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God of War Ascension |OT| Gods up, Foes down

Played 6 hours so far and i have a really great time. The star of the game are definitely the great environments. Those deliver big time.

Yes, the game is a little bit harder, the combat slightly altered, the story non existence and titans are not battling gods but the game really sells me the feel of good old adventuring, that so few games these days are able to deliver.

For me the game is a great addition to the series.

But the soundmix is indeed an embarrassment, and i have no idea why this game shipped with such a major flaw. Don`t take it personally SM`s soundguy, but you are not very good at your job.
 

Oneself

Member
Can't speak for him but that bolded part rings true for what little I've played so far. In 3, even the most unimportant corner of an insignifant path oozed with artistic integrity. Here, I was laughing at the slabs of wood they'd put up on the walls to hide how plain and boring it'd look otherwise. Specifically speaking about the beginning of the village area after the opening section.

That explains pretty much exactly what I meant. :)
 

Sorral

Member
I don't know if I just got lucky or this might help others. The sound in the menus (especially MP) was too low (I assume it would have still been messed up in the game if I didn't do this) and when I messed with the sound options by just switching between modes. Then, right as I switch between modes, the sound came up blasting from how load I actually had it. Maybe people with sound problems can try this? I didn't have the game running and I was in the MP menu only.

I am enjoying the multiplayer again. Was almost thrown off by the changes to the beta, but they are so small now that I got used to them. My glass cannon (Ares and physical power+ all the way) setup is working pretty well! lol Need to get back to the SP and finish it though.
 

aristotle

Member
I thought it was great, but the ending in the
ice cave
was somewhat tedious. The first
snake ride
was a total "whoa!" moment for me though.

I was a little disappointed, that
falling to the place where the Hades blades are acquired in the Delphi's temple
effectively locked me out of a couple of red and white chests, as I couldn't get back to the place anymore.

I've missed at least 6-9 chests(not counting the broken ones) because of they way they've changed the gameplay. I hate that you can't go back to earlier areas anymore. I have no idea why they changed that. It would be nice if there was a cue that once you pass a certain point, you're blocked off from backtracking to get missing items.
 

Jigolo

Member
So I know everyone had a hard time with the Trial. So did I, it took me 5 tries. But once you get the first part down, the rest should be easy.
 
Yes, there is a tweet a couple pages back.

This? I think

this really pisses me off. The experience is really hard, but its really rewarding once you complete it. SSM is now compromising their vision because of a bunch of complainers. The review scores are already in, so those wont change. They should of found this and patched it before release, its to late now, now their changing the experience and altering their vision of the game after it's already been released.
 

Melchiah

Member
Restart from last checkpoint methinks?

Does that mean you have to repeat the
collapsing bridge
part? If so, FTS. I really hope I don't get that glitch tonight.


I've missed at least 6-9 chests(not counting the broken ones) because of they way they've changed the gameplay. I hate that you can't go back to earlier areas anymore. I have no idea why they changed that. It would be nice if there was a cue that once you pass a certain point, you're blocked off from backtracking to get missing items.

Yeah, definitely one of the bad choices they made, among taking away the option to change the difficulty mid-game. Not being able to collect everything rubs the obsessive-compulsive gamer in me the wrong way.
 

thabiz

Member
this really pisses me off. The experience is really hard, but its really rewarding once you complete it. SSM is now compromising their vision because of a bunch of complainers. The review scores are already in, so those wont change. They should of found this and patched it before release, its to late now, now their changing the experience and altering their vision of the game after it's already been released.

Their probably just adding a checkpoint. Its really not that big of a deal.
 
There probably just adding a checkpoint. Its really not that big of a deal.

if thats all that it is, then fine. We dont know for sure though, it could be more. I just hate all this giving in SSM is doing. With the trophy and now this. The trophy change doesn't actually changed the intended gameplay experience but this does.
 

aristotle

Member
Does that mean you have to repeat the
collapsing bridge
part? If so, FTS. I really hope I don't get that glitch tonight.




Yeah, definitely one of the bad choices they made, among taking away the option to change the difficulty mid-game. Not being able to collect everything rubs the obsessive-compulsive gamer in me the wrong way.

Stupid OCD. :(

I don't think this spoils anything at all. If it is, I'll spoiler it if anyone says anything. Just talking about some mechanics and chests:

I think I had that glitch as well. It happened to me because I remembered some chests at the bottom you could get to (where the round room with a roller that will kill you). I had already raised the bridge, but I couldn't jump down. So I decayed the bridge and then the camera stuck. What I had to do is "heal" the bridge and keep going so it loads up the next area. You can tell because it changes from the green effect on the screen to it's real color. Once I did that, I was able to go back, then decay the bridge and get to the bottom and the camera was fixed. I grabbed the chest and jumped back up and made the bridge and went on my way.
 

omonimo

Banned
How far are you? This beats GoW III visually in every way. Much of that game is actually really bland, artistically. Hera's garden, the box labyrinth... Ascension's environments are far more memorable.

Anyway, I also played the PSP games for the first time recently. GoS had a cute story and all, but come on guys. This game is on a different level. Let's not even talk about CoO.

Can you post some example? From what I seen there isn't a single pics which shows the same spectacular of GOW 3, not a single. I mean, Chronos, Hercules, Poseidon, I haven't found nothing comparable in the walkthrough in the net.
 

Melchiah

Member
Stupid OCD. :(

I don't think this spoils anything at all. If it is, I'll spoiler it if anyone says anything. Just talking about some mechanics and chests:

I think I had that glitch as well. It happened to me because I remembered some chests at the bottom you could get to (where the round room with a roller that will kill you). I had already raised the bridge, but I couldn't jump down. So I decayed the bridge and then the camera stuck. What I had to do is "heal" the bridge and keep going so it loads up the next area. You can tell because it changes from the green effect on the screen to it's real color. Once I did that, I was able to go back, then decay the bridge and get to the bottom and the camera was fixed. I grabbed the chest and jumped back up and made the bridge and went on my way.

Thanks for the tip. =)
 

Helscream

Banned
I really am having a hard time trying to understand the hate with this game. As a vivid fan who has played the past 5 GoW installments extensively with combat system on the harder difficulties. I can honestly say that the combat is much more fluid than any previous game. I noticed that immediately when I started playing.

Having to press L1+X to parry is kinda weird and took some time to get us to. I think some people are getting their ass kicked because they can't just cheese everything in previous GoW games. Use to you could just spam grab, or in GoW3 the L1+O grapple. It seems like with Ascension you really need momentum to knock your enemies off their balance to keep your combo's going. When enemies blocked you need to punch/kick. If you parry to early or too late you are opened to attack. Which means you need to be more precise with your timing. If enemy is not vulnerable you cannot grapple them. Secondary weapons have to be used with some strategy.

I think probably the main issue is that the combat is more complex and demands more precision than previous titles. Some people may lack the determination to master the combat mechanics thus get frustrated and then ultimately want to complain that the combat sucks. I have just reached the Furnace so I have not reached the Trail of Archimedes that everyone seems to shit themselves over. Once I beat the game I'll throw down my own basic review and see how it lines up with everyone else's opinion.

Also I have yet to encounter any major sound problems. I am using the Official PS3 headset on a super slim PS3. I have yet to encounter and major sound issues.
 

Chamber

love on your sleeve
what's recommended upgrading first? blades or powers? .. and to that point, which of the elemental powers are preferred?

Always upgrade the blades when you can. That goes for every God of War I've played. Fire and Lightning seem like the best elemental powers but maybe that's just me.
 

Sorral

Member
Yeah, definitely one of the bad choices they made, among taking away the option to change the difficulty mid-game. Not being able to collect everything rubs the obsessive-compulsive gamer in me the wrong way.

That among other things such as taking away individual saves. I went in the opposite direction of what was shown so I could check hidden paths and collect hidden boxes. Turns out that was the main way and I missed an eye and a feather. Couldn't go back because of a fall and the auto-save/checkpoint was where I fell down. -_- Hurray for auto-check point and no actual save points.
 

HYDE

Banned
So this game is worse than Heavenly Sword and Dmc...right. Fucking reviewers are so retarded.
Off topic: Even NG3 Vanilla is better than HS.
 

Derrick01

Banned
Man why did they have to give a trophy for playing on hard? Doing that just exposes how terrible this combat system is. Enemies don't react at all and it's impossible to block almost. I've already died so many times just on the intro boss because of those fucking goat enemies.
 

Kak.efes

Member
Always upgrade the blades when you can. That goes for every God of War I've played. Fire and Lightning seem like the best elemental powers but maybe that's just me.

That's been my general understanding too, but based on the impressions I've read in this very thread, the powers seem to be a bigger priority now.
---


I'll give this to the SSM, their soundtracks are god-tier. More so than any other game, the music really sets the tone for this series, and does a great job of immersing you in the battles.
 

Melchiah

Member
Also I have yet to encounter any major sound problems. I am using the Official PS3 headset on a super slim PS3. I have yet to encounter and major sound issues.

Same headset, and headphones on game settings, and I have only noticed one minor sound issue in the beginning.


That among other things such as taking away individual saves. I went in the opposite direction of what was shown so I could check hidden paths and collect hidden boxes. Turns out that was the main way and I missed an eye and a feather. Couldn't go back because of a fall and the auto-save/checkpoint was where I fell down. -_- Hurray for auto-check point and no actual save points.

I really wonder why they decided to remove those features. Luckily you can retreat to the last checkpoint in some points, at least I did so in a similar section, when I paused the game immediately when the slide started.
 

Chamber

love on your sleeve
That's been my general understanding too, but based on the impressions I've read in this very thread, the powers seem to be a bigger priority now.

Having your blades at level 5 seems important for the Trials. Haven't gotten that far yet so I can't say for sure but I barely even touch the elements outside of basic Rage meter combos.
 
I really am having a hard time trying to understand the hate with this game. As a vivid fan who has played the past 5 GoW installments extensively with combat system on the harder difficulties. I can honestly say that the combat is much more fluid than any previous game. I noticed that immediately when I started playing.

Having to press L1+X to parry is kinda weird and took some time to get us to. I think some people are getting their ass kicked because they can't just cheese everything in previous GoW games. Use to you could just spam grab, or in GoW3 the L1+O grapple. It seems like with Ascension you really need momentum to knock your enemies off their balance to keep your combo's going. When enemies blocked you need to punch/kick. If you parry to early or too late you are opened to attack. Which means you need to be more precise with your timing. If enemy is not vulnerable you cannot grapple them. Secondary weapons have to be used with some strategy.

I think probably the main issue is that the combat is more complex and demands more precision than previous titles. Some people may lack the determination to master the combat mechanics thus get frustrated and then ultimately want to complain that the combat sucks. I have just reached the Furnace so I have not reached the Trail of Archimedes that everyone seems to shit themselves over. Once I beat the game I'll throw down my own basic review and see how it lines up with everyone else's opinion.

Also I have yet to encounter any major sound problems. I am using the Official PS3 headset on a super slim PS3. I have yet to encounter and major sound issues.

I don't think the combat detractors are just having a hard time understanding these more "nuanced and improved mechanics". I think people like myself and other avid fans simply thing the combat is underwhelming. Spam you say? In this game you can spam R1 and then triangle or circle to hell for crowd control. Spam you say? The game encourages you to spam s-s-s-s attacks or s-s-t attacks. I'm not getting this more complex combat at all. Relentless enemies dont change the half assed elemental system, or a gimped parry system. I feel as if you are conflating combat challenge with variety and enjoyment. GOW 3's combat was challenging and had a lot more variety than what is present hear.

I've played everything GOW twice on the hardest difficultly btw.
 
Oh, man fuck this game. Last night the game glitched out on me after the round and round puzzle. I reloaded my save and restarted the checkpoint and the little glowy thingy never popped up by the column you have to pull down. I said fuck it and just decided to restart the chapter which is all the way back at the first juggernaut fight. I just turned the game off. This morning I started from chapter 5 and played all the way to the snakes on a train trophy and went to lunch. I got home load the game up and the only save is the autosave from before the glitch last night. EVEN THOUGH IT FUCKING SAID SAVING IN THE CORNER ALL THIS MORNING IT DID NOT SAVE SHIT. Wont even let me chapter select in the main menu to get back to where I was. FUCK THIS GAME.
 

Sorral

Member
Anybody download the 300 and mythological stuff from gamestop? I redeem it but nothing appears in the download list.

Services list.

Having your blades at level 5 seems important for the Trials. Haven't gotten that far yet so I can't say for sure but I barely even touch the elements outside of basic Rage meter combos.

I am curious if I can get enough to upgrade everything in one play-through on hard... On lv4 for the blades and next is 25,000 orbs.
 

Ricker

Member
Maybe they would not have to patch that Trial part if they would of included the option to change difficulty on the fly...? some games do this so it's not because it's impossible..., is it something that is really hard to do ?...serious question,if it's an option everyone is satisfied...the only thing I can think of is a trophy thing maybe...?
 
Man why did they have to give a trophy for playing on hard? Doing that just exposes how terrible this combat system is. Enemies don't react at all and it's impossible to block almost. I've already died so many times just on the intro boss because of those fucking goat enemies.
That's what I've been crying about on previous pages. You can't set anything up when your attacks go through them unnoticed.
 

Sorral

Member
I don't think the orb count changes per difficulty, because it's 25,000 for me on normal as well.

Oh I know that. The thing is that I would probably gain more on an easier difficulty.

The 25,000 is a bit steep especially since I don't even have everything else yet, but I will see how this will go I guess.

You have to get as many white chests as possible, even when you think you look everywhere and got everything you can finish the game not fully upgraded, I never had this happen to me in a god of war game before but I finished ascension just a few thousand off of my last upgrade.

Damn, will keep that in mind. I guess I have to step up then. Thanks
 

BHK3

Banned
Services list.



I am curious if I can get enough to upgrade everything in one play-through on hard... On lv4 for the blades and next is 25,000 orbs.

You have to get as many white chests as possible, even when you think you look everywhere and got everything you can finish the game not fully upgraded, I never had this happen to me in a god of war game before but I finished ascension just a few thousand off of my last upgrade.
 

-tetsuo-

Unlimited Capacity
I think the trials would have gone over better if there was at least 1 checkpoint put into it, and if you died you didn't reload with full health, unless you started that point with full health. It's an interesting and challenging combat arena for these types of games that require you to use everything you have.

It just sucks spending 10-15 minutes getting to the end and knowing that you're probably going to die and have to start all over because you only have 15% health with a whole wave left.

The only hard part is the first wave. The other two were simple as hell and didn't have an outrageous enemy combination. I only made it past the first wave 2 or 3 times I think. I know that I made it to the 3rd with like 10% health and it was simple.
 

Ricker

Member
Enough with the Ureborus puzzles already...I hate them so much...I stop playing each time because I don't get what they want me to do...
 

Moze

Banned
im actually interested to see how hard ''that part'' in the game is

the IGN reviewer said it took him 6 hours? lol
 

ebil

Member
im actually interested to see how hard ''that part'' in the game is

the IGN reviewer said it took him 6 hours? lol
It's not even that hard, but I can see it becoming very frustrating if/when you lose it over and over. It's suddenly much more difficult than everything that came before and the first wave of the trial has an annoying enemy combination, making the later parts that much more difficult if you screw up. There are no checkpoints throughout the trial and (short) unskippable cutscenes between each part. I don't think it's a very well designed part considering the game's learning curve, or something just slipped through playtesting. I don't know, but it probably needed at least one checkpoint (and I hope that's what they will patch in, difficulty itself is fine in my opinion).

In short, it's a trial, much like the optional trials that were in each GoW before. But I can understand how it can get in the way of one's enjoyment of the SP campaign.
 

baphomet

Member
The camera is fucking garbage in this game. I'm trying to swing on some things feet and I've died at least 40 times trying to make it to the 3rd foot. Then the camera pans around while you're on it and you have to make the jump first time. So the 2 times I've made it that far the camera pan fucks me up. This is terribly designed. I'm amazed so much of this game got past qa. It's terrible.

Edit: apparently I had to read the hint when you die that you actually have to hold R1 even though I've made it this far without holding it. If its required at any point, make it required. Don't let it function without holding it.
 

TEH-CJ

Banned
That's been my general understanding too, but based on the impressions I've read in this very thread, the powers seem to be a bigger priority now.
---


I'll give this to the SSM, their soundtracks are god-tier. More so than any other game, the music really sets the tone for this series, and does a great job of immersing you in the battles.

I cant even hear the game thing though. Its mixed way too low.
 
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