Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Nega-review: God of War: Chains of Olympus]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/04/nega-review-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/04/nega-review-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/04/nega-review-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/#commentsFiled under: , ,

"Chains of Olympus doesn't quite live up to the other God of War games." (4) "Ready at Dawn didn't mess with the franchise's proven formula whatsoever, which is ... one of our ... gripes for the game." (3) "Gameplay-wise, nothing much has changed ... You still run around and beat the beejezus [sic] out of enemies and then meet up with the occasional boss fight." (5) "I wish that Ready at Dawn had added something new the canon rather than just re-using what's been done in the past." (7)

"The game feels a bit too familiar ... [and] at times you do feel like you've played the game before." (7) That said, "the game is missing some of the features from other God of War games. ... you won't find the ability to use your blades on grappling points, the Icarus Wings, Rage of the Gods, rope traversal, rope swinging, a fourth magic, etc." (4) "I find myself disappointed ... that the game doesn't quite have the same feeling of showing you something new around every corner that the previous games did." (4)

"The game is also brutally linear: you're constantly running from point A to point B, stopping to administer the occasional beatdown." (5) It could also be described as "a very linear experience, (3) that "may be a touch linear." (9) "Toward the end, combat got pretty repetitious, relying really heavily on the mechanic of blocking you into a room and not letting you out until you finished taking down the waves of enemies." (1) "It would have been nice to have seen a little experimentation here or there to mix things up. (3) "Altogether, ... the game feels like a bit less of an adventure and more of a straightforward action game." (4)

Continue reading Nega-review: God of War: Chains of Olympus

JoystiqNega-review: God of War: Chains of Olympus originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chains of olympuschains-of-olympusChainsOfOlympusCoOgod of wargod-of-warGodOfWarnegareviewPS2PSPReady at DawnReadyAtDawnSonyTue, 04 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq hands-on: God of War: Chains of Olympus]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/15/joystiq-hands-on-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/15/joystiq-hands-on-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/15/joystiq-hands-on-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/#commentsFiled under: , ,


When Sony said they were unleashing the full power of the PSP for God of War, they weren't kidding. God of War: Chains of Olympus plays and looks gorgeous beautiful amazing gorgeutifulzing. The fact that its a hand-held game on a small screen should not turn people off to this title, it's like a normal PS2 game in a little package and there is no denying it gives the full God of War experience. So much so, that before finishing the demo level in the game, we had to hand it off to somebody else or we'd have ripped the PSP out of the station and walked away to play the demo version until the game released this holiday season -- on the bright side, the demo releases this September.

Developer Ready at Dawn has done a great job at capturing the controls of God of War. Thankfully you hardly used the second analog stick (only used for dodging) in the PS2 version, so the PSP's one nubbin along with planned button mashing brings it all together. The animation is smooth -- so very, very smooth. Smooth to the point where we'd almost believe the PS2 GoW titles could hopefully one day come to PSP. All you really need to know about GoW on PSP is that everything you've come to expect from a PS2 version is here. This Kratos ain't watered down and he might even help sell some PSPs. This is a true God of War experience in a hand-held package that no fan can miss.

Gallery: God of War: Chains of Olympus (PSP)

JoystiqJoystiq hands-on: God of War: Chains of Olympus originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 15 Jul 2007 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chains of olympuse3e307god of wargodofwarhandsonkratosPSPSun, 15 Jul 2007 15:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on: God of War: Chains of Olympus]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/15/hands-on-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/15/hands-on-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/15/hands-on-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/#commentsFiled under:


September can't come soon enough. That's when the public will be able to get their hands on the incredible God of War: Chains of Olympus demo that we got to play at E3. The game is everything a God of War fan could possible want: beautiful, gory, and utterly exhilarating.

The controls are incredible intuitive, and it was within mere seconds that we were able to start pulling off combos and dodges with relative ease. Kratos' basic moves return unchanged, but there are a few new special attacks, exclusive for the PSP edition. We were surprised to see the dodge return, in spite of the second analog stick. In order to jump out of an enemy's way, pressing down on both shoulder buttons whilst using the analog nub will allow Kratos to jump away. It's surprisingly intuitive and easy to use.

It should go without saying that the game is beautiful, taking advantage of all 333MHz the system has to offer. It is everything a PS2 God of War game should be ... but on a handheld. And knowing Ready at Dawn, we knew they'd be able to pull it off.

JoystiqHands-on: God of War: Chains of Olympus originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 15 Jul 2007 14:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chains of olympusChainsOfOlympuse307god of warGodOfWarSun, 15 Jul 2007 14:22:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War e-mail treats fans to concept art]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/28/god-of-war-e-mail-treats-fans-to-concept-art/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/28/god-of-war-e-mail-treats-fans-to-concept-art/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/28/god-of-war-e-mail-treats-fans-to-concept-art/#commentsFiled under: ,


Sony has just sent an e-mail to members of the PlayStation Underground, with an exclusive piece of concept art and a new screenshot. Ru Weerasuriya, director of Chains of Olympus, mused over developing the title:

"It's no easy task bringing God of War to the PSP. Fans have come to expect these huge landscapes, complex gameplay, and visceral combat that God of War I and II gave them. To bring that same experience on the PSP, we are pushing the hardware further than ever before. We're really pleased with what we have so far but we're not done yet. We still have a few tricks up our sleeves. I'm also really proud of the story of Chains of Olympus and I can assure you that there'll be some mind-bending puzzles in there for you guys."

While it's true that this doesn't provide us with any new details on the game, we're pleased that Sony is still reaching out to its most dedicated fans. We're confident that Ready at Dawn will produce a title of the same magnitude as its console brethren, and hope to get some play time at E3.

JoystiqGod of War e-mail treats fans to concept art originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chains of olympusChainsOfOlympusgod of warGodOfWarready at dawnReadyAtDawnru weerasuriyaRuWeerasuriyaThu, 28 Jun 2007 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War to use PSP's full processor speed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/god-of-war-to-use-psps-full-processor-speed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/god-of-war-to-use-psps-full-processor-speed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/god-of-war-to-use-psps-full-processor-speed/#commentsFiled under: , ,


God of War: Chains of Olympus creative director, Cory Barlog, has posted a follow-up to his "Inside the Developers Studio" Sony blog debut in order to "add some more of what you're asking for." Apparently, you were asking if Kratos would find his PSP adventure enhanced by the recent lifting of the system's processor speed restriction. Barlog confirms that developer Ready at Dawn will indeed take advantage of the unthrottled CPU, no doubt using it to render an alarming number of snarling mouths, serrated limbs and somewhat pointy breasts -- frequently all on the same creature, if the rest of the God of War series is any indication.

Barlog, who notes that he prefers a hands-on approach to game development versus his overseeing role on Chains of Olympus, is currently working on God of War III an unannounced PlayStation 3 project. Industry insiders strongly suggest that it's a survival horror title featuring an undying James Lipton.

Gallery: God of War: Chains of Olympus (PSP)


JoystiqGod of War to use PSP's full processor speed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chains of olympusChainsOfOlympuscory barlogCoryBarlogGod of warGod of war PSPGodOfWarGodOfWarPspPSPReady at DawnReadyAtDawnTue, 26 Jun 2007 09:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Confirmed: God of War to use 333MHz processing]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/confirmed-god-of-war-to-use-333mhz-processing/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/confirmed-god-of-war-to-use-333mhz-processing/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/confirmed-god-of-war-to-use-333mhz-processing/#commentsFiled under:


After a brief rant about E3, Cory Barlog has updated the Playstation.blog with one crucial new confirmation: the game will use the newly-unlocked 333MHz speed of the PSP. "Many people are asking if God of War: Chains of Olympus is going to take advantage of this. The short answer is yes we are! Ready at Dawn has been doing some pretty amazing stuff with the PSP since the early days of the platform. Every time I see a new build I am more amazed with what we're able to pull off with the PSP."

It's incredible to think that Ready at Dawn was able to pull off such incredible graphics before the processor speed was unlocked. Now that the talented team of programmers has access to PSP's full power, it'll be interesting to see what else Ready at Dawn will be able to pull off.

JoystiqConfirmed: God of War to use 333MHz processing originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>333 mhz333Mhzchains of olympusChainsOfOlympusgod of warGodOfWarMon, 25 Jun 2007 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Reasons to own a PSP, and there's 60 of 'em]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/10/reasons-to-own-a-psp-and-theres-60-of-em/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/10/reasons-to-own-a-psp-and-theres-60-of-em/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/10/reasons-to-own-a-psp-and-theres-60-of-em/#commentsFiled under: ,



Sony's PlayStation Portable holds a very odd little spot in gaming currently. It's not a failure in the portable market but, putting it next to the Nintendo DS, it just isn't as successful as it could have been. The PSP had a slow start, just like another recent Sony console, but if you picked up a PSP now, there's a pretty solid group of games. Not to mention that it's got some games in the pipeline, including the drool-worthy God of War: Chains of Olympus.

Our chums over at PSPFanboy have started putting together 60 reasons to own a PSP. They got the first part up now, which includes five reasons to own it ... hopefully there will be another 11 parts. The first five reasons PSPFanboy gave to own a PSP, with a quick quote from them for each reason, are:
  • Games: "The library features some real gems, such as Lumines, Wipeout, Grand Theft Auto, and Tekken: Dark Resurrection ... a quick look down the horizon reveals a plethora of Final Fantasy titles, a new God of War, Syphon Filter, Castlevania, Silent Hill, and more."
  • PSone classics: "The advent of the PSP Store later this year, we're confident that even more great games are going to come out."
  • Downloadable demos: "Who doesn't like playing games ... especially when they're free?"
  • Great homebrew games: "Upcoming titles like No Gravity show an unstoppable momentum for this underground movement."
  • Play Flash games on the go: "Love a Flash game on the web? The PSP can play that as well. In fact, some developers have even created Flash games specifically for PSP's widescreen."
So, we're looking forward to the next 55 reasons. Clearly many people are not convinced, but the PSP is beginning to fulfill its potential. It's just the sad state of things that Sony is getting into the habit of manufacturing potential products. We want our systems good, and we want them good immediately or, at least, as soon as possible. Oh well, still much love for the PS2 -- that thing rocks!

JoystiqReasons to own a PSP, and there's 60 of 'em originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 10 Jun 2007 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>god of warlitepspreasons to buyReasonsToBuysonysystemupgradeSun, 10 Jun 2007 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War 3 has not begun production, other games take precedence]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/god-of-war-3-has-not-begun-production-other-games-take-preceden/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/god-of-war-3-has-not-begun-production-other-games-take-preceden/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/god-of-war-3-has-not-begun-production-other-games-take-preceden/#commentsIt seems the director of God of War II, Cory Barlog, wants to pay attention to other projects before the much-anticipated God of War III makes any sort of debut. On his blog, he talks about a lot of things, but he mentions how he's not paying attention to the trilogy and instead is working on his very own RPG opus -- A Family Ties game. Or something.

So for those of you who were expecting some kind of surprise at E3 or Tokyo Game Show, we hate to be the bearers of bad news, but you'll be waiting a while to see Kratos and the Titans crushing the crap out of Olympus. Unless Sony pulls a Kojima and replaces Kratos with a different, less gruff and manly character. Possibly a Roman who likes to comb his hair and do cartwheels. That would be most unfortunate! We don't need another Raiden. Or ... do we?

[via CVG]

JoystiqGod of War 3 has not begun production, other games take precedence originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>God of WarGod of War 3God of War IIIGodOfWarGodOfWar3GodOfWarIiiPlayStation 3Playstation3PS3SCEASonyWed, 06 Jun 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: God of War demo comes in September]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/05/psa-god-of-war-demo-comes-in-september/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/05/psa-god-of-war-demo-comes-in-september/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/05/psa-god-of-war-demo-comes-in-september/#commentsFiled under:


Thought you'd play the God of War: Chains of Olympus demo soon? Sorry folks -- you're going to have to wait until summer comes to an end. The demo's ETA is now September. But imagine, instead of lamenting the return of school, you can herald the joys of playing as Kratos on your PSP. As a consolation, those of you that successfully signed up for the demo will be receiving "exclusive info" in the coming weeks, if that helps the pain go away.

JoystiqPSA: God of War demo comes in September originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jun 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>god of warGodOfWarTue, 05 Jun 2007 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony hiring for God of War team]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/04/sony-hiring-for-god-of-war-team/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/04/sony-hiring-for-god-of-war-team/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/04/sony-hiring-for-god-of-war-team/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In what is sure to be a moment filled with shock and awe, it looks like Sony is gearing up to make another God of War game. Well, yes, we're stretching a bit there. Officially it's just to "join the God of War team," which could mean the GoW team is busy working on something other than the multi-million copy selling franchise. But, come on, 1080p true HD Kratos would be the hotness. You could count the pores on his shiny bald head and probably see the little wisps of rage wafting off his body.

The two job openings are for a senior technical artist and a senior designer for "combat." So, even if the team isn't going to be working on the entirely expected God of War 3, at least it'll have combat -- and that team knows how to do combat. Worry not Kratos lovers, the God of War 3 announcement can't be that far away.

[Thanks Kspraydad]

JoystiqSony hiring for God of War team originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>god of warkratosPS3santa monicasequelshockingsonyMon, 04 Jun 2007 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PSP Fan Art Fridays: God of War]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/01/psp-fan-art-fridays-god-of-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/01/psp-fan-art-fridays-god-of-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/01/psp-fan-art-fridays-god-of-war/#commentsFiled under: ,


Do you want to share your PSP-related fan art? Send us an e-mail. A new piece of fan art will be shared every Friday.

This week the fan art is a quite different than what we've featured previously. This unique God of War fan art was done by someone who actually does art for a living. Peet Cooper drew this excellent and stylized image above and he also works for n-Space (creators of Geist). I really like the constrained proportions of Peet's version of Kratos, it gives him a unique look. Oddly, despite his small stature, he actually looks more menacing than the regular rendition of Kratos. If this fan art scares or excites you, visit Peet Cooper's deviantART page or personal website. It's certainly an interesting visit since Peet is a professional artist. Either that, or let Peet know what you think of the art in our comments section.

Gallery: Fan Art Fridays

JoystiqPSP Fan Art Fridays: God of War originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fan artfan art fridaysFanArtFanArtFridaysgod of warGodOfWarkratospeet cooperPeetCooperFri, 01 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony and God of War III -- will there actually be one?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/sony-and-god-of-war-iii-will-there-actually-be-one/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/sony-and-god-of-war-iii-will-there-actually-be-one/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/sony-and-god-of-war-iii-will-there-actually-be-one/#commentsWhile we've all assumed that God of War III will hit the PS3 at some point in the future, it hasn't actually been set in stone by Sony, David Jaffe, or otherwise. It's wishful thinking, but Sony's Santa Monica studio says that "there's definitely the enthusiasm of us wanting to do that, to make the God of War III, but there's obviously no commitment to that right now." Like we said -- wishful thinking, but everyone wants it!

Let's talk hypothetical. If GoW3 were in production, what would it feature? The answer: "Put it this way. If we ever do get to make God of War III, it'll have connections to all the games, just like [God of War PSP] has direct links to [God of War] II. So if you go and you play this game, if you remember in II or you go back and play II, you'll see situations that are directly explained because of the PSP [version] and [this game] helps flesh out [the mythology] even more. All these games have a connection to each other." Obviously. If the game told a different story, unattached to Kratos or Greek mythology in general, we'd be disappointed. Maybe at E3? Maybe once we get a rumbling Sixaxis?

JoystiqSony and God of War III -- will there actually be one? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 May 2007 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>God of WarGodOfWarPlayStation 3Playstation3PS3SonyTue, 22 May 2007 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq eyes-on God of War: Chains of Olympus for PSP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/21/joystiq-eyes-on-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/21/joystiq-eyes-on-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/21/joystiq-eyes-on-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-for-psp/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Last week's Sony Gamer's Day gave us the chance to sit down with a lot of different games, and one of the highest "must play this or else" on our list was God of War for PSP. It was the first game we spotted across the motion capture studio where the event was held, and we edged our way through the crowd, wishing we had the might of Zeus to part the waves and get there faster.

Finally, there we were, sitting on a blindingly white couch, staring at the goodness that is God of War: Chains of Olympus on one of Sony's massive screens. They had a PSP wired up to it, and although the image was cropped a bit on-screen, it made us want to blow up everything we play to that size. We studied the control diagram, noted that it was all very simple, and reached for the controller ... denied!

Gallery: God of War: Chains of Olympus (PSP)

Continue reading Joystiq eyes-on God of War: Chains of Olympus for PSP

JoystiqJoystiq eyes-on God of War: Chains of Olympus for PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 May 2007 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chains of OlympusChainsOfOlympusGod of WarGodOfWarPSPSGD07Mon, 21 May 2007 15:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Impressive God of War: Chains of Olympus gameplay videos]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/19/impressive-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-gameplay-videos/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/19/impressive-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-gameplay-videos/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/19/impressive-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-gameplay-videos/#commentsFiled under: ,


We've already showed off screenshots of the upcoming PSP God of War, but what about it in motion? Does it live up to the PS2 series in looks and gameplay? You can judge for yourself, by watching the video above. Personally, watching it has made me somehow more excited for the game. It makes me think that God of War: Chains of Olympus, may cement Ready At Dawn as the PSP's premier developer. If the cliffhanger ending of the above video depresses you, than keep reading to see how the boss battle plays out. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a certain game I have to go pre-order.

Boss video after the jump ...

Continue reading Impressive God of War: Chains of Olympus gameplay videos

JoystiqImpressive God of War: Chains of Olympus gameplay videos originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 May 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gameplay videoGameplayVideogametrailersgod of wargod of war pspgod of war: chains of olympusGodOfWarGodOfWar:ChainsOfOlympusGodOfWarPspkratosvideosSat, 19 May 2007 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SGD '07: Conan clobbers us with new screenshots]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/sgs-07-conan-clobbers-us-with-new-screenshots/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/sgs-07-conan-clobbers-us-with-new-screenshots/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/sgs-07-conan-clobbers-us-with-new-screenshots/#commentsConan from the Sony Gamer's Day event, and it's looking pretty good. While clearly influenced by the God of War series, the cel-shading and alternate mythology could make the game a solid alternative while we wait for God of War III.

Gallery: Conan

JoystiqSGD '07: Conan clobbers us with new screenshots originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2007 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cel-shadingconangod of warGodOfWarThu, 17 May 2007 03:01:00 EST<![CDATA[SGD '07: God of War: Chains of Olympus]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/sgs-07-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/sgs-07-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/sgs-07-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/#commentsFiled under:

Before being deceived into killing his wife and daughter in the original God of War, Kratos was a mere puppet of the Gods. The PSP-exclusive Chains of Olympus tells the story of Kratos' perilous journey before the original God of War where Kratos will have to battle "the most feared creatures of Greek Mythology." This exclusive PSP title, developed by Ready At Dawn, will be available this holiday season. Check out new screens from Sony's Gamers Day below. Then, check out a video, after the cut.

Continue reading SGD '07: God of War: Chains of Olympus

JoystiqSGD '07: God of War: Chains of Olympus originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2007 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>god of warGodOfWarsgd07Thu, 17 May 2007 03:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Incredibly wide pictures of God of War]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/incredibly-wide-pictures-of-god-of-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/incredibly-wide-pictures-of-god-of-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/incredibly-wide-pictures-of-god-of-war/#commentsFiled under:


For some reason, new images of God of War: Chains of Olympus have surfaced ... and they're really wide. Not 16:9 wide, nor 21:9 wide. It's so wide that Ben Hur would get jealous. Cinematic? Perhaps. Beautiful? Definitely. Check them out at Play France. While looking through them, make note of Kratos' shield. Hmm ... New gameplay mechanic, perhaps?

[Via PSP GadgetZ]

JoystiqIncredibly wide pictures of God of War originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2007 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chains of olympusChainsOfOlympusgod of warGodOfWarMon, 14 May 2007 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War: Chains of Olympus fully revealed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/12/god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/12/god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/12/god-of-war-chains-of-olympus/#commentsFiled under: , ,

God of War: Chains of Olympus. You know you want it, and 1UP has the exclusive.preview. There's six pages of beautiful info on quite possibly the most anticipated PSP game of all time.

"A lot of what we're telling with the later stories is Kratos when he's just really realized he's a puppet of the Gods, really realizing that he's getting screwed over, and [the PSP game will] flesh out when he did have maybe a little bit of faith and when that faith started to crumble a little bit -- when he started to see some cracks in the stories they were telling him," says Chains of Olympus creative director Cory Barlog.

We don't want to spoil the rest, so you're going to have to check out 1UP for the rest. Hopefully, we'll see even more of God of War: Chains of Olympus soon enough.

JoystiqGod of War: Chains of Olympus fully revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 May 2007 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1upchains of olympusChainsOfOlympuscory barlogCoryBarloggod of warGodOfWarready at dawnReadyAtDawnSat, 12 May 2007 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cory Barlog's role in the handheld God of War]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/03/cory-barlogs-role-in-the-handheld-god-of-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/03/cory-barlogs-role-in-the-handheld-god-of-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/03/cory-barlogs-role-in-the-handheld-god-of-war/#commentsFiled under:


God of War creator David Jaffe has been removing himself more and more from the franchise he created, opting to focus on new titles, like the perpetually delayed Calling All Cars (PS3). In his stead is Cory Barlog, who became director of the PS2 sequel, God of War II. As any player of the game can tell you, the sequel is vastly improved over the original, addressing all the criticisms that the first title faced. The incredible action of God of War II proved that Barlog was a fantastic replacement for Jaffe.

However, what's Barlog's involvement with the upcoming PSP iteration, Chains of Olympus? Development is in the capable hands of Ready At Dawn (Daxter), and initial screens and video show almost limitless potential for the title. Although we're excited to see the title develop so well, we're disappointed by Barlog's fairly removed involvement from the title. Speaking to GameDaily, Barlog reveals "I'll be working on it kind of in the way Dave oversaw God of War II, being a sounding board for [developer] Ready at Dawn. My main focus is to try and make sure it's within the God of War universe."

JoystiqCory Barlog's role in the handheld God of War originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 May 2007 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barlogchains of olympusChainsOfOlympuscory barlogCoryBarloggod of warGodOfWarready at dawnReadyAtDawnThu, 03 May 2007 12:50:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War PSP images leaked]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/god-of-war-psp-images-leaked/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/god-of-war-psp-images-leaked/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/god-of-war-psp-images-leaked/#commentsFiled under: ,

Looks like someone got their Electronic Gaming Monthly issue early and, as is customary it seems with every month's release, uploaded the juiciest scans online. The June 2007 issue, on sale May 8, has a feature on God of War: Chains of Olympus for PSP and German site consolewars.de has the images in a nice gallery for us to peruse.

Chains of Olympus is looking very pretty, though these scenes look similar to what we saw in the trailer. We can't wait to see how the action title translates in the forthcoming demo.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

JoystiqGod of War PSP images leaked originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 May 2007 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chains of olympusChainsOfOlympusdavid jaffeDavidJaffegod of warGodOfWarPSPWed, 02 May 2007 17:25:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War screenshots leaked]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/god-of-war-screenshots-leaked/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/god-of-war-screenshots-leaked/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/god-of-war-screenshots-leaked/#commentsFiled under:


Next month's issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly has an exclusive preview of God of War: Chains of Olympus. As is customary on the internet, someone has nabbed an issue early and scanned it for the entire world to see. German site consolewars.de has some juicy images from the game that has our hearts palpitating. Are these graphics really possible on PSP? If so, our wait for the demo disc becomes even more painful.

EGM 216 goes on sale May 8th. Expect a lot more coverage in the coming weeks.

[Via 1UP]

JoystiqGod of War screenshots leaked originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 May 2007 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chains of olympusChainsOfOlympusegmelectronic gaming monthlyElectronicGamingMonthlygod of warGodOfWarWed, 02 May 2007 08:10:00 EST<![CDATA[SCEE apologizes for GoW II party]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/01/scee-apologizes-for-gow-ii-party/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/01/scee-apologizes-for-gow-ii-party/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/01/scee-apologizes-for-gow-ii-party/#commentsAs many of you have heard, Dailymail.co.uk posted an article last Sunday about a Greek press event for God of War II that was held two months ago. While press events for major games is not unusual, the nature of this one was a little ... controversial.

The controversy came from a photo of the party in this month's Official PlayStation Magazine, in which you can see what appears to be a freshly slaughtered goat and a half-naked girl sitting next to it (and some kind of barbarian guy standing behind it).

The article also made a number of other claims, significantly increasing the gross-out factor of the story. I won't bother rehashing them now, because everybody already knows them. The reason we didn't run an article about this when it was first released is that we strongly suspected that there were some major pieces of the puzzle missing that we weren't hearing. Not that Sony hasn't made a number of PR stumbles in the past, but Dailymail's synopsis of the party made it sound like an orgy of blood and gore more suitable to the Marques De Sade than a videogame launch party.

Turns out, it wasn't quite as it was portrayed. Go ahead and click the continued link to see the cold, hard facts.

Continue reading SCEE apologizes for GoW II party

JoystiqSCEE apologizes for GoW II party originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 May 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>goatgod of warGodOfWarTue, 01 May 2007 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony explains God of War's dead goat antics]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/sony-explains-god-of-wars-dead-goat-antics/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/sony-explains-god-of-wars-dead-goat-antics/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/sony-explains-god-of-wars-dead-goat-antics/#commentsFiled under: ,


"Slaughter: Horror at Sony's depraved promotion stunt with decapitated goat" is the sort of headline that sells newspapers -- the UK's Daily Mail in particular(NSFW). Starting with an evocative first word and ending with outright animal cruelty, it's a snappy summation of an event that was probably rife with sexual debauchery, devil worship and inappropriate hobnobbery! And that isn't even a word! Indeed, how could other papers even compete with their silly "facts" and less sensational headlines like "Promotion: Butcher-obtained goat displayed in dramatization while journalists drink soup from china bowls!" Well, we suppose that one is a little bit on the long side.

Then again, so is the story revolving around Sony's European God of War II event. It seems somewhere between the Daily Mail's spin and the Official PlayStation Magazine's (now recalled) retelling of the Greek-themed costume party, things... goat a little out of hand. Sony's senior director of corporate communications, Dave Karakker, told Joystiq that the reporter responsible for the OPSM article didn't even bother to attend the event. The basis of his article was the invitational pamphlet, "which employed a degree of hyperbole in order to encourage attendance."

Furthermore, the infamous goat was thoroughly dead upon arrival. It was procured from a qualified butcher, was returned after the event and was never allowed to be touched by journalists (no kidding around). The goat was filled with "a meat soup, made to a traditional Greek recipe and served to attendees in china bowls direct from the caterers," leaving claims of "offal" as someone likely mishearing a complaint about the actual taste of the dish. No soup came directly from the goat.

"We recognise that the use of a dead goat was in poor taste and fell below the high standards of conduct we set ourselves. We are conducting an enquiry to establish the circumstances behind the event in order to ensure this does not happen again. We also apologise to anyone offended by the article in the OPSM (subscription copies were sent out ahead of street date)." It was undeniably tacky, but hardly the "Phil Harrison bites the head off a chimp and mows down the audience using a Tommy Gun" debacle you may have envisioned before.

(They're saving that one for The Getaway 3.)

Continue reading Sony explains God of War's dead goat antics

JoystiqSony explains God of War's dead goat antics originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dave KarakkerDaveKarakkerGoatGod of WarGod of War 2God of War IIGodOfWarGodOfWar2GodOfWarIiPS2SonyMon, 30 Apr 2007 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War: Chains of Olympus revealed, free UMD demo offered]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-revealed-free-umd-demo-offered/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-revealed-free-umd-demo-offered/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-revealed-free-umd-demo-offered/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Someone over at IslandOfRhodes.org finally got around to tacking the "r" and "us" onto "God of Wa: Chains of Olymp," setting in motion a cataclysmic series of events that has unearthed this trailer and unleashed a mail-order UMD demo (Sony, you know the PSP can like totally do that WiFi thing and download stuff, right?). So, did we mention the demo is only available while supplies last? That means the dude who read this a second ago is already clicking away. What are you waiting for ... a bigger price cut?

[Via PSP Fanboy]

JoystiqGod of War: Chains of Olympus revealed, free UMD demo offered originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chains of OlympusChainsOfOlympusGod of WarGodOfWarislandofrhodeskratospspReady At DawnReadyAtDawnumdWed, 25 Apr 2007 10:08:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War: Chains of Olympus - first trailer & UMD demo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/free-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-umd-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/free-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-umd-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/free-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus-umd-demo/#commentsFiled under: ,


Do it. Now. Yes, get a free UMD demo of the newly announced God of War: Chains of Olympus. Hurry! Then, see past the cut for the very first footage of this PSP-exclusive God of War. You will be absolutely stunned by the graphics.

Continue reading God of War: Chains of Olympus - first trailer & UMD demo

JoystiqGod of War: Chains of Olympus - first trailer & UMD demo originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chains of olympusChainsOfOlympusgod of warGodOfWarumdumd demoUmdDemoWed, 25 Apr 2007 09:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Is the God of War title nearly revealed?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/21/is-the-god-of-war-title-nearly-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/21/is-the-god-of-war-title-nearly-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/21/is-the-god-of-war-title-nearly-revealed/#commentsFiled under: ,


The Island of Rhodes continues to tease us. The countdown has been extended yet again, as more and more of this mysterious God of War title gets revealed. Justin McElroy from Joystiq spent hours trying to get past that silly block-sliding puzzle hidden on the site to unearth God of War: Chains of Olymp--. There's only two days until we find out the truth, and we pray to the Gods that the full revelation will be something PSP fans can truly celebrate.

JoystiqIs the God of War title nearly revealed? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 21 Apr 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>god of warGodOfWarisland of rhodesIslandOfRhodesjoystiqjustin mcelroyJustinMcelroySat, 21 Apr 2007 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony explains lack of 'HD' mode in PAL God of War II]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/sony-explains-lack-of-hd-mode-in-pal-god-of-war-ii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/sony-explains-lack-of-hd-mode-in-pal-god-of-war-ii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/sony-explains-lack-of-hd-mode-in-pal-god-of-war-ii/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The non-PAL folk discovered last week that God of War II was hiding an "HD" version of the game. This was Sony stretching the truth just a bit because even they said, "This is NOT 720p. Its actually 480p with FULL SIZE buffers, in other words 640*448 resolution." Well, this didn't stop the Europeans from getting a bit upset that they weren't getting the same "HD" code, despite their televisions already running in a higher version than this supposed "HD" with a whopping 576i -- um, that's more HD than the non-PAL GoW II "HD" already -- what's the problem, what's going on?

This situation needed a glorious explanation by Sony Europe, which basically boiled down to them saying, "It should also be noted that when playing the game on a PS3 via a component of HDMI lead, it runs in true 576p and not just an upscaled version of 576i. The Enhanced Definition (ED) output is forced from the PS2 graphics chip which is why a lot of PS2 games -- not just GoW II -- will look a lot better. By contrast, if you boot up the US GoW II on an NTSC PS3 and switch Progressive Scan mode on, there will be no difference as the emulator is pushing the 480p mode regardless. What this basically means is that the PAL PS3 is giving the best PS2 visuals you will be able to get anywhere!"

So, in conclusion, the European God of War II is already more HD than the non-PAL "HD." Hey, wait, we should be the ones pissed! Somebody get Sony on the phone -- we demand more HD from our "HD." We want 576p!

JoystiqSony explains lack of 'HD' mode in PAL God of War II originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>god of warGodOfWarhigh definitionPS2PS3sonyWed, 18 Apr 2007 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 15]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/14/psp-fanboy-theatre-volume-15/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/14/psp-fanboy-theatre-volume-15/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/14/psp-fanboy-theatre-volume-15/#commentsFiled under:

PSP Fanboy offers the latest and greatest movie and game trailers, formatted for the PSP in this new weekly feature. Check it out every Saturday. PSP owners can download files wirelessly via m.pspfanboy.com.

Instructions: Save all movie and thumbnail files to the VIDEO folder. These high resolution 480x272 videos require firmware 3.30 or above. (Note: OE custom firmware will also play these videos.)


Manhunt 2
Download MP4 (6.8MB) | Download JPG

The following videos are featured after the break: Blue Dragon, Gene Simmons - Guitar Hero II Tournament, God of War II: Mythology, Guitar Hero II [360]

Continue reading PSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 15

JoystiqPSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 15 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 14 Apr 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blue dragonBlueDragongene simmonsGeneSimmonsgod of wargod of war iiGodOfWarGodOfWarIiguitar hero iiGuitarHeroIimanhuntmanhunt 2Manhunt2theatreSat, 14 Apr 2007 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Island of Rhodes leads to another countdown]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/12/isle-of-rhodes-leads-to-another-countdown/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/12/isle-of-rhodes-leads-to-another-countdown/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/12/isle-of-rhodes-leads-to-another-countdown/#commentsFiled under: ,


Imagine our horror when we browsed the Island of Rhodes website and saw ... well, nothing. It appeared to be nothing more than a cryptic, and rather useless, Flash website about developing God of War II. Thankfully, we were wrong. darksidez from the GameFAQs forums has discovered a secret area of the website, which reveals a hidden HD mode for God of War II on PS2, and yet another countdown. Is this madness? No ... THIS IS KRATOS!!!

It appears that spelling Kratos using the Greek letters on the site leads to a countdown page, with a partially revealed title. We see God of War: Ch ... Could this be the official reveal of the continuously elusive PSP God of War? Let's not get our hopes up too high--we'll unravel this additional mystery in less than two weeks time.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqIsland of Rhodes leads to another countdown originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>darksidezgamefaqsgod of wargod of war iiGodOfWarGodOfWarIiisle of rhodesIsleOfRhodeskratosThu, 12 Apr 2007 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War creator would have left Blu-ray out of PS3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/12/god-of-war-creator-would-have-left-blu-ray-out-of-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/12/god-of-war-creator-would-have-left-blu-ray-out-of-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/12/god-of-war-creator-would-have-left-blu-ray-out-of-ps3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's refreshing these days when someone says what is on their mind, and doesn't pander to the corporate entity that they work for all the time. One voice that certainly isn't afraid of biting the hand that feeds him is David Jaffe, creator of God of War, and Game Director and Designer for Sony in Santa Monica. He pretty much chomps down on that hand with relish.

In a Bonus Round video interview with Jaffe on GameTrailers, he says "I probably would have taken the Blu-ray out and sold it for less money." Considering how Sony is really pushing the Blu-ray as one of the main reasons to own a PS3, he's certainly swimming upstream. Jaffe (pictured above with a Nintendo neckstrap *gasp*) is probably the only Sony employee openly questioning the Blu-ray inclusion.

Continue reading God of War creator would have left Blu-ray out of PS3

JoystiqGod of War creator would have left Blu-ray out of PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blu-Raydavid jaffeDavid JaffeeDavidJaffeGod of WarGodOfWarPlayStation 3PS3Thu, 12 Apr 2007 15:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony makes price drop official; adds Daxter and Syphon Filter to Greatest Hits]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/03/sony-makes-price-drop-official-adds-daxter-and-syphon-filter-to/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/03/sony-makes-price-drop-official-adds-daxter-and-syphon-filter-to/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/03/sony-makes-price-drop-official-adds-daxter-and-syphon-filter-to/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The $30 price drop isn't exclusive to GameStop/EB Games--it's universal. But, that's not where the savings end. Sony has also added two more games to PSP's Greatest Hits lineup: Daxter and Syphon Filter.

According to the press release, "We have always been passionate about making great entertainment accessible to everyone, and the new price for PSP, as well as the continued growth of the 'Greatest Hits' library, reflect our ongoing commitment to supporting and expanding the PSP community," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "We are pleased that we are able to engineer savings for the consumer at this stage of PSP's lifecycle, allowing more individuals to experience PSP for the first time. In particular, we have recently seen a steady rise in the number of teens adopting PSP as their primary handheld entertainment system, and we expect the new price will accelerate that trend."

Sony also reminds players that the future of PSP is quite bright, especially with the upcoming God of War: "Ready At Dawn couldn't be more pleased with our success bringing Daxter to the PSP platform last year, and now we have another opportunity to blow away expectations of what a developer can accomplish on a portable when Kratos hits the 'small screen' in God of War," said Didier Malenfant, co-founder and president, Ready At Dawn Studios. "PSP is an ideal platform for us to work on because we have a high level of freedom to be creative, and we can deliver gameplay experiences that rival ones you'd get from a computer entertainment system."

[Update: According to Engadget, the PSP Entertainment Pack will also receive a $30 cut, from $250 to $220.]

JoystiqSony makes price drop official; adds Daxter and Syphon Filter to Greatest Hits originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daxtergod of warGodOfWargreatest hitsGreatestHitsjack trettonJackTrettonprice dropPriceDropready at dawnReadyAtDawnsyphon filterSyphonFilterTue, 03 Apr 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamestop sales hit $5.3 billion in 2006]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/gamestop-sales-hit-5-3-billion-in-2006/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/gamestop-sales-hit-5-3-billion-in-2006/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/gamestop-sales-hit-5-3-billion-in-2006/#commentsFiled under:

A report on Next Generation lays out Gamestop's financial performance for the fiscal year 2006. Needless to say, the world of game retail is as lucrative as ever, even if Gamestop has been making every effort to diminish it in size for consumers. Full-year sales experienced a surge of 72%, from $3.1 billion to $5.3 billion. Out of that, annual net earnings for the year, ending February 3, rose to an impressive $158.3 million, while operating income went up to $334 million.

Furthermore, Gamestop has expressed plans to open between 500 and 550 more stores worldwide. The group is counting on a strong first quarter in 2007, powered by the likes God of War II, the Pokémon franchise and several Xbox 360 titles. With so much economic momentum, don't expect Gamestop to roll over and change their questionable pre-owned game prices or their definition of "new" anytime soon.

JoystiqGamestop sales hit $5.3 billion in 2006 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FinancialGamestopGod of WarGodOfWarPokemonTue, 27 Mar 2007 13:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Ready at Dawn explains PSP's power; prepares PS2 Daxter?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/26/ready-at-dawn-explains-psps-power-prepares-ps2-daxter/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/26/ready-at-dawn-explains-psps-power-prepares-ps2-daxter/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/26/ready-at-dawn-explains-psps-power-prepares-ps2-daxter/#commentsFiled under: ,


Ready at Dawn has been getting a lot of attention lately. Their first game, Daxter, is considered one of PSP's best: not only does it feature solid gameplay, but it features truly impressive graphics technology, and completely invisible load times. Obviously, the team has learned new tricks, and has managed to squeeze more power out of our handheld for their upcoming God of War game. According to co-founder Didier Malenfant, Daxter doesn't come close to taking advantage of the system's true capabilities: "[We] made the conscious decision not to push the hardware as far as we could ... mainly because we wanted to ship the game in a timely manner."

Obviously, the talented team is unlocking even more of PSP's power in God of War. However, "the biggest frustration right now, in a way, is the limitation on the clock speed. We'd love to run our games at 333Mhz (we do internally just for kicks) because it does make a big difference in how much stuff you can push on the platform."

So, how does Ready at Dawn feel about being responsible for two of Sony's biggest franchises? "The truth is," Malenfant explained, "we built Ready At Dawn Studios to create original IP, but ... I don't think anyone here regrets working on two of the world's biggest franchises in the meantime."

The future is bright for this Santa Ana-based team. The single most wanted request the team receives, though, is a PS2 version of Daxter. "I think everyone here would love to do it, and it actually wouldn't be that hard because Daxter was never designed as a handheld game, we could even add a few things for the PS2 version."

[Via Gamasutra; Thanks, Joe!]

JoystiqReady at Dawn explains PSP's power; prepares PS2 Daxter? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>333MHzdaxterdidier malenfantDidierMalenfantgod of warGodOfWarplaystation 2Playstation2ps2ready at dawnReadyAtDawnMon, 26 Mar 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War release date revealed?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/25/god-of-war-release-date-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/25/god-of-war-release-date-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/25/god-of-war-release-date-revealed/#commentsFiled under: ,

An anonymous PSP Fanboy reader wrote us to make us hip to the fact that GameStop has given a release date of 11/01/07 to the PSP version of God of War. This listing could be like many GameStop listings and just be a placeholder date, but at the same time it makes a lot of sense for God of War to come out in the fall and we do know it's coming this year. Don't take November 1st off just yet, but also don't plan any big events for that day. It may be Godmergence Day ... or something.

JoystiqGod of War release date revealed? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Mar 2007 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamestopgod of warGodOfWarready at dawnReadyAtDawnrelease dateReleaseDateSun, 25 Mar 2007 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[IslandofRhodes.org, elaborate fake or new announcement?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/24/islandofrhodes-org-elaborate-fake-or-new-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/24/islandofrhodes-org-elaborate-fake-or-new-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/24/islandofrhodes-org-elaborate-fake-or-new-announcement/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The jury is out if this is brilliant viral marketing or the simple fact that when millions of people play a game they'll eventually find something hidden -- but the timing is a little too convenient. In a video for God of War II (found after the break) a player works their way to a 999,999 hit combination. When reaching the achievement a URL pops onto the screen (0:43 mark in video) for IslandofRhodes.org. The website shows a countdown to April 11 with Kratos' menacing face watching over a burning field.

Although we have our crack team of Joystiq video analysts pouring over the video frame by frame trying to figure out if it's a complete hoax, if real, we're going to go with the website has something to do with Kratos' upcoming PSP adventure. Although that would be strange considering whatever the site is, the game it's promoting is rated M. According to the ESRB, they have not yet rated God of War for PSP. So Joystiq nation, does that website show up when you hit 999,999 and what does it all mean?

[Thanks Wine]

Continue reading IslandofRhodes.org, elaborate fake or new announcement?

JoystiqIslandofRhodes.org, elaborate fake or new announcement? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementcityofrhodes.orggod of warGodOfWarislandofrhodesPS2PS3PSPviral marketingSat, 24 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War to go beyond a trilogy?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/god-of-war-to-go-beyond-a-trilogy/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/god-of-war-to-go-beyond-a-trilogy/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/god-of-war-to-go-beyond-a-trilogy/#commentsFiled under: ,

Holy crap. Having just finished reading this interview (it's about noon, not that it matters), I've got to keep myself from laughing out loud (LOLing, if we may) because I'm in a study... area. Anyway, David Jaffe was interviewed way back during GDC about a number of things, but we're going to concentrate on his talk about God of War and where that franchise will go. But we're also going to make a quick list of our favorite quotes from the interview. Because it's hilarious.

  • Jaffe on Nintendo and the Wii: "I love Nintendo. I can't get my hands on a f***ing Wii."
  • Jaffe on asking Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime for a Wii: "I don't know, it's not like he's carrying them around like Santa Claus..."
  • Jaffe on Microsoft responding to HOME: "I think it's a good attempt at spin. Good for them for trying to spin their way out of a pretty bad situation."
  • Jaffe about missing the rumble feature: "No one would say, "Yeah rumble sucks, nobody cares about it." It's a nice feature... but let's put it this way: when I heard we weren't going to have rumble I wasn't like, "Oh my god we're f***ed."

All right, whatever. The meat of the God of War stuff is on the third page of the interview. To summarize, Jaffe explains that he knows exactly where the story of Kratos is going and where it will end, but he thinks it may take two or three more games to tell the tale completely (sales dependent, sure). Also, Sony will probably release some mini-stories to tie up other loose ends. The third title is rumored to be coming to the PS3 (duh), will support 1080p and some nifty SIXAXIS ideas. Good stuff, funny guy. Curses like a sailor. We at PS3Fanboy always respect men of the sea, because they're like pirates and pirates are pleasant and cordial.

JoystiqGod of War to go beyond a trilogy? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>David JaffeDavidJaffeGod of WarGodOfWarKratosPlayStation 3Playstation3ps3SonyFri, 23 Mar 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The end continues: God of War website reveals more hints]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/the-end-continues-god-of-war-website-reveals-more-hints/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/the-end-continues-god-of-war-website-reveals-more-hints/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/the-end-continues-god-of-war-website-reveals-more-hints/#commentsFiled under: ,


The God of War official website has an interesting easter egg: you'll see links to the first and second God of War prominently displayed, but off to the right-hand side, you'll see a mysterious, burning red Omega sign. Doesn't it look a lot like the promo for the Island of Rhodes?

As of now, the link does not direct you anywhere. However, once the countdown to the Rhodes is done, chances are that will all change. The PS3 God of War will get a number III: the Omega sign is most likely referring to the PSP version which, as you may recall, features an original storyline.

[Thanks, Kaiser!]

JoystiqThe end continues: God of War website reveals more hints originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>god of warGodOfWarisland of rhodesIslandOfRhodeskaiseromegaFri, 23 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Island of Rhodes hides a God of War secret [Update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/the-island-of-rhodes-hides-a-god-of-war-secret/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/the-island-of-rhodes-hides-a-god-of-war-secret/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/the-island-of-rhodes-hides-a-god-of-war-secret/#commentsFiled under: ,


What's hidden at the Island of Rhodes? A mysterious countdown shows Kratos staring ominously at the viewer through two walls of fire. The time seems to point to the pending European release of God of War II, but the site is registered to Sony Computer Entertainment of America. There are PS2 logos at the bottom, but we know the next two games are coming on PSP and PS3.

So what's going on? Looks like we're going to have to wait and see.

[Via IGN]

[Update 1: According to IGN, this website isn't related to the upcoming PSP version of God of War. Rather, "The website is for true God of War fans ... Think of the original God of War." A cryptic clue, no?]

JoystiqThe Island of Rhodes hides a God of War secret [Update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>countdowngod of warGodOfWarisland of rhodesIslandOfRhodeskratosThu, 22 Mar 2007 16:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Today's spoilerest game video: God of War 2 ending]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/18/todays-spoilerest-game-video-god-of-war-2-ending/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/18/todays-spoilerest-game-video-god-of-war-2-ending/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/18/todays-spoilerest-game-video-god-of-war-2-ending/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you're the sort who reads the last page of a book before its beginning, bask in the various recordings of the God of War 2 ending that have found their way to YouTube. We picked the extra-long seven-minute cut; witness several missteps by Kratos in addition to the finale.

Need we say "spoiler alert?" Watch the video after the break.

Continue reading Today's spoilerest game video: God of War 2 ending

JoystiqToday's spoilerest game video: God of War 2 ending originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>god of wargod of war 2GodOfWarGodOfWar2hottest videoHottestVideoPS2Sun, 18 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[What do you want to see in God of War PSP?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/what-do-you-want-to-see-in-god-of-war-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/what-do-you-want-to-see-in-god-of-war-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/what-do-you-want-to-see-in-god-of-war-psp/#commentsFiled under: ,

I loved the original God of War and from what I've played of God of War II, it seems even better than the first, but what can Ready at Dawn (creators of the excellent Daxter) do with God of War on the PSP? Well first of all, I'm just happy that I am getting more God of War this year, so it fulfills my wishes on that level, but I suppose I should have more expectations than that. Here's what I'd like to see in God of War PSP:

  • New weapons (and if possible some that are as fun as the chain blades)
  • More powers (how 'bout one that turns enemies into curly fries)
  • More level spanning boss battles (like the colossus battle)
  • Keep the epic levels and feel
  • Orchestrated music (with opera singers if possible, they always sound dramatic)
  • More puzzles around killing enemies or using their corpses
  • Co-op (it's all the rage now)
  • Visuals on par with the PS2 titles
  • Intuitive controls

But enough about what I want from God of War PSP, what do you want to see Kratos do in his first portable adventure?

JoystiqWhat do you want to see in God of War PSP? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daxtergod of wargod of war pspGodOfWarGodOfWarPspkratosready at dawnReadyAtDawnFri, 16 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EST