God of War III

Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)

God of War III is beautiful. It's bloody. It's brilliant. But it's not perfect. [Apr 2010, p.44]

1UP

God of War 3 is the most balanced. It's not quite as focused as GOW1, nor is it as lengthy and moment-packed as GOW2, but it's the most consistent and varied of the three, and when it's at its best the first two can't touch it.

Gamervision

Kratos is given a wonderfully epic farewell that would truly be a shame to miss, and every aspect of the game, from the controls, to the combat, to the presentation, is as close to perfect as perfect can be. Even if you’ve never played a single game in this series before, God of War III is a game you must play if you have the opportunity. You owe it to yourself, and the team at Santa Monica Studios, to play this game.

Games Radar (in-house)

While not a huge leap forward for the franchise, God of War III refines its already-fun gameplay to near-perfection while delivering the clever puzzles, high production values and pure, rage-fueled brutality fans expect. Add a memorable cast of characters and buckets of gore, and Kratos’s last adventure is also his best yet.

Game Informer

Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined such a powerful, cinematic, and breathtaking conclusion to the saga of the Ghost of Sparta.

VideoGamer

This is a video game developed at the very highest level and takes what I thought was possible to new heights. God of War 3 is easily the best PS3 game I've played and sits comfortably as one of my favourite games of all time.

Gaming Nexus

Fans of the God of War series will eat this up. It's violent, visceral, and truly an epic game in both presentation and action.

Destructoid

Without question, God of War III sets the new gold standard for action games, clearing and then raising the near-impossible bar that was set by its previous installments. For many years to come, this will be the game by which all others in the genre are compared, and I suspect we won't see anything like it for quite some time.

Cynamite

Kratos slices himself amazingly through Gods and their Minions. God of War 3 is the Olympus of action games.

Eurogamer Portugal

Quotation forthcoming.

GameDaily

One thing is clear: God of War III is phenomenal. It succeeds for a plethora of reasons that go well beyond its beautiful graphics. Unlike the competition, it doesn't take several hours to get going, or burden the player with laborious upgrades.

ZTGameDomain

It will stand out as the perfect end to one of the best action series in a long time. If it truly is the end.

Gaming Age

PS3 owners should be elated to know that his final quest for revenge is a visually spectacular, challenging, rage filled, high quality one.

PSX Extreme

I can't praise this game enough for everything that it does so effortlessly. The adventure will run you about 8-10 hours, and chances are you will go back for another round with your acquired goodies in tow. God of War III is the epitome of what this generation is all about: lavish visuals, marvelous gameplay, storytelling that is unlike any other, and an overall presentation that simply cannot be beat.

GamingTrend

Saving the best for last, God of War III requires NO install and the load times are fairly short, few, and far between. That’s pretty amazing for a game that takes up over 35 Gigs of space on the BluRay disc.

Gamer 2.0

A fantastic game that should be played by anybody with a PS3 that has a craving for some brutal combat and plenty of vengeance.

Multiplayer.it

Quotation forthcoming.

SpazioGames

The intense satisfaction bestowed by the credits rolling after the last struggling sequence testifies the nature of God of War III: a masterpiece, a glorious testament from one of the most iconic characters of our media. Unforgettable gameplay sequences, over the top graphics and an almost flawless gameplay make it a title to have, at all costs.

Playstation Universe

God of War III is the best entry in the series, hands down, and one of the best action-adventure games of this generation. Kratos' journey comes to an end, along with the trilogy, in an explosion of fluid combat, mammoth environments, and a superb narrative.

TotalPlayStation

It's awesome. Did you expect anything different? The story seems a bit all-over-the-place but the more you ruminate on it, the more it actually has an amazing context.

GamingXP

My former favorite in this genre Dante’s Inferno is defeated. The amazing story and the awesome graphics in God of War III make this game to an epic experience.

Vandal Online

It doesn't revolutionize the formula, but innovates on it enough to become again a game that engages you from the very beginning.

Meristation

Kratos unleashed all his potential in the trilogy conclusion in this bloody odyssey. Refining its mechanics the finest, with a vibrant pace, impressive and colossal bosses, visually outstanding graphics and blood and gore, Sony Santa Monica achieved the excellence inside the hack'n slash genre.

Worth Playing

God of War III was an epic, satisfying end to a legendary series that helped strengthen the concept of the ultimate against-all-odds protagonist.

MEGamers

If you want revolutionary gameplay then you should stay as far away from this game as possible. But if you’re looking for the same experience as the previous games intensified to a whole new level then you’re in luck, because that is exactly what GoW 3 does.

Play.tm

Some of the most engrossing combat and visceral action the PS3 has to offer - presented expertly.

Everyeye.it

God of War 3 does not represent a revolution in the genre. But it is massive, and brutal, and thrilling, like no other action game in this generation.

IGN AU

Even if God of War III isn't going to cause a massive rethink on the way you play action-heavy platformers, Kratos has earned an enviable position at the head of his genre's ladder - and we don't think there's going to be another hero quite like him, in a series as consistently outstanding as this, for a very long time.

IGN UK

For all God of War III's familiarity, it's a game refined with such grace and skill, there's no question that this is the absolute pinnacle of an already exhilarating series. Sure, it's a smaller, leaner beast than its predecessors but, as it happens, one that packs an absolutely unforgettable punch.

IGN

It's not perfect, with some uneven storytelling and progression here and there, but it's still a fantastic overall package. The combat is stellar once again, it's bloodier than ever, and it is at times the best looking game ever released.

XGN

God of War is back and better than ever before! It's a worthy end of a trilogy. A tear for the last fight from our favourite Spartan. Let there be more Kratos in the future!

3DJuegos

God of War III is the comeback of the most bad ass hero in the history of videogames. Brutal, mega-polished and astonishingly beautiful: Sony Santa Monica has crafted a conclusion to the God of War trilogy that is really worth the wait.

Strategy Informer

God of War 3 is fantastic, and has at least three scenes that are utterly magnificent. Design and gameplay-wise, it's absolutely stunning. The downside is that it doesn't have that clear cut perfection that its predecessor had; the polish shine that brilliantly lit up our eyes when we first enjoyed God of War 2.

NZGamer

God of War III is polished from (severed) head to (bloodied) toe, and is an enjoyable, ridiculous experience perfect for the moments where you just want to switch your brain off.

Computer and Video Games

An epic, over-sized gorefest unlike any other. Sorry EA, Kratos is still the king of brutal brawlers.

GameTrailers

It's incredibly familiar and a bit brief, but God of War III still stands as a herculean achievement. A lot of TLC went into its creation and it comes shining through at every turn. The tweaks to the gameplay are minimal and the lack of titan interaction feels like a missed opportunity, but when Kratos is swinging his hypnotizing blades it's easy to forget that the rest of the world even exists.

Cheat Code Central

Everything you were expecting and more. It really delivers with extremely upgraded graphics, a quality soundtrack, easy-to-learn controls, varied weapons and powers, challenging battles, enemy diversity, plenty of boss battles, immersive puzzles, a story that ties up the loose ends, and much more. My only gripe is the lack of innovation.

Game Revolution

Kratos' grim story of brutal determination and the game's overall non-stop mechanical and presentational excellence make for a gripping, gorgeous and gory experience with an unforgettably gruff, ass-kicking hero; whom the gods would destroy, they would first make bad.

PS3bloggen.se

If you're after a hard-hitting and adrenaline-fueled action experience God of War III is the ultimate game on the market, and Kratos' final battle with the gods takes the genre to new heights. 44 million dollars well spent.

Total Video Games

Just like the God of War games that precede it, this final installment in the trilogy isn't quite faultless even though it's excruciatingly close to a perfect score. However, it forms a trilogy that's greater than the sum of its parts.

BigPond GameArena

The reality is the game delivers exactly what any fan of the games could want - epic battles, loads of gore and a plot vehicle that sees Kratos take on the mightiest characters in Greek Mythology.

GamePro

But as a fan who actually cares about Kratos and his plight, I found it to be a bit of a letdown. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, I can't help but feel disappointed by the way Kratos chose to say goodbye at the end of it.

9Lives

God of War 3 offers blood, death, brutality – in all: fun – on a gigantic scale. Kratos wanted his revenge and it’s up to you to guide him on his blood-red journey where graphics, sound and tension come together to form a spectacle from start to finish. We cannot condone violence, but if it helps Kratos to reach his goal, there ain’t no mountain high enough, there ain’t no god strong enough. Amazing end to the trilogy.

Level7.nu

Quotation forthcoming.

Gamereactor Sweden

One of the most important games for Sony this year did turn out to be incredible. If you are of the right age, have a Playstation 3 and hunger for action there is no doubt that this is the game that you should have in your library.

GameZone

God of War III is amazing and disturbing all at once.

TheSixthAxis

With creative freedom, Kratos’s latest adventure is staggering in scale, superbly visualised and, for the most part, an absolute joy to play through. And most importantly, where it counts – the action sequences – God of War III is utterly unmatched and unequaled, and therefore absolutely essential for action fans.

Eurogamer

A technical marvel, but with all the clever stuff turned towards the aim of very basic gratification. There are no branching paths, no complex decisions, and no multiplayer modes, but this particular game is all the better for it, since the results are rich and focused rather than drawn-out and a little ragged. Ultimately, if you want to revel in old-school pleasures decked out in the very brightest new armour, this is about as good as it gets.

GameSpot

Exhilarating combat and an imposing sense of scale provide a fitting end to Kratos' saga.

Playstation Official Magazine UK

The game is inches away from scoring 10/10, and it's only the familiarity of the core gameplay that makes it feel less than the very, very best. But it's definitely the biggest, and if this is the finale, then God of War III gives Playstation's toughest hero the send-off he deserves. [Mar 2010, p.97]

Eurogamer Italy

God of War III is the perfect epilogue of a great trilogy. The game has no innovation, but it's gameplay is the perfect goal for the action games. Fast, epic, intense, God of War III is the perfect experience for the action gamer. Buy it, and love it!

Gameplanet

It's pretty much what we expect from this epic franchise, but the limited scope and fairly mundane ending hasn't rounded off this franchise with the dignity it deserves.

Kikizo

The highlights of this iteration are all in the technology; as potent and polished a hack-and-slasher as God of War 3 can be, the myth of its continuing relevance in design circles has worn thin. Series fans should and will invest, as there’s fundamentally nothing broken here that wasn’t broken before, but don’t come expecting a bold rebirth, and don’t come expecting the game of the year. Kratos is a frequent visitor to the Underworld; perhaps it’s time he stayed there.

Telegraph

But despite God of War III being afraid of flying too close to the sun -lest those carefully crafted wings should melt- the journey is relentlessly exciting; a blistering spectacle told in blood and thunder. Truly epic, then. And I defy anyone to argue with the definition this time around.

Gameplayer Sweden

God of War III delivers the same riveting experience as its predecessors. While there isn't much innovation beyond the stunning visuals the core concept still remains sound. It's the most refined entry in the series and a worthy conclusion to the epic God of War saga.

Edge Magazine

The stuff of legend, then? Indeed. Although, perhaps fittingly, one with nothing new to say. [Apr 2010, p.88]