Jaffe admits 'meh' GOW3 debut, promises game looks much better
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Dec 15th 2008 at 9:00PM }
Some of you were underwhelmed by God of War III's VGA debut ... including franchise creator David Jaffe. The outspoken developer did a little rant on his blog, indicating a small amount of disappointment in the presentation. "The footage aired on Spike looked meh. It was dark and grainy and I was watching on a SD television." However, he does promise things will look up. "The stuff I saw that I raved about was probably finished 1-2 days before I got to the studios. The Spike stuff I saw had aleady been turned into Spike so it was 100% older. Not that I thought it was bad- again- just I can see how the new stuff I saw looked further along, for sure. And to give you an idea, the stuff I saw that I raved about looked about 25-30% better than what you see in this thread."
Looks like the game may have been shown off a bit too early. Rest assured, though. Jaffe reassures us that the upcoming PS3 God of War game will be "the best looking console game" besting his current fave, Gears of War 2. We'll hold you on that sentiment, Mr. Jaffe.
The new game director of the God of War franchise has a lot of work on his hands, especially considering this will be the "last installment" of the franchise. "We have large shoes to fill following the success of the previously released God of War titles," said
[Via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ultramega @ Dec 15th 2008 9:06PM
I hope so.
tristan88 @ Dec 15th 2008 9:11PM
i was on a thread on gametrailers where a guy raised a good point. maybe sony released this lackluster footage for a reason.
a) if gow3 is going to be the best looking console game, why show it off before their other amazing looking exclusive is even released (killzone 2). seeing as much of the hype for this game is based off its graphics, showing something that looks better may turn people away from killzone.
b) instead of over hyping a games graphics with cg (ex killzone 2) why not underhype them so that people will be even more blown away when they see the real thing. that way when comparing the new to old footage, the difference will be less "it looks almost as good" and more it looks amazingly better than the vga trailer"
playcrackthesky @ Dec 15th 2008 9:31PM
Nah, one of the biggest marketing ploys is hype. There are many cracker under hyped games such as Valkyria Chronicles that don't get the sales they deserve, then you get absolute piss poor game like Too Human or anything from the Wii and despite their short comings, they sell quiet well.
If Sony was more concerned with quality then money, then maybe there is a slight chance that what you are saying is true, but at the moment the PS3 is struggling something shocking, if anything, it needs all the hype it can get.
vask @ Dec 15th 2008 10:52PM
i agree i feel there is a reason behind it.
1.) fan service- people wanted to see game play and they were nice enough to show it.
2.) they didnt want this game to take away the killzone 2 release hype.
3.) Spike had some connections with someone and did some serious convincing to get the game to show on their station....
Haohmaru @ Dec 16th 2008 10:00AM
@playcrackthesky
"Anything" on the Wii? Really? LOL, console elitists are such dipshits.
At any rate, God of War and its sequel were both lauded for being great, engaging action games, not for having the best graphics of the last generation. As long as it'll retain the solid gameplay of its predecessors, that trailer looked good enough to me. If Jaffe says it will look more impressive, well, that's even better. Personally, I can't wait.
Hoffer @ Dec 15th 2008 9:12PM
I was really disappointed by the trailer. It was great seeing Kratos in HD, but that's about it. I thought I heard there would be gameplay. It looked more like a CGI trailer to me.
Can't wait for this game. Probably my most anticipated game for the PS3.
Araskaz @ Dec 15th 2008 9:16PM
It was gameplay :P
Hyams @ Dec 15th 2008 10:35PM
It was gameplay, and it was all in 1080p as well.
ryan @ Dec 16th 2008 8:27AM
It was in game graphics, but I doubt it was actual gameplay. There's a difference.
These are most likely in game cinematics.
Arnon @ Dec 16th 2008 7:53PM
Well, knowing GoW.. it was probably certain quick-time events.
Pillows @ Dec 15th 2008 10:28PM
I think this is called "underhyping." We're all expecting it to turn out to be crap, but it'll knock our socks off when it actually comes out!
MexicanTerrorist @ Dec 15th 2008 9:18PM
It was gameplay rather than CGI.
That makes it instant +1.
Popfrogs @ Dec 15th 2008 9:25PM
I think next year we'll see the PS3 with all the "best looking graphics on a console" titles. It has already been said about KZ2 and now people are saying it about GOW3. Uncharted2 is also no slouch.
Looks like the Xbox is running out of steam. I see nothing in their bucket for next year that compares to any of these titles, graphically. All they have is the bump-map orgy that is the Unreal engine, which is already showing its age.
ice~ @ Dec 15th 2008 10:28PM
Yea 09 looks like a bright year for the PS3....but the 360 doesnt seem like its gonna get that much....I mean im fine with Fallout 3 or Gears for a while but next year wut do we get on 360? halo wars? meh....but PS3 is getting some kick ass games, I'm glad i just bought one
thomas @ Dec 16th 2008 5:02AM
Ice, Alan Wake will probably be released next year.
Popfrogs @ Dec 16th 2008 1:12PM
@Thomas: You sure about that? A few months ago I checked the official site and nothing had been added to it since Jan '07. The release date is still "TBD" as it has been for years.
Honestly Alan Wake seems like this generation's Duke Nukem Forever.
KRIS_C_123 @ Dec 15th 2008 9:30PM
i thought it looked amazing already
JAH75157 @ Dec 15th 2008 10:28PM
i'm glad he said this about the graphics that trailer had me a bit disappointing. grainy as fuck
frankym @ Dec 15th 2008 9:32PM
Yes, but release better be in 2009
SoulBlade @ Dec 15th 2008 9:40PM
It makes me sad that it's supposedly the last one. I could play GoW10 if it were as good as the first 2.
Familyguyrokz @ Dec 15th 2008 10:08PM
Yes, let's judge a game based on 16 actual seconds of "gameplay footage" that gives no indication how the game will control, progress or play. Let's just base our whole opinion of a game many months from seeing store shelves based on the graphics present in a teaser trailer.
Imbeciles.
Inect @ Dec 15th 2008 10:27PM
We know how it's going to play it's God of War.
Popfrogs @ Dec 16th 2008 12:00AM
GOW1 and 2 were awesome, and Chains of Olympus on the PSP was also great. What makes you think they could screw this one up?
slycooper_rocker (lorddshadow the amazing) [anti-panda death squadron force five] @ Dec 16th 2008 12:07AM
Look at: Crash and Spyro series.
but i know that's not the case here. if sony fudges this one, ps3 goes down with it. i have a lot of xbot friends and they always say all they want a ps3 for is killzone 2 and gow III. and i say yeah. and that was before anything was shown for gow III so they probably creamed themselves and made a ps3 fund when they saw the trailer.
Tropic Mango @ Dec 16th 2008 12:25AM
@slycooper_rocker (lorddshadow the amazing) [anti-panda death squadron force five]
If they are your friends and are concidering a PS3 buy because of both these games why would you call them xbots?
An xbot is a flamer who supports a system or company and would never buy the competition. Same with ant bot for any company out there. Just saying....
Back to topic, I like what I see and can't wait to play the final product.
Jakey @ Dec 16th 2008 3:25AM
Thank you! why is there such a high bar set when it comes to ps3 games?? The trailer looked great and theres people disapointed? it doesnt even come out yet, when do games look good 5 or 6+ months before launch?? Honestly.
ryan @ Dec 16th 2008 8:37AM
@Jakey:
There's a higher bar when it comes to PS3 games because, well, after years of saying how powerful your system is compared to the competition, you tend to set the bar yourself.
I'm one of those "xbots" that is waiting for Killzone 2 and GoW3 to impress me. Uncharted 2 and the new Ico game are a close 3rd and 4th. For the time being most of my gaming needs are met with the 360. I can't justify buying another console for the 3 or 4 exclusives out now.
Next year tho, for me anyway, will be the year of PS3, as MS doesn't look like they have anything worthwhile coming out in 09.
MzR @ Dec 16th 2008 5:01PM
i think sony follows this
"IF IT AINT BROKEN DONT FIX"
soo rest assured gow3 will play as gud as the previous gow titles hell mayb evn bttr cuz the production house is sony's =D
i was too disapointed after seeing the trailer bt mr JAffe just brought a big smile to my face =D!
tmontana213 @ Dec 15th 2008 10:10PM
Still looks good but yeah I didn't really see what Jaffe was talking about. God of War has never disappointed, and it's going to stay that way.
=Curve= @ Dec 15th 2008 10:44PM
In Jaffe we trust.
*nods*
shamon @ Dec 15th 2008 11:12PM
cant wait will buy
Game_playa @ Dec 16th 2008 12:07AM
F*** you*, He ain't no fanboy!
*=Haters
slycooper_rocker (lorddshadow the amazing) [anti-panda death squadron force five] @ Dec 16th 2008 2:54AM
also, what's with the gloves? blades are more badass.
BILLS @ Dec 16th 2008 4:32AM
theyre gauntlets :D
ryan @ Dec 16th 2008 8:40AM
He uses them to break through special barriers, at least that's what I've gathered at least.
I much prefer the Barbarian's Hammer from 2, or Ifrit's gauntlets from DMC for a slow close range melee weapon.
Wrathbringer @ Dec 16th 2008 11:44AM
If those gauntlets are anything like the Gauntlet of Zeus from Chains of Olympus, I'll be all over them. That weapon was pure awesome, so much so that it ALMOST made the Blades of Chaos my secondary weapon.
The new gauntlets look cool, but we'll have to wait until more info comes out on them before we judge them.
slycooper_rocker (lorddshadow the amazing) [anti-panda death squadron force five] @ Dec 16th 2008 6:29PM
ahh the gauntlet of zeus. it made kratos look less badass but they were great fun to use. still these look a bit...silly.
The_Icon @ Dec 16th 2008 1:23AM
Besting Gears 2? Thats bold aint it?
xbox360fanboy @ Dec 16th 2008 10:01AM
im not hear for trash talking so please no bad replies, okay first off im a die hard xbox360fanboy but seriosly this game is gonna be fucken awesome i played the first god of war on my friends ps2 and i was amazed by it i only played the second one twice becouse i loved the first one so much, so later he bought a ps3 i dont own a ps3 "obviosly" but im gonna buy the game just to play it on my friends ps3:) cuz he only bought it for the blu-ray :\ i slso love "LITTLE BIG PLANET FTW"!!!!....dont let my fellow 360 owners i said this lol
Popfrogs @ Dec 16th 2008 6:23PM
Actually I bet alot of 360 owners feel like you do about this and a handful of other exclusives.
JoeTheBlow @ Dec 16th 2008 5:49AM
Geez, that rant makes him look as bad as that Dennis Dyack loon. Some devs just shouldn't be allowed to speak.
Oh well, at least the PS3 has its own "character".
ryan @ Dec 16th 2008 8:43AM
He's not a dev for this God of War, he's just responding to everyone who's been calling out his comments lately. If everyone called you a liar, wouldn't you want a chance to save some face?
KillerJoker @ Dec 16th 2008 11:58AM
I actually think that Jaffe should stfu. Haha sorry but he isnt really part of the development team. I think its going to be an awesome game, people need to stop talking trash about this game looks like shit or other things like that because you got to remember its freaking GOW >.< Just having the title makes it a win, well not actually but all the other ones have been really good so there is an expectation this one will be also =)
SolidAREK @ Dec 16th 2008 3:26PM
We must wait and have hope that final game will be graphical killer.
ps. Hope is the last thing that we have my dear SONY fanboys
Bobby @ Dec 16th 2008 7:52PM
Wow this guy must be on drugs. The graphics were defenitly not better than gears. It looked like Beowulf running at standard defenition.
PN04 @ Dec 17th 2008 2:18AM
Jaffe's comments were in referance to the game not looking that great on HIS TV, which was SD, the video later was more impressive to him and he actually liked them, but stated that these were not what made him go crazy. Simply put the video they sent Spike was old and they felt they were good enough for a trailer since there was nothing graphically wrong with it.
Look at the last Killzone 2 trailer depicting the lightening weapon stage, The first time we saw that video a year ago we thought "wow sony met and possibly exceeded the old E3 target render video" they've since improved on that video making it even better, which means they've not only met the target render at this point but also beyond a shadow of a doubt surpassed it. Now why would you think this is as far as the graphics will go, What makes you think that they showed this video for any other reason than to show you that GOW3 is actually coming along well.
Why the hell is ANYONE complaining at this point or even trying to make it look like Jaffe disliked the video. Look around, dont stick to just one site, He said clearly that it looked less then spectacular because of the source he saw sucked, after that he said that a better source confirmed for him that the graphics were still pretty damn good and then stated that it looks 30% better than that.