God of War III is a
third-person action-adventure video game developed by
Santa Monica Studio and published by
Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). First released for the
PlayStation 3 (PS3) console on March 16, 2010, the game is the fifth installment in the
God of War series, the seventh and final chronologically, and the sequel to
God of War and
God of War II. Loosely based on
Greek mythology, the game is set in
Ancient Greece with vengeance as its central motif. The player controls the protagonist,
Kratos, the former God of War, after his betrayal by his father
Zeus, the King of the
Olympian Gods. Reigniting the
Great War, Kratos ascends
Mount Olympus with his initial allies, the
Titans, until he is abandoned by
Gaia. Now guided by the spirit of
Athena to search for the Flame of Olympus, Kratos battles monsters, gods, and Titans in a search for
Pandora, the key to pacifying the Flame surrounding
Pandora's Box, and to defeat Zeus. Successful, Kratos kills Zeus and ends the reign of the Olympian Gods.
Gameplay is similar to other games in the
God of War series. It focuses on
combo-based combat, achieved through the player's main weapon—the Blades of Exile—and secondary weapons acquired later. It features
quick time events that require the player to complete various game controller actions in a timed sequence to defeat stronger enemies and
bosses.
The player can use up to four magical attacks and a power-enhancing
ability as alternative combat options. The game also features
puzzles and
platforming
elements. In addition to its similar gameplay, it features a revamped
magic system, an increase in the number of onscreen enemies, further
interaction with the environment, new camera angles, and
downloadable content.
A critical and commercial success,
PSM3 Magazine claimed that
God of War III is "simply one of the best games of all time."
[5] IGN asserted that it defines the word "scale" with reference to video games.
[6]
The game has been highly praised for its graphics, particularly Kratos,
with IGN claiming the character "is perhaps the single most
impressive-looking character ever in video games."
[6]
It has received several awards, including the "Most Anticipated Game of
2010", "Best PS3 Game", "Best Graphics", and Kratos received the
"Biggest Badass" award at the
Spike Video Game Awards. The game was also honored with the "Artistic Achievement" award at the 2011
British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards. The bestselling game in the
God of War series, the game had sold over 5.2 million copies worldwide by June 2012, and it was included in the
God of War Saga that was released on August 28, 2012, also for the PlayStation 3.
