Do you have what it takes to get a review published right here on Kotaku? Michael does, as he is manly enough to wear nothing but a skirt.
Yes, that’s right, we’re now publishing reader reviews here on Kotaku. This is your chance to deliver sensible game purchasing advice to the rest of the Kotaku community.
And thanks to the very kind chaps at Madman Entertainment, purveyor of all kinds of cool, indie and esoteric film, the best reader review we publish each month will win a prize pack containing ten of the latest Madman DVD releases.
This review was submitted by Michael Busuttil. If you’ve played God of War III, or just want to ask Michael more about it, leave your thoughts in the comments below.
God of War III (PS3)
Here it is, the closing chapter in a trilogy of roaring revenge spanning 5 years. After months of hype, there’s only one question left: is it as good as the previous two (or any good at all)?
Loved
The Graphics: We’ve heard a lot about this. Apparently Kratos’s in-game model wouldn’t fit in the PS2’s memory, and things like that. Looking at the game, this is quite possibly true. From start to finish, this is one of the best looking games I’ve seen yet. From the opening, an intense assault on Mount Olympus, to the ending, the game sparkles. One sequence near the end (which I won’t describe) particularly stands out graphically – you’ll know it when you see it.
The Set Pieces: If there’s one thing these games do well, it’s set pieces. The battle with the Colossus in II was pretty special, but the battles in III blow it out of the water. You’ll fight titans and gods and maybe even a demi-god, and all of them are spectacular – not just visually, but in concept and execution.
The New Stuff: The game introduces lots of new things – characters, weapons, magic, items, collectibles. All of them are properly thought out and planned, and everything has a use. The new weapons are all as cool as the blades, the magic is impressive, the items are fun – this is clearly an area they’ve put a lot of thought into.
The Voices: The game’s voice cast is outstanding, from the returning cast (especially TC Carson as Kratos) to the new, which includes such voices as Rip Torn and Malcolm McDowell. In an age where voice acting appears to be an afterthought in many games, you’ll think you’re listening to real people.
Hated
The Length: This is not a long game. I tend to think of myself as a slow-to-average gamer, and I finished it in less than 8 hours. If you want an epic, lengthy experience, you’ll have to play it on the hardest difficulty, and it still won’t take you very long. This is unfortunate, really: the story is perfect, and I’d rather a short, good game than hours of filler, but maybe a little more wouldn’t have gone astray.
Useless Collectibles: So you finish the game, collecting relics and unlocking costumes. And then you reach the end, and you learn that if you replay using any of them, you’ll disable trophy support. So trophy hunters, be prepared for a long slog. Oh, and there’s a set of collectibles that would make your life easier, except you can only use them on a replay of the same difficulty. Oh well.
Overall, this is a good game. It’s visually stunning, and the story is a fitting conclusion to an epic saga. Could it have been better? Probably, but it could have been a lot worse; and Kratos’ final sojourn into (and murder of) Greek mythology deserves to be played for the life of the PS3.
Reviewed by: Michael Busuttil
You can have your Reader Review published on Kotaku. Send your review to us at the usual address. Make sure it’s written in the same format as above and in under 500 words – yes, we’ve upped the word limit. We’ll publish the best ones we get and the best of the month will win a Madman DVD prize pack.
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