The worst game in the otherwise epic trilogy.
Story:
If I can sum it up in one word...miserable. There are so many inconsistencies and things that make you go "huh??" The story takes place right after the second game and Kratos wants his revenge from zeus blah blah blah blah. The story is very bland compared to both GOW1+2. Also (NO spoilers) there are some moments where key characters just contradict each other or Kratos magically has a heart. One example is a father tells Kratos to find his daughter. Kratos tells him no he is too busy with revenge he doesn't care. He then keeps seeing the daughter through magical orbs and she begs for help Kratos doesn't care. Yet finally when Kratos sees the daughter he cares with no explanation. He runs over protects her, lectures her on the importance of being a warrior etc etc. Now people say "oh its because he sees his daughter in her." I say its very poor story telling. The whole game Kratos doesn't care about the girl and now he does? out of nowhere nothing happened he didn't even bat and eye. Another favorite is a key character tells Kratos that his war with Zeus is killing mankind. Then in the SAME EXACT cutscene that character goes "Kratos with Zeus alive mankind doesn't have a chance."...what?!?!? ...oh yeah we end up in Hades AGAIN....ughh this story is miserable.
Gameplay:
Luckily the game play roughly remained the same. You still can (and most likely will) mash both square and triangle and then you upgrade your weapons with red orbs and you upgrade you health, magic, and item power with gorgon eye, phoenix feather, and minitar (is that even the right spelling?) horn.
Now items are pretty cool in this game they are useful from a magical bow and arrow to boots that make you run up a wall. Now "item power" is the 3rd yellow bar on your hub. I like this bar because all the items you use won't consume magic like in GOW2. You will use these items more than you think you would. Also both the Icarus wings and amulet is back right from the beginning and they feel just right.
The magic abilities in the game I think improved instead of having the pick from 3-4 magic spells your weapons are enchanted with them. For example your blades have the power to send down spartan warriors and do a "300" like move and kill everything near Kratos. To change this magic attack you need to switch weapons. The cleatus on the other hand does a MASSIVE damage induced wave all around Kratos' foes.
Puzzles are back in this game and they are ok. Some are harder than others and some are just too easy. Overall I say its a nice mix.
Yet this is where the problems begin they gave us some new weapons, but honestly there aren't worth it. You will only use two you will use your original blades and the cleatus. The rest of the weapons are blades on strings..just like your original blades so whats the point? Yeah we get more weapons but they aren't varied enough like GOW2 weapons. Just blades on strings..woo.
Another thing is boss battles now some are really cool and have powerful moments. Others not so much which is disappointing for a GOW game. There just doesn't seem to be that much or just one that is really great like in GOW2. I feel that the bosses felt very cut and paste very bland.
Graphics:
WOW...they are amazing from the lighting to the blood Kratos is sprayed in its great. I love the graphics.
Audio:
If the dialogue made any attempt to make sense than its great. In all honesty the game's voice overs, music, sound effects are all great. Yet the dialogue just makes absolutely no sense.
Pro's
Thankfully the combat is unchanged, there is now a item power bar, amazing graphics, some interesting boss battles and puzzles, some epic moments.
Con's
Not enough epic moments like in GOW2, horrible...no miserable story, inconsistency in the story, won't use most of the weapons, not enough interesting boss fights, the final boss fight, just overall not as good as previous games.
Overall:
Overall I am so disappointed by this. I found myself screaming at the TV over how bad the story was. This game truly isn't as good or even near as good as GOW 1+ 2 it is just a bland cut and paste. I actually wanted to write a letter to Santa Monica studios and tell them point by point how they ruined one of my favorite game series.