I played this episode, well, because I felt like my commitment to series' I enjoy should continue as long as new entries are made. Unfortunately, the series is now starting to feel its age and, though fun, just did not deliver as other entries. While it is fun to get some of the back story, it is not enough to feel like Kratos' story has much to offer.
This game brings all of the traditional elements you are used to from the series. Some new features in the form of the different items you gain are generally sufficient though you don't feel like much has been added to really make the game fresh and/or stand out.
Of course, as many have complained, the Trial of Archimedes is a bit of a let down as the difficulty curve significantly increases on what was a nicely flowing pace of difficulty. While the section is certainly beatable, it is disappointing when you play this far into a game only to feel like the momentum and pace has been destroyed. In some ways, it felt like when you put in all the time into a Final Fantasy episode and you feel proud of your achievements only to get completely pummelled at the end due to monstrous difficulty spikes. While certainly not to the scope/scale of FF, things like this can frustrate.
To top it all off, though the final boss was pretty cool, one continues to feel like the end of the game is an anti-climax after the trials. It seems that similar patterns to end bosses have occurred more this generation than in the past. It is an odd thing.
Indeed, if you're a GOW fan definitely pick this title up. However, don't get too excited that you're going to get something that truly feels like a step forward as, in reality, it is just another game in the series following a lot of the same previous formula.