Gaming: There's never a dull moment in God of War III

If you, like over a 100 million people around the world, have owned a PlayStation 2, chances are you know a thing or two about God of War. It's been one of the PS2's most successful franchises, establishing itself in the same league as big-sellers like Final Fantasy and Gran Turismo.

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PS3 owners, however, have had to wait for their God of War fix. But on March 19, Kratos made his PS3 debut in high definition glory with God of War III.

For the uninitiated, the God of War games are a twisted take on Greek mythology, where the player controls Kratos, an ash-covered warrior fuelled by rage and consumed with only one purpose -- revenge. And this is no ordinary quest for revenge, but involves the (quite literally) uphill task of killing Zeus, the king of Gods, who also happens to be Kratos' father.

This, of course, lays the premise for some grand gaming moments, and not only does the game deliver, but it surpasses even the loftiest of expectations.

Platform: PS3 (Rs 2,499)

Age rating: 18 (Suitable for adults)

Score: 9/10

God of War III starts off with a bang. A massive bang. I would even go so far as to say that the first hour of God of War III is the best and most memorable first hour of any game I've ever played. There are jaw-dropping moments aplenty, partly owing to the game's unimaginably massive scale, but also due to its signature over-the-top gore that is presented in an uncompromising, in-your-face (again, quite literally) manner. Limbs are torn, eyes are gouged, Gods are decapitated -- just another day in the office for Kratos.

Being a PS3-exclusive game from Santa Monica Studio, one of Sony's top first party developers, you would expect God of War III to be a very good looking game; may be even reach the insanely high levels set by Uncharted 2 last year. It does, and in many ways, it raises the bar a little itself with massive scale in level design, beautifully created environments, and a stunning dynamic lighting engine.

The reflections and shadows in this game are awe-inspiring and unlike anything seen in a console game before.

In terms of gameplay, some may argue the God of War III sticks to the old formula. The other way of looking at it -- the way I look at it -- is that this is classic God of War, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Combat is still hack-n-slash, with Kratos twirling around gracefully as he dishes out death to all that find themselves within the attack range of his lethal weapons. And there are more weapons to play with this time around.

The signature Blades of Chaos are there, although they're called the Blades of Exile this time, and as you progress, you will pick up more weapons, each with their own strengths.

Additionally, this time more than ever before, certain enemies are vulnerable to specific weapons, and knowing which weapon is best suited to tackle a specific enemy brings a degree of strategy into the slicing and dicing.

This strategy is especially tested when faced with many enemies together, so the game now requires you to keep switching weapons. If you do decide to stick to just one weapon on anything but the easiest difficulty, be prepared to die a lot.

It wouldn't be God of War without the multi-layered puzzles, and God of War III doesn't disappoint in this department. Moreover, the puzzles don't seem shoved into the game for the sake of it, but rather go well with the flow of the game. But while the puzzles are a welcome distraction, what really stands out is the epic boss fights.

Each boss fight is brilliantly designed and a different experience from the last. The scale of level design, in particular, is ingeniously used in these boss fights. Just to put it into perspective, one of the bosses is as tall as the Sears Tower in Chicago, which, at almost 1,500 feet, is the tallest skyscraper in the US. And you must take down that boss playing as an 8-foot tall man with two swords.

Nothing like this has ever been done in a game before, and there's good reason for that. It's audacious and there are so many reasons why it wouldn't work. But it works almost flawlessly, and it's these boss fights that punctuate this great game and make it the memorable experience that it is.

On the topic of boss battles, it should also be mentioned that most of these fights end in the most gruesome manner imaginable. God of War III takes brutality to the next level, and while that's what any God of War fan would expect, it's also why this game is meant for adults only. Parents, keep your kids away from this game.

Like previous games, God of War III also features a grand orchestral soundtrack, only this time, the score is a lot more eclectic than before, featuring various musical styles. Voice work, while over the top at times, feels just right considering the kind of game this is.

If there is one negative to be found in this game, it's that it starts off in such explosive fashion, that the game is unable to keep that tempo up through the middle parts. Make no mistake, there's never a dull moment in God of War III, but you can help but feel the momentum drop a bit during certain parts of the game.

Debates will rage on about how God of War III ends. Many will love the conclusion to the trilogy, and just as many will hate it. But love it or hate it, you have to give the developers credit for having the courage to end this much-loved series in the way they did.

God of War III is the best game in the series, and anyone who's played the first two games knows that that's a massive compliment. It's unlike anything you've ever played, and if you didn't have enough reasons already, this is the biggest reason yet to buy a PS3.