The official PlayStation product page for God of War: Ascension now uses the tagline "Before he was a God, he was a man" and boasts a Spring 2013 release date.

Sony has now come out and officially announced God of War: Ascension , following various leaks.Sony says the game will be the most ambitious God of War adventure in the series yet, and would take us back to where it all began.

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Kratos is coming back to the PlayStation 3 in God of War: Ascension. Rumblings of God of War IV have been floating around for months, but a PlayStation Facebook post last week kicked things into overdrive. Today, Amazon posted the game's box art and a teaser trailer.

God of War: Ascension

Although the trailer shows no gameplay, it features the familiar narration of the Titan Gaia as she sets up what certainly sounds like a prequel to the five God of War games that are already out. In the teaser, Gaia states that there was a time before Kratos became the Ghost of Sparta and before rage consumed him."A time when in spite of the madness that plagued him, Kratos would break his blood oath to an unjust God," Gaia says. "A time when he will no longer be bound in blood."The God of War story millions have already played picks up after Kratos has pledged allegiance to Ares, had the Blades of Chaos burned into his flesh, and killed his wife and daughter after an Ares trick. Gaia's words make it sound as if God of War: Ascension chronicles Kratos' time before all that -- when he was leading the Spartan army and perhaps "ascending" to his legendary status. Here's a PlayStation Conversation all about it...

Breaking Down the God of War: Ascension Teaser

Amazon describes the game as: "Join Kratos as he seeks freedom, redemption, and the clarity to avenge his family in the most ambitious God of War adventure in the series so far."What do you think of the God of War: Ascension trailer? What do you think the story will be about? Let us know in the comments below and look for more God of War: Ascension news soon on IGN.YOUR SON HAS RETURNED!Click here for more of IGN's God of War coverage.

Greg is the executive editor of IGN PlayStation, cohost of Podcast Beyond and host of Up at Noon . Follow IGN on Twitter , and keep track of Greg's shenanigans on IGN and Twitter . Beyond!