Are You Not Entertained?
As stated previously, the gameplay is not all that different than what you are used to if you have played any God of War game before, only offering slight differences such as the primary use of hammers and swords rather than the whirling vortex of death otherwise known as the blades of chaos. Even if you are a God of War veteran though, don’t expect your first match to go well. Due to the item leveling system and the ability to unlock new toys as you play, it is quite likely you will face players that will greatly outclass you. This leads to unfair team compositions causing frequent death and frustration but seems to be a necessary hazing ritual that new players have to suffer through to get to a competitive level.
As for the different maps they have released, you have two options: Favor of the Gods, an arena style 4 person deathmatch; and the much more involved Team Favor of the Gods, a 4v4 map where you not only need to kill the other team to rack up points, but capture shrines and use a special spear to slay a giant Cyclops that harasses half of the stage until its death. While neither game mode seems all that unique or interesting, they can be surprisingly addictive as you progress from being the wimpiest kid on the playground to chain killing noobz with your l33t gear.
It’s All Greek to Me
Having played it for a week and still finding myself going back to it time to time, I have to say that the beta does its job admirably. It showcases the intense battles that the multiplayer will feature, when you get schooled it makes you angry and fuels your need for revenge, and when you manage to hit that 8 person kill streak and still have full health, it makes you feel like a total BAMF. It has shows several imbalances so far (such as much of the fire magic and the godly hammers that can be unlocked.) Most importantly, though, it has generated enthusiasm for the upcoming game and given gamers clear signs that the franchise is headed in the right direction. Open Beta goes live in January, I look forward to seeing you then and kicking your butt!
Are you excited to check out the beta and get the game once it launches? If you want all the latest information on Ascension, check back at PSUniversity often and make sure you check in over at the official blog. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!