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00:08Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we're finishing what Kratos started by completely and utterly obliterating what's left of the
00:15Greek Pantheon in God of War 3 to uncover all of its hidden secrets, details, and behind-the-scenes stories
00:22in the climactic end of Kratos' fall from Mount Olympus.
00:34Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest
00:40videos.
00:43Jaffe's Wild Vision
00:44Brothers, put aside the petty grievances that have splintered us for so long. We will unite.
00:53Original director David Jaffe had some truly ambitious and downright crazy plans for God of War 3 that would have
01:00sent the series in a completely different direction.
01:03In his early vision, Zeus was supposed to die much earlier in the story, opening the floodgates for gods from
01:09other mythologies such as Norse and Egyptian to invade a crumbling Greece.
01:13This would have led to a full-scale mythological war with Kratos potentially swinging Thor's hammer around like it was
01:20just another weapon in his arsenal.
01:23The whole thing was even supposed to end in a bizarre Three Wisemen-style finale.
01:27Ultimately, Jaffe stepped away from the project before these ideas could be fully realized,
01:31and Santa Monica Studio ultimately chose to keep the game focused on continuing the brutal end to the Greek saga
01:37instead.
01:38However, it's still fascinating to imagine what would have happened if Kratos had faced down the many other mythological pantheons.
01:45That was meant for me! They will not know what to do with it!
01:52Real-time mayhem
01:53He created a world of peace, a world of prosperity, a world that lives in the shadow and safety of
02:02my mountain.
02:03One of the most impressive technical feats in God of War 3 is that every single cutscene, no matter how
02:09massive or epic in scale, is done entirely in the game's real-time engine.
02:14From colossal titan battles to intimate character moments, the entire experience uses full camera effects including motion blur, dynamic lighting,
02:22and particle work without a single pre-rendered CGI cutscene.
02:26This was quite a huge accomplishment on the PS3, especially considering how ambitious the game's set pieces truly were.
02:33Santa Monica Studio pushed the aging hardware to its absolute limits to keep players fully immersed without any jarring switches
02:40between gameplay and cinematic.
02:42The result is a seamless, brutal, and visually stunning ride from start to finish that still holds up today.
02:48It's no wonder God of War 3 is still praised and remains one of the best-looking games of its
02:53generation, all thanks to this bold, real-time approach.
02:58Remember your purpose, Kratos. The twilight is upon us. His death is our only hope.
03:05Feeling Krabby
03:14The developers behind God of War 3 made a very deliberate design choice when creating Poseidon's massive water form.
03:21They specifically wanted to avoid giving him tentacles because they didn't want players making direct comparisons to the Hydra boss
03:27from the first game.
03:28Instead, they went with large, imposing crab-like legs that helped the God of the Seas feel unique and terrifying
03:34in his own way.
03:36This shift also allowed for more dynamic and brutal gameplay during the fight as Kratos climbs and tears through the
03:42colossal beast.
03:43Although minor, it's a smart decision that shows how much the team wanted each God encounter to feel fresh and
03:49memorable rather than repetitive.
03:51In the end, Poseidon still ended up being one of the most visually striking and chaotic and memorable boss fights
03:57in the entire original trilogy.
03:59And one hell of a way to start the game.
04:01No matter how many gods fall, there will always be another to stand against you.
04:08They will fall as well.
04:11Vocal Gravitas
04:12I will have my revenge!
04:15Excellent, child! I will tolerate your insolence no more!
04:20Early in development, the devs of God of War 3 reportedly had their eyes on the legendary actor Christopher Lee
04:27for the voice of Zeus.
04:28With his incredibly deep, commanding, and authoritative voice that made him perfect for playing powerful figures like Saruman in Lord
04:35of the Rings and Count Dooku in Star Wars, Lee seemed like an ideal choice to bring the King of
04:40Olympus to life.
04:41It would have been an absolute treat hearing that iconic, gravelly tone delivering Zeus' lines during those intense confrontations with
04:48Kratos.
04:48Unfortunately, the idea never made it past the early stages, and the role ultimately went to Corey Burton, who still
04:55delivered a strong performance, but still, Christopher Lee would have been a fanboy's dream come true for the ruler of
05:01Olympus.
05:05Such chaos!
05:07I will have much to do after I kill you!
05:11Brutal mocap
05:12I'm not finished, Zeus!
05:16The gates of Hades have never held me!
05:20Death cannot hold those with purpose, Kratos.
05:25God of War 3 featured extensive motion capture work with real actors to bring its brutal combat and animations to
05:31life, and this included series veteran Terence C. Carson performing as Kratos himself.
05:36The team captured everything from powerful strikes to raw emotional outbursts, giving the game's over-the-top violence a grounded
05:43sense of weight and intensity that still feels visceral today.
05:47Beta footage that has since surfaced online really highlights just how physical these performances were, with actors throwing themselves into
05:54the roles to make Kratos' rage feel authentic.
05:56This dedication to motion capture helped elevate the gameplay and cut scenes beyond simple button mashing into something far more
06:03cinematic and immersive.
06:05It's one of the key reasons the fights in God of War 3 feel so satisfying and chaotic, especially during
06:11those massive God-slaying moments where every punch and grapple carries real impact.
06:16Today you may defeat me, but in the end, Kratos, in the end, you'll betray only yourself!
06:24Titan-Sized Budget
06:26The destruction of Zeus is why you saved me from death!
06:31I saved you all to serve the Titans!
06:34Do not deny me my revenge!
06:36God of War 3 had a final budget of $40 million and peaked with a staff of 132 people, which
06:44might be small today, but was considered pretty high for the PS3 era.
06:48Despite the large numbers, production leads later stated the project stayed right within budget given the massive scope they were
06:55trying to achieve.
06:56This included fully real-time Titans that tower over the screen and the complete destruction of Olympus, all rendered in
07:03the game engine with no pre-rendered CGI to help cut costs.
07:06This level of visual ambition and seamless cinematic gameplay required serious investment, and the team delivered one of the most
07:13impressive-looking games on the system as a result.
07:16The team's effectiveness went into making Kratos' final rampage to the Greek gods feel as epic and destructive as fans
07:23hoped it would be.
07:24You live, Spartan! The blood of Kronos serves you well!
07:29Quickly! You must help me!
07:32Help! You!
07:33Passing the torch.
07:35You were always Zeus' favorite.
07:38The air on Olympus affects your thinking.
07:42Zeus has no evidence.
07:45Original director Cory Barlog, who would later return to helm the acclaimed 2018 God of War, actually left the project
07:52during early production on God of War 3.
07:54His departure created a significant shift for the team, but Stig Asmussen stepped up from his role as art director
08:00to take over as game director.
08:02Asmussen ended up shaping the final version of the game through this turbulent transition period, guiding the massive project towards
08:09its brutal and spectacular conclusion.
08:11The change in leadership brought a fresh perspective that helped deliver the over-the-top scale and cinematic destruction fans
08:17remember today.
08:18It's impressive how smoothly the studio handled the handover, especially with such an ambitious title on the line.
08:25Barlog's early influence was still felt in many ways, but Asmussen deserves a lot of credit for steering God of
08:31War 3 into becoming the explosive finale that it was.
08:36Here is your Retrofusor!
08:39Gah!
08:42Engine Upgrade
08:43You challenge me, Warthor?
08:47The God of Olympus?
08:50The team behind God of War 3 spent three full years iterating on the same PS2-era engine they had
08:57been building upon since the original games.
08:59Rather than starting fresh with brand new technology, they continuously pushed and expanded the aging foundation with new features, optimizations,
09:07and visual upgrades right up until the last minute of development.
09:11This relentless polishing allowed them to squeeze every last drop of performance out of the hardware to deliver those jaw
09:17-dropping Titan battles and the total destruction of Olympus in real time.
09:21It was a risky approach that required serious dedication from the programmers, but the results speak volumes about how committed
09:28Santa Monica Studio was to their vision.
09:30Even with the PS3's power keeping the entire game running smoothly, while adding new mechanics and effects until crunch time
09:37was no small achievement, and in turn made God of War 3 one of the most visually impressive titles on
09:42the system.
09:43Your future is cloaked in shadow.
09:46The realm of the afterlife is not yet ready for you.
09:50Beyond that door waits your destiny.
09:54At this time of year, a freezing throwable weapon called the Borealis appeared in several demos and early previews of
10:01God of War 3, but was ultimately cut from the final game.
10:05This icy weapon would have let Kratos hurl freezing projectiles at enemies, slowing them down and creating new combat opportunities
10:12during his rampage across Olympus.
10:14Players who watched early footage got excited about the extra layer of crowd control and elemental variety it promised to
10:20bring to the already chaotic battles, but the team decided to remove the Borealis during the later stages of development,
10:26likely to keep the weapon roster focused and balanced.
10:29It's a shame we never got to use it in the released version, especially with how much fun the other
10:34magic weapons like Typhoon's Bane and Cronus's Rage turned out to be.
10:38The Borealis remains one of those intriguing what-if weapons that could have let Kratos give his enemies the cold
10:43shoulder.
10:446-axis axed.
10:46Perhaps these will earn back your trust.
10:53Motion controls using the PS3's 6-axis controller were originally planned for God of War 3, but thankfully got cut
11:00during development.
11:00The team tried for a while to make tilting and waving the controller work naturally with combat and puzzles, but
11:07they soon discovered it was a nightmare trying to blend that awkward gimmick with Kratos' brutal fast-paced style.
11:13Honestly, the 6-axis was never great at the best of times, and forcing players to shake and tilt their
11:18controller mid-God-slaying would have been pure frustration.
11:22Santa Monica made the smart call to drop it completely, rather than ruin the satisfying carnage with janky motion controls
11:28that would have felt completely out of place.
11:30The end result was a much tighter and more enjoyable experience that let us focus on ripping apart Olympus without
11:36any unnecessary controller flailing getting in the way.
11:39Kratos! It's getting close!
11:42I told you, I cannot help you.
11:45But you're the only one who can. I know it!
11:48Zippertech.
11:49The team behind God of War 3 developed a custom Zippertech system specifically to create incredibly visceral and disgusting wounds
11:57during Kratos' brutal takedowns.
11:59This allowed for moments like slicing open a centaur's belly to spill out its guts in gruesome detail, making every
12:05finisher feel satisfyingly nasty.
12:08Art director-turned-director Stig Asmussen even referenced the system in interviews, revealing it was directly inspired by that iconic
12:15tauntaun scene in The Empire Strikes Back where Han Solo slices open the snow creature for warmth.
12:20The developers clearly enjoyed pushing the boundaries of Kratos' brutality on the PS3, and the Zippertech helped make God of
12:27War 3 one of the bloodiest and most satisfying games in the series.
12:30It was a perfect touch for a game all about Kratos ending an entire pantheon in the most savage ways
12:36possible.
12:37Jackpot!
12:38One of the more useful hidden exploits in God of War 3 comes right after you solve the music puzzle
12:43with Pandora's Box and ride the elevator down while fighting off those annoying Medusas.
12:48Once the elevator reaches the bottom, pull the lever again to send it back up, but instead of riding it,
12:54jump off early.
12:55If you time it right, you'll land on a hidden lower platform packed with multiple red orb chests that respawn
13:02every time you leave and come back.
13:04This little trick lets you farm a serious amount of red orbs for upgrades and magic replenishment, which can be
13:10a lifesaver during the tougher sections ahead.
13:13It's an easily overlooked secret that rewards curious players who aren't afraid to mess around with the environment.
13:19Leave it to Santa Monica to hide free loot in such a random spot after an already tricky puzzle.
13:25Combo Counter
13:35In early versions and builds of God of War 3, pulling off absolutely massive combos nearing 999,999 hits in
13:45certain areas could trigger special on-screen hints or hidden links.
13:49Although seemingly obscure, this was actually a callback to the franchise's tradition of burying secret websites and messages for dedicated
13:56players to discover.
13:58While it wasn't as prominent or fleshed out as the wild hidden phone numbers and messages in God of War
14:031 and 2,
14:04it still showed Santa Monica's love for rewarding players who went full murder machine on the Greek gods.
14:09Sadly, most of these combo-triggered secrets were removed or toned down before the final release.
14:14Still, it's cool to know that if you were comboing enemies into oblivion hard enough, the game just might have
14:20thrown you a little wink and a link for your efforts.
14:23Peak God of War troll behavior.
14:32Seamless Destruction
14:33Something has me!
14:36I cannot move, Kratos!
14:40Free me!
14:42God of War 3 features incredibly smooth, seamless loading with no traditional load screens whatsoever and no need to install
14:49anything to the hard drive.
14:51Santa Monica Studio pushed the PS3 hardware hard to make this happen, keeping the action completely uninterrupted as you storm
14:58your way up Olympus and fight across the enormous titans.
15:01The entire experience flows without any breaks, letting Kratos tear through gods and environments in one continuous rampage.
15:09This technical decision added real weight to the game's massive scale and helped the destruction feel immediate and relentless.
15:16On a console not exactly known for its power,
15:19pulling off load-free gameplay across such ambitious set pieces was a genuine achievement.
15:25It made climbing Olympus and battling at Titan height feel far more intense and cinematic than if the game kept
15:31stopping to load every few minutes.
15:33What is the meaning of this?
15:35Your eyes do not deceive you, Kratos.
15:38It is the same box you opened years ago.
15:41An elephant never forgets.
15:44God of War 3 originally planned to include a massive multi-armed elephant headed giant clearly inspired by the Hindu
15:50god Ganesh.
15:52This colossal creature was designed as a formidable enemy during Kratos' rampage, but the team ultimately scrapped it from the
15:58final game.
15:59However, instead of throwing it away completely, the developers redesigned and reused elements of the concept in later titles, most
16:07notably appearing in God of War Ascension.
16:09It's amusing to think about Kratos going toe-to-toe with a giant Hindu-inspired beast in the middle of
16:15Greek mythology madness.
16:17The idea had real visual potential with all those swinging arms and that distinctive elephant head, but it probably clashed
16:23too much with the pure Greek focus they wanted.
16:26Still, fans got a version of it eventually, as Santa Monica isn't one to let a cool monster design go
16:32to waste, even if it takes a few years to show up.
16:36Powerful Possessions
16:37These are the Blades of Exile.
16:42They will help guide you on your journey to the flame.
16:45God of War 3 hides around 10 extremely powerful secret items that give massive gameplay advantages if you know where
16:52to look.
16:53Standouts include Zeus' Eagle, which grants Infinite Rage of the Titans, and Hermes' Coin, which multiplies all red orbs gained
17:01by 10 times.
17:02These items turn Kratos into an absolute monster on subsequent playthroughs, letting you steamroll through Olympus with far less effort.
17:10The catch? Activating any of them permanently disables trophies for that save file, so they're strictly for fun runs rather
17:18than achievement hunters.
17:19Santa Monica clearly designed these as rewards for dedicated players who want to go full god mode on replays without
17:25feeling too guilty about it.
17:27Finding them all requires some serious exploration and backtracking as well, but the payoff makes New Game Plus runs ridiculously
17:34satisfying for those willing to trade trophies for pure destructive power.
17:45Multi-purpose
17:58Beyond the obvious combat and puzzle uses, Helios' head serves as one of the most valuable tools in God of
18:05War 3 for finding hidden goodies.
18:07By shining the glowing severed head on specific walls and golden specks scattered throughout the environment, players can reveal secret
18:14chests, hidden doors, and valuable items like minotaur horns for weapon upgrades.
18:19It turns exploration into a constant treasure hunt if you remember to scan every suspicious surface.
18:25This mechanic rewards attentive players who take their time instead of rushing through the carnage.
18:31Santa Monica really went the extra mile here, giving the flaming head a practical purpose that feels clever rather than
18:37forced.
18:38Nothing quite beats the satisfaction of blinding a room with divine light and suddenly watching a chest or upgrade material
18:44material materialize out of thin air.
18:46It's easily one of the most useful abilities in the entire game for completionists.
18:51Feel the power of the sun!
18:56Platinum Tease
18:57Sat atop his throne, and though Olympus beckoned, visions of his mortal existence still haunted him.
19:05Unlocking the Platinum Trophy in God of War 3 rewarded dedicated players with more than just bragging rights.
19:12It granted access to the website SpartanStandTall.com, a secret site that slowly dripped out new information over time.
19:19This site built anticipation by gradually revealing teasers for the upcoming God of War Ghost of Sparta on the PSP.
19:26One of the coolest reveals showed Kratos staring at a vision of his younger self, giving fans an intriguing glimpse
19:33into his past.
19:34It was a clever way for Santa Monica to reward completionists while hyping the next chapter in the series.
19:39Back when trophy hunting was still fresh and exciting, this felt like a proper hidden reward instead of the usual
19:46achievement list filler.
19:47We really miss developers being able to tease games like this, rather than everything leaking ahead of time.
19:53You think you know all that the past holds?
19:57Demons!
19:58Risky Business
19:59God of War 3 originally had a much darker twist planned for the optional encounter with Aphrodite.
20:05If players chose to accept her advances and get frisky, she would suddenly turn hostile and attack Kratos with a
20:12knife, triggering a quick-time event minigame.
20:14Successfully completing the sequence would allow Kratos to kill her in a brutal fashion right after.
20:19It was a savage callback to the unpredictable and violent tone of the earlier games.
20:24However, the team eventually removed this violent follow-up, keeping the encounter as the more light-hearted and fanservice-heavy
20:31moment we got in the final version.
20:33Santa Monica clearly had a wilder, bloodier idea early on before toning things down, and the cut content shows just
20:39how much more unhinged some of these God encounters could have been.
20:43The eyes of Argos.
20:45You!
20:48I told him to kill you.
20:50I told him the day you were born to kill you.
20:55God of War 3 came very close to featuring Hera's legendary 100-eyed giant pet Argos as a full boss
21:02or mini-boss encounter.
21:03The creature had a completely developed model and was ready to go before the team made the difficult decision to
21:09cut it.
21:10The main reason? They didn't want to create canon conflicts with the event of God of War betrayal on mobile.
21:15A game most fans never even played.
21:18This was truly a missed opportunity because the giant multi-eyed beast under Hera's control would have fit perfectly into
21:25the escalating chaos of Olympus.
21:27Imagine Kratos having to dodge and slash at all those watchful eyes while the beast rampaged around.
21:33Seeing how Santa Monica clearly put real work into the design only to shelve it for consistency's sake is incredibly
21:39disappointing,
21:40and it would have resulted in a far more engaging encounter with Hera than we ended up with.
22:02The climax of God of War 3 originally looked very different and far more insane.
22:09Early plans called for a massive three-way battle inside Gaia herself,
22:13with the Titan actively turning against both Kratos and Zeus during the fight.
22:17Gaia would have been a living, shifting battlefield,
22:20attacking both combatants while they tried to kill each other.
22:23Raw footage that has surfaced over the years shows just how much bigger and more chaotic this sequence was before
22:29it got reworked into the final version.
22:31The team ultimately simplified the encounter, but the cut concept still sounds absolutely wild.
22:37The idea of Kratos and Zeus throwing down while the very ground beneath them, controlled by an angry Titan, tries
22:44to swap them both like flies.
22:46It's easy to see why they scaled it back, but damn that original idea has some serious everything goes to
22:52hell energy that would have made the ending even more memorable.
23:03Ixion
23:03God of War 3 almost included a fully developed and playable Tartarus level that featured Ixion,
23:09the tormented Greek figure eternally bound to a fiery spinning wheel.
23:13This entire section was built and tested during development,
23:17complete with unique puzzle mechanics revolving around the flaming wheel and Ixion's eternal punishment.
23:22Players would have navigated this hellish realm while dealing with fresh environmental hazards tied directly into classic Greek myths of
23:30divine retribution.
23:31Unfortunately, the whole level was ultimately cut from the final game.
23:35It's a real shame because a dedicated Tartarus sequence with original mechanics would have added some welcome variety and deeper
23:42mythological flavor to Kratos' Rampage.
23:44The fact that it reached a playable state shows how much effort went into it before the team decided to
23:49remove it, likely for pacing or scope reasons.
23:53Another ambitious idea left behind in the pursuit of the perfect Greek finale.
23:57The Tormented Boat Captain
24:09In the depths of Hades in God of War 3, if you take the time to explore among the scattered
24:15notes and letters,
24:16you can find a bitter message from the infamous boat captain who first appeared in the original God of War.
24:21The note carries a raw personal grudge as he curses Kratos with the line,
24:26He could have saved me, damn that ghost of Sparta.
24:29It serves as a direct and surprisingly poignant callback to that early Hydra encounter where Kratos let the poor captain
24:36fall to his death.
24:37Many players completely missed this detail while rushing through the underworld,
24:40but it adds a nice layer of continuity and shows how Santa Monica remembered even the smaller characters Kratos has
24:47screwed over.
24:47It's a fun, petty touch that rewards fans paying attention to the lore and became an ongoing joke within the
24:54series.
24:55Understandably, the boat captain is still holding a grudge years later even in death.
25:01You again?!
25:06Calliope's Letter
25:07In the judges' area of Hades in God of War 3,
25:10there's a very easy-to-miss hidden letter from Kratos' deceased daughter Calliope that can be found if you explore
25:17thoroughly.
25:18In the note, she writes about missing her family and reveals she was sent to Elysium because her father failed
25:23to protect her.
25:24The letter carries a quiet, heartbreaking weight that hits differently once you remember the events of the original game.
25:30It's a subtle but powerful reminder of the personal tragedy that drives Kratos' endless rage and guilt.
25:36While most players are busy fighting through the underworld, this small detail adds real emotional depth to his character
25:42and shows how Santa Monica didn't forget the human cost behind all the god-slaying spectacle.
25:47Finding it feels like accidentally stumbling into something far more personal than the usual blood and chaos the series is
25:54known for.
25:54A deeper epilogue.
25:56As the fear in the gods rose, mine was replaced by hope.
26:03Power to kill the gods.
26:08God of War 3 originally featured a much more involved epilogue following the final fight with Zeus that ultimately got
26:15scrapped due to time constraints.
26:17The sequence would have expanded on the immediate aftermath of Kratos' victory and the fall of Olympus with additional scenes
26:24and closure.
26:24Director Stig Asmussen and producer Steve Katterson have both spoken about how difficult this particular cut was to make,
26:32calling it one of the hardest omissions during the entire development.
26:35It's easy to see why they fought to keep it, as a richer ending could have given more breathing room
26:40after such an explosive climax.
26:42Instead, we got the more abrupt and ambiguous conclusion that left players debating Kratos' fate for years.
26:48While the final version still packs a punch, knowing a bigger epilogue was once planned makes you wonder how much
26:54more closure the planned original ending might have carried,
26:57if they had the time to include it.
27:02You disappoint me, Spartan.
27:07What was your favorite moment from the Greek God of War entries?
27:10Share your picks in the comments.
27:12Did you enjoy this video?
27:14Check out these other clips from MojoPlays,
27:16and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
27:20Thanks very much.
27:21Bye-bye.
27:21jeopardy.
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