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'Kratos yourself' (or your cat) with God of War: Ghost of Sparta web app
PlayStation UK has created a handy web app that can transform a normal headshot of yourself (or your dog, cat, life-size cardboard standee of Burt Reynolds, etc.) into the spitting image of the Ghost of Sparta himself, Kratos. Perfect for seeing if you can rock that red, full-face tattoo you want.
Undead Labs: Current MMOs are "barely even games"
Undead Labs has a new game designer, and he's come out swinging against the established MMO format. Richard Foge, who previously worked on God of War, SOCOM and Guild Wars, says he "loves the idea of MMOs" but isn't satisfied with the current market. In a recent manifesto on Undead Labs' site, Foge professes his love for console games and his puzzlement as to why MMOs haven't advanced as far: "MMOs get breaks because of their social nature, but if you really look at them closely they're barely even games. Mario 64 (nearly 15-years-old at this point) feels better than any MMO I've ever played. MMOs aren't even close to keeping up with cutting edge videogames from a gameplay or presentation perspective." The solution, he thinks, is to skew more toward console action titles. "What if we replaced all the math with action?" he muses. Undead Labs' first MMO, a zombie-themed romp through the post-apocalyptic world, is being made for consoles instead of PCs. The perfect platform for an action MMO, in his opinion, isn't the PC: "I believe that MMOs can and should compete with the best triple-A games. And I believe consoles are the perfect place for MMOs to make this stand."
God of War: Ghost of Sparta review: This Spartan stands tall
The past 12 months have been very good to fans of the God of War franchise. Nearly a year ago, we got HD versions of the original PS2 game and its sequel, followed by the excellent God of War III for PS3. Then came the revelation that Ready At Dawn, developer of the knockout God of War: Chains of Olympus for PSP, was returning to the system with a brand new entry, God of War: Ghost of Sparta. As great as Chains of Olympus had been, the idea that a portable God of War could satisfy after the epic PS3 iteration seemed, well, like it would take an act of ... gods. It's a good thing, then, that Ready At Dawn clearly drew on some otherworldly powers in creating Ghost of Sparta: a game that upholds the standard of quality in gameplay, storytelling and sheer wow factor of the series, while also -- like Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker before it -- blurring the lines between portable and console experiences with its amazing presentation.%Gallery-92258%
God of War Collection coming to PSN in November
Does the very thought of standing up, walking to your PlayStation 3 and inserting a Blu-ray disc incite utter, uncontrollable rage? In an effort to counter vengeful rampages against Sony's higher management, the publisher has announced a downloadable version of God of War Collection. Set to arrive on Tuesday, November 2, alongside God of War: Ghost of Sparta, the PlayStation Network compilation will feature the remastered God of War and God of War 2 -- both running in 720p native resolution at 60 frames per second -- but will not include any of the bonus content from the Blu-ray release. According to the European PlayStation Blog, the greek growl-a-thons will be sold separately for €18/£14 each, or as a bundle for €30/£24. That's quite a bit higher than the cost of the Blu-ray collection, and we hope the observation won't apply to the US price when it's announced. You have enough reasons to be angry as it is -- just look at how far away the remote control is today. %Gallery-75756%
God of War: Ghost of Sparta demo for PlayStation Plus next week
Now this is totally cooler than discounts on PS3 service plans: next Tuesday, September 7, those with subscriptions to Sony's PlayStation Plus service will score an early download of the God of War: Ghost of Sparta demo. No word yet on a non-subscriber date for the demo. We'll keep you posted.
Sony invites public to God of War documentary taping in Los Angeles
If you live in Los Angeles and love God of War, you're in luck. Sony is getting the directors of all of the God of War games so far -- that's David Jaffe, Cory Barlog, Stig Asmussen, Ru Weerasuiya and Dana Jan, for those of you keeping score -- together this Wednesday in the City of Angels to film a documentary extra for the upcoming Ghost of Sparta preorder bundle, and it's inviting the public to watch. Starting at 4:00 p.m. PDT on September 1, fans can arrive at the El Portal theater in North Hollywood, and the first 150 on the scene (which means you better show up early) will get seats to see the show. You can RSVP on the Facebook page (though it doesn't appear that you have to -- it's just first come, first served) and you must be 18+ or accompanied by a parent to enter. Sony's also promising "gifts and prizes for all in attendance," so if you make it in, you'll probably get to take something home, too. We mean besides the insight and wit of David Jaffe and company.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta special edition PSP revealed
PlayStation Blog released a few images of the special edition PSP, seen above, included in the God of War: Ghost of Sparta bundle. It just ... looks angry, doesn't it? Like, we rarely imbue inanimate objects with human emotions, but that thing looks like it wants to cut us while we sleep.
Spoof God of War movie trailer is so indie
Whatever you may have imagined a God of War movie would be like, there's a very good chance it was nothing like this. Who would have thought Kratos was just an upper-crust prep school kid with real problems? Really, the only things missing from this trailer are Ellen Page and Jason Schwartzman.
Preview: God of War: Ghost of Sparta
"Every end has a beginning," the trailer for God of War: Ghost of Sparta tells us. Yet, considering how savaged Greek mythology is by the end of God of War 3, Ghost of Sparta seems a bit out of place. A new God of War prequel from Chains of Olympus developer Ready at Dawn should be cause for celebration, but perhaps it's too soon after God of War 3 -- my excitement was definitely abated when I picked up the PSP system and started playing. It felt too safe, too familiar. That's not to say that Ghost of Sparta is bad. In fact, it's very good -- Ready at Dawn's handheld wizardry has managed to improve even more, with visuals that seem impossible on Sony's aging portable. And it's not just a pretty face: there are some new gameplay features as well, including a few refinements carried over from the PS3 game. Chains of Olympus stands as the most critically acclaimed PSP game to date, and it seems Ghost of Sparta has a chance of besting such a lofty goal. The core mechanics will be instantly familiar to anyone who has played a God of War game. At this point, Kratos' repertoire of dual-chain attacks should be part of muscle memory. There are a few additions that make the combat feel new and fun. The "Hyperion Charge," for example, allows you to run at enemies and tackle them. Additional button presses let you bash at the enemy, MMA style, or throw it as a meatbag projectile. %Gallery-95857%
Los Angeles residents invited to playtest Ghost of Sparta
If you live in Los Angeles, and are at least 18 years old, and you know your way around a God of War game, and you're capable of signing a Non-Disclosure agreement, then this is one heck of a coincidence. Sony is currently looking for people matching that very description to come check out Kratos' next handheld adventure: God of War: Ghost of Sparta, this Thursday. To apply, just email SCEA Santa Monica with your name, address, phone number, and whether you'd prefer to join in the 11 a.m. to noon session, or the 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. session. We suggest going with the first one, so that you don't have to see them cleaning up the goat offal left over from their bacchanalian lunchtime feast.
BAFTA-winning God of War writer working on Shank
While you wouldn't think a game with a title as brutally simple as Shank would need a heavyweight in the whole "writing" department, Electronic Arts recently announced that Marianne Krawczyk, who won a BAFTA award for her work on the God of War franchise, will contribute to Klei Entertainment's action-platformer. In a recent EA press release, Krawczyk said, "we are creating a story that will allow gamers to explore a world where values like integrity and loyalty take on their own twisted meanings." We assume said story will be related between opportunities to stab things using two knives simultaneously -- a genre which is quickly becoming Krawczyk's literary bread-and-butter.
God of War novel ravages retail May 25, first chapter online
The official God of War novel, based on the "thrilling video game," will spill its entrails of words all over bookstore shelves May 25, 2010. In the meantime, the prologue and first chapter of the book are available for Medusa's gaze online [PDF link]. Be warned, however, Kratos' transition from video game to literature may be a little tough to swallow. An excerpt: "His only dream now is of oblivion. He has been called the Ghost of Sparta. He has been called the Fist of Ares and the Champion of Athena. He has been called a warrior. A murderer. A monster. He is all of these things. And none of them. His name is Kratos, and he knows who the real monsters are." If you're comfortable with that, then the rest won't feel like a grueling Olympic event.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta brings Kratos back to PSP
God of Whoa: Click to browse high-res gallery. It looks like we finally know what the "Spartans Stand Tall" teaser site was all about. Sony has just announced God of War: Ghost of Sparta, a new PSP-exclusive game developed by Ready At Dawn Studios, the same team responsible for Chains of Olympus. "Excitement for the God of War franchise is at an all-time high and we're thrilled to continue that momentum with God of War: Ghost of Sparta," Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA, said in a press release. "This new adventure will showcase Kratos on PSP like never before in an experience that fans and newcomers can enjoy on the go, anytime, anywhere." Ghost of Sparta features Kratos once again, this time in an adventure that takes place after the first God of War on PS2 and delves into Kratos' rise to power. According to Sony, Ready At Dawn will utilize "state-of-the-art visual technologies" that will allow "higher quality environments and characters." In addition, Ghost of Sparta will offer "over 25% more gameplay" than its PSP predecessor, while adding more enemies on screen, and a greater number of boss encounters. God of War: Ghost of Sparta is planned for release "later this year." We expect a lot more to be revealed at E3. %Gallery-92258%
How God of War 3 could have ended
The God of War trilogy ended in the recent God of War 3 with Kratos [redacted]. But each God of War game before 3 (directed by Stig Asmussen) had a different director, and, as Asmussen told GamePro, each director had a different idea of how to end the saga of Angry Man Kratos. Series creator David Jaffe had stories in mind beyond Greek myth. "Basically, you destroy Greek mythology and then Norse mythology is right around the corner," Asmussen recounted. "That's the next thing that Kratos would go after. It becomes clear at the end that he's going to become this harbinger of death across different mythologies in the world and maybe carry the series on from there." God of War 2 director Cory Barlog's ending, according to Asmussen, would turn Kratos into Death. "He pretty much becomes the Grim Reaper at the end of the game and his blades become sickles." 1UP points out that Jaffe had issues with both claims. On Twitter, Jaffe said that the Norse mythology idea was more complicated than Asmussen made it sound. "There is an element of truth but it goes far beyond." Later, he
Mystery Spartan stands tall on God of War teaser site
Click to enlarge A mystery figure has appeared in the latest update to the God of War teaser site "SpartansStandTall." His reflection (captured above) momentarily flashes on screen during the video loop of the site's rendered thunderstorm. This is the second update to the site; its URL is revealed to players that unlock the God of War 3 Platinum Trophy. The apparent meter that circles the icon in the upper right corner of the full screen (not pictured) is now three-quarters full (it was one-quarter full to start and was filled to halfway upon the first update), suggesting that the next update will display a full meter and perhaps the ultimate reveal. (DLC? Spin-off? 3D Blu-ray movie? It's anyone's guess.) The icon itself is thought to be representative of the Spartan army's shield; the upside-down "V" being the Greek letter Lamba, standing for "Lacedaemon" (what the ancient Greeks called Sparta). So who is this mystery man? He certainly looks like he could be angry. And anger has always fueled this franchise, which still has some venting to do. [Thanks, Geoff]
March NPD: Pokemon and Kratos catch all the money
The ill-timed announcement of the 3DS wasn't enough to scare consumers off from purchasing new DS systems. Thanks to the combination of a new hardware variant (the big, big, big DSi XL) and new Pokemon games, the dual-screened platform sold like gangbusters. Meanwhile, hardware shortages kept the PS3 from massive sales despite the fact that it had the best-selling game of March (God of War 3). Speaking of software, we've learned a lot about you from this month. For example, Final Fantasy fans strongly prefer PS3, Battlefield fans strongly prefer 360, and Pokemon fans' dollar votes went to SoulSilver over HeartGold by quite a lot. How do you even decide something like that? Seriously, one of the 1.78 million or so of you who bought it -- take us through your process! -DS: 701K88K (14%) -Wii: 558K160K (40%) -360: 338K>84K (-20%) -PS3: 314K46K (-13%) -PSP: 120K13K (-10%) -PS2: 118K16K (16%) See the top 10 games after the break.
Dille: God of War 3 took 'just a couple days' to sell one million
Its star may be known for constantly seeing red, but the latest installment in the God of War series evidently has Sony seeing a whole lot of green. IGN reports that Peter Dille, senior VP of marketing for SCEA, told the audience at yesterday's MI6 marketing summit that God of War III had surpassed the one million unit sold mark in "just a couple days." The figure was provided without any other details, so Dille could have been lumping sales from other regions into it. We're getting in touch with SCEA for clarification and to see exactly where sales of the game stand as of this week. [Via 1UP]
The Daily Grind: How do you feel about mature content?
The game industry, in some ways, is akin to the film industry in that it grows up in fits and starts. Games such as Silent Hill 2 and God of War both have the same rating of "Mature" on the box, and both of them feature gore and some sexual imagery, but there's a world of difference in their attitudes toward them. Age of Conan is one of the few triple-A MMOs to really try and tackle mature content in the field as a selling point, with most of the market leaders eschewing it altogether. On the one hand, mature content opens the door for more adult and immersive stories to be told. On the other hand, it can also be used for cheap shock value and lead to less maturity in storytelling. Not to mention that it can lead to some backlash for developers (as BioWare experienced not so long ago). Where do you stand on the issue? Do you want unmitigated violence and nudity in your games, with all the concurrent issues they can bring, or would you rather keep things at a lower key to avoid the slide into immaturity?
'God of War Trilogy' boxset announced for Europe
We don't know how one box (unless it belongs to Pandora) can contain this much rage, but the God of War Trilogy boxset will rip Europe asunder in April. If it wasn't obvious from the title, the package contains all three titles in the anger management epic. Releasing at the same time as the God of War Collection, which includes the original game and the first sequel in one box, the Trilogy will cost €89.99 (£64.99), while the Collection requires a sacrifice of €39.99 (£24.99). Kratos's Blu-ray battle against the gods begins: UK, Ireland, Germany and Austria: April 30, 2010 Australia and New Zealand: April 29, 2010 The remainder of PAL lands: April 28, 2010 We're currently following up with Sony America to find out if the Fates deem the States worthy of the trilogy set. Check out the full box after the break. Update: There is no announcement for the Trilogy set in the States. %Gallery-75756%
God of War website teases 'Spartans Stand Tall'
Earning a Platinum Trophy in God of War III will give you an elusive reward: a link to a secret page, hidden on the God of War website. The "Spartans Stand Tall" website doesn't feature much right now, other than falling rain and a shield with an upside-down V, possibly a Lambda sign -- wait, does this mean we're finally getting the Half-Life/God of War crossover we've been waiting for? This could simply be a placeholder website for upcoming God of War DLC. Or, this could be hinting at a new Ready at Dawn-developed PSP game we've heard murmurs about. In fact, Chains of Olympus was revealed in exactly the same way, via a website hidden in God of War II on PS2. Considering the franchise's penchant for announcing new installments alongside the latest releases, we wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being a brand new game in the God of War universe. Stay tuned. [Thanks, Bryan!]
