Personally I’m not a big fan of console games because I prefer TBS and RTS games as opposed to FPS or action games. However, that didn’t stop me from trying out God of War: Ascension recently.
As a first time player of the series this game ticked all the right boxes: it is visually stunning, has great combat opportunities and gives users an amazing sense of control. On top of all that, the game is based on Greek mythology, so the plot line become all the more cooler.
God of War: Ascension is a prequel to the original God of War series, set about 10 years earlier. The game basically traces the roots of Kratos, the protagonist of the series.
Gameplay
The first thing anyone playing this game will notice is the awe-inspiring combat systems. Whether it is killing monsters or centaurus, there is a lot of blood and guts to go around. The scale of the mythical creatures is amazing and while the combat gets a little mechanical after a while, the seemingly endless set of combinations keeps the experience fresh.
This is not to say that the combat system is not challenging. Players are rewarded with critical hits (and more stomach-churning kill animations) if they do a good enough job of dodging the primary attacks or making well timed strikes. The cameras add to the intensity, providing an all-round view of the combat system in real-time.
The Original God of War series drew critical acclaim for all the enchanted weapons available. In Ascension, Kratos Blades of Chaos make slicing, hacking and slashing your opponents seem like cutting through butter with a hot knife; a seamless combat flow. Thankfully, the game is not all about an unstoppable brute of a juggernaut, the combat also puts an emphasis on blocking and dodging of enemy attacks.
Physical weapons are imbued with elemental powers: fire, demon, ice and electricity. Naturally, a smart selection of these skills is necessary to dominate the battlefield. With enough effort, players can unlock different spells.
Players are also capable of picking up the weapons of fallen opponents and this makes things more entertaining. Moreover, the secondary weapons allow players to unlock different capabilities and combos with devastating effect.
Overall, the battles are not entirely tiresome. Once you learn the basic combat system, the rest of the game is easy to master. Boss battles aren’t very tiresome either but they are the ultimate expression scale, which is something I love about this series. The scenery and the visual experience throughout these battles is quite impressive. Moreover, the boss battles are probably the darkest part of the game, which is particularly satisfying.
Puzzles are also back and the learning curve is well designed for newer players. The initial puzzles are quite simple and might not involve much more than moving a few items and opening a few locks. However, towards the end of the game, players are provided with more sophisticated challenges involving using different powers and combos to solve brainteasers.
Verdict
God of War: Ascension is a pretty good action adventure game. There is plenty of violent combat, a stunning story line based on Greek myth, and of course the immersive gaming experience. While I’m somewhat disappointed I was unable to play this on a PC (playable on the PS3) the console controlling system was quite good.
All in all, even if you are not a fan of the series, God of War: Ascension is something worth looking into if you want to satisfy that blood-thirsty gaming urge.
By Navam Niles
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