More man than myth this time around.
God of War is one of my franchises. I'm a longtime, loyal fan. I've suffered alongside Kratos, shed blood with him, and slain mythical beasts that would make mere mortals cower at the mention of their names.
This tale, Ascension, is one left untold, until now—how Kratos became the killer of Gods, filled with vengeance and chaos. In this story of origin, Kratos, a younger man, must escape the label of traitor given to him by the Furies.
These vile sisters torture and bludgeon his defenseless chained body, forcing upon him their own twisted justice. They have underestimated Kratos. And soon, one sister feels the untapped wrath of a soldier who has lost everything he held dearly.
Kratos has more tricks up his armband, adorned with gold and blood. Tethering his deadly chains to foes, he tosses them about like a feather from the wings of Pegasus itself. Even if an enemy approaches with blade in hand, Kratos may grasp it from its sweaty clutches with a forceful kick and deal a fatal blow, with a smirk.
His body beaten, but still the strength of his will drives him forward, onward, up the side of monuments built for kings with supernatural ease. Climbing and jumping from narrow ledges is a skill newly learned and one he must endure, for the city walls are large and enemies larger still. Their size challenges even the mighty Titans, possibly trumping their name as giant. Hekatonkheires is one forsaken example, he too branded as a traitor and forced into captivity by the Furies
The Furies, and by that one parasitic insect sister in particular, smitten with the butchering of Kratos, takes host of the captive giant, invading his body and turning it into a weapon of destruction hellbent on reducing Kratos to the same ashes which stain his skin. But even giant and otherworldly evil such as this sister Fury is no match for Kratos' rage.
No man or beast is, and in God of War: Ascension, you will discover the source of his resilience, rage, and pain. Ascension, much like previous entires, is an epic odyssey through loosely based Greek mythology. Kratos will face new challenges in his longest and largest journey yet, and face them with new moves and abilities. It's no reinvention of the wheel, but instead is an improvement on something that clearly isn't broken or tired.
God of War: Ascension releases on March 12th, exclusively on the PlayStation 3.
