![\"God](\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/God-of-War-Ascension-review-screenshot-14.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nOnly, despite a lot of modern technical wizardry and the series\u2019 outstanding pedigree, Ascension never really feels like it comes close to the lofty bar set by even the first game (circa 2005). Where there was once the sense of one small human taking an epic trek to conquer insurmountable odds, this is more like a string of combat arenas haphazardly strung together by colossal set pieces, with bland art direction and staccato pacing betraying the clear lack of a unifying purpose. Combined with little advancement in gameplay, most notably the few and far between puzzle sections, it\u2019s no wonder that Ascension just feels like it\u2019s all bark and no bite.<\/p>\n
This is not helped by the combat, the backbone of the game mechanics and the reason most of us are playing the thing in the first place. Along with a small selection of spears, hammers and slings one can confiscate from unwitting enemies, Kratos now wields the Blades of Chaos as his main weapon of choice, and these can be imbued with elemental effects – fire, ice, lightning, or the powers of the underworld. While extra attacks and magical firework shows can be unlocked for each of these incarnations of the Blades, attacks are not married to particular types of enemies or situations, meaning your choice of foe-dispatching powers are entirely superficial and thus offer little incentive to pursue previously desirable upgrades.<\/p>\n
When it comes down to the actual dismemberment bits, the combat ends up feeling stiff and rote, a somewhat flawed system that becomes most apparent when the difficulty is ramped up and cheap deaths come thick and fast. I found myself winning some battles purely on luck and repetition, and most of the sense of anger I felt came from the urge to smash my controller rather than Kratos\u2019 urge to vanquish his enemies.<\/p>\n
Where\u2019s that anger management book when I need it, Sony?<\/p>\n
Speaking of, if I had to pin down exactly where the lack of appropriate rage lies in Ascension, it\u2019s most likely from the aspects of Greek mythology which have been surreptitiously watered down with each progression of the God of War series. Here, the ties to the vengeance themes and characters from the source material are thin, and recognisable elements from this history are replaced by creatures designed more with shock value and sheer size in mind.<\/p>\n Yes, there are the trademark impressively-enormous monsters to slay, but with no real motivation to do it coupled with some borderline torture and misogyny, Kratos seems more like a misguided playground bully that revels in pulling the legs off live spiders rather than the brave underdog fighting for a proper cause. It takes away from the sense of maturity established by the series, turning the kind of justifiable gratuitous violence found in a Tarantino movie into that of a grainy snuff film finale.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n