The first thing that Sony has said in this generation about their games is that it can only be done on PS3. Although we’ve seen so many titles come to Xbox360 after those bold statements and claims that Sony has once made, this is actually a moment of truth. God Of War 3 really shows not only what Playstation 3 can do but it further shows what we have yet to see on Xbox360.

This console war is more than just heating up it’s already on fire and Kratos has the torch. The only question now is how will Microsoft respond and trust me they will and depending on what Halo Reach: will be, they may very well be ready for the challenge.

VIDEO ARTICLE BELOW FEATURES MORE DETAILS AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT’S SPECIAL

Back Again yall with another TIGD. Since G.O.W was just re released in HD I thought I would get in touch with one of the people responsible for such a great franchise. So I contacted my man Jason Minters from Sony Sana Monica. Jason Is the Senior Technical Artist the God of war Series. So get ready for another sick episode guy’s.

A few months before the infamous announcement of the Playstation 3 Slim companies was on the edge and irrated about the price on Sonys console. One main company out of the bunch was the #1 leading game publisher in the business ACTIVISION and they boldly came out and stated that they may not continue support of the Playstation 3 which would’ve been a serious blow to both parties in terms of revenue and overall growth.

Months later after that threat the Playstation 3 Slim is here and it’s flying off store shelves and it will continue to do so throughout the year and beyond. This is a great sign for Sony as well as Activision because Sony can sell more systems increasing their install base which will also put Activision in a great position to move more software on that platform. Activision although they hold the title of being number one in this business Sony knows about being number #1 as well and they don’t take threats too lightly.

God Of War Blu-Ray collection featuring remastered copies of the instant classics God Of War I & II is coming out November 10th. Most companies know that this day is the day that they will most likely not release a title especially big titles considering Modern Warfare 2 a 10 million selling game and even bigger overall franchise can easily destroy competition but in Sony’s case they are up for the challenge. God Of War is a big franchise as well but this time around your getting a $40 dollar combo game pack which is already getting big pre-orders and that’s a great sign.

Can the great Kratos interfere or disrupt some of the Modern Warfare 2 thunder? maybe not much but it will turn heads once they see God Of War look so amazing even before the official release of God Of War 3. This is a strategic move from Sony sharing this limelight on the same day as the new Call Of Duty but it also goes to show that Sony is back and ready for war agains anyone without fear.

Playstation 3 it only does everything that new slogan is proof that the war has officially begun and depending on how well this re-mastering attempt to bring PS2 games back to life goes, then Sony may very well be on it’s way to a new industry term and that’s Next Gen Backwards Capability.

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) announced today a new and exclusive PlayStation®3 (PS3™) offering for the critically acclaimed God of War® franchise, God of War® Collection. Scheduled for release this holiday season, God of War Collection will feature reworked versions of both God of War® and God of War® II on a single Blu-ray Disc™ at full 1280 x 720 resolution. Both critically acclaimed games, which were originally developed for PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, have been remastered with anti-aliased graphics running at 60 frames per second for a smooth gameplay experience on the PS3 system. Additionally, the Blu-ray Disc compilation will bring PlayStation®Network trophy support to the franchise for the first time (included for both games). God of War Collection offers substantial value to PS3 users, the compilation of both best-selling games costing just $39.99 MSRP.

Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, Santa Monica Studio, the God of War series brings epic mythological battles to life with stunning graphics and an elaborate plot that puts Kratos, the trilogy’s main character, at the center of carnage and destruction as he seeks revenge against the Gods who have betrayed him. God of War® III is scheduled for release exclusively on the PS3 system in March 2010.

“We are excited today to announce God of War Collection,” said Scott Rohde, vice president, Worldwide Studios America. “Our fans spoke and we listened; thanks to our partnership with Bluepoint Games, fans and newcomers to the series can experience the epic God of War and God of War II saga in stunning 720p on PS3. This Blu-ray Disc compilation brings Kratos to PS3 even earlier than expected.”

God of War Storyline

Set in the dark world of ancient Greek mythology, players take on the role of Kratos, a Spartan warrior. Plagued by the nightmares of his past, the ash covered warrior would do anything to be free of his debt to the Gods and the memories that haunt him. For ten years he has labored for Olympus, now on the verge of losing all hope, the Gods have given him one last task. Destroy Ares, the God of War. Armed with the deadly chained Blades of Chaos, Kratos will have to overcome armies of mythological monsters, legions of undead soldiers, and amazingly dangerous and brutal landscapes.

God of War II Storyline

God of War saw Kratos, a mortal warrior, set upon an epic quest to dethrone a God. But his journey did not end there. In God of War II, Kratos sits atop his Olympus throne, as the new God of War – far more ruthless than Ares ever was. To end his continued torment, Kratos must journey to the far reaches of the earth and defeat untold horrors and alter that which no mortal, or god has ever changed… his fate. God of War II sets an epic stage for a devastating mythological war to end all wars.

Acclaim for the God of War Franchise

God of War releases have set the bar for the action-adventure genre and been acknowledged by some of the videogame industry’s key publications, which include PlayStation: The Official Magazine (Editor’s Choice Award), Game Informer (Action/Adventure Game of the Year and Handheld Game of the Month Award), GamePro (Editor’s Choice Award), Electronic Gaming Monthly (Best PS2 Game), IGN.com (Editor’s Choice Award and Game of the Year Award), and four nominations in the Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, including Overall Game of the Year and Console Game of the Year. The franchise has also been awarded with several honors including several E3 Best of Game Awards (given by several online publications), numerous Game of the Year and Best Action Game Awards (given at Spike TV’s Video Game Awards, Golden Joystick Awards, PSX Extreme Awards and the 3rd Annual G-Phoria Awards, and by PAX, GameZone, GameDaily, GameSpot), to name just a few.

Ever wanted to have the official weapon of Kratos when you dress up like the Greek warrior for conventions?

No you didn’t? Well then anyways  if you want a piece of your favorite video game character then United Cultery can hook you up with a replica of the famous weapon from the mega-hit game series.

United Cutlery, the industry leader in movie and game collectible replicas, has meticulously re-created the sword. The blade is cast from zinc aluminum material with custom etched mold textures and features fantasy grindings that mirror the piece carried by Kratos. The replica was created using the finest grade materials and craftsmanship available. Also included is a custom table top display stand with God of War® insignia and fantasy silk screen along with a certificate of authenticity. As with all United® Cutlery collectibles, close attention to quality is a top priority. The design of The Blade of Chaos was overseen by master replica supervisor, Kit Rae. Each replica is laser-serial-numbered and marked with the appropriate copyrights to ensure authenticity.

You can pre-order the blades starting July 23rd. If you want just one blade it will cost you $125 but if you want both then it will set you back $250. Hopefully no parent thinks this is a good gift for a kid, or Ted Thompson will have a field day.

Pre-Order Site: http://budk.com/info.asp?ii=31&sid=gow&eid=gow2009&camid=&bhcd2=1248309149

God Of War is the kind of game that is Genre Defining. The moment you pick up and play as Kratos you know your experiencing something special and, unlike any other character that came before him or after him. The brutal action with an emotional story line is what makes this franchise so legendary to the point where you can say Metal Gear and God Of War in the same sentence.

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Now there’s another challenger and his name is Dante and no we are not talking about Devil’s May Cry but Dante’s Inferno. EA is not only going all out to create a great new franchise but they are taking everything God Of War has to offer and they want to add more and exceed it. The epic story, the huge enemies and environments all the way down to the control scheme had some sort of God Of War type inspiration which actually isn’t a bad thing in this case.

Dante’s Inferno looks incredible and is one of the most anticipated titles that gamers are focused on. The action in this game is over the top, the story of being brought down to HELL is going to be a unique experience with an extreme amount of detail. The battle system is similiar to that of God Of War which is a major plus but the main question is this,

Can It Achieve The Success Of God Of War Or Will Dante Be Just A Shadow Of Kratos

The video below is nice compilation and comparison of what gamers are going to experience very soon please rate and leave your comments.

Will Dante reach Kratos success? time will tell but when your game is built on similarities of another most gamers want something brand spanking new but, in this case you kinda have what they call a rinse and repeat scenario where the character is different but the feeling is same.

NEWS:

During the video game awards last year the first official in-game trailer of God Of War 3 was shown and surprisingly it received mixed reviews. Coming off that amazing E3′08 trailer everyone expected that level of quality and when the footage was shown there were many let downs but, don’t worry because there’s more too come. Killzone 2 was Sony’s true test to see if CG quality and in-game graphics could rival one another and the results were astounding and based off those results gamers wanted more out of God of War 3. In the coming months we may very well see for the second time around that the Cell Processor was really worth the investment.

God Of War 3 has been overhauled in a major way since the video game awards debut footage. Now the game looks extremely real and very polished but the most exciting thing about the screenshots below is the fact that more is being done to the overall game leading up to it’s march 2010 release. Most importantly the games graphics are still being worked on and currently it’s aiming to achieve 1080p 60fps.

Before

After

CG Image Rival

On the line at E3 representatives of the game said that the graphics weren’t done and that the game still has alot more polish to go through. When asked if the game will rival the CG trailer from E3′08 they responded saying

” It will come close to it and you will not be disappointed, the game is still a ways off but we’re confident that gamers will love the final product come march 2010 so stay tuned for the coming months” (Sony Representative)

God Of War 3 is already gearing up to be a masterpiece and by the looks of it now, be prepared for another graphical and gameplay jump in time for this blockbuster release

First off, let me tell you that the game looks gorgeous. The lighting effects are amazing. Kratos never looked as stunning as he did in this DEMO. The detail in his face and his body was impressive. The way the blood splattered on his body was insane. It truly is a bloody work of art. The game is soaked with blood. There is so much blood that it will satisfy any blood thirsty bastard.

The game is like any other God of War game, but with better graphics, weapons, moves, and story. Sure it is the same old game with big upgrades, but there is nothing wrong with that. When you rip a centaur’s stomach open and see his guts fall out………….damn. Nothing tops that. Except, when you rip of Helios’s head and you literally see the skin on his neck peel off before blood spews out. I have never seen anything like that in real life, but it probably would have looked like that. Clearly the game has stepped its brutality up thanks to the next generation technology. It is obviously better than the PS2’s technology.

To start off the demo you are introduced to some familiar enemies. You beat the shit out of them and move on. You are only given two weapons, the usual blades and the new Cestus. Both have unique moves and are good for different situations, but overall the blades are still the weapon of choice. You also get the good old bow and arrow. I did not really use it much until I got to the harpy section, where you have to shoot a harpy with an arrow to call it over. You use the harpies to “jump” to higher sections. You hold L1+O to latch on and you may have thought you have to mash square to get it to fly, like me, but you just hold L1+O and Kratos will do the rest. Finally you hit the X to jump off by ripping apart the harpy.

Later you get your first glimpse at the Fire Titan. Man, was that a site. I first thought that the Titan looks horrible in terms of detail, color, etcetera, but when I seen the hi-res character model, that all changed. You are greeted with more skeleton dudes, you kick there ass and then face the centaur. Fast forward to when you meet the Chimera. This was my favorite part. When you weaken him and grab him, you cut off his tail. He starts hitting you with new attacks and you weaken him again, and grab him. This time Kratos stabs it several times. Here is where I was sort of amazed. All the cuts that you inflicted can be seen on his body. All the cuts and gashes you inflicted. That was really amazing to me. Finally, the killer final. You rip of the Chimera’s horn and stab it in its eye. You literally see the inside of the monster’s head.

Later you get to pilot the Cyclops. That was a thrilling experience. It really felt like you are forcing the Cyclops to do your bidding, since you are stabbing him in order to get him to swing his arms. You almost feel bad for the Cyclops when you rip his eyes out. Then after killing the Cyclops you kill Helios. You rip of his head and use his head as a flashlight to reveal a hidden door. You kill some more bad guys, and finally you start to fly. Yes, he grows wings out of his armpit and he starts to fly (they are Icarus’s wings). The game then sort of becomes like a flying game where you have to avoid on-coming objects. Then you finally end of the demo with Kratos latching onto the Fire Titan. You get so wrapped up in the demo that you forget it is a demo. It really sucked when I hit the end.

What I took away from it is that the game is stunning, the new weapons will be as in depth as the blades. That is something that the previous God of Wars never did. The Athena Blade’s combo list is so much better than any other weapon you get in the game, but this time around all weapons will be in-depth and used to the max. This is a game that will easily make anybodies top 10 most anticipated games of 2010. The game is expected to ship early 2010. Either way, after playing the demo, I can not wait to get my hands on the final version.

(Watch In High Quality)

Here’s something a little different for you guys. While I, as a writer on the site, like sharing news with you guys as soon as I get it and like writing about my ideas on the business/marketing side of the industry. Sometimes it may be lost that I’m a fan of games just like you guys and play them alot (probably too much).

So I was sitting around tonight thinking about E3 and all the games that were going to be shown. Thinking about this E3 makes me sick, but of course in a good way. Compared to last year the amount of quality and depth that’s coming software-wise is crazy, and gonna make my wallet a very sad place next Fall. I started tinkering around with some of my video software (which I never do) and put together the video you see above of the five games I can’t wait to see at next weeks E3.

Well hopefully you guys find some brief enjoyment out of the video and if not then at least you get an idea on what one of these mystery writers on the hiphopgamer site is looking forward to. Hopefully this goes over better than the ridiculous and over the top sketch of the hipop white boy.

Well here’s some of my thoughts on the games, just as a fan and not a writer attending the event next week:

(NOTE: Both the videos and the list only reflect my thoughts and not those of the site as a whole)

Final Fantasy XIII:
Fans of Final Fantasy, I feel for you. The series made famous by Hironubo Sakaguchi and Squaresoft has had a very bad dry spell the past 6 years under the direction of Square-Enix and Yoichi Wada. Final Fantasy is personally my favorite gaming series. It’s probably the first series of games I got addicted to and just enjoyed every second of. The music, the visuals, the story, and the great RPG gameplay were just amazing. Unfortunately, XI and XII weren’t exactly what I was expecting and disappointed. While that may not be your opinion, I think we can all agree on that XIII has taken much longer that it should have to be released. The game has been in development since 2004 and was revealed in 2006. The fact that this game will take half a decade to complete along with a multiple month wait for Western fans is ridiculous.

Even with all this aggervation, the game still holds a special place in my heart and the trailers/articles released to the public have done nothing but impress me so far. Just release it already!

Modern Warfare 2:
I’ve played first person shooters before and enjoyed them, but COD4 did something to me. It made my love for the genre reach another level. I was actually one of those guys who played games like Halo for the story, and not the multiplayer. That all changed with COD4. I started playing for hours at a time and had no idea why. The game was just mindless fun, and the levels are still some of the most memorable I’ve played. The guns, the feel, the aesthetic of an Infinity Ward game is just something special. I stopped playing for a while to play WaW and I gotta say that when I fired up COD4 again, it almost brought back that warm nostalgic feeling you get when your reminded of good times.

I expect Modern Warfare 2 to have a great single player campaign with a large amount of memroable missions, and I expect online to be one of the best expierences avaialble to gamers.

Uncharted 2:
I’m actually playing the original as I’m writing this, which either shows that I really love games or that I need to do two things at once to keep my attention span up.

Basically, the first one was great and the second one looks even better. From what we’ve soon, it looks like they have improved on every single aspect of the game. As we all know the graphics look top notch, the animations look to be the best in the industry, the gameplay looks great, and multiplayer/co-op.

Do I really need to say more about this game?

God of War III:
Now this is going to piss people off. I know it, because after dealing with N4G the past couple of months, I know the internet. I have actually not played the first two God of War’s just yet. I know, I know fans of the HHG site are in a uproar. Actually, I’m buying a PS2 (since Sony is run by aholes who got rid of backwards compatibility) so I can play those two games along with some of my other favorite Ps2 games.

Basically I dont have much to say on the series because I have yet to play it, but the trailers released so far have looked great and according to everyone I know the games are great, so how can I not help but be intrigued. I really want to see how the developers push the hardware not visually but technically.

Mass Effect 2
I’m a big RPG guy, and the original is in my opinion probably the best RPG this gen and one of the best ever. It’s a space epic where your in control. I really like how BioWare is letting you carry over your Shepard to the next game along with the story you helped decide. The gameplay was fun, but some tweaks were needed (cover system/weapon balance) and it looks like they’ve improved it. The story looks darker which is nice.
And I mean really, did you think they were actually going to kill of Shepard? Come on…

So yeah guys I hope that was a nice change of pace from me, and I hope the video was halfway decent.

With E3 under two months away it’s time to start thinking about what the gaming world should expect from the big three at E3 this year. Sony looks to have a killer show this year, maybe one of the best of all time. Between the unannounced games, and games expected to come, Sony looks to take the E3 crown between the big three this year.

Sony’s show begins and ends with God of War III. God of War is easily one of the biggest franchises in the gaming world. Kratos is up there with Master Chief and Mario when it comes to iconic status. While the game is expected to have a Spring 2010 release, the game will have it’s grand showing at E3. Expect a new trailer, some new gameplay, possibly a floor demo, and most likely an official release date.

Then there is Sony’s second biggest game at E3, Uncharted 2. The first game is a fan favorite among PS3 owners, and the second game looks to improve on the first. Between beautiful graphics, fun gameplay, and high production value expect a lot of positive reviews to come from journalists on the game. Sony will probably dedicate anywhere from 5-10 mins showing gameplay during their conference. An official release date and floor demo are expected. This game could be a good contender for game of the show.

The exclusives don’t stop there though. There is also Heavy Rain, the game being developed by Quantic Dream. Quantic Dream is known for their work on Indigo Prophecy (2005). The game was praised for it’s story telling and cinematic qualities. Heavy Rain looks to take their specialties and take it to another level.  The game is not built around a single character but a large story. Main characters can die, but the story will continue with you playing as new characters. The game wants to change the way players play games, and interact with stories. The game is expected to be released either late this year or early next year. Expect an official release date to be revealed at E3.

Ratchet and Clank are back for another great adventure. This game is for those of us who want to play a light-hearted game with great production value and loads of fun. The game was revealed at GDC, but expect a demo at E3. Insomniac always brings quality games to the table and we shouldn’t expect anything different with this new installment, A Crack in Time. Expect an official release date.

Continuing with the innovation idea that Sony is going with some of their new IP’s, we are brought to MAG. MAG is an online shooter being developed by Zipper games, the developers of the original SOCOM games, and they hope to make another new successful franchise in MAG. The game’s major feature is the ability to play online with up to 255 other players. The game is expected to take advantage of the PS3 by making online shooters bigger and better. Sony will push this as their major shooter this Fall and for good reason, it could be right up there with Modern Warfare 2 as the best shooters  of the Fall.

Along with that expect some info on Quantum Theory. The PS3’s answer to Gears of War.  A 3rd person shooter in development by Tecmo. The game was revealed at the last TGS, and so far there hasn’t been much info on the game. Expect a lot of info on this exciting new IP this E3. Possibly a 2009 release date?

We’ve had Gran Turismo HD Concept and Gan Turismo 5: Prologue, but fans of the storied racing franchise, Gran Turismo, have been patiently waiting for the next full installment in the Gran Turismo series.  We haven’t heard anything major from Polyphony Digital in a while on the game, but with Prologue being out for over a year they should be nearing the end of their development cycle. A game like Gran Turismo needs a grand revealing and expect to see it at E3.  The game will feature hundreds of cars and dozens of tracks in one of the most beautiful gaming experiences we’ve seen.

Team Ico, the developers behind Shadow of the Colossus and Ico, have been working on something big and many are hoping to see this reveal at E3. Both Ico and SoTC we’re all-time great games, and what they do in development is completely innovative and different from what most see from the gaming world nowadays. In a world filled with shooters and casual games, the guys at Ico work hard to bring a cinematic adventure expierence to games. Their game make you feel something, and most likely we will see something about this game at E3.

While it may not be revealed at E3, there is a good chance David Jaffe’s upcoming title will be revealed at E3. Jaffe recently said on his blog that the game is coming close to it’s reveal. Does that mean E3? Who knows, but the head honchos at Sony would probably like to show it off. Is it Twisted Metal or a new IP? We don’t know either, but when a guy like Jaffe makes a game you pay attention.

It has to come, right?! I mean probably more of you guys care about this rather than the games itself. With a killer library coming out this Fall, a price cut would help sell the console. It would solidify a win at E3 for Sony. They can’t get away with a bundle or an improved hard drive. They need a price drop and all signs point to one.

Obviously the above image isn’t real, but rumors have been speculating about a PSP2 reveal at E3. That mixed with a blowout on PSP Games like Assassin’s Creed and Little Big Planet coming out then this may just be the year of the PSP. Expect a lot more news on the PSP then whats been seen in past years.

To wrap it all up when you look at Sony’s exclusives, potential reveals, and PSP library expect a huge year from the Playstation makers. They have great content with a tremendous amount of quantity. Even if Microsoft pulls a lot of shockers and Nintendo reveals a Mario, unless either pulls something completely shocking, is there anyway Sony can lose E3?

Written by MattG