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God of War: Ascension demo hits PSN alongside new trailer

Mike Schramm — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:30:00 EST

The single-player demo for God of War: Ascension is available now for all users on the PlayStation Network. There's also a launch trailer out for the game, as seen above. Turns out the pre-divine Kratos is just as popular with the ladies as the fully-powered one was. Oh, and he's plenty angry, too.

God of War: Ascension demo hits PSN alongside new trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kratos: God of war, man of evolving fashion tastes

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST

If God of War's Kratos is best known for anything, it's obviously his impeccable fashion sense. His ensemble, even from the beginning of his hell-bent rampage, speaks of being meticulously composed, what with that pale skin, flowing skirt and bold face tattoo. How avante garde.

That said, it's interesting to note that just days before Sony introduced Kratos to the world, he sported blue full-body markings and more Hot Topic-inspired accessories. Right before his launch, however, someone on director David Jaffe's team pointed out that Smurfy Kratos resembled the Barbarian from Diablo 2, and his design was swapped to the red Kratos we now know and love.

"I had played Diablo but never 2, and this was sure news to me," Jaffe recalls. "As it was too clearly to many/all others on the team, as this was the first we'd heard of the character, let alone the similarity. So you can bet we changed it, lickety fuckin' split!"

Kratos: God of war, man of evolving fashion tastes originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War: Ascension, Power Stone, and paying allegiance to the gods

Mike Schramm — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 12:30:00 EST

When asked about how he and the team at Sony Santa Monica are bringing multiplayer into the God of War series with God of War: Ascension, game director Todd Papy digs deep for inspiration. The single-player side of the game is obviously an influence, he says, as multiplayer side of the game attempts to enhance the always cinematic world of Kratos with a new character called the Avatar.

But then things get a little nuts. "You can look at Allegiance levels," says Papy, referring to the mode's customization choices defined by the four gods Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, and Ares, "and you can look at Diablo and Call of Duty and other games that have skill trees that you basically level up.

"And then you can look at Power Stone," says Papy, "as far as that old school melee feel to it." Yes. That's the one. Playing God of War: Ascension's renamed "Favor of the Gods" mode, and running around with up to eight other players flipping switches, executing combos, and earning favor points does feel a whole lot like the Dreamcast classic. In a strange way, to be honest. But a good one nevertheless.

Gallery: God of War: Ascension (Multiplayer)

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God of War: Ascension, Power Stone, and paying allegiance to the gods originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Dec 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All-Stars Battle Royale ad sees PlayStation heroes fight in live action

Sinan Kubba — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EST

When you think about it, this was a predictable step from the creators of last year's "Michael' commercial for PS3. After successfully expressing the thoughts of live-action PlayStation characters, this ad for PS All-Stars Battle Royale shows the time for talking is over. Maybe because the budget was blown on fancy special effects; Nolan North doesn't come cheap, you know.

Though it doesn't quite match the brilliance of last year's ad, it's another imaginative and fun effort for what will hopefully be a game with similar qualities. On a side note, live-action ads seem to be the rage at the moment. Last week Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Halo 4 got their real on, and now All-Stars Battle Royale follows suit. If only Nintendo would join the club.

All-Stars Battle Royale ad sees PlayStation heroes fight in live action originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New God of War: Ascension trailer is Fury-ous

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 19:00:00 EST

The major enemy group in God of War: Ascension is composed of The Furies, three vengeful deities bound to hell and in possession of a contract with Kratos that connects his life to Ares'. When Kratos breaks this contract, The Furies are hellbent on tracking him down for slaughter.

New God of War: Ascension trailer is Fury-ous originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Sep 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War: Ascension dev 'pulls back' from in-game violence against women

David Hinkle — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 22:00:00 EST

In an interview with IGN, Sony Santa Monica's David Hewitt admitted the team's scaled back on the violence towards women in God of War: Ascension. The team is of the mind that showing such a thing would make a statement and define the character in a way that doesn't befit Kratos. "There are some things we've pulled back from. I think where this has been an issue is with violence against women - the team's pulled back from some of that and assessed that a little more carefully," Hewitt admitted. "There are certain things that carry has a different kind of resonance that we don't want to get into. This isn't about statement-making in that regard. It's about fleshing out this character."

The overall interview focuses not just on violence on women, but violence in general. As one of the most criticized games of E3 in this regard, Hewitt justifies God of War: Ascension's body count by saying Kratos doesn't languish in the slaughter, nor does he particularly enjoy it. Kratos is constantly pushing forward, moving toward his goal of revenge, so Hewitt doesn't feel the violence is particularly glorified.

God of War: Ascension dev 'pulls back' from in-game violence against women originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War: Ascension gameplay revealed, coming March 12, 2013

Mike Schramm — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 22:13:00 EST

Sony just showed off the first singleplayer content for God of War: Ascension. Kratos is back in action fighting all kinds of baddies, including both a goat man and a half-elephant, half-man of some kind. Kratos showed off a nice arsenal of various weapons, including his trusty chainblades, and quite a few environmentally-obtained tools of destruction, as well as a few new stun moves and some very nice counter attacks.

Kratos also has one other big move: When a dock is destroyed, he can use something on his wrist (and a shiny green glow) to rebuild the dock's crane, Red Faction: Armageddon style.

The demo ended with Kratos diving right into the belly of a large kraken, undoubtedly ready for more killing. The game is coming out March 12, 2013.

God of War: Ascension gameplay revealed, coming March 12, 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 22:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ready at Dawn gets technical about God of War: Origins Collection on PS3

David Hinkle — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 23:30:00 EST

Oh, you just thought they tighten up the graphics a bit and call it a day, huh? No way, José -- converting PSP games that run at 480 x 272, 30 frames a second, to full 1080p, 60 frames a second is no small task. Ready at Dawn had to get its hands dirty and create a custom PS3 version of its internal engine for God of War: Origins Collection, Nathan Phail-Liff recounted on the PlayStation Blog today.

"We ended up going through every single character in the game and doubling or tripling polygon count by hand, as well as up-rezing and re-painting every texture across both games at 4x resolution on both characters and environments," Phail-Liff said. He also said Ready at Dawn had to re-render every cutscene from Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta in the new PS3 engine. Finally, there's also going to be full stereoscopic 3D support in both games.

God of War: Origins Collection launches for the PS3 on September 13, 2011.

Ready at Dawn gets technical about God of War: Origins Collection on PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mortal Kombat trailer showing Kratos doing what Kratos does best

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST

Well, our fears have been confirmed: Kratos is going to be the most unfair Mortal Kombat kharacter of all time. Not because he can blind and stun fighters or hit them from miles away with his Blades, but because he's obviously part god. Then again, so is Raiden, we guess. Never mind.

Continue reading Mortal Kombat trailer showing Kratos doing what Kratos does best

Mortal Kombat trailer showing Kratos doing what Kratos does best originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kratos confirmed for Mortal Kombat, exclusive to PS3

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:55:00 EST

As rumored this past week, Kratos was confirmed during tonight's Spike VGAs as playable in the forthcoming Mortal Kombat reboot. Scorpion's all "Get over here!" and Kratos is all "I don't think you know who I am!" You shoulda seen it! Well, actually, you can -- right now! The full debut of Kratos can be found after the break.

Continue reading Kratos confirmed for Mortal Kombat, exclusive to PS3

Kratos confirmed for Mortal Kombat, exclusive to PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Kratos in Mortal Kombat, exclusively on PS3

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST

It seems that the constantly furious Kratos of God of War fame could be appearing exclusively on the PlayStation 3 version of this February's Mortal Kombat. Fighting game site Shoryuken claims the January issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine will detail as much, though copies of the magazine have yet to arrive in readers' hands.

The Grecian rage machine will purportedly not appear in the game's story mode, but will rip apart characters in versus. Also, if the rumor is true, we're putting this out there right now: fatality featuring a stampeding Pegasus. Just sayin'! Anyway, between the issue's impending release and the nearing VGAs, we hope to hear more on Kratos' cameo soon. Who's next? Link in the Wii version -- oh, wait a minute ...

[Thanks, Adam]

Rumor: Kratos in Mortal Kombat, exclusively on PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Kratos yourself' (or your cat) with God of War: Ghost of Sparta web app

Randy Nelson — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 03:15:00 EST

PlayStation UK has created a handy web app that can transform a normal headshot of yourself (or your dog, cat, life-size cardboard standee of Burt Reynolds, etc.) into the spitting image of the Ghost of Sparta himself, Kratos. Perfect for seeing if you can rock that red, full-face tattoo you want.

'Kratos yourself' (or your cat) with God of War: Ghost of Sparta web app originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Nov 2010 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Art of God of War III at Gallery Nucleus

Mike Schramm — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST

The God of War III art team held a panel this past weekend in Alhambra, California, at a place called Gallery Nucleus. In front of an audience packed to capacity, artists (from left to right above) Scott Seeto, Jung Ho Park, Izzy, Andy Park, Cecil Kim, and Andrew Kim spoke and answered questions about how they'd come up with the art designs for Kratos' final story ("as far as I know," Cecil Kim said, "there is no more God of War").

They were first asked about bringing the game into the HD generation, and how that affected their work on the games. Mostly, it just meant more work for them -- they pointed out that even when the camera isn't close-up on Kratos, you can still see the muscles in his back tense as he pulls out his blades. Art designers in HD have to be meticulous about details, and as a result, character development takes about six times longer. The team also said that they were impressed by the PS3 hardware -- on the PS2 versions of the game, the developers knew how far they could push the older console, but on the PS3, "we still don't know what we can do with it."

Gallery: The Art of God of War at Gallery Nucleus

Continue reading The Art of God of War III at Gallery Nucleus

The Art of God of War III at Gallery Nucleus originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kratos' Blade of Chaos up for sale, some strings attached

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EST

We know that there are a few cutlery enthusiasts out there who read that headline and immediately clicked the source link to purchase Kratos' Blade of Chaos from retailer BUDK. Before you do so, you should take into account a few facts:

Kratos' weapons are being sold piecemeal on the site, so that $123.99 price tag only represents the cost of a single Blade. What's the point of having a single Blade of Chaos? Unless you're ironically cosplaying as Amputee Kratos, you're going to need two, so you should mentally jack that price up to $247.98.
Replica swords are dangerous.
Replica swords that you attach to your wrists with chains and then swing around like a madman are extremely dangerous.

Kratos' Blade of Chaos up for sale, some strings attached originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on: God of War III (well, the first boss battle at least)

Kevin Kelly — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

A common refrain from many (including us!) about God of War III is: "It's God of War ... in HD." And, as our last preview attested, that's not such a bad thing. In fact, while the demo was impressive in its own right, the game's director tells us they've added depth of field, motion blur, and high dynamic range lighting to the finished product. Too technical, right? We'll just use our fallback word: awesome.

For this hands-on, we went all the way up to the first boss and beat him ... err, after several tries. It's none other than a certain God of the Sea, and he's pretty moody on account of Kratos and a bunch of Titans trying to scale Mount Olympus. In fact, there's a gathering of the gods up there and they're all pretty miffed: Zeus, Helios, Hermes, Poseidon, Hades, and a mysterious someone else. Based on this preview, they're going to do everything they can to try and make sure Kratos doesn't play king of the hill on their precious mountain.

Read on for our experience with the opening of God of War III up to, and including, the first boss battle. If you're hoping to go into this game spoiler-free next month, you might want to stop here; otherwise, press on!

Gallery: God of War 3

Continue reading Hands-on: God of War III (well, the first boss battle at least)

Hands-on: God of War III (well, the first boss battle at least) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop handing out giant Kratos poster with God of War III pre-order

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:15:00 EST

Do your living quarters need more art installations featuring massive, ashen dudes wielding massive, angry blades? You're in luck -- a recent PlayStation.Blog post has revealed that folks who pre-order God of War III at GameStop will not only gain access to an exclusive "Phantom of Chaos" in-game costume, they'll also snag a 17 x 24 poster of Kratos, signed by the game's concept artist, Andy Park.

To catch a glimpse of the poster, check out the full scan after the jump. It's going to look a lot like that, only without the words "FOR DISPLAY ONLY" plastered proudly across its midsection. (We hope!)

Continue reading GameStop handing out giant Kratos poster with God of War III pre-order

GameStop handing out giant Kratos poster with God of War III pre-order originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kratos case mod watches you while you play Solitaire

David Hinkle — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

It's likely your computer already hates you, what with all those Clay Aiken tracks and Joanie Loves Chachi episodes you store on the thing's hard drive. So why not allow the outside to properly convey the hatred it has for you on the inside? One individual has done just that -- while simultaneously paying homage to Sony's God of War franchise -- all with the Kratos case mod you see above. We'd comment further, but we think the mod is disturbingly close to being a sentient, living Kratos and would you want to piss him slash it off? Yeah, didn't think so.

Jump past the break for a brief video showing off the mod.

[Thanks, Regis]

Continue reading Kratos case mod watches you while you play Solitaire

Kratos case mod watches you while you play Solitaire originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War III Slurpee tastes like Kratos' fury; it's delicious

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:46:00 EST

When playing the God of War games, we've often wondered, "If Kratos' unflagging rage could be assigned a flavor, what flavor would it be?" Finally, that question will be answered by Mountain Dew and 7-Eleven, which are collaborating on the next advancement in frozen sugar-drink technology: The Kratos Fury Slurpee. We know that sounds like the kind of thing we'd make up for comedic effect, but we assure you, it's berry real.

You can pick up a tall, refreshing cup of Fury (which includes nonconsumable codes for DLC armor and other content) starting February 1, at which point you'll learn that Kratos' anger actually tastes like a pleasant mix of blackberries and lime -- and the blood of a freshly-slain Gorgon. But, yeah, mostly just blackberries and lime.

God of War III Slurpee tastes like Kratos' fury; it's delicious originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War 3 fan video contest offers signed 'Ultimate' editions

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST

Here's a challenge from the gods: the Playstation Blog has challenged followers to putt their dignity on the line to win one of 20 copies of the God of War III Ultimate Edition, signed by the development team. All you have to do is make a video that encapsulates your love for the game and explains why you deserve to open Pandora's Box. Creativity is important -- though we're sure they'll give bonus points for embarrassment. Not everyone can pull off that buff Kratos kosplay, you know ...

The top 20 submissions will also be included in the credits of God of War: Unearthing the Legend, "a full-length movie documentary depicting the history of the God of War franchise." Check out the video for the contest after the break to gain some inspiration.

Continue reading God of War 3 fan video contest offers signed 'Ultimate' editions

God of War 3 fan video contest offers signed 'Ultimate' editions originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blu-ray God of War changes are minimal, doubles up on trophies

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:45:00 EST

Here's today's enormous, shocking revelation: The recently announced Blu-ray God of War collection is going to be a whole heck of a lot like its PS2-based counterparts. Aside from a 720p visual boost and perhaps the addition of an HD-friendly HUD and font, the rest of the re-released games will "be the pure experience, what people would have played when they played God of War originally," according to a recent IGN interview with Sony Santa Monica's director of product development, John Hight.

If you're put off by the lack of new features, perhaps your raging Trophy addiction will be cause enough to purchase the Blu-ray collection. Hight confirmed that the two games both contain their own unique sets of trophies, adding that there would "probably" be two prestigious Platinum trophies available for hardcore completionists. We shudder to imagine the amount of dismemberment required to obtain these merits. This is us shuddering.

Blu-ray God of War changes are minimal, doubles up on trophies originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sideshow Collectibles releasing 'premium format' Kratos figure, God of War dioramas

Randy Nelson — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:01:00 EST

The show may be over, but more video game related news continues to emerge from this year's San Diego Comic-Con. This time it's word that Sideshow Collectibles has secured the rights to produce one of its trademark premium format figures based on God of War's Kratos. For those not familiar with them, Sideshow'sPremium Figures -- like these Star Wars ones -- are prized by collectors, stand more than 15" tall in most cases and usually sell in the $300-400 range. If the same holds true for Sony's property, that's a lot of money -- but also a whole lot of Kratos.

Sideshow is also working on God of War dioramas -- sculpted multi-character scenes, such as this upcoming offering based on The Clone Wars. They're typically priced in line with the Premium Figures. Specific details on these have not been announced, nor has a time frame within which to expect any of Sideshow's God of War items. Given that God of War III hits next March, we can only imagine that Sideshow would want to ride the massive anticipation for the title and time its lineup accordingly.

[Via Shogun Gamer]

Sideshow Collectibles releasing 'premium format' Kratos figure, God of War dioramas originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on: God of War III

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:15:00 EST

For the lazy, here's the short preview: it's God of War, in HD.

God of War III is the talk of many here at E3. Why wouldn't it? The solid graphics, the over-the-top gore, the visceral gameplay -- and did I mention the over-the-top gore -- make God of War III one of the most polished and fun games available at the show floor. Yet in spite of its successes, one can't help but think it feels a little too familiar. Perhaps, in many ways, God of War III is playing it a bit too safe, resting on the laurels of its predecessors.

That's not a bad thing per se, but we are an industry that champions innovation. Although God of War III doesn't stray far from the mold, it's still incredible fun and quite possibly the most gut-wretchingly violent game ever created. The creative team behind Kratos' latest are truly sick, devising an endless stream of creative deaths for enemies to suffer. Seeing someone's eye get ripped out may sound cool in SD, but God of War III makes sure you see every gory detail. The camera zooms in, proud to showcase the mutilation of the meticulously modeled and designed characters. There's more than blood that oozes (or explodes) out of these creatures; rather, we see guts and other bodily matter -- all in glorious HD. Kratos will, in the course of one short demo, impale a creature with its own horns, cut a gaping wound into someone's stomach, and rip a man's head off with his bare hands. And we're just scratching the surface.

Gallery: God of War 3

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Hands-on: God of War III originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kratos seeking vengeance in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny

Jason Dobson — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST

Namco Bandai must have an entire department dedicated to finding new ways and characters to market with its Soulcalibur brand. Following last year's ballet with the Force, the company has announced that God of War's Kratos will be taking out his frustration on the cast of Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny for the PSP.

What with all of his disemboweling and afternoons on the links, we honestly don't know how everyone's favorite Spartan with a chip on his shoulder fits bickering with Soulcalibur brawlers into his busy schedule. Nevertheless, the Ghost of Sparta will appear as a guest character in the miniaturized fighter. We just hope he's on his best behavior while in someone else's house when Broken Destiny ships later this summer.

See the trailer after the break.

Gallery: Kratos in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny (PSP)

Continue reading Kratos seeking vengeance in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny

Kratos seeking vengeance in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony targets collectors with licensing agreement

David Hinkle — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:02:00 EST

Sony is looking to extract some more money from European wallets through a new deal inked with Target Entertainment, who will now be the consumer product licensing agent for all PlayStation software IP. This means you could have a nice 6" tall Kratos watching over your cubicle whenever you go to refill that mug of coffee, or your own cuddly, huge Sackboy to snuggle up with every night while in bed. Really, the possibilities for merchandise are near endless here.

SCEE's licensing and peripherals manager Stephanie Freeman says Sony wants "consumers to have the ability to interact with our brands and characters in ways other than just on screen. We feel Target Entertainment Group has the vibrancy and experience to help us do this successfully." No word on when these products will be making their way to market, but you should be able to stock up on Helghast target dummies and Ratchet and Clank ratchet sets soon.

Sony targets collectors with licensing agreement originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC09: God of War III footage conveys massive battles, dynamic camera

Randy Nelson — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:15:00 EST

We've seen the expertly edited trailer, but today we got our first look at some raw gameplay from Sony's Titan-ic sequel, God of War III. Sony Santa Monica programmers JIm Tilander and Vassily Filippov ended their highly technical discussion of optimizing code for PS3's multiple cores, a.k.a. its SPUs, with a brief 20-second clip.

In it, Kratos squared off against dozens of enemies in a smaller area than was seen in the trailer. These guys, with their tall, blue coffin-shaped shields looked nothing like we've seen in the series to date. In order to dispatch them all, Kratos weakened a cyclops who'd arrived on the scene, triggering a familiar "kill" minigame. Here's where we got to see the creature-riding aspect of the game in an actual gameplay setting. Kratos pearched on the monster's neck while it struggled to throw him off, swinging wildly at anything and everything in its path.

And that was it. The level wasn't paticularly noteworthy, but the sheer amount of enemies on-screen was. The new camera system also came into play, starting off up close to the amazingly detailed Kratos and pulling back as more enemies flooded onscreen. The action itself was fast and smooth. Filippov noted that, when the scene complexity allows it, God of War III will run at 60 frames per second, but it's not locked there. More complex scenes will run slower, but never below 30FPS. So, when's E3 again? Right -- not soon enough.

GDC09: God of War III footage conveys massive battles, dynamic camera originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toys R Us action set features bootleg Kratos

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:00:00 EST

Click to embiggen.

Are you ready for something "ridiculously awesome"? Reader Brett P. was shopping at a local Toys R Us when he spotted Tech Deck Dude's Serpent of Doom Action Set. Over four feet long, this toy features a rather familiar character riding a skateboard. The dual blades, goatee and red tattoo are distinctly Kratos-like, don't you think?

The toy launches pseudo-Kratos across a gap, featuring a large biting serpent. "Don't get caught!" We're not sure how well bootleg Kratos would fare in a fight against the serpent, but we know the PlayStation original would use a few QTEs and shred the beast in half.

Gallery: Tech Deck Dude's Serpent of Doom Action Set

Toys R Us action set features bootleg Kratos originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Ready at Dawn developing new PSP God of War

Randy Nelson — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:50:00 EST

If Tuesday's reveal of new -- even exciting -- games coming to PSP knocked you on your rump, you'd best be seated before reading any futher. Comfy? Good. Here's the deal: Joystiq has learned from a trusted source that Ready at Dawn, the studio behind the PSP's excellent God of War: Chains of Olympus, is working on a new Kratos adventure for PSP. Apparently the studio hasn't sworn off PSP development once and for all.

The informant tells us Ready at Dawn did, in fact, ship all of its PSP development kits back to Sony last summer, but received new kits in late 2008 after Sony ordered up the sequel. It's possible that, given its current state of development, the game might appear in some form at June's E3 Expo, our source reports. The title seems an unlikely candidate for release this year, but could be timed to coincide with God of War III's launch, which may occur in early 2010.

When contacted for comment, Ready at Dawn president and co-founder, Didier Malenfant, responded: "You know that even if we were [making the game], I couldn't answer your question." We see a "know" in there, but not a "no."

Rumor: Ready at Dawn developing new PSP God of War originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq interview: God of War 3's Ken Feldman, art director

Kevin Kelly — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:30:00 EST

Ken Feldman was one of the original three people who came up with the God of War concept and worked as a lead environment designer on the first game. David Jaffe and Tim Moss were the other members of that trinity. During the sequel's development, Feldman worked behind the scenes on future technology and is currently the art director of God of War III.

We chatted with Ken at the God of War III preview event in Los Angeles this week, where he detailed the overhauled game engine, Kratos' new PS2-busting polygon count, and inspiration for the God of War style.

Gallery: God of War 3

Continue reading Joystiq interview: God of War 3's Ken Feldman, art director

Joystiq interview: God of War 3's Ken Feldman, art director originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq interview: God of War 3 director Stig Asmussen

Kevin Kelly — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:30:00 EST

After working on games like Dr. Muto and Gauntlet: Dark Legacy, Stig Asmussen worked as lead environmental artist on God of War before moving on to God of War II, where he was promoted to art director. He's now game director for God of War III, which means he's reached the pinnacle of Mount Olympus, so to speak. Despite shouldering an Altas-like workload, including organizing a team of more than 100 employees, Asmussen was in high spirits when we sat down with him this week at the God of War III preview event.

Continue on to learn more about PlayStation Home and DLC plans, the handling of motion controls, and how the team's bringing newcomers up to speed on the story -- plus many more previously unknown details!

Gallery: God of War 3

Continue reading Joystiq interview: God of War 3 director Stig Asmussen

Joystiq interview: God of War 3 director Stig Asmussen originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Titan-ic new God of War 3 trailer

Kevin Kelly — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action, Adventure, Fighting, Video

Sony released this new God of War III trailer today, to go alongside our brand new preview. It's an extended version of the one shown during the VGAs in December and features some of Kratos' new abilities and the game's god-sized scale -- the ending camera shot turns Kratos into a flea! The video was rendered in-game, so cross your blades that it keeps on looking this good -- and angry -- as development continues. Okay, we'll stop writing now, so you can get to watching the darned thing already!

Download God of War 3 Trailer 1080p HD (235 MB)

The Titan-ic new God of War 3 trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq impressions: God of War 3

Kevin Kelly — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST

click to Titan-size!

Hold on to your loincloths, because we spent two hours with God of War III earlier this week and now - with the embargo's arms ripped clean off - we're finally allowed to tell you about it. Maybe we should be more specific: we spent two hours watching someone else play the game while we took notes, geeked out, and did our best to not shout out gameplay suggestions. Instead, game director Stig Asmussen took us through the major goals they've hit so far in the development process, while design director Todd Papy took the controls for the demo.

Something to note: they did make a big point of telling us they would not be discussing a release date. They said they'd be announcing that at E3, which leads us to assume that they still have hurdles to overcome and aren't clear how those will affect their schedule. So will this game be out by the end of 2009? We doubt it. There were plenty of holes in what we were shown, including some fundamental gameplay/story ideas that weren't hammered down yet.

However, what we were able to see looks like it could be worth the wait for PS3 owners. It's basically God of War II on steroids which, considering the popularity - and quality! - of the first two titles, isn't necessarily a bad thing. Read on for our impressions, chock full of tidbits and new info about everyone's favorite angry bald Greek guy.

Gallery: God of War 3

Continue reading Joystiq impressions: God of War 3

Joystiq impressions: God of War 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop LBP pre-order adds more God of War sackness

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Adventure, Business, Casual

We had previously learned that a Kratos SackBoy would be available with a GameStop pre-order, but what we didn't know was all the extras that would also be included with the reservation. The GameStop website and a new commercial (found after the break) reveal the pre-order will also include Minotaur and Medusa costumes, along with stickers and level pack.

The details on getting the redemption code vary between online and in-store reservation, with online codes being sent out a week before the game ships and store codes available at time of reservation -- while supplies last (call ahead). No word yet if the Heavenly Sword Best Buy exclusive Nariko SackGirl will come with levels, extra characters and a dose of a "twing-twang."

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Continue reading GameStop LBP pre-order adds more God of War sackness

GameStop LBP pre-order adds more God of War sackness originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kratos wields 'clubs of chaos' in Hot Shots Golf tomorrow

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Online, Sports

The PlayStation Blog announced today that the God of War himself will be available tomorrow as a downloadable character for PS3's Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds. Kratos, sporting the "clubs of chaos," is taking some time off from battling the gods of Olympus to try and sink a couple putts.

The Kratos DLC will cost $2, but this isn't just a fancy new character model for the game. We give Sony props for bringing in T.C. Carson, the voice of Kratos, to record some new lines for the Ghost of Sparta to use in the game. Don't expect any of Kratos's trademark rage, though, as the game will continue to be rated "E."

Kratos wields 'clubs of chaos' in Hot Shots Golf tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kratos joins the Hot Shots Golf lineup

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:50:00 EST

Filed under: Downloads

Yeah, you read that right. Kratos will be a bonus downloadable character for Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds on PS3. Available on the PS Store tomorrow, he'll be purchasable for $2. It's good to see Kratos venting out his anger in a slightly less than M rated manner.

Kratos joins the Hot Shots Golf lineup originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony announces God of War III

Mike Schramm — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action, E3

Kratos is going to kick some Ancient Greek ass on the PS3. Sony just showed a CGI trailer confirming that its popular action series is coming to the monolithic console. God of War 3 will be released sometime "after this holiday season," so don't expect it until at least next year.

Continue reading Sony announces God of War III

Sony announces God of War III originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kratos will not be in Soulcalibur IV

Alan Tsang — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

48:40. That's amount of time into yesterday's 1UP Yours podcast that reveals Kratos will not be in Soulcalibur IV. They have been playing the game on both Xbox 360 and PS3 (though Yoda is mentioned immediately after the Kratos comment, they do speak of Darth Vader later) and they do not see Kratos in it. Unless there is some last minute change, which is unlikely, Kratos will not be in the main game. Sorry kids! Let's all hope for something in the form of DLC then, shall we?

[Via N4G]

Kratos will not be in Soulcalibur IV originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Kratos may be in Soulcalibur IV

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:42:00 EST

Filed under: Rumors

If 1UP's mysterious Quartermann is to be believed, the PS3 version of Soulcalibur IV may be a rather dark, broody, angst-ridden fighter. Not only will the PS3 version exclusively feature Star Wars' Darth Vader, it may also feature God of War's always-angry Kratos. The character would make an excellent and logical addition to the Namco Bandai fighter, thanks to his over-the-top weapons-based moves. If he's not included in the upcoming fighter, we can only blame one thing: his chest is clearly not large enough.

Soulcalibur IV is coming out next month, so all will be revealed in due time.

[Via Joystiq]

Rumor: Kratos may be in Soulcalibur IV originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Kratos in PS3 version of Soul Calibur IV

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3

The God of War may be making a guest appearance in Soul Calibur IV if EGM's Quartermann is to be believed. 1Up reveals that its sister-publication's resident rumormonger anticipates Kratos will be in the PlayStation 3 version of the game. Kratos, meet Darth Vader.

Quartermann apparently doesn't go into whether Microsoft will have its own mascot to keep Yoda and the "Dark Apprentice" company on the Xbox 360's SC IV guest roster. Considering the game is due out next month, this rumor should reveal its veracity shortly.

Rumor: Kratos in PS3 version of Soul Calibur IV originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: God of War III to be shown at E3

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:54:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action, Adventure

EuroGamer.pt (translation) reports that God of War III will be shown at E3 next month. The site was apparently informed of this by a Sony representative at the Interactive & Digital Entertainment Festival, currently being held in Paris.

Don't get too excited -- even if the rumor is true, it doesn't mean GoW III will unleash bloody vengeance against the Titans this year. Although a release date is pure speculation at this point, some rumors report the launch to be next Christmas, while certain retailers have given it a placeholder release of next March.

Rumor: God of War III to be shown at E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon and Gamestop offering God of War III pre-orders, claim March 2 release

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action

We know that a vast majority of the gaming media consumers out there have a fairly negative outlook when it comes to pre-orders for popular titles (did anyone really have a hard time finding Halo 3 last September?), but that's not why we're writing about the recent pre-order listings on Amazon and Gamestop for the next (Barlog-less) installment in the well-received God of War franchise. What we find intriguing is the March 2 release date listed on both websites -- three quarters earlier than the last rumored launch window for the title. Is this wishful thinking from these two gaming retailers, or could the further adventures of everyone's favorite ashy Spartan hit shelves much sooner than expected?

Amazon and Gamestop offering God of War III pre-orders, claim March 2 release originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 11 May 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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