VGI: Review: God of War Ascension "Kratos exhibits the grace of a one-legged Donkey Kong."

VGI's Wesley Copeland gives the low-down on the latest entry into the God of War series.

[ShugaCane]

"Same old, same old."

Yet he says its the first GoW he played. That's enough to make his entire review irrelevant. Save yourself a click.

I mean, the only flaw the game MAY have is that it comes out after GoW III, which was near perfect. But for any newcomer to the series (who thus has no comparison to make), Ascension stands as a high above average hack n slash, NOWHERE near a 5/10 game.

[Jobesy]

I agree with the reviewer on one point, the game starts off with Kratos busting out of chains, then has you proceed to kill enemies over and over without telling you why or where you're going. I've played all the GOW games so I know his story, but for a game marketed as a prequel it does a piss poor job of it.

On that note, the reviewer is also wrong about this series not having a deep story or characters. The reason I've loved this series is because of the fantastic story and characters. Kratos is an evil man, but we love him because we can empathize his loss, love and rage. So again, the series if played from the start has one of the most heart wrenching, action packed stories out there, but Ascension imo conveys none of that and is a pure hack and slash fest. The story for Ascension should have began when Kratos was a general and still had a family. This game disappointed me big time, a you can't tell me I haven't played the other games.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

The guy is just a wanna be, he doesn't know crap about this game.

Hipsters man I swear.

[P_Bomb]

"Okay, so the game doesn’t want to explain why he shoots chains out of his arms, this is gaming though, so I’ll suspend disbelief."

Might wanna start with the first game next time and not the SIXTH.

[smashcrashbash]

What an idiot reviewer.He doesn't shoot chains out of his arms. The chains are fused to his arms magically by Ares because of the pact he made with him.If you are not going to bother to know about the history of the game don't bother reviewing it because your review doesn't sound very professional at all. Even if you don't want to play the other games at least do some research first.

[VGI]

I know, right!? What a hack!

I mean, every consumer nowadays goes online to check wiki facts prior to buying a game.

In fact, why do they bother calling him Kratos in-game? Surely it's up to the buyer to use Google to find out what his name is!!!!!1111one

Oh I'll be having words with the reviewer over this. Terrible, terrible work! What would you like? Shall I just fire him? Or should I consider killing him while he sleeps? I know it's just one guy's opinion -- the game doesn't explain itself to newcomers -- but surely this shit needs stamping out! Plus we the Internet are not happy until someone is dead.

So death, yeah? Will that make everything better?

[PirateThom]

@VGI

Complaining about story elements explained in other games but also complaining it's more of the same, having never played the other games makes the review really pointless.

Also, why should every sequel or, in this case, prequel have to re-explain what had already been established?

[IRetrouk]

@vgi

Is it not the reviewers job to research their project before writing the reviews??? Regardles of what the score is the writer obviously didnt know much about the game series to begin with.

[Parapraxis]

"I mean, every consumer nowadays goes online to check wiki facts prior to buying a game. "
This guy is a REVIEWER (maybe this guy is you?), not just a consumer.
I know I certainly do a quick google if I have something I don't understand in a game or want to know the history of.
http://bit.ly/Yu39b6
Only an idiot would complain about not having back-story covered in previous titles explained to them.
Also....his name is his name, genius.
Shitty review brah.

[VGI]

@PirateThom

"but also complaining it's more of the same, having never played the other games makes the review really pointless."

I do love when people read a review and look for the super-secret hidden meaning as to what the reviewer 'really' meant.

Combat, magic, repetition, is the same old, same old. I didn't say the game, when compared to the other games, was more of the same.

"Also, why should every sequel or, in this case, prequel have to re-explain what had already been established?"

Didn't say it should, did I? I called what I saw as a newcomer to the series. Feel free to read the review however you like though, you'll be wrong, but that's your decision.

@iRetroUK

"Is it not the reviewers job to research their project before writing the reviews?"

No. It’s my job to review the product I’m sent. If you want fanboy/girl gush, go read a preview. Actively seeking out spoilers means we don’t play the game afresh and that in itself compromises us. If it’s a prequel, which could be seen as an opportunity to snatch up new fans, why wouldn’t they explain his origins? That just doesn’t make sense, hence why it’s in the review.

You also forget that the Internet is the minority, the majority won’t go online and fact-check.
*****
Look, I get it. I didn’t enjoy you game (despite making a point of stating fans of the game would still like it), and because of this, you’re all butthurt. The funny thing here is that the Internet crowd can slag us off, call us corrupt, threaten to rape us, and argue without any sense of perspective or consideration for other people’s opinions or different tastes, but the moment we fight back, you cry.

Welcome to the future kiddies, where us evil journos call you out on your shit when you’re being shit.

And while we’re at it, the game scored a 5 because in my opinion, it’s average.

Lots of love,

Wesley Copeland

VGI

[IRetrouk]

@ vgi as a reviewer you are ment to research the product, yes you reviewed the game and that is the main thing, but to say its more of the same without playing the previous games is laughable, you couldnt even look or find out why he has chains on his arms or even look for a bit of back story, which by the way the game does go into a little bit right at the start before you even get playing the game, call me a fanboy as much as you want but the simple fact is you dropped the ball on the review, you didnt know the history of the series and couldnt be bothered to do a little research first. Obviously its your opinion and i respect that but to then call everyone butthurt for not agreeing with your opinion is also laughable.

[PirateThom]

@vgi

Well, you must hate every game ever then because they establish mechanics and you're limited to use them over and over again so, either, you hate every game or you're comparing it to the other games in the series. Again, it's an issue with clarity here.

You are definitely implying that the game should explain all of this or else you wouldn't have brought up Wiki facts.

Anyway, you sound like you can't take criticism. Welcome to the future, indeed, where you have to actually be accountable for a review because people can call you on it when it's poorly written or poorly researched.

Your opinion is entirely valid, but don't hide behind hurt feelings and sarcasm when people call you on it or ask you to justify it.

[Ezz2013]

@vgi

the fact that you call who disagree with your lame review a butthurt
only show why no one here should trust you or even care about you and your no name site

also
there is 5 GOW games before it
it's not the game fault you didn't play them
and then you call it "same old ,same old"
when the gameplay is different than the other GOW games

but the moment i saw the review i knew you are an N4G user because no one would give this game that score other than N4G user
who know that he will get the hits he want

and i won't give your site any hits
matter of fact is ....i will vote your site down

[LessThan2Tflops]

@VGI

Don't worry, look at the comment history of the people bashing you, they are ps3 fanboys butthurt defending their exclusive. It's also an average game to me, look on discussion boards like gamefaqs, plenty of people don't think it's very good

Poll: is this the worst gow console game, 60% says yes
http://m.gamefaqs.com/board...

People ranking gow's, this game is near the bottom of every list
http://m.gamefaqs.com/board...

http://m.neogaf.com/showthr...

[Ezz2013]

@LessThan2Tflops
hey alt account
why don't you go read your own comment history ?!
you are fail troll who have no life what so ever other than making alt account
since you joined last month with your alt account
you have been doing nothing but trolling ps3 articles
even though you don't even own ps3
i didn't want to report your alt account but you push it too far with your hate
so now i will

and lol somehow you think 159 user who voted yes in Gamefaqs is what the whole internet think ?!

this hold alot more than you and your gamefaqs
http://www.gamestop.com/ps3...
8.7/10
http://www.amazon.com/God-W...
4.5/5
http://www.metacritic.com/g...
80/100
and also
http://www.neogaf.com/forum...
pretty much most of them rank it in this HUGE topic (which is not only 3 page like your link from neogaf)as the 2nd best or the best GOW game

man you just love to own your self don't you, alt account?!

you know what the best thing to do , alt account ?!
go back to your cave and cry that your only game this year flopped hard
it's not sony's fault that MS dropped you like a dead weight

[trouble_bubble]

@vgi
"why wouldn’t they explain his origins? That just doesn’t make sense"

Because they already made that game. It was called God of War. Came out almost 10 years ago. You want them to make the same game twice? This isn't the first prequel either. Chains of Olympus came out like 5+ years ago. Welcome to the future indeed.

[solidjun5]

I think you're just a troll reviewer. Trolly Copeland.

[Gimmemorebubblez]

This game may not be as epic a masterpiece as GoW 3 but it is a well polished, fluid and fun game far from a 5/10.This game atleast deserves an 8-8.5. The biggest problem with GoW:A is GoW 3. The bar was set so high that when Ascension just, only just failed to reach the bar set by GoW 3 the media attacked GoW Ascension.

[maniacmayhem]

I'm going to disagree with you on the epic masterpiece GoW3 part. I think GoW2 (just like Empire and Wrath) was the best in the series.

I do not agree that this game should get a 5 but the formula after 3 sequels and the psp games I played is getting kind of old. I'm not as invested as I once was with the past games.

But it is still very well done.

[wishingW3L]

People always say that GOW2 was the best but to me GOW 1 and 3 were much more better.

[kassler]

I haven't played Ascension, but I've played the previous one's and I found it hard to believe that the quality suddenly drops down like this.

[BigBoss1964]

Alright this is literally a troll review

[Capodastaro]

I would admit it is the worst GOW I've played, but it's still fun and very good... Definitely not a 5, more of an 7.5 minimum.

[Williamson]

Good thing these clowns reviews dont appear on metacritic, it would make metacritic more of a joke then it already is. I personally dont read too much into metacritic scores/reviews in general but some people do which is a shame.

[Heavenly King]

this game ata the very least is an 8.5

Why to troll reviewers exist? I wonder

[sparta76]

Wow! Just wow! He should of at least did some research before writing the review.
I give his review a 1/10..

[babis1974]

5??? ok very clever!! 9!

[1nsomniac]

Realistically the game is between a 5-7/10 but I think its more the higher end. I think a 5/10 is harsh for the overall quality of the game. Personally as a no bullshit, anti fanboy review, I would give it a 7/10... But I'm a very hard reviewer who believes that there's only ever been 1 or 2 10/10 games in existence. Reviews these are all full of shit & ridiculously scored.

[rezzah]

Terrible review, and the site's account (VGI, 2.1.1) isn't too smart as well.

Voting down the site and review.

[MestreRothN4G]

News downvoted.
Site downvoted.

[Grimhammer00]

I might give the reviewer a little leeway if it was gow2.....but it's the 6 game in the series!!! Your buying it and you have some idea from ad campaigns over 15yrs?!!!

Beyond that....the game is great! I'm still stuck on the trials (on hard) but ill get it...the game makes me wanna beat it. Mp is incredibly fun too!

[Skate-AK]

If you can't beat the trails, they said a patch to make it easier is in the works.

[wenaldy]

8.5 is the fairiest score for Ascension. But 5? Dumbass review.

[Skate-AK]

"Born in Cyrodiil but raised in Ferelden, more commonly know as England. Wesley Copeland is a passionate writer with more opinions than an ostrich."

Well he does have a lot of opinions.

[Pintheshadows]

Most English people are misinformed dicks who speak before they think and have high opinions of themselves despite the bleak grey and broken society. I should know, i'm English, I wouldn't review a game.

[Tontus]

I think 8.5 is a perfectly fair score. I'd personally give it a 9/10 because it's a truly great game but anything between 8-9 is fair.

Sites begging for attention with 7 or less scores should feel ashamed. It's funny how the troll sites are always ill-informed and poorly written. How do I down vote sites & reviews? I want to help keep trash off N4G.

[QuickdrawMcgraw]

I am a GOW fan.Having said that.This is at best a fantastic 6.5/10 rental.The story was weak.The sliding down the walls was very lame.There was no need for this game to be made,other then a cash grab.This game is no different then COD after COD,Or Halo after Halo being made.Just my take on things.