In August I learned Ballistic Publishing would soon release a herculean sized art book for God of War 3. I expected good things based on the Adobe flipbook preview of the book provided by the publisher–we featured it on the site and it’s available again at the bottom of this page. I believe they were confident in their product to grant such a complete look (albeit a smaller one) of the book’s visuals.

The Art of God of War III is available in three flavors: Paper Back $65 , Special Edition $120 and Limited Folio Edition $300, this review is of the paper back edition.

God of War III contains a stunning amount of visual eye candy, great level designs, wonderfully varied creatures and unique weaponry. It’s fitting such an epic game receives  a 271 page art book in its honor. I can say without reservation the Art of God of War III  lives up to my expectations and exceeds them. I believed this art book would sell me with the fantastic concept art, production art and 3D model images alone, but I was pleasantly surprised to find really interesting information in the paragraphs and text that accompany many of the images.

Throughout the book the artists expound upon the how and why behind the visuals, normally in bite size paragraphs accompanying the pictures. We’re given insight into what the developers initially asked for, then what the concept artists produced based on those directives and finally we see what ultimately took shape in the actual game. The evolution of the character models through images and commentary is a treat, a creature might start off “too alien looking,” then it could change to “not intimidating enough,” and it usually ends up as the best embodiment the initial vision–or in some instances an unexpected yet pleasing deviation. Many concept art images and models that never made it into the game are revealed in this book and a red God of War symbol appearing next to the item’s name signifies the never before seen material. Some of these scrapped concepts never saw the light of day or were altered due to time or hardware constraints. There is some nudity in the book, mainly the full frontal feminine curves of Poseidon’s Princess and the goddess Aphrodite.

Besides showcasing the amazing characters like the Gods, Titans, monsters and even the weapons they wield in God of War III, the art book also examines the architecture and environments found in the game’s diverse levels. The artists give insight as to why certain locations in the game look the way they do and they explain how different visuals are used to evoke atmosphere and mood. I was pleasantly surprised by these paragraphs of design information accompanying the fantastic visuals in this book. Though brief, the cumulative effect of these design explanations grant a deeper understanding of the creative process, and give the reader a glance at the sheer amount of work involved in crafting the structural appearance and all the subtle little details found in the God of War III environments. When I first played the game I was intent on finishing it. Now, I can revisit the game with more appreciation of the imagination and thoughtful reasoning behind the characters and locales in the game.

With the quality and quantity of its eye candy, Ballistic Publishing’s The Art of God of War III is a sensational gift to God of War fans. It is one of the best video art books I’ve had the pleasure to own (alongside other wonderful works such as the Cinematic Art of World of Warcraft). When I flipped through the small online preview (available below) I was sure this would be a great looking book. But I was surprised to find just as much enjoyment from the artist’s words explaining the why and how behind the designs. Simply put, this art book is a great collector piece and it will give you a greater appreciation of the game.

About the reviewer: John Keeler is a gaming enthusiast who began playing video games on the Atari 2600 back in 1982. He has written Massively Multiplayer Online gaming reviews in the past for IGN’s RPGVault.

Special thanks to Ballistic Publishing for providing us with a review copy.