God Of War 3
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'Revenge Starts Here' in European God of War III TV ad
Although it commanded a large presence at E3, Sony has been otherwise quiet about God of War III. With the game's release only weeks away, Sony has opened the floodgates, revealing new footage, highlighting new levels, and most importantly, advertising the game on TV. The European markets are treated to an ad which simply states "Revenge Starts Here." The ad doesn't need a gimmick: it simply relies on real-time footage of the game. Check it out after the break. [Via TheSixthAxis]
Interview: John Hight, God of War III director of product development
John Hight runs Sony's Santa Monica studio and oversees the entire God of War 3 team. He makes sure that everyone is happy, that the game is going to ship on time, and that it's going to be something you'll want to play. Read on to learn more from him about the the future of the franchise, the possibility of multiplayer, the God of War movie and why he hasn't played Dante's Inferno (yet).
Interview: Adam Puhl, God of War III's combat designer
As lead combat designer of God of War III, Adam Puhl has the enviable position of creating an arsenal of weapons and abilities fit to take down the gods. I recently spoke with Adam about the design process for such a titanic task and the pressures of surpassing the first two God of War games. Additionally, Adam offered his gameplay reactions to Dante's Inferno and Darksiders, two recent action-adventures that owe a lot to the God of War series. Read on after the break for the full interview. %Gallery-44594%
Hands-on: God of War III (well, the first boss battle at least)
A common refrain from many (including us!) about God of War III is: "It's God of War ... in HD." And, as our last preview attested, that's not such a bad thing. In fact, while the demo was impressive in its own right, the game's director tells us they've added depth of field, motion blur, and high dynamic range lighting to the finished product. Too technical, right? We'll just use our fallback word: awesome. For this hands-on, we went all the way up to the first boss and beat him ... err, after several tries. It's none other than a certain God of the Sea, and he's pretty moody on account of Kratos and a bunch of Titans trying to scale Mount Olympus. In fact, there's a gathering of the gods up there and they're all pretty miffed: Zeus, Helios, Hermes, Poseidon, Hades, and a mysterious someone else. Based on this preview, they're going to do everything they can to try and make sure Kratos doesn't play king of the hill on their precious mountain. Read on for our experience with the opening of God of War III up to, and including, the first boss battle. If you're hoping to go into this game spoiler-free next month, you might want to stop here; otherwise, press on! %Gallery-44594%
God of War III features 'first-person kills'
"You finally get the chance to see what it's like to be killed by Kratos," Adam Puhl explained to Geoff Keighley in the latest episode of GameTrailers TV. Although described as "first person kills," we'd argue that they should be coined "second person kills" -- you are doing the killing, after all. Regardless of the terminology, these interactive sequences are likely to represent some of the most gruesome moments of the entire franchise. For us, this footage represented the highlight of last night's episode. The 21-minute special includes a rather comprehensive look at God of War III, but be warned of potential spoilers. You will see some new bosses, and even a new power that enhances the combat rather significantly. It's only a few weeks away until the game's release, so let's find out if you have the willpower not to visit GameTrailers.
Listen to God of War III 'Blood & Metal' at AOL Radio
Want a taste of the "Blood & Metal" LP included with the God of War III Ultimate Edition? AOL Radio's Metal Mosh Pit station is now carrying six songs from the upcoming Kratos-inspired soundtrack: Killswitch Engage 'My Obsession' Trivium 'Shattering the Skies Above' Dream Theater 'Raw Dog' Taking Dawn 'This is Madness' Opeth 'The Throat of Winter' Mutiny Within 'The End' The station plays songs randomly, so you may not immediately hear all of these ditties; however, it should give you a good idea of what's included in the $100 premium box you probably already pre-ordered.
PSN Thursday: God of War 3 demo leads a long night of downloading
Demos for God of War III and Darksiders are up this week. Grandia's on PS One Classics. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is half-price. There's Valkyria Chronicles and Uncharted 2 DLC. Echoshift is up on PSP. Basically, if you don't find something for you this week on the PlayStation Network, you probably don't own a PlayStation console. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
LGJ: Dante's Infringement (or lack thereof)
Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq ("LGJ"), a column on legal issues as they relate to video games: While I'm still waiting for my copy of Dante's Inferno, I have been checking out the review sites, Achievement guides and message boards in preparation for the arrival of the game. One question that keeps being asked over and over again, between many different boards, is "How is EA not being sued over this game?" While the overwhelming majority of these posts reference God of War, I have even seen mention of a "license" to Inferno (as a part of the Divine Comedy). Before I begin, I know many people might have issue with me writing this before playing, but I can assure you between the videos available online and the demo, I've experienced enough of the game to be able to come to a simple conclusion: No infringement here. Let's get the latter, more absurd suggestion off the table first. There's not now, nor will there ever a be, a license to Inferno, the epic poem by Dante. Why is that? It's a part of the public domain. It, as a work, would have been eligible for copyright had such laws been in place at the time, but even with the modern expansive rules, the copyright would have ended hundreds of year ago. After all, taking the normal 'life of the author plus 70 years' for works created after 1978 in the US, 70 years after Dante's death was 1391. We're well past 600 years after Dante's death at this point; in fact, 2021 will mark the 700 year anniversary of Dante's death, 10 times the length granted by statute. So, this particular statement was absurd even for forum posts, but the idea that Dante's Inferno infringes on God of War isn't much more sound.
Spike TV holding casting calls for nightmarish God of War 3 contest
Good news, The Tester -- you're off the hook for being the worst idea for a video game-themed game show. Look sharp, Spike TV's recently announced God of War 3 promotion/contest Last Titan Standing -- you're officially on notice. According to a recent press release announcing the show's casting call, Last Titan Standing (which airs the night before GoW 3's March 16 release) pits players against one another for a chance to play the game "before the rest of the world." Kind of a lackluster prize -- what will they be doing to win it? Well, according to the casting call: "The story, puzzles, and straight-up action in God of War 3 will be recreated and YOU can be standing in the midst of the battles." Thanks, but no thanks, Last Titan Standing -- all things considered, putting up with pre-order panhandling from our friendly neighborhood GameStop clerk is marginally more bearable than getting our arms ripped off by a minotaur.
Sony: PS3 supply to be 'tight' over coming months
Sony's senior director of corporate communications Patrick Seybold issued a statement after last night's NPD numbers for January, explaining that the company's flagship console may be a bit difficult to find at retail over the next few months. "We're working very hard with our retail partners to meet consumer interest, but the demand is tremendously high for the PS3 and we expect tight inventory in the coming months," Seybold notes in the statement. As this is the first we've heard about any sort of PlayStation 3 hardware shortages, we followed up with Seybold to make sure he wasn't only warning about future supply issues, but also explaining January's sales of the console. He told us: "Yes. The strong demand carrying through the holidays was evident and early in the month we [knew] there was going to be limited supply of the PS3 at retail in January. We're working closely with the retail channel to meet this demand, but expect tight supply for the coming months." The upcoming supply issues may also be a result of Sony's "upcoming line up of the industry's most anticipated games" -- games like Heavy Rain, God of War 3, and ModNation Racers. Seybold additionally points out that "this momentum is fueled by a stellar holiday" and the recent releases of games like MAG and BioShock 2. We here at Joystiq have yet to see the shortages at our local brick-and-mortars, but feel free to let us know if you do!
God of War 3 trailer will boulder you over
Are all those Xbox 360 megatons getting a bit monotonous? Here, try something in PS3 flavor. Specifically, a brand new God of War 3 trailer. In it, Kratos proves that, for him, carrying around a big boulder is no Sisyphean task. In fact, it becomes somewhat of an improbable method of propulsion. The game also puts a giant monster on an even bigger giant so Kratos can fight while he fights. It's a festival of excess, tied loosely into Greek myth. Total God of War stuff, essentially.
God of War III Ultimate Trilogy Edition: The Ultimate Box
Sony Europe has released an image of the European box for the God of War III Ultimate Trilogy Edition -- which, like the American God of War III Ultimate Edition, contains another box within. The European packaging is much more colorful (at least much more red) than the North American box, though, and features an all-important acetate window, through which shoppers can gaze upon the majesty of the replica Pandora's Box that comes with the set. Aside from the colors and the view, the European set also includes one other thing that the American bundle doesn't: the God of War Collection, which features HD remakes of God of War and God of War II for PS3, and plenty of logos.
Latest episode of Qore features God of War 3 E3 demo
Wait, you're telling us you still haven't played that demo for God of War III which we got our hands on like, eight months ago? What, did you not get one of the download codes that came bundled with District 9 and the God of War Collection? We're trying not to be too condescending, it's just ... look, we're already playing the demo for God of War IV. If you don't make the effort to catch up, then what are we even doing here? Consider this your last chance: According to a recent Playstation.Blog post, the next episode of Qore will land on the PSN alongside a God of War III demo, which will be available to the program's subscribers. Why not pick it up, and attempt to close the ever-widening gap between us, dear readers? We miss you.
No God of War 3 demo on Netflix District 9 Blu-ray
Look, we know how your mind works. One day, you were sitting around, thinking about how you could lay your hands on the God of War III demo. Then, all of a sudden, it hit you. You figured out how to game the system. "Easy," you thought, "I'll just order the District 9 Blu-ray from Netflix, grab the demo, and send the disc back. Bam, free demo." Alas, it looks like Netflix has seen through your paper-thin ploy, as tipster Caleb tells Joystiq that the demo isn't included with the Netflix version of the film. A quick look at the God of War community forums reveals the same story. Sorry to spoil things. Maybe your next evil plan will work out better.
God of War Collection to release separately in Europe [update]
Since it hasn't been released there, we had assumed that the only shot our friends in the UK [Update: We've been told by SCEE that this is coming to all of Europe!] would have at the God of War Collection would be contained inside the monstrous "Ultimate Trilogy Edition." However, VG247 has relayed a quote from Sony, stating that "there are plans to release the GOW Collection separately" after all. It's uncertain just when those plans will come to fruition, but it counts as good news for people who don't want to lay out the cash for the limited edition box set ... or those who would prefer not to have a screaming visage of demonic horror on their mantles.
Interview: God of War III ends trilogy, but not franchise, Sony's John Hight says
While God of War III will conclude the trilogy, it won't spell the end of the franchise, Sony Santa Monica's John Hight reveals in a recent interview with Joystiq. With the third game "capping off what we started with God of War," Hight says we should expect more God of War games to follow, but the decision on where to take the franchise after the initial trilogy (and portable prequel) won't be taken lightly. "We're going to be really careful about what we do next," he assures. The full interview can be viewed in its entirety above. Select portions of the interview can be read in the following transcription: Can you explain the new technology that you're showing off today? So what we've kept under wraps until this time is dynamic environments. It means we can take literally anything in the game, including creatures and in this case, extremely large thousand foot plus creatures, and turn them into an environment that Kratos can now navigate, battle on, engage other creatures on, find treasures, you name it. Even since the very first God of War, we keep a running list of features that we'd like to have. So you're in the middle of making something ... some of them make it into the game, and some of them get moved to the next game. And this was the case of definitely a feature that the team has thought about for a while, but God of War 3 and the technology of PS3 enabled us to actually build it.
Hands-on: This is God of War III
You should probably click this image. I summed up the E3 demo of God of War III with this opener: "God of War, in HD." That's not a "bad" thing per se, but for a franchise that's been known for pushing the graphical envelope, it simply wasn't enough. Thankfully, my concerns were obliterated last month when I got to play the latest build of the game. It only took a minute or so before I was able to say "this is God of War III -- and what it was always meant to be." The demo was incredibly short, perhaps two or three minutes long. But that's all Santa Monica Studios needed to effectively demonstrate the scope of their vision. The graphical improvements were immediately noticeable: motion blur, depth of field, better lighting and special effects. However, it was the cinematic camera work and the incredibly inspired level design that really left an impression. Once again, this demo takes place on the Titan, making his way to the top of Mount Olympus. What the VGA trailer failed to capture effectively, though, is how dynamic battles will feel atop a moving giant. Remember how impressive Uncharted 2's dynamic set pieces were? Imagine scenes like Uncharted's collapsing building and train, and remove the sense of "reality" that Nathan Drake has to adhere to.%Gallery-83381%
Marble Madness creator Mark Cerny to be inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame
It may have been a quarter century since Mark Cerny's groundbreaking arcade game Marble Madness was first developed, but this year the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences will give the influential developer an induction into its Hall of Fame. On February 18 in Las Vegas, Cerny will become the 13th member of the AIAS' small club -- a club that includes development bigwigs like Will Wright and Shigeru Miyamoto, among others. For those of you who don't know, Cerny's been hard at work behind the scenes of some of our favorite games throughout the years. The developer's had a hand in everything from Sonic 2 through God of War 3, with his influential "Cerny Method" of tenacious development being passed down to modern day big boys like Insomniac's Ted Price and Naughty Dog's Evan Wells. "Mark has left an indelible mark on all of the games he's been a part of, the developers that he's collaborated with, and most importantly the individuals that he's worked along-side of," Wells said in the press release (warning: PDF link). For Cerny's part, he said he's "thrilled to accept this award" and humbly offloaded some respect to past colleagues that he's "had the pleasure to work with over the years." We're looking forward to witnessing the "Cerny Method" in action during his acceptance speech, wherein he only allows himself 30 seconds to catch our interest before reevaluating the entire thing.
God of War III gets a Japanese release date
We've known that God of War III would be arriving on the Playstation 3 in March for a while now, but Sony has blessed Japan with an actual date: March 26, 2010. There's no official date for the rest of the world yet, but we'll let you know when we see one. The good news is that it's possible the game could come out earlier in the US, being as it's a title developed right here between the shining seas. But either way, that demo will have to tide you over for a couple more months.
God of War 'Ultimate Trilogy Edition' coming to Europe
Dear Europe, We're really sorry you weren't able to get God of War Collection this year. But we wanted to let you know that it's not you, it's us. Yeah, you really wanted it, but we thought you would want EyePet instead! To make up for the delay, we're making you an Ultimate Trilogy Edition of God of War III. Not only will it include a fancy box and a copy of God of War III, but it will also include God of War Collection, so you can have all three games in one garish box. We're also throwing in an art book and postcards, along with a lot of digital extras that America is also receiving. Does this make you feel better, baby? Love, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
