Quite possibly the greatest game of alltime...
So I was thrilled to discover that GOW 3's gameplay returns to it's roots. And while there are still several puzzles, combat and clever level design is what dominates the gameplay.
The amount of killing Kratos does in this game is astounding. No God or Titan is safe. The action never lets up.
Here's my breakdown:
Graphics: Well, what can you say. They couldn't be better. This is one of the best looking video games ever. Kratos is stunning.
Sound: Typical GOW soundtrack, which means it's awesome.
Gameplay: Sony took the great gameplay that already existed and refined it. They've added little gameplay enhancements that go a long way into making gameplay that was already great even better. I have to say I really enjoyed the minigame button presses. There are a lot of them and they are done extremely well.
Presentation: As good as it gets. While there is less story than the previous 2 games, everything is presented as grand as possible.
Contols: This is the one area where you could point at some minor flaws. Mainly, button presses that don't register when you try to use the Icarus wings, and getting stuck in animations that force you to take a cheap hit. However, these are very minor and do not detract from the game at all.
The Bottom Line: I believe as good as the original God Of War is, GOW 3 is the best in the series. I agree with what I saw one critic write. The original God of War has the best story. God Of War 2 has the most challenging gameplay, but God Of War 3 strikes the best balance. The fact that it was made for the more powerful PS3 doesn't hurt, either.
I have to say, also, that I'm not one to play a video game for more than 1 or 2 hours a day. But this game had me playing from early in the morning until late at night. I couldn't stop playing!!
In closing, I have to say I have mixed emotions about the ending. No spoilers here, but I'll say that I would never have expected some of the turns the story takes.
Finally, I just hope that this isn't the end of the God Of War franchise. I fell in love with the series from day one, and hope to see something new and different from Sony in the future. I truly believe it is potentially the greatest game franchise of alltime. And God Of War 3 is quite possibly the greatest game of alltime!