Q&A: Sony talks 'God of War Collection'
While PlayStation 3 owners count down until March for the arrival of God of War III, some players will check out Kratos in full high-definition splendor this month with the release of the God of War Collection.
The package features digitally remastered versions of the PlayStation 2 titles God of War and God of War II. John Hight, the director of product development at Sony's Santa Monica Studio, talks with Game Hunters about the compilation in a brief e-mail exchange.
What are the big changes players can expect from the God of War Collection?
Hight: The most noticeable change are the visuals. We all have a cherished game that, a year or two later, we load up and our memory of the visuals is more forgiving than reality. Now with God of War Collection, fans can truly appreciate how detailed the characters and environments really are. It's a thrill to play these classic games all over again, only this time the visuals exceed your fondest memory.
We also added support for PlayStation Network trophies. The extra satisfaction you get from beating a tough boss, solving a tricky puzzle, or discovering a secret is enhanced by a trophy. It's fun to compare trophies and progress with your friends.
Talk about the process involved with bringing Kratos into HD.
Hight: At E3, we got a lot of positive buzz for God of War III. We read the blog posts, forums, and editorials and it was clear that fans really wanted to see God of War 1 & 2 on PlayStation 3.
Our team was tied up on God of War III and we didn't have much time to have this out for the holiday season. We turned to Bluepoint. I'd worked with them before and I knew they could do great work under tight deadlines. They developed the very first PlayStation Network game, BlastFactor, in time for launch of the PS3. We couldn't have asked for a better partner. Bluepoint are amazingly talented and professional programmers. They love God of War and they took great care every step of the way to deliver a solid game.
We were also fortunate that most of the original team from both God of War and God of War II are still working with us on God of War III. Our employees are passionate protectors of the franchise. They were invaluable in providing information and even play testing the game to insure that we didn't miss anything. Bluepoint used our PlayStation 2 game code and data and their own rendering pipeline. The gameplay is identical in every respect to the original game. The resolution was increased and some textures were up-rezzed to improve overall appearance and legibility.
The extra horsepower of the PS3 allowed us to keep both games at a consistent 60 frames-per-second. Most people may not notice, but it smoothes things out and improves the responsiveness. I am still amazed at how flawlessly this project went. It lasted 15 weeks and we went into manufacturing 2 days ahead of schedule with no issues.
Any moments stand out from first two games in particular when reviewing the remastered versions?
Hight: There are so many great moments and its awesome to be able to play these games back-to-back. Starting with God of War, the battle with the Hydra is intense. When you first see Ares towering over Athens - the scale of God of War, and the epic nature of your quest sinks in. The Colossus of Rhodes battle at the beginning of God of War II sets the stage for nonstop action throughout. My favorite moment is grappling across the series of falling bridges in the Lowlands - my heart was pounding by the time I got through it.
Take note, translated from Japanese.)
