Auto-defaulting assets to the best quality versions on offer goes a long way in making up for the lack of enhanced artwork, but what's clear is that the move to what is effectively a full 60fps lock is the major component that elevates the gameplay experience. Not only is God of War 3 now more pleasing from a visual perspective, it's actually a little less frustrating to play in its platforming areas - while combat is more enjoyable overall. If there are any doubts or regrets about the package, it comes from the sense that the developers didn't quite push the game to the full extent of its potential: the video cut-scenes could be better, while the small extras we do get, like the photo mode, fall a little short.
But these are minor gripes overall - this is a solid release. More pertinent is the value argument: we can't help but wish that Sony had released God of War 3 and Ascension together in one pack - if only to counter the inevitable and somewhat justified argument that the company is charging £30/$40 for what essentially an old game, produced with only a fraction of the original's budget. It's a lot of money for a game you may well have played before, but whether you invest now or wait for the inevitable discounts to kick in, at some point we highly recommend picking it up.
