Long before he tore down the walls of Olympus, before he was known as "The Ghost of Sparta" and before only rage consumed every fiber of his being, Kratos was a mere mortal. After being tricked by Ares into murdering his wife and child — the only people he ever loved — Kratos has broken the blood oath that bound him to Ares and has sworn to avenge the deaths of his family. But oaths to Olympus are not so easily broken.Return to Greece and become the legendary Spartan general, Kratos, in God of War: Ascension. Embark on a gut-wrenching journey for salvation from the guilt that tortures your soul as you fight to punish those responsible for taking what's most precious to you and avenge the deaths of your wife and child. New combat and puzzle mechanics build on the epic God of War gameplay, and now for the first time in the God of War franchise, you can take the battle online and fight in brutal eight-player, objective based combat. Align yourself to Zeus, Hades, Poseidon or Ares and earn their Favor to gain unique customization options. Fight through the madness that plagues your mind as you spill the blood of the guilty to free yourself from the chains that bind you. When you've lost everything, the only escape is through Ascension.