One of Best Games Ever Made Released 16 Years Ago Today (& It’s Getting a Remake)

The God of War series is one of the most popular franchises of 21st-century gaming, especially amongst Sony players. The grisly, action-packed take on Greek mythology blended a respect for legendary stories with a love of hard-hitting, bombastic action. Kratos is a great video game protagonist, a ruthless anti-hero who gradually, across multiple generations of consoles, has evolved into a good man. Along the way, players have gotten to take part in the growth — and direct their wrath in some of modern gaming’s best-designed action set pieces.

That’s especially true for God of War III, which originally served as the conclusion of the series and still stands out as one of the best examples of the action genre in gaming. With a blend of brutal speed, grisly kills, and genuinely emotional turns, God of War III was a genuine highlight for the PlayStation 3 era that remains an undisputed modern classic today. With the remake on the way, it’s worth looking back at what made God of War III such a hit at the time of release and why it remains so timeless years later.

Why God Of War III Still Endures As An GOAT Contender

God of War III was a massive hit when it launched 16 years ago, and it remains one of the most effective action games of all time. Expectations were high for the game when it came out on March 16, 2010, given the popularity of the previous two games. God of War II ended on a massive cliffhanger, with Kratos set to battle the full Greek Pantheon after Zeus’ efforts to kill him resulted in the death of Athena. The critical and commercial success of the previous two games meant that Santa Monica Studio and Sony had to meet the high expectations of fans. On top of that, God of War III was a major technical leap, debuting on the PS3 after the previous games had debuted on the PS2. God of War III had a lot of expectations — and despite the odds, it actually managed to meet them. The game earned overwhelmingly positive reviews, with a 91/100 cumulative Metacritic score highlighting the positive reception to the game.

Fans embraced the apparent conclusion of Kratos’ story, with the game eventually becoming one of the top ten-selling games for the PS3. The action gameplay of the previous games was consistent with the new title, retaining the tight controls and rewarding combos while adding new variety thanks to the ability to thread multiple weapon types together for massive combos. The PS3 upgrade came through in the sheer scale of the game’s presentation, with the battles Kratos embarks upon against the Gods taking him to the heights of Mount Olympus and the depths of Hades itself. The effect is an action game that still stands out nearly two decades later as an unforgettable experience. While graphics might have improved since the PS3, the sight of seeing Kratos scale Mount Olympus alongside the Titans or face off with a towering version of Hades remains one of the genre’s most memorable set pieces.

The God Of War Remake Needs To Stay True To The Spirit Of The Original

God of War III, alongside the two games that preceded it, is set to get a remake for the PS5. It’s an exciting development for fans of the original trilogy, especially since the modern iteration of the franchise has taken a more deliberate, counter-centric approach to combat. The modern God of War games are great, but they’re a very different beast from what the series used to be. However, that raises questions about whether the remakes will try to bridge the gap between the different takes on the series. Hopefully, the remake finds a way to use modern tech to expand on the best aspects of God of War III without taking away what made it so good in the first place. Enhanced graphics will no doubt build larger worlds and more believable characters, but the gameplay needs to remain fluid, hard-hitting, and electrifying.

The set pieces will benefit from the greater technical potential of the PS5 over the PS3, but they still need to replicate that feeling of taking on the Gods without letting everything become weightless or too explosive. The hits need to be brutal, without lingering too long and risking the natural flow that has helped make the God of War games so effective from the start. God of War III took everything that worked about the first two games and improved upon it, eventually resulting in one of the best action games of all time. It’s still that good 16 years later, with few titles able to match the genuinely compelling story, epic scope, emotional core, and pure action-packed enjoyment that comes with the experience. If the remake can recreate the spirit instead of just upgrading the visuals, then the remake could be as good as the original — and become just as much of a GOAT contender as God of War III.