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It's been over five years since gamers last helped the Ghost of Sparta wage war on the gods of Mount Olympus, yet the anti-hero has cropped up in a few games during his down time. First, Kratos made an appearance as a playable character in the lackluster Smash Bros. clone PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale back in 2012, and just last month, he showed up as a boss in the fun and beautifully animated indie game, Shovel Knight. Now, fans of the brutal beat-em-up are getting a chance to revisit Ancient Greece and raze it to rubble with the remastered version of God of War 3 Remastered for the PlayStation 4.

After God of War 3 Remastered was verified in April of this year, rumors were abound about an imminent sequel also being announced for the sex and violence laden series. Although there hasn't been a solid confirmation yet, Sony has intimated that a brand new title for the franchise is in development, although it might take a while. But for now, fans are being given the go-ahead to pre-order their copy of God of War 3 so that they can receive the fresh God of War – Fall of Olympus Dynamic Theme at the game's worldwide launch.

Players living in North America who go to retailers or use the PlayStation Store to pre-order the game will get the extra content earlier than the rest of the globe, as it'll be supplied to them next week on May 26th. In addition to the theme, those that reserve copies also get free 90-day rentals for God of War and God of War 2 through PlayStation Now.

Plus, even though details about God of War 3 Remastered have been scant as of late, it's been announced that the game includes a Photo Mode, so that gamers can freeze the on-screen carnage whenever they like. Then players can tinker with camera and lighting effects, snap a shot of the savage Olympian wreaking havoc, and share it with other fans.

So far, the visuals of God of War 3 Remastered look smooth and sublime. For instance, the video of the boss battle between Kratos and Hades posted at the top of the page is full 1080p and running at 60fps, and Sony claims the official release will reflect those specs. And unfortunately, for players that have and will only experience gaming through the PlayStation 4, this may be the only title in the series that they get to take part in, as Sony isn't planning on any more God of War remasters.

With a lot of superb games like The Last of Us and God of War 3 getting the remaster treatment, which other classic titles would you like to see get polished and buffed up? Or do you think that remastering video games is a lazy way to make a quick buck off existing properties?

God of War 3 Remastered can be pre-ordered now at game retailers and through the PlayStation Store, and is set for sale digitally and in-stores on July 14, 2015 for PlayStation 4.

Source: PlayStation Blog