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Japan gets God of War manga as Ghost of Sparta pre-order bonus
Tatsuya Egawa, creator of the risqué manga Golden Boy has been tapped by Sony to produce a short God of War: Ghost of Sparta manga as a pre-order bonus in Japan. It's intended to provide backstory for franchise newbies, but also gives Kratos an oddly proportioned head. Seriously, look at that thing!
Ghost of Sparta's 'Legionnaire' bonus costume revealed
Last week, we got a look at a hair-topped, alternate version of God of War's surly hero, Kratos -- recently, PlayStation.Blog showed off another "what if" concept of the protagonist. As in, "what if the dude wore more clothes" -- a query answered by Ghost of Sparta's "Legionnaire" pre-order bonus.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta includes downloadable Deimos for GoW 3
It must be really, really hard being the brother of the God of War series' surly protagonist, Kratos. Not only was the ash-covered warrior probably a brutal roughhouser in his youth, but his siblings more than likely get pummeled with guilt at family reunions: "Why can't you be more like your brother? He's killed like, twenty gods, you know?" You'll get to suffer these slings and arrows if you pick up Ghost of Sparta, as early, specially-marked copies of the game will include a voucher to download a character skin modeled after Kratos' bro, Deimos, for use in God of War 3. Deimos, who bears a strong familial resemblance to the titular Ghost of Sparta, isn't just more hirsute than his brother, he also comes with "enhanced combat damage and the ability to receive 4x the amount of Health, Magic and God Orbs," according to PlayStation Blog. The voucher will be available in early copies of the game, in the hardware-bundled Entertainment Pack and for PSP Go users who purchase the title from November 2–9 on the PlayStation Store. Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience to play through a God of War game with a full head of lustrous, waxen hair. Check out a new, extremely bald trailer for God of War: Ghost of Sparta after the jump.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta demo arrives on PSN tomorrow
Are you anxious to finally find out what new methods of dude-hurting have been introduced in Kratos' next outing, God of War: Ghost of Sparta? Put on your angry face, friends -- PlayStation Blog has announced that a demo for that ultraviolent romp through Greek history will arrive on the PlayStation Store with tomorrow's content update. We're not sure how many minutes of chain-swinging will be included in said demo, but we do know that it probably won't be enough to tide us over until Ghost of Sparta's November 2 release date. Unless, of course, we play it a thousand times. Man, we'd be so good at that one part.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta pre-order bonuses announced
If the recently announced God of War: Ghost of Sparta hardware bundle just isn't enough Kratos to satisfy your obsession, Sony's keen to remind you that you can deepen your devotion by pre-ordering the game. Your commitment will net you a bonus pack of extras; each of which will be individually highlighted on the PlayStation Blog over the following weeks. While only the Kratos PSN Avatar has been fully revealed, it's probably not too much of a stretch for God of War devotees to imagine what the other bonuses entail. Also included with a Ghost of Sparta pre-order: the original soundtrack, the "God of War Live" creative directors documentary, a Legionnaire character skin, and both a PS3 Dynamic and PSP theme.
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.
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.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta coming Nov. 2 alongside PSP hardware bundle
Your next chance to brutally eviscerate mythological beasts without eliciting the concern of your peers will come on November 2, when Ready at Dawn's second handheld Kratosian adventure, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, hits U.S. store shelves. The PlayStation.Blog mentions the game's arrival as "just in time for the holidays" -- we assume they're talking about Thanksgiving, which, much like God of War's ashy protagonist, places a heavy emphasis on carving. Also announced were the game's pre-order bonuses, which include PSP and PS3 Themes and Avatars, the game's soundtrack, an in-game "Legionnaire Skin" and a video roundtable of the game's creative directors. In addition, a Ghost of Sparta PSP bundle will launch alongside the game, which comes with a red and black PSP-3000, a copy of the game, a download voucher for Chains of Olympus, Kick-Ass on UMD and a 2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo. It is, quite possibly, the most violent thing upon which you could ever spend $199.99.
New Ghost of Sparta footage teaches how to solve puzzles with murder
You know, we were just thinking about how tame ol' Kratos had become in the latter portions of the God of War trilogy. What happened to the days when he'd straight murder a Greek historical figure, unprovoked, just to solve a puzzle? Fear not -- those days will apparently return in Ghost of Sparta.
Ready at Dawn confirms 13 laid off
Ready at Dawn, the Southern Californian developer behind the upcoming God of War: Ghost of Sparta for PSP, has laid off 13 of its employees, a statement on its website confirms. While a source told Joystiq that as many as 50 were let go including contractors, company president Didier Malenfant told us, "The number on the site is accurate, that's why we put it up to make sure stupid rumors don't start flying." The official statement calls the layoffs "the woes of being independent," saying of the now-former staff, "We simply couldn't keep them on board while one project finishes and another ramps up." Our source said that among the 13 were employees who had been with the studio since its early days, working on titles including Daxter and God of War: Chains of Olympus. Only four members of the team that worked on the latter remain, we're told.
Get your first taste of God of War: Ghost of Sparta gameplay
By now, we've all seen the God of War: Ghost of Sparta trailer about a few hundred times, but Sony's finally hooked us up with the good stuff -- actual gameplay footage. Past the break, you can soak your eyes in just over a minute of footage of Kratos doing what he does best: cutting down fools and harvesting their sweet, sweet orbs. We get the guy is all mad about his dead family and stuff, but does he have to eat his enemy's souls? Does he have to go that far? %Gallery-95857%
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%
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%
Ready at Dawn's game engine to 'support all console systems'
Yesterday's announcement that Daxter, God of War: Chains of Olympus and Wii Okami developer Ready at Dawn would be releasing its own game engine was missing something. Specifically: Mention of Nintendo Wii as a supported platform. We found the omission a little odd, considering the studio has done Wii development, so we contacted RAD president Didier Malenfant to find out more."We plan on our newly announced platform to support all console systems," Malenfant told us. OK, that was easy. When asked about the fresh job posting on his company's site seeking "a few additions to our engine team in order to add support for an unannounced console platform," though, he remarked that his previous statement was "about all I can say for now," but that "we will have more engine news soon." We're sure it will be ... rad.
Ready at Dawn releasing self-titled middleware engine
Fact: Ready at Dawn has never made a bad game. Sure, the company's repertoire, which includes Daxter and God of War: Chains of Olympus for PSP and Okami for Wii, is limited. Still, look at those games. Not exactly the worst developer to take a cue from, right? Soon, developers large and small will be able to do just that when Ready at Dawn releases its own game development platform for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PSP, appropriately titled the Ready at Dawn Engine. (How delightfully narcissistic!) The new engine will attempt to set itself apart from competing middleware services by offering a one-stop shop for cross-platform game development, merging its "proprietary code-base with the top providers of 3D content editing, audio, user interface and asset management systems." We suggest checking out Gamasutra's recent interview with Dawn co-founder Didier Malenfant to learn about the brazenness required to inspire a company, with three games under its belt, to make its own game-crafting engine.
Japanese gamers want Persona 4, Phoenix Wright anime series (and so do we)
Japanese gaming pub Dengenki recently polled its readers on what series they'd like to see translated into anime form. The Top 10 list looks nearly exactly the same as our own wishlist: 1. Persona 4 2. Phoenix Wright 3. Okami 4. Kingdom Hearts 5. Idol Master 6. Metal Gear Solid 7. Yakuza 8. BlazBlue 9. Persona 3 10. Atelier Rorona Atlus' PS2 RPG Persona 4 tops the list, managing to beat out some big names like Kingdom Hearts and Metal Gear Solid. Perhaps the success of Persona: Trinity Soul reminded readers that the franchise works in serialized TV format? While we'd certainly like to see another Persona anime, an adaptation of Phoenix Wright seems like a no-brainer. Capcom, are you reading this? [Via Andriasang]
April Fools: Chains of Olympus contains hidden 'Cube of War' mode
Hot off its "Best Handheld Game" win at the 2009 Game Developer Choice Awards, Ready at Dawn has divulged the existence of a previously undiscovered mode within God of War: Chains of Olympus. Called "Cube of War," it allows players to take on the game's menagerie of murderous malcontents as ... an Aperture Science Weighted Companion Cube.RAD isn't saying how the deal to get the Cube in the game -- and out of Portal -- was struck, but it does have instructions on unlocking this tasty (like cake) triumph: "if you finish Chains of Olympus in god mode, no upgrades, and collect all the urns of power twice without dying you open up the companion cube as a hidden character." If you can muster that, we'd consider it a huge success. If you can't, at least watch what you're missing after the break.
PSA: Go buy Okami for $20 at the Capcom Store
It's okay, we can wait. Just head over to the Capcom Store and buy your copy of Okami right now. It's only $20. What's that? Oh, yes, that price applies to both the PS2 and Wii versions. Seriously, Capcom lowered the price to $20. We know, right? What? You say you haven't even played Okami yet? You'd better hurry up and buy it before someone finds out. It's okay, we won't tell anyone.
Ready at Dawn CEO talks up PSP, says online distribution is key
Judging by last week's torrent of PSP headlines, clearly Sony has big plans in store for its handheld in the coming year. One popular rumor making the rounds of late centers on a possible redesign in the works for the portable, one which purports to drop the UMD format altogether. It's an idea that Ready at Dawn boss Didier Malenfant seems wholly in favor of seeing, if only because it looks to point towards a platform dedicated to digital distribution.The exec admits that he doesn't have the inside track on what Sony is up to with the PSP, though he told Edge in a recent interview that he'd "love to see anything that can help distribution move quicker toward a 100 percent online model." Like Bungie's Marty O'Donnell before him, Malenfant has been feeling the financial crunch put on the industry by the used game market, and confessed that "it's not piracy but used games that are killing us."Ready at Dawn may have a more personal stake in a possible PSP redesign as well, with rumors of a PSP sequel to God of War: Chains of Olympus in the pipeline at the Irvine, CA studio. Unfortunately, Edge wasn't ably to pry any details out of the company co-founder, with Malenfant saying only that "the PSP was a great platform to work on and it's certainly been really good to us, so we have no complaint there." However, if Ready at Dawn is back to working with the PSP, we suggest maybe holding onto a few of those dev kits after the project is out the door instead of spending all of the company profits on stamps.
Rumor: Ready at Dawn developing new PSP God of War
If Tuesday's reveal of new -- even exciting -- games coming to PSP knocked you on your rump, you'd best be seated before reading any futher. Comfy? Good. Here's the deal: Joystiq has learned from a trusted source that Ready at Dawn, the studio behind the PSP's excellent God of War: Chains of Olympus, is working on a new Kratos adventure for PSP. Apparently the studio hasn't sworn off PSP development once and for all.The informant tells us Ready at Dawn did, in fact, ship all of its PSP development kits back to Sony last summer, but received new kits in late 2008 after Sony ordered up the sequel. It's possible that, given its current state of development, the game might appear in some form at June's E3 Expo, our source reports. The title seems an unlikely candidate for release this year, but could be timed to coincide with God of War III's launch, which may occur in early 2010.When contacted for comment, Ready at Dawn president and co-founder, Didier Malenfant, responded: "You know that even if we were [making the game], I couldn't answer your question." We see a "know" in there, but not a "no."
