The weight of the franchise is a great one to carry; two directors before him had done a fantastic job of taking the franchise and its protagonist to astronomical heights. All this made it very easy to forget that God of War III is Santa Monica’s first game on the PlayStation 3. After three long years of building a bomb from scratch, Santa Monica has finally arrived in style, riding the back of a gigantic titan, with Kratos in tow as he climbs a mountain to begin his final assault on the Gods of Olympus.

In fact, the game begins at the cliffhanger we were left dangling off with God of War II. Riding atop the Titan Gaia, Kratos is seen huffing and puffing in the general direction of the top of Mount Olympus. His star-studded audiences, however, are unfazed, and begin their counter-assault, with one of them foolish enough to take on the fallen god and his colossal ride head on. Needless to say, it does not end well for him.

Between these two events, God of War III delivers what is undoubtedly the single most breathtaking set piece I have ever seen; and I’m not just talking about video games here. And it is both a gift and a curse. On the bright side, it obliterates any doubts you might have had about God of War III in a brutal and spectacular symphony of chaos and destruction. It also teaches you how to survive on smaller doses of oxygen.

On the downside, it becomes the yardstick to measure the rest of the game by. Expectations, which have been over the top as the game has drawn close to its release, are raised even more by the first 45 minutes of the game to a level where they simply cannot be matched consistently throughout the nine-hour journey, except in some of the grand set pieces that come later on. God of War III is all about setting the bar for scale in video games, be it through the massive titans, which are a whole lot more than passive backdrops, the incredibly well thought out boss encounters, or the gargantuan puzzles that the game throws at you. But the general gameplay segments (which stick very close to the established formula) interlinking these moments can be a little underwhelming in the face of what the game is at the peak of its grandeur.

This isn’t helped by the fact that the pacing isn’t as spot-on as the previous two games. The trademark God of War experience is all about juggling between action, puzzles and the story moments expertly, and the latter loses its way slightly around the middle. It is towards the end when the story really picks up, culminating with a powerful finale that Kratos so rightly deserves. Don’t let the last few lines dampen your excitement though. Even at its slowest, God of War III is head and shoulders above anything that the alleged ‘competition’ (I’m looking at you Dante’s Inferno) has to offer.

The primary reason for that is the excellent work that Santa Monica has put into the gameplay, and more specifically, the combat. The combat of God of War III is the best in the series, retaining the core of chaining together light and heavy attacks in over the top combos, but adding enough around it to make the fans of the genre squeal with delight. The biggest change comes from the implementation of alternate weapons. Apart from the standard blades of exile, the player will go on to acquire three more weapons through the course of the game, which are just as diverse in the combos they deliver.

The fact that certain enemies are more vulnerable to specific weapons, and that each magic attack is linked to a unique weapon, will ensure that the player will experiment with different weapons to figure out the optimum way to bring down his enemies. Add to the mix additional moves like grappling into the enemy, or using a smaller enemy as a battering ram for crowd control, and we have a deep combat system with enough scope for experimentation that retains its accessible nature right through. To top it off, the QTE segments make a return, serving as the goriest and most violent finishing manoeuvres in gaming for both larger enemies and bosses.

Next page: IVG Verdict

Head to the launch centre find out about the game’s features, view game screenshots and concept art, and download God of War III wallpapers in 1080p resolution. You can also enter the contest through the launch centre. All you have to do is answer one easy question to stand a chance to win a brand new PlayStation 3 and a copy of God of War III courtesy Sony and Milestone Interactive.

Click here to visit the IVG God of War III launch centre.

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Various retailers in Mumbai have been informing their preorder customers of the game’s earlier than expected release. While we weren’t able to get in touch with either Sony or the game’s distributor, Milestone, for an official comment, stock of the game is on its way to retailers already, and the game should be in stores all over Mumbai at least on Saturday (13th).

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• Infinity Ward woes: What does the future hold for Call of Duty? A COD MMO?
• Union Budget 2010: How it affects (or doesn’t affect) video game prices in India
• PS3 hit with the Y2K bug: Ten years too late
• Test Drive Unlimited 2: What we can expect
• March releases: Wallet rape confirmed
• Final Fantasy XIII n00b FAQ: We made the most of having a Final Fantasy fanboy as guest
• Review: BioShock 2

BioShock 2 Contest

Since our game review for this podcast was BioShock 2, we’ve tied up with Take-Two and E-Xpress Interactive to bring IVG members a BioShock 2 Contest, where you stand to win a Collector’s Edition copy of Bioshock 2 for PC (which isn’t available in India) and two regular edition copies of BioShock 2 for PC.

We’ve asked three very simple questions related to BioShock 2 at different parts of the podcast. Once you’ve heard the questions, head to the contest page here and send in your answers. And if for some reason, you don’t know the answers to the questions, we’ve inadvertently given you hints towards the end of the podcast.

Warning: The podcast contains language that is not suitable for kids

Again, apologies for the sound quality. There were some complications with three people recording over Skype, but we’re working on a fix for this for future podcasts. As always, let us know what you thought of this podcast, and if there’s anything you’d like to hear us discuss, drop us a line at the discussion thread on the forums.

Podcast length: 29 minutes

Music: In The Music by The Roots

Dudecount: Yet to be determined

Click here to download the podcast (Right-click, Save Target As)

Original game features:

• Utilize the unique FreeFlow combat system to chain together unlimited combos seamlessly and battle with huge groups of The Joker’s henchmen in brutal melee brawls.
• Investigate as Batman, the WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE, by solving intricate puzzles with the help of cutting edge forensic tools.
• Face off against Gotham’s greatest villains including The Joker, HARLEY QUINN, POISON IVY, SCARECROW and KILLER CROC.
• Become the Invisible Predator with Batman’s fear takedowns and unique vantage point system to move without being seen and hunt enemies.
• Explore every inch of Arkham Asylum and roam freely on the infamous island, presented for the first time ever in its gritty and realistic entirety.
• Experience what it’s like to be BATMAN using BATARANGS, explosive gel aerosol, The Batclaw, sonar resonator and the line launcher.

Additional content in the Game of the Year edition

• Scarecrow Nightmare Challenge Map: a combat map for expert players set in the Scarecrow’s nightmarish world where players will need to fight against hordes of skeleton henchmen.
• Crime Alley Challenge Map: a combat map set in this iconic location from Gotham City that has been overrun by The Joker’s henchmen.
• Totally Insane Challenge Map: a combat map set in the heart of Arkham Asylum where players will need to fight against waves of lunatics.
• Nocturnal Hunter Challenge Map: an Invisible Predator map where players will need to seize back control of the Prison Watchtowers from The Joker’s henchmen.
• X360, PS3: New and exclusive Trioviz 3D with 2 sets of 3D glasses included in the box
• PC: Anti-Aliasing implementation for ATI graphic cards and nVidia PhysX content featured in the game’s title update

Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY is set for release in India for Xbox 360 and PS3 on March 30

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It was previously announced that BioShock 2 would act as a prequel as well as a sequel to the first game. However, apart from the impressive opening cutscene, the majority of the single player game is set ten years after the events of BioShock. The underwater city of Rapture still lays in ruins with most of its inhabitants being crazed junkies aka. splicers. The lumbering Big Daddies and creepy Little Sisters still prowl around looking for corpses to harvest for the miracle substance called Adam. However, the fall of Rapture’s founder Andrew Ryan results in a new authoritarian figure taking up control of most of Rapture in the form of Sophia Lamb, a former psychiatrist, Andrew Ryan’s rival, and the game’s primary antagonist. Without spoiling much, all I can say is Lamb has her own agenda for Rapture and its future and it’s not good.

You play as Subject Delta, the very first Big Daddy, who, after a tragic death, is somehow awakened by Dr. Tenenbaum (from the first game). You are then guided on a mission to find your original Little Sister named Eleanor, who may or may not be what she seems. Unlike other Big Daddies, however, Delta can actually think for himself. This leads to many moral choices in addition to saving or harvesting the many Little Sisters you’ll find along the way. As expected, your actions determine how the ending plays out, and somehow, it feels far more logical this time. And though the final resolution comes off as a bit predictable, most of the game still manages to hold your attention all the way through, especially during the last few hours. There is also a strong emotional element to the story this time around, with the Big Daddy-Little Sister relationship being the focus.

The core gameplay largely remains unchanged, but 2K Marin has introduced a few tweaks of its own to make it flow better. For starters, you can now simultaneously use your weapons and plasmids, the game’s special magic-like abilities. Being a Big Daddy means you can wield all weapons with one hand, leaving the other free for using plasmids. Most of the plasmids from the first game are back. You can freeze enemies, burn them, electrocute them, in addition to some unconventional methods like hypnotizing an enemy to fight for you, turning invisible for some stealthy attacks or deploying a doppelganger that soaks up damage for you. Add to that some fun-to-use weapons with diverse ammo types and you can see that there is a great amount of variety in the combat. You can even enhance your character further by finding (or buying) various passive boosts known as gene tonics throughout the game.

You’ll rarely want to stick with one type of weapon and plasmid for too long though. Part of the fun in BioShock’s combat lies in experimenting with different plasmid and weapon combos. Much like the first game, your default melee weapon remains the best in your arsenal. However this time, the wrench is replaced by an equally awesome drill. You can perform deadly melee attacks at close range which can greatly be enhanced by certain gene tonics. There’s also a devastating “drill charge” move which lets you quickly dash to an opponent while impaling them with the spinning drill. These moves are very satisfying to perform and give the combat a visceral kick.

Most of the enemies you’ll face are the same splicer types and Big Daddies from the first game. The extremely fast spider splicers and teleporting Houdini splicers still remain a pain in the butt, but yet always offer a decent amount of challenge. The game also throws in a couple of new enemies, the most distinctive of which is the Big Sister. Depending on your choices, you’ll encounter these female Big Daddy counterparts many times throughout the game. Big Sisters are far more agile and can use plasmids in addition to deadly melee attacks. However, taking them down isn’t too different from fighting Big Daddies. Just throw all your best stuff at them and they’ll usually go down in no time. Also, like the first game, you cannot die. Death usually means exiting the conveniently placed vita chambers, finding the enemy who killed you and finishing it off.

Despite the lenient death system, it’s worth mentioning that BioShock 2 feels more challenging than its predecessor, especially in the early levels. Some encounters feel flat out frustrating, requiring some persistence, which is made worse by the fact that the first couple of levels aren’t as good as the later ones. However, by getting enough upgrades, plasmids and gene tonics, you’ll be pretty much unstoppable by the end of the game. BioShock 2 is one of the few games that actually get easier as you progress thanks to a great RPG-like customisation system that will constantly have you tweaking your character setup. Most plasmids and tonics can be found by actively exploring the levels. However, some have to be purchased at the Gatherer’s Garden vending machines using Adam, which is found mostly by dealing with little sisters found in every level.

Unlike the first game, you can now choose to adopt a Little Sister every time you kill her Big Daddy. After adopting her, you get an option to harvest corpses for some extra Adam before you choose to either rescue or harvest the Little Sister herself. Harvesting corpses is no easy task though. Splicers will attack from all directions and you’ll have to defend the little sister until she finishes harvesting. To aid you in this, the game gives you a variety of options. You can set up traps by using special ammo and hack turrets, sentry bots or cameras to help you defend the area while you keep the splicers from getting too close to the Little Sister using conventional means. There are numerous ways to deal with these encounters limited only by your own imagination and availability of resources. These sections are quite tense and get progressively harder as the game throws tougher enemies into the mix later on. They do tend to get repetitive, but are not mandatory. You can choose to ignore them and still get enough Adam to get by.

Next page: IVG Verdict

Silent Hunter 5
Release date: March 4
Pricing: Rs 699 (PC)

Assassin’s Creed 2
Release date: March 5
Pricing: Rs 999 (PC)

Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Release date: March 5
Pricing: Rs 2,299 (Xbox 360 Std), Rs 2,699 (Xbox 360 CE), Rs 2,499 (PS3 Std), Rs 2,799 (PS3 CE), Rs 999 (PC)

Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake
Release date: March 5
Pricing: Rs 1,499 (PSP)

Supreme Commander 2
Release date: March 5
Pricing: Rs 999 (PC)

Final Fantasy XIII
Release date: March 9
Pricing: Rs 2,499 (Xbox 360, PS3)

Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition
Release date: March 12
Pricing: Rs 2,499 (Xbox 360, PS3)

Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising
Release date: March 12
Pricing: Rs 499 (PC)

Yakuza 3
Release date: March 12
Pricing: Rs 2,499 (PS3)

Command & Conquer 4
Release date: March 16
Pricing: Rs 999 (PC Std), CE price n/a

Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Release date: March 19
Pricing: Rs 999 (PC)

God of War III
Release date: March 19
Pricing: Rs 2,499 (PS3)

Metro 2033
Release date: March 19
Pricing: Rs 2,499 (Xbox 360), Rs 699 (PC)

MotoGP 09/10
Release date: March 19
Pricing: Rs 3,499 (Xbox 360, PS3)

Just Cause 2
Release date: March 26
Pricing: Rs 2,499 (Xbox 360, PS3), Rs 699 (PC)

Resonance of Fate
Release date: March 26
Pricing: Rs 2,499 (Xbox 360, PS3)

Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY
Release date: March 30
Pricing: Rs 2,499 (Xbox 360, PS3)

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City
Release date: March 30
Pricing: Rs 1,999 (PS3), PC (Rs 499)

Release dates are tentative and subject to delays
Std: standard edition
CE: collector’s edition

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Game4U also plans to begin trade-ins soon, allowing buyers to trade in old games for new ones. And if you happened to miss out on the Dante’s Inferno preorder, you can still get the Dante figurine when you buy the game at the store. While the store lacked game collectibles and memorabilia, they do plan to make those available soon.

Game4U is located at Ground Floor (18B), Mega Mall, Oshiwara, Mumbai - 400102. You can visit the online store at Game4U.com. More pictures of the store below.

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The company also revealed that to meet the requirements of their ramp-up in high-end game development, they have expanded their game development facility to house a team over over 1,000 game designers, artists, animators, developers and QA specialists, making it one of the largest game studios in south Asia.

GameShastra has been at the forefront of console game development in India. Desi Adda was the first Indian game to release on the PSP, and only the second Indian game on PS2. They’ve also been one of biggest contributors to the PSPs minis line-up. Now they’re set to create another first, with Eklavya set to become the first PS3 game developed in India.

Update: Also tucked away in Jim Ryan’s quote in the press release was the announcement of Cart Kings, another PS2 and PSP game from GameShastra targeted at the Indian diaspora worldwide. A bullock cart racing game, perhaps?

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Press release:

Hyderabad, India, 23 February 2010: GameShastra (www.gameshastra.com) and SONY Computer Entertainment Europe today announced to expand their relationship, which will boost GameShastra’s role as one of the major SONY’s PlayStation and digital download game development partner in India. The relationship encompasses innovation and delivery of exciting new digital download gaming products by GameShastra to SONY consumers worldwide which include Desi Adda for PlayStation2 , PSP and now ‘Eklavya’ for SONY PlayStation 3 platform.

To support the new projects, GameShastra also announced expansion of its full service game development team of designers, artists, animators, developers and QA specialists in its Game Development Center in Hyderabad. It has established a new state of the art game design studio in Hyderabad to accelerate this growth plan and cater to the growing demand of its services worldwide including SONY Computer Entertainment. This facility has the capacity to accommodate 1000+ associates - making it one of the largest Game Studios in South Asia.

Making the announcement Prakash Ahuja, CEO of GameShastra said: “For GameShastra, the expansion of relationship with market leader like SONY Computer Entertainment reaffirms our position in the digital download games services market. We enjoy a successful working relationship with SONY Computer Entertainment and our team in India is committed to innovate and continue to deliver outstanding digital gaming products not only to SONY consumers globally and but also to other leading players.”

Speaking on the occasion Jim Ryan, COO of SONY Computer Entertainment Europe added: “GameShastra has proven that it can match our pace and bring innovations to create an even greater excitement for PlayStation game enthusiasts with Desi Adda. SCEE is delighted to expand the scope of its successful relationship with GameShastra with the announcement of ‘Cart Kings’ for the Indian Diasporas globally. We are excited with new innovation GameShastra is creating in India who can provide us the competitive edge globally.”

GameShastra’s goal is nothing less than to fiercely innovate and become the preferred game development destination for global console players. Desi Adda developed by GameShastra became the first console game completely developed by Indian Development Studio for PSP. Next will be the proposed ‘Eklavya’ for PS3 platform, another first by an Indian company.

GameShastra operates a state-of-the-art Game Services production center in Hyderabad, India for game development, game testing and game art production for the PS2, PS3, PSP, PC, Mac, Web, Wii and Nintendo DS. It is possibly the only company in India which has taken the lead to design, develop and deliver games for all leading platforms.

Mixing historical events and fiction with incredible finesse, the downloadable episode that serves as the thirteenth memory block of Assassin’s Creed 2 picks up immediately after the Battle of Forli. Ezio returns to Florence to retrieve the Apple of Eden from Father Savonarola. But the good priest is in control of the city and has his lieutenants (by choice or coerced) running the city. Needless to say, these are dark times for Florence, and if the premise wasn’t bleak enough to get through to the player, the city has a perpetual cloud cover giving it a washed out look to underscore the point.

Across its fairly decent length, the player gets twelve missions and a new segment of Florence to explore. Most of the missions are assassinations, where Ezio goes around the city eliminating key members of the Savonarola regime to drive the populace into a revolt against him. This translates into gameplay that can be best described as a highlight reel of what Assassin’s Creed has to offer. Every assassination offers a unique challenge, which requires a fair bit of planning and usage of all the tools at Ezio’s disposal. For example, while one may involve chasing down the target across rooftops, another may require the player to blend in and carry out the assassination undetected. Variations in each scenario make each assassination in this episode unique, and the joy of completing one in style is unparalleled.

These missions aren’t different from what the player would have done at some point or the other in the main game, but coming back to the game for this episode after having completed it before is a lot of fun, especially because you get to play the best parts of the game jam packed into one and a half to two hours. The story also happens to be more cohesive than the earlier episode, whose excessive combat in the first half comes off as a bit jarring. Bonfire of the Vanities ends with a resolution to this particular part of the story, and it is all the better for that.

While Bonfire of the Vanities may have hit the bull’s eye in terms of offering meaningful downloadable content, its exclusion (and that of Battle of Forli) from the retail release does take away a bit from Assassin’s Creed 2. Had these two episodes been included on disc, the story of Assassin’s Creed 2 wouldn’t have come across as lopsided towards Ezio’s personal quest for vengeance. Both the downloadable episodes focus on what’s really at stake in the battle between the assassins and templars, making sequence fourteen a much more compelling experience in light of these events.

Conclusion

For anyone who is yet to play Assassin’s Creed 2, we would suggest splurging a bit extra and experience its epic story in its entirety. At a reasonable price of $3.99, it’s well worth it. For those who have already finished the game, this downloadable episode is a great reminder of everything that is awesome about the series.

(+) Fun and varied missions
(+) Fairly decent length
(+) Drives the latter half of the Assassin’s Creed 2 story

(-) Nothing you haven’t already done in the main game

How we score games

Title: Assassin’s Creed 2: Bonfire of the Vanities
Developer/Publisher: Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft
Genre: Action-adventure
Rating: 18
Platforms: Xbox 360 via Xbox LIVE (320 MS Points), PS3 via PSN Store ($3.99)
Reviewed on: PS3, Xbox 360

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