God of War III Critic Reviews

God of War III is beautiful. It's bloody. It's brilliant. But it's not perfect.

God of War 3 is the most balanced. It's not quite as focused as GOW1, nor is it as lengthy and moment-packed as GOW2, but it's the most consistent and varied of the three, and when it's at its best the first two can't touch it.

Kratos is given a wonderfully epic farewell that would truly be a shame to miss, and every aspect of the game, from the controls, to the combat, to the presentation, is as close to perfect as perfect can be. Even if you've never played a single game in this series before, God of War III is a game you must play if you have the opportunity. You owe it to yourself, and the team at Santa Monica Studios, to play this game.

While not a huge leap forward for the franchise, God of War III refines its already-fun gameplay to near-perfection while delivering the clever puzzles, high production values and pure, rage-fueled brutality fans expect. Add a memorable cast of characters and buckets of gore, and Kratos's last adventure is also his best yet.

Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined such a powerful, cinematic, and breathtaking conclusion to the saga of the Ghost of Sparta.

This is a video game developed at the very highest level and takes what I thought was possible to new heights. God of War 3 is easily the best PS3 game I've played and sits comfortably as one of my favourite games of all time.

Fans of the God of War series will eat this up. It's violent, visceral, and truly an epic game in both presentation and action.

Without question, God of War III sets the new gold standard for action games, clearing and then raising the near-impossible bar that was set by its previous installments. For many years to come, this will be the game by which all others in the genre are compared, and I suspect we won't see anything like it for quite some time.

Kratos slices himself amazingly through Gods and their Minions. God of War 3 is the Olympus of action games.

God of War III may be a journey with familiar-looking aspects but it is so epic and brutal as you might expect, and even a little more.

One thing is clear: God of War III is phenomenal. It succeeds for a plethora of reasons that go well beyond its beautiful graphics. Unlike the competition, it doesn't take several hours to get going, or burden the player with laborious upgrades.

It will stand out as the perfect end to one of the best action series in a long time. If it truly is the end.

PS3 owners should be elated to know that his final quest for revenge is a visually spectacular, challenging, rage filled, high quality one.

This is how you do an action game. This is how you do a sequel. This is how you finish off a franchise.

But for now there're very few games that can match God of War 3's cinematic sensibility, its dynamics, its carnage.

This game earns our highest accolade because it is a thoroughly entertaining ride from go to death throe. It finds a perfect balance between taxing platforming, cerebral puzzles, and glorious set-piece battles that loosen the bowel when you realise they're in-game graphics. Top that off with masterful camera work – that makes us totally rethink our hatred of fixed-camera action games – and you have a sequel that easily eclipses anything out there and reclaims it's rightful place at the pinnacle of its genre.

On a purely technical level, it's one of the most impressive games the PS3 has to offer: It shifts perspectives effortlessly across a number of highly detailed environments without so much as a hiccup and with almost nonexistent load times to interrupt the experience. But in a broader sense, God of War III serves as an example of how to deliver astonishingly varied gameplay in a cohesive package.

This is the definitive action game. This is a game that stands on the shoulders of giants, and stretches even further.

Nothing short of a masterpiece. A thrill-ride of intense action and breathtaking set-pieces guaranteed to put a goofy grin on your face. A must have for any PlayStation 3-owner.

Kratos' legacy of brutality and chaos ends with a remarkable bang. The game is brimming with unforgettable, jaw-dropping moments that will stay with you forever.