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God of War's Kratos is set to return to the PS3 in a big way this March — March 12th to be exact — but this time he's bringing a few friends to get in on the hacking and slashing. As many gamers know, God of War: Ascension will be the first entry in the franchise to feature multiplayer.

However, Ascension's multiplayer is a little something different: it offers players the opportunity to create their own version of Kratos — a character that is imbued with the powers of one of several gods. To help better illustrate how that idea works, developer Sony Santa Monica have released a trailer that highlights those character choices as well as the entire developmental line of thinking that went into crafting the multiplayer.

Equal parts cooperative and competitive, the God of War: Ascension multiplayer offers a wide variety of experiences that, at their most basic, are extensions of that sublime single player gameplay. Unlike in the single player, though, there is a substantial amount of balancing that must play into the proceedings; but it appears Sony Santa Monica has found a way to provide each "class" with strengths and weaknesses.

Having experienced the multiplayer first hand as part of the PlayStation Plus exclusive beta I can say the multiplayer is unique, and has the potential of offering players something that will keep them coming back long after completing the single player story.

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Speaking of single player, IGN has gotten hold of a new trailer for God of War: Ascension that adequately teases the game's sure-to-be-epic story. While it's not as substantial as fans might hope, it does showcase what Kratos does best: stab creatures, people, and other mythological beings in the face. The trailer even shows a hint of a larger-than-life boss battle — a mainstay of the series.

We do know that Ascension is set prior to the events of the first three God of War games, and is focused on Kratos' quest to cleanse himself of past sins, namely the murder of his wife and child. Obviously the God of War, Ares, will come into play at some point, but the series thus far has been more about the journey than the destination and we can't wait to see what types of baddies are put in Kratos' path.

Are you excited to get your hands on the God of War: Ascension multiplayer? What do you hope the story delivers?

God of War: Ascension releases March 12, 2013 for the PS3.

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Source: IGN

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