God of War III

What a game only now playing it because it's free on PS4, wish I played it along time ago, it's simply a beautiful epic game.

'God Of War III (2010)' picks up directly where it's predecessor left off and sees Kratos continue his quest to kill... well, everything in Olympus. I mean, this guy literally kills everyone. He's an angry, vicious warrior capable of tearing off a head with his bare hands. Jumping to the PS3 doesn't just allow the title to look and feel better, it also allows it to double down on its gore. Of course, violence is - and has always been - a part of the franchise. Here, though, you can actually feel it, especially when the game puts you in the POV of one of Kratos' victims. This entry is really where the storytelling starts to do some bold things with character. Essentially, Kratos is a villain. While you're playing, you're constantly wishing he would stop his quest for revenge. However, the only way that could happen is if you stopped playing and the thing is just too darn good to do that. The narrative goes out of its way to portray the negative consequences of violence - and vengeance, in particular - which begins to elevate it from pure hack 'n' slash entertainment. It does get caught on some of its own trappings, though. It kind of escalates the franchises' prior poor treatment of women and feels icky whenever it does. This is a small issue but it does have an impact. The gameplay, once again, consists of combat and puzzles. Both feel more refined than before, essentially the same but tweaked just enough to feel distinct. Your abilities build throughout the title - after an obligatory 'reset', of course - and it's very satsfying to master new techniques. The enemies provide a decent challenge and the bosses are all distinct. The end-game, in particular, is epic. A lot of the title is, though, as you clamber up walking mountains and defeat foes even larger than that. It's brilliant. It also has a tragic feel to it, bolstered by a ballsy and unexpected ending. The relentless killing of its gameplay mirrors the 'train wreck in slow motion' nature of its story, each justifying the other. It's a holistic, impressive and enjoyable affair throughout. 10/10

The latest issue of the Official PlayStation Magazine is in, and it's got the first review of God of War 3, giving Kratos' third outing a 9/10.

Is it better than the recent rip-off (but pretty bloody good) Dante's Inferno? Yes, says the review in issue 43 of OPM, and it even destroys the first two GoW games too.

"They fall a long way short of the series' long-awaited PS3 debut. Like, a really, really long way - this is on a scale PS3 has never known. It makes not only its predecessors seem small, but the competition too. Darksiders and even the very decent Dante's Inferno have nothing to compare with Kratos' almighty comeback," it reads.

So why a 9 and not a 10? "The game is inches from scoring 10/10, and it's only the familiarity of the core gameplay (standing on the shoulders of giants) that makes it feel less than the very, very best. But it's definitely the biggest, and if this is the finale (and the corpses littering the stage by the end of the game suggest it might be), then God Of War III gives PlayStation's toughest hero the send-off he deserves," says the review.

A fantastic entry into the series. Some reviewers say it's better than the first two -- I would say it's equal to the first sequel, but not quite as good as the original. That being said, these three main games are must-plays for any hack n' slash fan, and will probably tickle the fancy of darn near any gamer. How could you not like these games?

My only serious complaint was that it was almost too manly, and my PS3 leaked testosterone every time I played for more than a few hours at a time. Aside from that, the story is interesting, the puzzles were fun despite being easier than those of GOW2, the combat was solid (despite rage of the titans being completely useless), the boss battles were epic and boner inducing, and the environment and character design were straight up eye candy. Kratos is probably the best character you can't relate to. He's such a kill happy douche that you can't really feel sorry for him, and at times i feel like I'm playing as the villain. He's such a badass though that it's forgivable :)