Ever-vengeful Kratos returns, though, arguably, for the first time. This fourth outing of glorified deicide serves as a prequel to earlier God of War games, telling of the violent antihero's battle against the Furies and exploring the roots of his debt to Ares.

Single-player gameplay remains much the same – furious attacks, extravagantly gory finishing moves against hordes of enemies, and epic battles against gargantuan bosses – but Ascension also delivers a multiplayer focus, a series first. With four modes to choose from, players battle against rival teams to earn the favour of the Greek gods. It's a different experience for hardcore fans of the saga, but one that freshens up the otherwise standard solo campaign.