You're standing on the back of a Gaia, a literal mountain made of moss and rock, while Poseidon—the god of the entire ocean—screams in your face. It's 2010. Or maybe it's 2026 and you're playing the remaster. Either way, the scale is still terrifying. This isn't just a game; it's a choreographed slaughter. If you’re looking for a God of War Three walkthrough, you aren't just looking for button prompts. You’re trying to figure out how to navigate a world that is actively falling apart beneath your sandals.
Kratos is angry. Really angry. But being angry doesn't help when a Centaur is trying to gut you while you're dodging lightning bolts from the top of Mount Olympus.
The Poseidon Problem and the Vertical Climb
Most people think the opening of the game is just a tutorial. They’re wrong. Poseidon is a skill check that many players fail because they treat him like a standard hack-and-slash boss. He isn't. When you’re stuck on his watery crab-claws, the trick is actually less about attacking and more about timing your vertical shifts. You have to jump between Gaia’s hands at the exact moment the screen shakes.
Once you get to the "eye-gouging" phase—which is still one of the most visceral things ever put on a disc—remember that the prompt timing is slightly faster than the rest of the game. If you miss it, you reset the whole sequence. It’s brutal. It’s mean. Honestly, it sets the tone for the next ten hours of your life.
After you send the God of the Sea into the abyss, the world floods. This is a recurring theme. Every time you kill a boss, the world gets worse.
Navigating the Realm of Hades
Falling into the Underworld is basically a tradition for Kratos at this point. But this time, your gear is gone. You’re back to the Blades of Exile.
The Underworld section of a God of War Three walkthrough usually focuses on the platforming, but the real challenge is the "Lost Souls" encounter right before you reach the Palace of Hades. These enemies aren't tough, but they're numerous. Use your Grapple (L1 + Circle) to throw them into each other. It clears space.
When you finally face Hades himself, stop trying to use magic immediately. Save your Soul Summon for the second phase. Hades has this annoying habit of ripping your soul out. When the tether attaches to Kratos, you have to mash Circle like your life depends on it. Because, well, it does. Once you take his hooks, you get the Claws of Hades. Pro tip: Don't spend all your Red Orbs on these right away. The Blades of Exile are still your bread and butter for crowd control.
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Why the God of War Three Walkthrough Feels Like a Puzzle
Santa Monica Studio didn't just want you to kill things. They wanted you to think. Sorta.
The Labyrinth is where most players lose their minds. It’s a giant rubik’s cube designed by Daedalus. When you’re inside those shifting boxes, the floor is often the most dangerous thing in the room. Spikes, fire, and rotating blades are everywhere.
The trick to the Labyrinth? Look at the shadows. The game actually telegraphs where the spikes will pop up by darkening the floor textures a split second before the animation triggers. If you’re rushing, you’re dead. This isn't Devil May Cry. You can't just air-combo your way out of physics.
The Hermes Chase: A Lesson in Frustration
Hermes is a jerk. He spends thirty minutes mocking you while running up walls. The "walkthrough" part of this is actually simple: just keep moving forward. You can't catch him until the game wants you to.
When you finally corner him near the statue, use the Head of Helios. A lot of players forget they have the sun god's severed head in their inventory. Use it to blind him. It’s the only way to slow him down enough to actually land a combo. Taking his boots—the Boots of Hermes—is your reward, and they are essential for the final push toward the Flame of Olympus.
Dealing with the Sisters of Fate (The Flashbacks)
Wait, wrong game? No. God of War 3 references the past constantly. When you get to the Gardens of Hera, the perspective shifts. This is the most "indie game" moment in a triple-A blockbuster.
Hera’s Garden is a perspective puzzle. You have to line up broken stairs by standing on a specific pressure plate that changes the camera angle. It’s the "Craters of the Mind" puzzle. If it looks like the stairs connect from your current view, they actually do exist in physical space. It defies logic, but that’s the point. Hera is drunk, the garden is dying, and Kratos is over it.
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The Late Game: Titan Mode and Beyond
If you’re playing on Titan or Chaos difficulty, the encounter with the Skorpius (the giant ice scorpion) is where most runs go to die.
- Focus the legs: Do not hit the head. Hit the legs on one side until they shatter.
- The Spawn: Small scorpions will swarm you. Use the Cestus (the lion gauntlets) for the shockwave effect.
- The Fall: When the big guy falls, that's your only window for real damage.
The Nemean Cestus is arguably the best weapon in the game. It breaks shields. It does massive poise damage. In the final stretch against Zeus, you’ll find yourself switching between the Blades and the Cestus constantly.
The Final Showdown with Zeus
This fight happens in three stages. First, the 2D fighter stage on the platform. It plays like Street Fighter but with more gore. Block often. Zeus’s lightning bolts can be reflected with the Golden Fleece, but the timing is tight.
The second stage is inside Gaia’s heart. This is where it gets weird. You’re fighting Zeus while also trying to destroy Gaia’s heart to stop her from regenerating.
- Attack the heart to get Health Orbs.
- Keep Zeus away from the heart or he’ll heal too.
- Use the Blade of Olympus (R3 + L3) only when Zeus clones himself.
The third stage is the "First Person" sequence. This is the most famous part of any God of War Three walkthrough. You beat Zeus until the screen turns red. And then you keep beating him. The game won't stop you. You have to decide when you’re done. It’s a meta-commentary on Kratos’s revenge—it only ends when you, the player, decide it's enough.
What Most People Miss: The Orbs and the Challenges
Don't ignore the Phoenix Feathers and Gorgon Eyes. By the time you reach the Caverns, you should have your health and magic bars maxed out. If you haven't, you missed the hidden chests behind the "shimmering" air. Use the Head of Helios to reveal them. They are everywhere.
Also, the "Godly Possessions" are easy to overlook. Zeus’s Eagle, Hades’s Helm, Helios’s Shield—these items give you infinite magic or triple red orbs on subsequent playthroughs. They’re usually tucked away in the corners of the boss arenas right after the fight ends. Don't just run to the next hallway. Look around the carnage you just created.
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Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
To actually beat the game without breaking a controller, follow these specific combat priorities.
First, upgrade the Blades of Exile to Level 2 immediately. This unlocks the "Cyclone of Chaos" (L1 + Square), which is your best tool for keeping crowds at bay.
Second, learn to parry. The Golden Fleece is the most overpowered item in Kratos's arsenal. Most projectiles—including Gorgon stares and Zeus's bolts—can be sent right back at the enemy. If you're just dodging, you're losing DPS (damage per second).
Third, abuse the Grapple. In the later stages, particularly on the bridges of Olympus, enemies will try to knock you off the ledge. If you grapple an enemy in mid-air, you are invincible during the animation. Use this to "frame-trap" yourself into safety.
Finally, manage your Rage of Sparta. Don't use it on mobs. Save it for when a boss is at 10% health and you're out of magic. It’s your "get out of jail free" card.
The end of the Greek saga is a masterclass in scale. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s incredibly satisfying once you understand the rhythm of the gods. You aren't just fighting enemies; you're fighting the environment itself. Keep your eyes on the prompts, keep your finger on the block button, and don't let Zeus talk you out of what needs to be done. Olympus must fall.