God of War: Ascension

About God of War: Ascension

God of War: Ascension serves as a prequel to the main series, dropping you back when Kratos was still bound by a blood oath to Ares. Released on March 12, 2013, for PlayStation 3, this title comes from SCE Santa Monica Studio. The story picks up after Kratos murders his family under deception and faces imprisonment by the Furies. Your goal is to break those chains before they drag your soul to Tartarus forever. You control the Spartan Ghost through a gritty Greek myth setting filled with brutal enemies and divine tormentors. This seventh installment adds online multiplayer modes alongside the traditional single-player campaign, letting you fight for Ares, Hades, Zeus, or Poseidon in various competitive matches.

Gameplay

You swing Kratos around with the Blades of Chaos while dodging and countering massive foes. The core loop involves chaining combos into magic attacks using four new disciplines like Ice of Poseidon or Lightning of Zeus. These spells transform your weapons and grant abilities such as underwater breathing. A Rage bar fills automatically during combat, triggering a cinematic finisher when you stop attacking or take damage. You can also equip relics that let you create shadow clones or manipulate time briefly. The campaign includes boss fights against the Furies and giant stone constructs. In multiplayer, you build a warrior character through four distinct modes including Capture the Flag and Trial of the Gods. Leveling up unlocks new armor, weapons, and magical skills specific to your chosen god faction.

What Players Think

The PlayPile data shows mixed reactions to this entry. Critics on IGDB gave it a 75 out of 100 based on 255 ratings. Community moods skew toward "confused" or "satisfied" depending on how much you value the multiplayer. Average playtime sits around 14 hours for the story mode, with completion rates hovering near 60 percent for those who finish the campaign. Many players note the single-player experience feels rushed compared to previous titles, while others praise the new combat variety. Review snippets often mention the online modes as a fun distraction but not a main attraction. The achievement hunt is moderate, with about 45 percent of users unlocking all trophies. Overall, the stats suggest this is a solid entry for fans who want more Kratos action, even if it lacks the polish of its sequels.

PlayPile's Take

This game works best if you enjoy fast-paced hack-and-slash combat and don't mind a slightly weaker story. The price point on the secondary market makes it an easy buy for PS3 owners. You get 14 hours of content plus extra multiplayer replay value. The achievement list offers enough challenge to keep dedicated players engaged without being tedious. I recommend this only if you need more Kratos in your life or want to see the origins of his rage. Skip it if you expect a narrative masterpiece or flawless pacing. The combat mechanics are solid, but the campaign feels like a bridge rather than a destination. Buy it for the fun of controlling Kratos, not for the plot.

Storyline

In a war between the astronomically large deities known as the Primordials, the madness and rage of the war took form, becoming the three guardians of honor, the Furies, who were tasked with exacting retribution onto any oath-breaker or betrayer. The first victim of the Furies was the Hecatonchires, Aegaeon, who had broken a blood oath to Zeus himself. The Furies set about their task, and, believing death to be too kind for one who had broken an oath to a God, transformed Aegaeon's humongous body into a stone prison for all who would dare follow his example in the future.