God of War: The story so far

With God of War Collection Volume II on PS3 available to buy in shops and on PlayStation Store from 29th September 2011, take a look back at Kratos's vengeance fuelled journey on PlayStation.

In the beginning

Set halfway through Kratos's ten years of service to the gods, we start the mighty Spartan's journey in God of War: Chains of Olympus, available on PSP and also in God of War Collection Volume II on PlayStation 3. In this bloodstained beginning, Kratos seeks absolution from the sins of his past after being deceived into murdering his wife and child by Ares. Now, a champion to the gods, he must embark on brutal crusades that have become the stories of legend in the ancient world.

However, when the world is plunged into eternal darkness and the gods are rendered powerless after the sun god, Helios, disappears, Kratos is tasked with retrieving him in a bid to break Morpheus's stranglehold over the other gods and Earth itself. Along the way he journeys to lands no mortal has ever walked upon and, before he reaches the end of his task, he must choose between personal redemption and saving the world from obliteration.

In Chains of Olympus, Kratos will have to face all manner of foes including the Persian King, a hulking foe leading his army of warriors into battle against the city of Attica; Charon, the ferryman of the underworld and the Basilisk, a gargantuan lizard-like monster summoned by the Persians to conquer Greece.

Start at the beginning with God of War: Chains of Olympus, available on PSP and in God of War Collection Volume II on PS3.

At war with the God of War

Opening on the highest cliff top in Greece, God of War originally released on PlayStation 2 is told through a series of flashbacks. It's here in God of War that we discover the origins of Kratos' unstoppable arsenal, the Blades of Chaos; mighty weapons forged in the pits of Hades and handed to him by Ares in a bid to carry out his orders of destruction.

The story begins in Athens where Kratos battles the three-headed monster, Hydra, before embarking on a bloody mission for Athena who wants him to stop Ares and save her city from defeat. In order to do this Kratos must set out on a journey to track down Pandora's Box, which grants any mortal who possesses it, the power to defeat a god. Unfortunately, the box has been locked deep within Pandora's Temple located on the back of the Titan, Cronos, who has been cursed by Zeus to wander the Desert of Lost Souls for all eternity.

As he battle minions and faces some of the most enormous bosses ever conjured on PlayStation, Kratos uncovers mysteries surrounding his true origins and eventually comes face to face with Ares in a bloody battle to the death before being crowned the new God of War by Athena.

Download God of War from PlayStation Store now.

Blood brothers

Playable on PSP and in God of War Collection Volume II on PS3, God of War: Ghost of Sparta is the next brutal chapter in the epic saga. Set after the events of the blockbuster God of War on PlayStation 2, Kratos has taken his place amongst the Olympians as the God of War. Ares has been crushed, Olympus beckons but Kratos finds himself still haunted by the visions of his mortal past. However, as images of his brother Deimos and mother Callisto flash vividly before his eyes, Kratos feels that these are more than just visions. After all, with the gods, nothing is ever as it seems.

Setting out on a journey to the city of Atlantis in search of the Temple of Poseidon, Kratos encounters the monstrous sea creature Scylla. Having battled the beast, he eventually reaches his mother, lying on a bed, weakened and close to death. It is here at this moment in time that Kratos finally discovers his father's true identity and begins his bloody quest to find his long-lost brother, Deimos.

Uncover the true story behind Kratos's tragic past and his meteoric rise to a seat on Mount Olympus in God of War: Ghost of Sparta - available on PSP and in God of War Collection Volume II on PS3.

Defy the Gods and alter the past

In God of War Kratos was but a mortal warrior who set out on a quest to dethrone Ares. Succeeding, he was handed the mantle of God of War by Athena, but his journey didn't end there. In God of War II released on PlayStation 2, Kratos sits atop his throne on Olympus, raging battles with far more brutality than that of his predecessor. Opening on a huge scale battle in Rhodes in which he battles the Colossus of Rhodes, Kratos is stripped of his powers by Zeus because he fears he may suffer the very same fate as Ares.

Slain and cast down to an eternity of torment in Hades Kratos is rescued by Gaia, the mother of the Titans, who offers him a deal. Help the Titans destroy the gods by locating the Sisters of Fate on the Island of Creation to alter his past and crush Zeus. As Kratos embarks on this perilous journey through mythical lands he will come face to face with ancient legends including the magical horse, Pegasus, the Titan Typhon and Prometheus and Atlas, a Titan he'll meet for the second time after his brief appearance in God of War: Chains of Olympus on PSP.

At the end of his journey he will not only alter the course of history and strike fear into the hearts of gods, but also bring forth the Titans from the Great War - where they suffered an agonising defeat - through the power of the Loom of Fate, a device which allows him to travel back in time. And when this tale comes to an end at the base of Mount Olympus another shall begin...

Download God of War II from PlayStation Store today.

The beginning of the end

God of War III on PlayStation 3 sees the Spartan warrior, Kratos, embark on the final chapter of his journey to wreak vengeance on Mount Olympus - the legendary home of the Greek gods.

With a little help from Gaia, the mother of the Titans, Kratos lays siege to Zeus' temple and destroys everything in his path. Together with an impressive army of imposing Titans, his goal is simple - scale the vast mountain, battle Zeus' army of the undead and crush the gods once and for all.

Unleash your vengeance now with God of War III on PlayStation 3.

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