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Set roughly 10 years before the original God of War , Ascension follows Kratos as he tries to break his blood oath with Ares. The Furies—ancient enforcers of oath-breakers—hunt him down. It’s a clever setup. Instead of revenge against Zeus, the drive here is freedom from guilt . Kratos isn’t yet the Ghost of Sparta we know; he’s haunted, chained, and desperate.
In 2013, Ascension was criticized for franchise fatigue. Coming off God of War III ’s epic finale, a prequel felt like a step back. Reviewers called it “more of the same, but less refined.”
But here’s the catch: the game is tough . Some enemy encounters feel unfairly balanced, and the removal of health/ mana chests in certain sections forces trial-and-error gameplay. Still, the set pieces are pure Sony Santa Monica—the , the giant snake-bridge , and the final battle against Aegaeon (a Hecatonchires) are unforgettable.
But in 2024+? It’s aged into a fascinating time capsule. After the soft reboot of God of War (2018) and Ragnarök , Ascension now feels like the end of old-school Kratos. It’s bloated, brutal, and beautiful in its excess. If you want to see Kratos at his most vulnerable before he met Faye, this is it.
Ascension doubled down on the combat. You now have a “Rage Meter” that, when filled, lets you use a powerful magic attack. The Blades of Chaos feel fluid, and the new elemental system (fire, ice, lightning, etc.) encourages swapping styles mid-fight.
When you think of God of War , you think of Kratos at his most furious—tearing through Olympus without an ounce of restraint. So when Ascension dropped in 2013 as a prequel to the entire series, fans were intrigued. Would it show us a different kind of Spartan? Or just more of the same rage, but with younger graphics?