/02/09 @ 16:24

  • ps3owner #22 3 years ago

    amazingly... play.com has still got 60GB consoles left…, with backward compatibility. soooo tempting.... for anyone who likes to play his back catalogue ;)

    EDIT: the game sounds amazing :)
    Edited by 1 at 11/02/09 @ 16:23

  • mister_moo #23 3 years ago

    I hope this is as revolutionary as killzone 2, and by revolutionary i mean that absolutely nothing new has been introduced the genre. Killzone 2 is not next-gen if it is a re-run of previous ideas going back to the PS1, it is run-of-the-mill.

    At least GOW introduced an effective cover system to next-gen, whereas the bland stylings of killzone brought nothing particulary new to the genre.

  • miiiguel #24 3 years ago

    ps3owner: they are refurbished, though...

  • ps3owner #25 3 years ago

    refurbs? shit... didn't see that

  • miiiguel #26 3 years ago

    I don't consider it a problem though, or even a major (negative) issue, for the ones on the market for a PS3.

  • penhalion #27 3 years ago

    KZ2 definietly. GOW3 I'm not so sure about. If it's more of the same button mashing with annoying QTEs thrown in for all the boss battles, then I'm gonna have to rent and not buy. The end of GOW 2 put me off QTEs for life. It wouldn't have been so bad if they had adopted the heavenly sword version of qtes where the buttons are not randomozed each time you play the event. If I wanted to buy a guessing game I'd have picked up a deck of cards!

  • ps3owner #28 3 years ago

    do they still get the 1 year guarantee?

  • rhinoxious #29 3 years ago

    Sounds like some shadow of the colossus style action,

    The one thing I really liked about the first GofW was how they produced amazing looking graphics and settings on the PS2 by using limited but dramatic camera angles, rather than a free-roaming camera. It also makes the game far easier to play. Lets hope they continue with this approach.

  • Xerx3s #30 3 years ago

    "The developer reached around 12 to 15 enemies on-screen in God of War II, and has bumped that number somewhere closer to 50 on PS3."

    The good old "just because we can do it now, we will do it." trap. More usually != better.

  • FenderMaster #31 3 years ago

    I'm a little bit worried about this one...

    I adored the first game, but the second didn't feel quite as good to me. It may be cause David Jaffe wasn't involved.

    I have high hopes for this one, if it can capture the scale of the first one (Giant Ares and Chronos) it'll be fantastic.

    The lack of co-op doesn't bother me at all, it's a single player adventure, but dlc always worries me, I hope they don't make us pay for content that should have been in the finished game....

  • Ryze #32 3 years ago

    Contender for action GOTY 2010

    /towels 2RROD 360

  • djed #33 3 years ago

    HOLY CRAP YOU GUISE!! TWENTY-THOUSAND POLYGONS!1oneeleven!

    coordinated attacks sounds logical, though. maybe also no damn random QTE please? god almighty crapduster those ruined my flow on gow so many times. HEAR ME NOW, please no more random QTE. Make it a pattern, like pulling off a tekken combo or something, or link it to actual movement on the screen, with quicker execution equaling more dmg or like yea.

  • Widge #34 3 years ago

    @rhinoxious

    yeah, their camera direction was spot on with the previous games....

  • Ren_senshi #35 3 years ago

    I dont know why people hate the GoW QTE , i mean in most games you beat the boss and get a cutscene of the Boss dieing in GoW you actually get to be involved in the "cutscene" itself through the QTEs and the fact that they are randomized just makes the game overall more challenging at least thats what i think ...

  • Kazzahdrane #36 3 years ago

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: If I don't own a PS3 by the time God of War 3 is released, I will buy one for this game.

    There's other games already out I want to play, but not enough to buy the console yet. The Adventures of Kratos The Wonder Kid will do it for me though!

  • djed #37 3 years ago

    @Ren_senshi

    It breaks the flow. I don't play on reaction so much as on patterns (meaning: i'm a god damn pretentious sounding douchebag). So I like to dance between the enemies (KEEP IT UP), and for that the battles were very nicely paced, I didn't need QTE in there. Ah, except the single-button-mashing ones, because "HAHAHAHAH NOW I KILL YOUUUUUU!!!!! (and my arm)". so...ok, whatever. GO TEAM SONY SANTA MONICA Woohoo.
    They could put algebra or long division in the game, it would be more challenging, I think.

  • Pro_Gamer #38 3 years ago

    Hack and slashes are sooooo 1999

  • Rash' #39 3 years ago

    Xerx3s, as opposed to "bigger, better and more badass!!!"

    :)

  • Rash' #40 3 years ago

    Dizzy, you tell us. how long has your 360 lasted. surely that's not your answer for next gen?
    Edited by 1 at 12/02/09 @ 14:09

  • Quint2020 #41 3 years ago

    Ahhh fanboys, bless their little cottons, I've been playing Chains of Olympus on my PSP and I've got to admit it's got me interested in the series, some of the QTEs are a right pain in the arse but I can put up with stuff like that for a decent hack and slash.

    I'm only really interested in this, Drake and LBP so it still feels a little ridiculous spending £300 on a PS3, who knows though, maybe they'll unleash some more decent exclusives this year?

  • hiddenranbir #42 3 years ago

    "The developer reached around 12 to 15 enemies on-screen in God of War II, and has bumped that number somewhere closer to 50 on PS3."

    The good old "just because we can do it now, we will do it." trap. More usually != better.

    It means that the combat will get even more tiresome, with less of a challenge from each specific enemy but just from the fact there are so many clumped about we'll be button mashing it ala Dynasty Warriors.

  • Entity #43 3 years ago

    Pro_Gamer is sooooo 1969

    Ok, I admit, that's the best I could come up with in 20 seconds.
    Edited by 1 at 12/02/09 @ 10:59

  • Slipstream #44 3 years ago

    God of the Collossus?