PaulH
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ElizabethS
Earlier this month Playstation Canada hosted an exclusive God of War III preview event at The Oasi Restaurant, one of Toronto's premiere destinations for private functions. Joining me on this unique adventure was none other than NextGen Player's Alice Stancu and together we raised our Spartan courage and entered the gates of Olympus.
Upon arriving we were greeted by a pair of living statue mime artists who posed as Greek statues and naturally, we couldn't resist getting our photos taken with them. I was thinking about reciting funny ancient Greek jokes (e.g. What is The ferryman Charon's favourite game? A: Pick up Styx) to see if I could get them to move, but they were on raised platforms and had the terrain advantage. And well, their svelte frames gave me the impression they could complete the twelve labours without breaking a sweat; definitely best if I let them, uhh, stand still.
Electric Playground's Shaun Hatton plays God of War III
Toronto media checking out God of War III
At the event were dozens of media outlets and industry bloggers including Shaun Hatton from Electric Playground, Kris Abel from Tech Life (CTV), Chad Sapieha from Controller Freak (The Globe and Mail), Bryan Calhoun from Got Game (Fan590 radio), Lori Dance from A Couple of Gamers, and many more. To get a good perspective on the game, Sony invited Edmonton native John Palamarchuk, Lead Cinematic Artist on God of War III from their Santa Monica Studio who was available to discuss his involvement with the game.
In addition to the interview opportunity, the media in attendance were given several 32" HD TV game stations, plus one big 50" plasma screen, to test out God of War III. We were given approximately thirty minutes to play, enough time to see first-hand the opening boss battle sequence between Kratos, the titan Gaia, and the first god to fall under the Blades of Athena -- Poseidon.
Beginning at the exact moment where God of War II left off, Kratos is clung onto Gaia's back as the titans ascend Mount Olympus to exact their revenge held deep for many centuries. The camera pans to Zeus and the pantheons of gods, fretting over the looming battle. Distraught, yet willing to set aside their petty grievances with one another to battle their common enemy, Hades, Helios, Hermes, Zeus, et al. renew their alliance and swear to thwart the inbound titans. The god of the sea dashes off the peak of Mount Olympus, turning himself into a rocketing water missile as he plunges his body into the sternum of Gaia. Moments later thick tentacles spring from the sea, ensnaring Gaia and loosening her grip on Mount Olympus -- plunging her into the depths below.
What's amazing about the entire sequence is that according Stig Asmussen, the game's Director, these cutscenes are rendered using the game's engine. So immersive are these cutscenes they feel exactly like the game's playable portion, and the transition between the two are perfectly seamless.
The water leviathan attacks Kratos
Kratos battling the water leviathan while swinging on Gaia's gargantuan arm
The encounter with the water leviathan is breath-taking. The beast drips gallons of seawater with each hack and slash of Kratos' Blades of Athena, with arguably the best water animations ever seen in a game. To add variety, the fight takes place over many forms including on a flat surface (Gaia's hand), while hanging upside down and even while swinging from tentacle to tentacle in slow-motion cinematic sequences. Interspersed there are numerous visually stunning cutscenes depicting Kratos fierce battle with the water leviathan.
Between action sequences Kratos will also encounter less taxing moments that will see him climb vines, pull levers, battle undead minions and disembowel Centaurs. These sections help you reacquaint with the controls and various gameplay elements that will become crucial as your advance in your quest to slay the gods.
Kratos sees the undead before him
The opening thirty minutes of God of War III are unforgettable. Not since Shadow of the Colossus have we seen such awe-inspiring boss battles atop towering titans. While the game felt very familiar, the controls have been greatly refined and the graphics polished to a sheen. No matter how well I explain the scenario to you, it's impossible to do the opening battle justice with words -- you simply need to experience it. While most games begin slow to acclimatize you to the controls and introduce the story, God of War III starts out relentless -- and epic. With this being only the first thirty minutes of the game, I shutter to think about what's to come. If my time with the game is any indication, it's sure to not disappoint; this is the God of War hi-def game we've been waiting for.
