The team at Sony Santa Monica has unveiled 10 new weapons for their co-op mode in God of War: Ascension. The new weapon sets have apparently been made specifically for "executing brutal Co-op Moves," according to a recent post by Community Strategist Aaron Kaufman on the PlayStation Blog.

Today, we’re pleased to unveil a whole new set of Weapons made especially for executing brutal Co-op Moves. With more than 10 possible Co-op moves, these Mythological Heroes Weapons make an excellent addition to any arsenal. The new Co-op Weapons include:

• Spear of Achilles
  
• Hammer of Odysseus
  
• Sword of Orion
  
• Sword of Perseus

We’ve also added Mythological Heroes Armors, previously reserved for those who pre-ordered God of War: Ascension. These include the Armor of Achilles, Odysseus, Orion, and Perseus.

For those wondering how exactly to use the weapons, Kaufman revealed that by equipping the weapons and pressing L1 Triangle or L1 Square special attacks you will be greeted with a Green Halo above your champions head that will signal for your co-op partner to tether your champion and begin the co-op move.

Check out the trailer below to see it in action. These new weapons and armour are now available on the PlayStation Network Store for PlayStation 3.

Sony Santa Monica has revealed a new update for their hack 'n' slash title God of War: Ascension, adding a new multiplayer mode – the versus duel Bout of Honour.

Taking to the PlayStation Blog, the new multiplayer mode will be a 1 v 1 that excludes "chests, fountains, or world weapons to aid you," leaving it up to skill alone to determine the winner. This mode also disables relics and allows for a Champion’s magic to regenerate over time, though very slowly.

The developers at Sony Santa Monica have been painstakingly crafting a mode for both fans of fighting games and the legions of Champions playing Ascension’s multiplayer to enjoy. The team has made some balancing tweaks especially for Bout of Honor to ensure matches are fought in a fair and honorable fashion. Infinites have been removed, overpowered weapons tweaked, and damage from 100% combos adjusted.

Lastly, warriors who are not quite ready to rely solely on the strength of their blade but still wish to acquire the Favor of the Gods will enjoy a brand new 4-player map – The Whirlpool of Alecto. A nod to one of the greatest moments in God of War: Ascension’s single player campaign, The Whirlpool of Alecto features a giant leviathan whose sole purpose is to unleash Alecto’s fury in the form of physical pain onto any unsuspecting warrior careless enough to venture into its domain. The level also features elevated terrain sections for knocking over, slamming, and stunning your opponents.

Along with the launch of a new mode, four new multiplayer maps specifically crafted for Bout of Honour will make their debut. Canyons of Kirra, Chamber of the Flame, Landing at Delos and Streets of Sparta will now grace the playlist for multiplayer battles, all for free.

Check out the trailer below for a glimpse of the new mode in action.

After three main titles in the series and a handful of off-shoots, the God of War franchise is quite an interesting take on the third-person action-adventure genre. Developed by Santa Monica Studio, the series blends a loose take on Greek mythology with some more unrealistic mechanics to really sell the mythological setting.

God of War: Ascension marks the seventh instalment in the game, and is a prequel to the entire series with main protagonist Kratos back for some vengeance. We got our myth-busting expert Ko-zee-ii on the scene to check out just what the title has to offer in terms of the new singleplayer story and also for the first time in the series the multiplayer gameplay.

I feel quite torn. It isn’t a bad game, not by a long shot, but you’ll feel the main plot is sorely lacking something, which is something I never thought I’d say about God of War.

Check out the full review over here.

Naughty Dog has today revealed via their Twitter a date for their upcoming demo of The Last of Us, featured in the pre-order bundle for soon-to-be-released mythological title God of War: Ascension.

The demo will be made available to players who pre-purchase God of War: Ascension, giving them access to the demo on March 31st. It is yet unknown whether the demo will be featured elsewhere, however Naughty Dog's community strategist Eric Monacelli has previously stated that they "haven’t decided on that yet. It’s highly possible but this is the way to get the demo the earliest."

God of War: Ascension will be available on March 14th with The Last of Us launching on May 7th, both for the PlayStation 3.

For those of you who thought Kratos himself wasn't enough in the new God of War: Ascension, Sony has revealed a new co-op multiplayer mode titled Trial of the Gods. Players will be tasked with competing against five increasingly difficult waves of mythological beasts, whilst surviving against the hourglass of Olympus.

Over 15 types of enemies await you, including Satyrs, Cerberuses, Cyclopes, Gorgons, Juggernauts, and more deadly creatures. You will start with a set amount of time on the clock, and win time back with every beast you slay. Decimate a wave and you will be granted a Bonus Time Tiered Award based on how fast you cleared the wave. If you die or run out of time, you’ll have to start over again. If you reach the end of the fifth round, an epic boss awaits.

On launch the new mode will have three new maps available - Desert of Lost Souls, Forum of Hercules, and Rotunda of Olympus - however more arenas are planned for afterwards.

Sony Santa Monica level designer Andrew Chrysafidi took to the US PlayStation Blog to outline what players can expect in the new game mode, including a chance to work on their skill-set and gain valuable experience points with a friend, before jumping into the competitive arena.

With Trial of the Gods, we wanted to help bridge the single player and multiplayer experience, giving players a chance to work on their skill-set and gain valuable experience points with a friend, before jumping into the competitive arena. Playing Trial of the Gods is also a great way to grind some extra experience between competitive games, test newly acquired weapons and abilities, or even try a new allegiance. Any experience gained in Trial of the Gods will go towards upgrading your Champions across the entire multiplayer experience.

What happens if you don’t have a friend to play co-op with, or you don’t want to team up with a stranger? No worries - you can play Trial of the Gods solo too!

A new trailer has also been revealed showing off the latest God allegiance - the Lord of the Sea, Poseidon - which you can check out below.

God of War: Ascension will be available exclusively for PlayStation 3 on March 14th.

Sony has revealed that those looking out for the single-player demo of upcoming hack 'n' slash title God of War: Ascension will only have to wait until February 26th. The demo will allow players to experience a short amount of Kratos in the fourth God of War title and will consist of gameplay from last years E3.

Six months have passed since Kratos stood over the bodies of his wife and daughter, his hands stained with their blood – tricked by Ares into murdering the only people he ever loved. Swearing to avenge them, Kratos broke the blood oath that bound him to Ares… but oaths to Olympus are not so easily broken. This is where your journey in God of War: Ascension begins.

It’s been more than six long months since your first look at God of War: Ascension’s single-player campaign at E3. You’ve waited patiently, and asked about it an ungodly (but unsurprising) number of times. So, as we get ready to close our multiplayer beta early next week, the time has come to focus on where Ascension and its story will take you this March.

Sony is also offering early access by competing in the Rise of the Warrior social challenge, which you can find here. Those who do win will be given access on February 20th, a full week ahead of the general public.

God of War: Ascension will be available for PlayStation 3 on March 14th.

The game has yet to show up on the Australian Classification Board's online database, but it looks like the upcoming PlayStation 3 exclusive sequel God of War: Ascension has earned the new R18+ rating from our local ratings body.

Kotaku is reporting on information from a retailer in Queensland, that has requested its staff remove all promotional materials for the game from their stores --necessitated by the tardy state government's inability to pass local legislation in time for the new classification, unlike every other state and territory in the Federation.

“As Queensland has not passed legislation for the R18 rating for games we must remove all reference to God of War Ascension immediately,” stated an internal message sent at one major retailer. “This includes all game slicks, posters, pamphlets, hand written signage, 2-way units and pre order signage.”

We would hope that the Queensland government would get their act together before God of War: Ascension's launch date of March 14th 2013, but if they don't, it will likely still be trivial for sunshine state residents to obtain the game from national online retailers.

Sony Computer Entertainment has today revealed that PlayStation 3 users will be able to gain first access to a demo for upcoming survival title The Last of Us, simply by purchasing a copy of God of War: Ascension come March 14th.

Currently access to the demo won't be immediate, however Naughty Dog's community strategist Eric Monacelli took to the PlayStation Blog to ensure that those who do purchase God of War: Ascension will find details on how to access it when made available. Monacelli also revealed when asked by a commenter whether the demo will be elsewhere that they "haven’t decided on that yet. It’s highly possible but this is the way to get the demo the earliest."

God of War: Ascension will be available on March 14th for PlayStation 3, with The Last of Us launching on May 7th for PlayStation 3.

Sony has announced that a single-player demo will be making its way to the PlayStation 3 for upcoming title God of War: Ascension, allowing players to experience a short amount of Kratos in the fourth God of War title. The demo will consist of gameplay from last years E3 and will make its way in late February.

Six months have passed since Kratos stood over the bodies of his wife and daughter, his hands stained with their blood – tricked by Ares into murdering the only people he ever loved. Swearing to avenge them, Kratos broke the blood oath that bound him to Ares… but oaths to Olympus are not so easily broken. This is where your journey in God of War: Ascension begins.

It’s been more than six long months since your first look at God of War: Ascension’s single-player campaign at E3. You’ve waited patiently, and asked about it an ungodly (but unsurprising) number of times. So, as we get ready to close our multiplayer beta early next week, the time has come to focus on where Ascension and its story will take you this March.

A single-player trailer can be found below giving you a short glimpse at what to expect, however Sony is expected to reveal more in the coming weeks.

God of War: Ascension will be available for PlayStation 3 on March 14th.

New concept art has been revealed for upcoming title God of War: Ascension (thanks All Games Beta), showcasing the varied environments one can expect to find in the fourth main title of the series. The art comes from a new mini-game/ARG titled Rise of the Warrior launched earlier last week that offers in-game "rare and epic weapons and armour", early multiplayer beta access and exclusive Ascension rewards.

An original, interactive graphic novel and social experience. Embark on a challenging odyssey across the social web with hundreds of Warriors, gain rare in-game multiplayer rewards and discover the mysteries and memories of your past. An experience unlike no other awaits you.

As you engage and interact in the Rise of the Warrior experience, discover the untold odyssey of the Warrior you will wage war with in God of War: Ascension Multiplayer. As the story unearths, so will your epic and rare rewards. The further you progress in your social quest, the greater rewards you will earn.

You can check out a glimpse of the concept art below, or head over to our game page for more, including the latest trailers and info.

God of War: Ascension will be available for PlayStation 3, with no release date set yet.

Sony Computer Entertainment has today confirmed that an upcoming multiplayer beta for God of War: Ascension will be making its way to PlayStation Plus for PlayStation 3 in early January 2013. The beta will feature the Team Favour Rush mode, a God of War twist on Team Deathmatch.

God of War: Ascension multiplayer levels are broken out into two categories – larger maps, which feature big open environments (like Desert of Lost Souls), and more compact Arenas which intensify the action and test your reflexes as you fight for survival in close-quarters combat.

Once the Beta launches, PlayStation Plus subscribers will be able to take the experience even further with Team Favour Rush mode, the God of War twist on Team Deathmatch. You’ll fight to reach the requisite number of favour points from the Gods, to unlock new customisation options for your Gladiator. A yet-to-be-seen single player version will also be available, designed for solo-warrior fighting for those who like to go it alone.

The multiplayer beta will begin on the 10th of January 2013 only for PlayStation Plus members on the PlayStation 3, and you can check out the "Evil Ways" trailer below for a preview of the adrenaline fuelled gameplay.

God of War: Ascension will be available 14th March 2013 on PlayStation 3.

Sony has released a new trailer showcasing the multiplayer side of the upcoming God of War: Ascension, which will see players pitted against each other in an arena like field. The trailer introduces the first God, Zeus, that players can "align" themselves to in-order to gain superficial powers similar to that of the God.

The "signature" multiplayer mode is "Favor of the Gods". In this mode, the first team to accumulate a target amount of points will claim victory. Points, known as "Favor," are earned by kills and other methods. When players are not on the offensive, they may help their team earn points by capturing altars, collecting red orbs from chests, and setting traps for opposing players. Every multiplayer level map features several special power-ups - such as the boots of Hermes for accelerated speed - providing players with a brief advantage.

Check it out below for a glimpse at the lightning God or head over to our game page for more.


Source: http://www.youtube.com/user/PlayStation

For those of us eagerly awaiting the return of Kratos in the upcoming God of War: Ascension, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia has today unveiled details on the Australian pre-order deals, the Special Edition and the Collectors Edition.

Currently it seems that EB Games is the only one offering the Collectors Edition, however both JB Hi-Fi and EB Games will be offering a Special Edition with exclusive pre-order bonuses. First up though, is the Collectors Edition which features the following:

The ultimate God of War collectible, an 8" Kratos figurine

Premium steelbook game case

Double XP bonus for multiplayer and a DLC pass to unlock all future DLC for the game at no additional cost (more to follow on these soon)

Mythological Heroes Multiplayer Pack

Official game soundtrack (digital version)

PS3 dynamic theme and an avatar pack

This is currently available at EB Games for pre-order so get in quick. Next up is the Special Edition, which includes the following:

Premium Steelbook Case

Multiplayer Double XP Unlock

Official game soundtrack

PS3 dynamic theme

PSN avatar pack

This Special Edition is currently available at both retailers, however each one is offering an exclusive pre-order bonus. Those who order at JB Hi-FI will receive an exclusive 6" Kratos Sackboy Figurine plus the Mythological Heroes Multiplayer Pack, featuring four armour sets from ancient Greece's greatest mythological heroes, available for use in multiplayer.

EB Games will also be offering players who pre-order the Special Edition the Mythological Heroes Multiplayer Pack, featuring four armour sets from ancient Greece's greatest mythological heroes, available for use in multiplayer.

God of War: Ascension will be available in stores on 14th of March 2013 only for PlayStation 3.

Earlier today (last night in Santa Monica, California) Sony's Santa Monica Studio and the official PlayStation blog hosted a presentation of God of War: Ascension live-streamed from the developer's offices, with Game Director Todd Papy walking through the game's freshly-revealed multiplayer component (a first for the franchise), detailing the development process and answering a stack of user-submitted questions.

For those that didn't catch the live stream, we've fished it out of the ether and you can watch the entire 45 minute session at your leisure, here in our video library, or embedded below.

We also have five new screenshots from God of War: Ascension's multiplayer component that you can take a closer look at here on AusGamers.

God of War: Ascension is due exclusively on PlayStation 3 next Autumn (US Spring 2012).

Yesterday we reported on leaked information that suggested Sony were set to announce an all-new God of War title for the PlayStation 3 called God of War: Ascension.

Today the gaming giant has officially revealed that the game is indeed in development, releasing a new HD trailer alongside the announcement you can view embedded below (or right here from our videos page).

The most ambitious God of War adventure in the series so far, God of War: Ascension takes us right back to where it all began. Discover the origins of Kratos as he takes his first steps on a now legendary quest for freedom.

No release date was given, but we're going to confidently expect this one towards the end of the year.

Leaks truly are the new announcements it seems, as another online retailer has outed an upcoming game before its publisher has formally announced it. This time it's a PlayStation 3 game titled God of War: Ascension and in addition to the platform and name (via: VG247), Amazon have listed boxart, a trailer and even a December 31st release date.

Ok, so the release date is not feasible, as games don't launch on new year's eve (though it possibly indicates a holiday 2013 target), but the rest is much more credible:

Join Kratos as he seeks freedom, redemption, and the clarity to avenge his family in the most ambitious God of War adventure in the series so far.

Sony themselves have been teasing a reveal on the official PlayStation Facebook page (with an image that looks suspiciously like the Amazon box art), with an April 19th 2012 date attached (US time, so tomorrow here in Australia), all but confirming that we're about to find out more about the fourth big-screen addition to the God of War series. So stay tuned!

We've nabbed a copy of the low-res teaser trailer and you can see it for yourself embedded below.