You begin where the second God of War left off, with Kratos and the titans scaling Mount Olympus for a final confrontation with Zeus and the remaining Greek pantheon. Immediately, you are thrust into action as Poseidon begins a vicious attack on Gaia, and you’re forced to jump, swing and shimmy from her monolithic appendages as the sea god’s vicious crab-horse monster goes to town on the mother of creation.

As you begin your aerial acrobatics, it’s hard to keep focused, as everything around you looks amazing.

The amount of texture detail on Gaia’s body alone, from her expansive rocky hide to the lush vines that Kratos must latch onto, makes you want pause and examine every intricate nook and cranny. I heard a colleague at GameNorth remark that the whole experience evoked strong memories of Shadow of the Colossus, and I agree. It’s fluid and beautiful, with a nary a load screen in sight.