God Of War Ascension Shows Off Zeus And Ares Multiplayer Armies

God of War: Ascension is still a ways off from its March 12 release date but, with Sony Santa Monica Studios promising an online multiplayer beta “this winter,” eager gods and goddesses will soon be honing their skills for the battle to come. Online, players will be able to align with one of several gods to grant them additional powers, and a pair of new videos can give us a taste of what to expect in the army of Zeus or Ares.

The God of War series has always been about massive violence and endless combos wrapped in a world of Greek mythology and the story of one man's quest to seek vengeance against the gods who betrayed him.

God of War: Ascension will introduce a multiplayer component to the series for the first time, but you better believe the name of the game is still over-the-top violence. Before heading into multiplayer, wannabe gods will be given the opportunity to align with one of several Olympian deities. First up is Zues, the king of the gods. Unsurprisingly, aligning with Zeus grants players lightning elemental abilities, as well as the ability to use more precise magical attacks. Successful attacks also refills Zues' minions' magic gauge more quickly, meaning a decent soldier of Zeus will keep the lightening bolts flying.

The second in this series of army reveals was debuted on Spike TV last night, showing off the forces of the original god of war, Ares. Keep in mind that Ascension is a prequel, so series antihero Kratos has not yet taken up that mantle for himself. Ares' followers are most effective when they are on the offensive, offering some of the most powerful attacks the multiplayer has to offer. This, of course, comes at a cost to their defensive abilities. However, taking a few extra hits isn't so bad when every successful attack also replenishes your own health.

Look for more video reveals for the remaining multiplayer gods as God of War: Ascension draws closes to its online beta sometime in the coming months.