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Home , God of War (DC Comics), Kratos (mythology)

8 March 30, 2010 The Press, Christchurch

Greek gods, gore and greed

GodofWar3 is visceral and its hero violent and flawed. Gerard Campbell meets two developers who spent years immersed in to make Bolder and brasher: 3 the game. developers Jonathan Hawkins, right, and Bruno Velasquez.

Kratos: Mean and macho, he must destroy everything in his way.

f games were children, the Velazquez admits he was a little original God of War would have unsure about when the game’s been the nervous first child, God delivers for a third time director Stig Asmussen first new to the world and unsure of suggested it. itself. God of War 2 was the God of War 3 REVIEW of the time, it works well – although ‘‘We did the first-person view so Iconfident middle child, happy with For: PlayStation 3 one mid-game button-press puzzle that the player feels what it’s like to what it had achieved. From: Sony frustrated the heck out of me and be taken down by . That is our So what of Sony’s just released Classification: R16 concluded, and it’s an epic and brought on a couple of controller- way of pushing that experience so God of War 3? It is the most con- RRP: $130 breathtaking opening sequence, with tossing moments and some not very the player can almost step into his fident of the three: bolder, angrier Score: ★★★★1⁄2 a pint-sized Kratos scaling the giant nice words. It just seemed out of shoes and see what it’s like. and brasher than its younger limbs and body of titan , a place. ‘‘Once in a while we wanted to siblings, and starting to push against . . . . skyscraper-sized behemoth, which And it’s gory, bloody and sprinkle in one-of-a-kind events that its parents and ready to take the All putty in the bloodied hands of itself is scaling the monumentally tall gruesome. This is the most gory God were only used once but made an world on its own. Kratos, the angry Spartan with a chip . of War game yet and even I, a gamer impact,’’ says Velazquez. Jonathan Hawkins–alevel on his shoulder as large as a pyramid Kratos’ intention is clear: used to gruesome and gory gaming, This third console outing for designer at Sony’s Santa Monica, and single-mindedly focused on Confront and bring some pain. grimaced a couple of times at what Kratos is the most violent and gory, California, studio where God of War vengeance against the mightiest The fundamental game play has Kratos does to his adversaries. And as well as the most visually stunning, 3 was made – is a little sad about Greek god of them all: Zeus. changed little, and I’m pleased. it’s a game that will sing on a high- but Velazquez says the violence is that. I’m not spoiling anything by Kratos gets new equipment from definition television; it looks not there for the sake of it. The ‘‘I was thinking about it the other saying that, despite the story of fallen foes (personal favourite: the spectacular. developers always thought: what day and it is sad. My good little pale Kratos’ quest for vengeance, all you nemean cestus gauntlets) and back If there’s any complaint that can would Kratos do in this situation? friend (Kratos), he’s gone, and it is need to know is that he destroys are the wings from God of be levelled at God of War 3, it’s that I ‘‘It’s all driven by the story and kinda saddening, but it’s also everyone that stands in his way – as War 2, and there are some new thought the final ‘‘boss’’ battle of the Greek mythology, which was pretty exciting at the same time to do he did in God of War and in God of design elements (such as the first- game was disappointing, especially gruesome. The way Kratos does something new. We were in the War 2. person view during one of the god given the titanic struggles to reach things is very direct and to the point. trenches and our minds were so As far as sequels go, it’s hard to battles), but seriously, if you thought the end goal and some of its Ripping off Helios’ head is a direct focused that when we finally got it imagine that God of War 3 could that developers Sony Santa Monica monumentally huge set pieces – but approach. We didn’t include certain done I came home and was staring at have been any more ambitious in its would dramatically change the the ending will reveal a side of Kratos scenes just to make players sick.’’ the wall. scale and execution, and if this really formula that has made the God of you didn’t expect . It’s a little-known fact, says ‘‘I literally didn’t know what to is the last time we’ll see the ghost of War series a success, then you’re a God of War 3 is game that Velazquez, that for a time, the do with myself: should I play games? , he’s going out with a bang can short of a six-pack. captured my attention from start to developers of God of War 3 shared Play the guitar? What am I supposed the size of, well, the biggest thing you God of War 3 feels like a finish and I loved just about every office space with the makers of the to do now? It’s quite surreal,’’ said can imagine. Then times it by 10. comfortable pair of well-worn Greek blood-dripping moment of it. It delightfully non-violent PlayStation Hawkins, who was visiting New And add another 10 on top. sandals – except they’ve been buffed disrupted my sleep patterns. Network game Flower. Hawkins said Zealand for the first time with Bruno With an opening befitting of the to a nice shine. If this really is the last we’ll see of sometimes the team working on Velasquez, the lead in-game final chapter in a trilogy, God of War God of War 3 mixes combat – and Kratos (I’m not entirely convinced), Flower would turn up and say ‘‘Let animator responsible for giving the 3 starts where God of War 2 lots of it – with puzzles, and for most it’s a fitting farewell. GERARD CAMPBELL us play some God of War, and we game’s chief protagonist, Kratos, life. play tested for them’’. And did you Hawkins worked on all three God know that Kevin Sorbo, the actor of War games; Velasquez joined who played Hercules in the New during God of War 2. ‘‘I had the Zealand-filmed TV series of the same privilege of taking over animating ‘‘Everyone is taught Greek great production values.’’ have a soft sentimental side (some name, voiced Hercules, Kratos’ Kratos in GOW2 and GOW3,’’ mythology in school and it has a Velazquez also thinks that God of longing for his family), but he was so brother, in God of War 3? Velasquez says. ‘‘You get attached to certain fascination, especially history War 3’s cinematic approach appeals consumed by his own power and As the interview ends I feel a character, especially when you’re with the mythos of creatures and to gamers. ‘‘GOW stands out because greed that he kind of cast out all compelled to ask one more question working on one so closely, in the way gods and it’s the mixture of that and of the character of Kratos. He’s such those things.’’ of Velazquez. Is this really the last he moves, the way he fights and the the brutality and animalistic nature an unlikely main character – he’s While God of War 3’s game play is we’ll see of Kratos, the ghost of things he does, but we knew that we that Kratos brings to the table. sort of someone you almost despise fundamentally unchanged, the Sparta? wanted to bring a close to the story ‘‘Ripping someone in half is in a way – but it also makes him studio added what Velazquez calls ‘‘We’ll see how the game goes and and to finish it in a nice way.’’ visceral, almost caveman-ish, and interesting at the same time because ‘‘one-off moments’’, designed to if fans want to see more Kratos, who The first two God of War games Kratos brings that persona and alpha he’s flawed.’’ elicit ‘‘woah’’ reactions from gamers. knows? Right now, stay tuned.’’ were phenomenally popular with male to it, and it’s a mixture of that Says Hawkins, ‘‘Kratos is like a One of those was the first-person PlayStation gamers, and Hawkins rawness mixed with the mythology tortured soul. No-one’s perfect, and camera during one of the game’s ❑ Gerard Campbell visited credits the subject matter. mixed with a great story mixed with despite him being a bad ass he does early ‘‘boss’’ battles – something that Auckland courtesy of Sony.