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God of War: Ascension multiplayer confirmed [Update: Gameplay Video]

Loudninja

Member
God of War Ascension - Multiplayer Gameplay video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUHtt9sUtw4&feature=youtu.be
God of War: Ascension has online and offline multiplayer battles for up to eight players. There are a variety of multiplayer modes, customisable avatar warriors, armour and weapon types to unlock. Eurogamer's Johnny Minkley saw it in action for a God of War: Ascension preview, published today.

Multiplayer "combines the brutal gameplay and large-scale battles that God of War is known for to create a competitive experience like never before", Sony said. According to game director Todd Pappy it's a "fresh twist" on competitive gaming.

But the game has single-player, too, this time with a "revamped" combat and weapon system, "promptless" mini-games and new puzzles. Sony mentioned "fluid, life-like characters, dynamic lighting effects, and world-changing scenarios".

Pappy told Eurogamer Ascension's campaign is "just a little bit shorter" than in previous God of War games. "We've mapped out everything and given time estimates. It'll be pretty damn close."

And lead combat designer Jason McDonald insisted that single-player has not suffered as a result of the addition of multiplayer. "We didn't want to sacrifice single-player for multiplayer, neither did we want to tack [the latter] on," he said. "We're definitely going full force with both."
As for the story, Ascension sees players assume the role of Kratos as he tries to break the blood oath that binds him to Ares. Since this is a prequel, we get to see a younger Kratos, one driven mad after bring tricked into killing his wife and child. In the game Kratos "seeks to break his bond and gain the clarity to seek revenge on Ares for his part in the death of his family". Helping is his signature double-chained blades.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-04-30-god-of-war-ascension-multiplayer-confirmed

Customization is a major focus in Ascension, Papy tells me. When the multiplayer mode begins, players go through trials as a tutorial and face off against an enemy they have no chance of defeating. In order to gain victory, players must sell their champion's soul to one of four gods: Zeus, Hades, Ares, or Poseidon. This decision allows players to try out different weapons, armor sets, and perks, inspired by the god of their choice.

"Once you chose your allegiance, you can customize how you want to look," Papy explains. "There's actually six different places you can customize your armor: boots, skirts, gauntlets, chest piece, shoulder piece, and helmet. You can do what you want." Like other persistent character multiplayer titles, Ascension allows Champions to evolve with new items, looks, and even specials and combos over time, each with a tilt based on the god selected for your character.
Possible horde mode
Papy tells me the multiplayer will only have a light story element, so it doesn't appear that the tales told during that part of Ascension will weave themselves into the mythology of Kratos. While multiplayer is focused on competitive modes with co-op partners, the Sony Santa Monica team is still thinking about new modes to include. "We're assessing a 'Horde Mode,'" he responded when asked about modes strictly crafted for co-op play. "We have a great cast of A.I. and if we can possibly get to use those in a 'Horde Mode' then we're going to try, but it's something we're still assessing."
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/30/god-of-war-ascension-multiplayer/
 

spats

Member
I'm gonna deck out my Kratos with some sick Nightvision goggles and woodland camo after I prestiege him.
 

Hoo-doo

Banned
006_Evaluation_rev.jpg

Whoa.
 
My initial reaction is unsurprisingly skepticism since GoW is not a series that is well suited to traditional vs. multiplayer in my opinion but I'm going to refrain from over-speculation and try to remain somewhat positive. Hopefully I'll be surprised with something truly unique and innovative and not simply a mode designed to keep gamers from selling back their copy of Ascension.
 
Also first screenshots @ eurogamer.net

73d79a9443375eb6a9cb02fe8fc7d64997eb67eb.jpg


It doesn't look like God of War.

Nice to see something that suggests a slightly different direction for the series. I really wanted something new after those three games - don't get me wrong, I loved them, but I just haven't been excited by the prospect of "more God of War".

I'm happy to see that the team is doing something potentially ballsy with the game.
 

darkside31337

Tomodachi wa Mahou
Livestream today in a little under 2 hours. Looks like it'll be at least somewhat on the multiplayer.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012...r-announcement-live-from-santa-monica-studio/

During our live broadcast, I’ll be sharing the scoop with Jeff, and of course all of you, about our brutal new multiplayer mode. Yes, that’s right. God of War: Ascension will feature a ground-breaking new online multiplayer mode. We wouldn’t do multiplayer in God of War unless we knew we could do it right. That’s why I’m extremely excited to finally be able to talk publicly about it and share all the gory details with you live. I even have some exclusive gameplay footage to share with you, so be sure to tune in to see it all live.
 
Livestream today in a little under 2 hours. Looks like it'll be at least somewhat on the multiplayer.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012...r-announcement-live-from-santa-monica-studio/

During our live broadcast, I’ll be sharing the scoop with Jeff, and of course all of you, about our brutal new multiplayer mode. Yes, that’s right. God of War: Ascension will feature a ground-breaking new online multiplayer mode. We wouldn’t do multiplayer in God of War unless we knew we could do it right. That’s why I’m extremely excited to finally be able to talk publicly about it and share all the gory details with you live. I even have some exclusive gameplay footage to share with you, so be sure to tune in to see it all live.

But it shouldn't have been done at all.
 
That Sony Santa Monica outright refused to address Ascension's single-player offering beyond noting that it exists and that it features Kratos in a prequel story will undoubtedly frustrate the series' biggest fans.

Nooooooooooooooooooo.
 

Noshino

Member
mmm

I wonder how it will be implemented.

Well, at least the graphics still looks great.

Fuck the "every major game needs multiplayer" mentality.

Its equally as annoying as the "against multiplayer without even knowing anything about it" mentality
 

Bazza

Member
Multiplayer could be interesting. I tend to be a single player kind of gamer unless a game is designed around its multiplayer, saying that i was completely against multiplayer in ME3 and it turned out pretty good.

If the game mechanics are sound then i see no reason why it cant work out, i would guess they would have to make the combat a little slower and more technical with blocking/countering etc rather than how combat works in single player GoW games with Kratos destroying everything in range.
 

GQman2121

Banned
A shorter single player game does not worry me so much. They could pull that off. But I cannot imagine how this game is going to work as a competitive....umm....what would you call this? A hack and slash fighter?
 

BadWolf

Member
Just finished Uncharted 2 recently and the SP was effing amazing, having MP didn't hurt it one bit.

I'm not worried, yet.
 

Noshino

Member
A shorter single player game does worry me so much. They could pull that off. But I cannot imagine how this game is going to work as a competitive....umm....what would you call this? A hack and slash fighter?

What are you basing this on?

U2 had a great single and multiplayer modes, and iirc Santa Monica is bigger.
 

Loudninja

Member
Combat itself was feverish, violent and outright brutal. It appeared both familiar and foreign, both like God of War and something else entirely. Seeing someone other than Kratos fighting certainly lessened the experience -- Kratos is God of War and it remains to be seen how successful multiplayer will be without him -- but combat looked fluid and fun. Unfortunately, no one outside of Sony was allowed to get hands-on time with the game, so all we can really comment on is how the combat looked as a viewer and not how it felt as a player.

The general idea in the particular mode shown is to not only engage in combat with the other team, but to fend off AI-controlled enemies. The ultimate goal, however, is to down the gigantic enemy stalking the area, destroying everything around him and squashing humans around you like they're ants. Teamwork is therefore paramount. Players will have a harder time surviving if they don't cooperate with those around them, bringing a strategic slant to a series that has always been about the raw power of a godlike individual.
Strangely, much of the chatter during the post-demo Q&A session made it clear that God of War: Ascension is a long way from being completed. The team still hasn't settled on the total number of multiplayer modes the game will have, though Papy noted that they're focusing on "quality, not quantity." They also haven't narrowed-down the number of maps that will be available in modes like the one shown, though right now they're hovering around seven maps (five large, two small).
http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/122/1223989p1.html

It does not sound like a 2012 title to me.
 

Jacob4815

Member
Pappy told Eurogamer Ascension's campaign is "just a little bit shorter" than in previous God of War games. "We've mapped out everything and given time estimates. It'll be pretty damn close."

Terrible news.
Not a good feeling.
 
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