[Loudninja]

God of War Ascension - Multiplayer Gameplay video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUHtt...ature=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/20...ayer-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/go...n-multiplayer/

[Hoo-doo]

I'll repeat myself from the other thread.

I really want it to have co-op.

[C_H_T]

Also first screenshots @ eurogamer.net

http://i.picpar.com/73d79a9443375eb6...4997eb67eb.jpg
http://i.picpar.com/74b4ec698cf5de9a...6afa8373d4.jpg
http://i.picpar.com/36b7f611870b8573...fc09183cf8.jpg
http://i.picpar.com/fe112249cff6cc23...82f92870c2.jpg
http://i.picpar.com/978899ac514ea1af...c6e9a9b40d.jpg

God of War: Ascension interview with Todd Papy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBpejwtxwJk

It doesn't look like God of War.

[bigdaddygamebot]

Ugh...who asked for this?

[spats]

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

[BeeDog]

Looks strange in the screenshots.

[reptilescorpio]

That screenshot now has me VERY interested.

Certainly not God Of War 4.

[RyanardoDaVinci]

Co-op? Yes please.

Competitive? Fuck no.

[Hoo-doo]

Whoa.

[YuriLowell]

I never asked for this.

[Criminal Upper]

Ugh, seriously?

[Spiegel]

.

[The_Darkest_Red]

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.

[Kayo-kun]

Fuck the "every major game needs multiplayer" mentality.

[Carbonox_Ratchet]

That plot premise is trash.

Multiplayer looks...uh...hmm...

Definitely shouldn't have gone ahead with this.

[zlatko]

I'm curious how the fuck this will work, if it'll be balanced, and above all fun.

[Ranger X]

They REALLY needed more bullet points on the box!?!?

[snoopeasystreet]

Could be cool but I play GOW to feel like a bad ass. Dying repeatedly at the hands of a 14 year old kid does not make me feel like a bad ass.

[earvcunanan]

Eh, I'm skeptical. I'll wait for the stream.

[Meatvillain]

Also first screenshots @ eurogamer.net 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]

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/...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.

[V_Ben]

Ooh, sounds intriguing. Looking forward to the live stream now.

[Criminal Upper]

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/...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.

[Nibel]

markwahlbergstare.gif

[gundamkyoukai]

Well once SP is good i don't care , will try out MP later on .
Also I have faith in SSM still i see this is UC2 all over again .

[Phoenician_Viking]

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.

[nelsonroyale]

lighting looks nice, dont care too much about multiplayer...

Wait, the reveal is only going to be about multiplayer? No thanks

[Noshino]

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]

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.

[earvcunanan]

That cyclops is damn ugly, though.

[GQman2121]

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?

[bubnbob]

Sweet can't wait to be offered an exciting season pass, such a great deal those are

[impact]

MULTIPLAYER TROPHIES! YES!

[Kyoufu]

An excuse to give God of War an online pass.

[BadWolf]

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

I'm not worried, yet.

[Criminal Upper]

Sweet can't wait to be offered an exciting season pass, such a great deal those are

:(

[The_Darkest_Red]

I guess we should expect MP in all major Sony releases from now on, huh?

[Noshino]

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.

[Relax.MX]

Console games LOL

[Phoenician_Viking]

Holy Shit

.

[impact]

Console games LOL

.....really?

[Always-honest]

I'll repeat myself from the other thread. I really want it to have co-op.

Much rather than boring old multiplayer

[Loudninja]

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.

[KieferCrimson]

Horde mode with competitive scoreboard?

Maybe?

[GQman2121]

What are you basing this on? U2 had a great single and multiplayer modes, and iirc Santa Monica is bigger.

Reread (or maybe read) the entire op.

[Alligatorjandro]

Looks kind of cool.

[Pranay_]

Console games LOL

dude seriously ?

[RPGCrazied]

Seriously? Shorter than the other GoW games? So, it'll be 4 hours long?

[Loudninja]

Reread (or maybe read) the entire op.

Not by much though.

[Jacob4815]

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.