God of War Series - Gameplay

Gameplay

The series consists of six single-player games, which typically feature a third-person, fixed cinematic camera. The player controls the character Kratos in a combination of combat, platforming, and puzzle game elements to achieve goals and complete the story. A first-person camera is featured in God of War III during two boss battles, and God of War: Betrayal features a 2D side-scrolling view.

Kratos' main weapons throughout the series are a pair of double-chained blades; other weapons, such as the Blade of Artemis in God of War, are acquired during the games. Magic is also used, and four abilities, such as Poseidon's Rage, Medusa's Gaze, Zeus' Fury, and Army of Hades in God of War, are usually acquired. In God of War III, instead of separate abilities there are four primary weapons, each with its own magic offensive. It also featured "Items" – additional secondary weapons with limited usage, such as the Bow of Apollo. With each new game, most weapons and magic are lost via a plot device, and a new arsenal of weapons and abilities are acquired during gameplay.

Relics, which the player can use in successive games, such as Poseidon's Trident which is obtained in God of War and is kept throughout the series, are also acquired. Kratos often has a special ability, which provides temporary invulnerability and increased attack damage. This ability has become an ongoing feature of gameplay throughout the series – Rage of the Gods in God of War, Rage of the Titans in God of War II, Rage of Sparta in God of War III, and Thera's Bane in God of War: Ghost of Sparta. This ability can be recharged by building hits on foes in combat, and gaining game-specific orbs. Thera's Bane, however, is recharged automatically.

Gorgon Eyes and Phoenix Feathers increase the maximum amount of health and magic respectively and are found throughout the game in uncolored chests. Minotaur Horns, which increase the Items and Fire meter's maximum length, are available in God of War III and Ghost of Sparta, respectively. The Items meter allows the use of secondary weapons, called Items, and the Fire meter allows the use of Thera's Bane. The meters are increased in increments and reach their maximum once a certain number of Eyes, Feathers, and Horns are found. Other chests contain green, blue or red orbs. Green orbs replenish health, blue orbs replenish magic, and red orbs provide experience for upgrading weapons and magic for new and more powerful attacks, and replenish the Rage meter in God of War. Chests with changing colors, which allow players to choose which meter to replenish, have also been available. Red orbs can also be collected by killing foes and destroying certain inanimate objects. Bosses and more powerful opponents release a combination of colored orbs when killed via the quick-time feature.

The series offers combo-based combat, and includes a quick time event (QTE) feature, which is initiated when the player has weakened a foe stronger than himself. It allows limited control of Kratos during the QTE cinematic sequence; success ends the battle while failure usually results in damage. God of War: Ascension will change the quick time event feature, replacing some of the button prompts with a prompt-less free-form system. A grab maneuver can be used on minor foes.

Each installment offers a challenge mode, which yields extra red orbs, secret costumes, and behind-the-scenes videos. Bonus content can be unlocked by defeating the game's difficulty levels. Battle arenas, which allow players to set difficulty levels and choose their own opponents, are included in each installment except God of War and God of War: Chains of Olympus. A quick-time sex mini-game is also included in each installment except Betrayal.

God of War: Ascension will introduce online and offline multiplayer gaming to the series. Up to eight players will be able to to play in two teams of four and will battle for control of a map in order to earn rewards from the gods. Players must sell their champion's soul to either Zeus, Hades, Ares, or Poseidon, which will allow players to try different weapons, armor sets, and powers inspired by the god of their choice, and extras can be unlocked.