God of War: Ascension was the last game we got out of the GOW series being truly hack-and-slash. What would follow is years of inactivity until the 2018 reboot, which revitalized the series and "modernized" it, for better and for worse.

Ascension proves that it needed that TLC with how little it changed from God of War 3, from a near-perfect hack-and-slash slaying mighty and massive gods, to another Kratos origin story that adds nothing the PSP/Vita games did of importance.

The gameplay has been weird-ified to the point that you can only use some of Kratos's moves when you have a high hit counter. This is probably the only GOW game that rewards you for playing extremely defensively, hoping that you'll just step and keep rolling back to build up that combo, then run into a horde of enemies to obliterate them. It feels so, so unnatural after three games of being the true God of War, someone mighty, someone who will slay whatever pathetic mobs that stand in your way of the next boss fight. Imagining doing this to any hack and slash is just a terrible idea all around, so no idea why Sony thought this huge modification would be appreciated by critics and the community. It was panned as it should be. Imagine playing Devil May Cry and only being able to really "do good" if you're in SSS. Basically that's what Ascension expected in all encounters.

The bosses were okay, but not nearly as earth-shaking as GOW2 or GOW3. A couple were just...guys, and there's only about two bosses that are really larger than life and make you feel like the underdog.

The story adds really nothing, only really setting up why Kratos had escaped from Ares's prison when he broke his oath to the old war-God. That's really about it, no further explaination or fun to be had with the game. He defeats the Furies and roll credits. I remember really nothing outside of the fact that some guy actually helped Kratos and he's teased in the post credits.

While the combat feels fluid and the story is passable, they made way too many changes to this game for me to reccomend it outside of God of War completionists. Easily the worst game in the series.

After a hiatus from God of War, I played Ascension. I felt like Ascension doesn't stand up very well against the other trilogy and was left wanting a little more. At first I thought the game looked great, however by the end of the first major fight I realised that the opening shot was a trick. Kratos' texture is far more detailed than any enemy or object in the game. Ascension has a couple of fun boss fights but there wasn't enough in between to make me feel invested. The gameplay felt quite different from other entries with only Kratos' primary blade and four elements to accompany them. A more balanced gameplay style forces you to dodge and guard more than in the rest of the franchise.

I feel like this wasn't the game to end a franchise on, but as an introductory piece for those who have not played the games, this is a good choice.

For the first time we see a more mellowed our Kratos, one that isn't completely blinded by rage. One that is still human. After breaking his bond with Ares, the Furies set out to punish Kratos for breaking his blood oath to the god of war. Being tormented by illusions and imprisonment, this is only the beginning of Kratos' wrath towards Olympus. Gameplay wise it's kind of weak without having any secondary weapons, the added elements for the blades of chaos were fun but they're essentially just 4 different coats of paint.

This game has a stained reputation, and not for nothing. It has a very clumsy equipment system that feels more gimmicky than anything, and some enemies and puzzles are downright uninspired.

Despite that, it does enough things right to put it above the lesser games and alongside the first one and Chains of Olympus. The story takes place at the beginning of Kratos' journey (which is a good thing in that it allows for a more human Kratos) and the challenges it poses are some of the hardest in the entire franchise. At the same time, there's a sense of wonder and exploration with this one that I didn't feel since Cronos' labyrinth during GoW 1. The world feels like it's so much bigger than you, and even though you keep smashing everything that comes in your way, enough things are left unanswered to keep you guessing. Besides, I'm told the multiplayer wasn't half bad, so there you go.

A lot of people gave this game an unfair treatment simply because it was the follow-up to the amazing game that is God Of War 3. I believe it's hard for any game to follow that one up only a couple of years afterwards. It is a solid prequel that has fun boss fights as well. In my opinion this game is the equivalent of Batman Arkham Origins. As that game came out after Arkham City (arguably the best game in that series) and Origins like Ascension was also a prequel. If you enjoy the older God Of War games then Ascension is definitely worth checking out. If you're newer to the franchise I would actually recommend playing this in chronological order as you get to try out mechanics from 3 while also having your introduction to the franchise not be as dated as God Of War 1 is

My primary complaint with older God of War games has been their lack of evolution, so it's ironic that I find Ascension, the largest departure from series' staples, to be the weakest entry. Everything about this game feels unnecessary, from its very existence telling a story that doesn't need to be told to changes such as modifying counter mechanics. It's certainly the best looking PlayStation 3 game I've ever seen and the spectacle is all there, but the gameplay is weaker due to a lack of variety and gameplay design changes which only serve to stifle the flow of combat.

God of War: Ascension asks "what if God of War tried to be Uncharted but had the plot of Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel?" The answer is, you get a decent game that stands out as the worst of its franchise. Needless changes to combat and an obsession with being cinematic drag down a really good game to being just a pretty good game, and it's all tied nicely together with the greatest character arc in storytelling: badass with amnesia becomes badass without amnesia.

I won't say that I didn't like Ascension, because I did, but I WILL say that, while playing it, I was constantly mentally critiquing what I didn't like about it.

A versão física e original desse jogo tinha um bug que fazia o jogo travar na parte de se balançar pra quebrar uma parede lá bem no início KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Fui pegar pra jogar isso de verdade só em 2019 mesmo antes só tinha jogado o multiplayer e tenho 2 comentários

Lindo e bugado

Sério mesmo que jogo LINDO cara LINDO nossa senhora o PS3 fat pega fogo tranquilo com essa porra que bagulho lindão cara

Mas é aquela, igual o chains, foi feito exclusivamente pra dar aquela farmadinha de money de leves né

A história é muito fodase, os inimigos são muito fodase, os bosses mais ainda, tudo completamente esquecível

A parada da gameplay das lâminas la sinceramente eu platinei isso e só usava uma delas o jogo todo KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK é o negócio mais opcional do mundo

Jogo bugado dos inferno também as texturas do nada ficavam em 144p, o Kratos grudava na parede tinha que reiniciar e os krl, mesmo depois do patch de correção

Os cenários puzzles e afins completamente esquecíveis sério mesmo o melhor desse jogo fica só no início

A história é completamente ablubablaba super confusa, e era óbvio que seria tentaram inserir ela no meio de algo que já tinha terminado, tem horas que você não entende é nada filho

O multiplayer sem comentários i sleep

Mas oh primeiro jogo do ouro da guerra dublado ein (que eu particularmente não gostei da dublagem do Kratos que sim é a mesma do 2018 mas paciência)

Se eu pudesse resumir esse jogo a uma palavra seria desnecessário, serviu pra mostrar tudo do que o PS3 era capaz de fato, mas o que tem de bonito tem de mal programado e mal arquitetado

Da pra platinar sem precisar do new game+

ai ui que jogo lindo