God of War: Ascension beta access through PS Plus, social game

God of War: Ascension will offer multiplayer beta access through two paths -one free but requiring effort, and the other not so much.

According to the PS Blog, the most straight-forward path to beta access is to be a PlayStation Plus member; the beta will feature as one of the bonuses offered by the premium subscription service.

The only other way to get into the beta - and, indeed, the only way to get in a week ahead of everyone else - is to take part in The Rise of the Warrior, a new social game advertised by a splash page on the God of War site.

The game has not been detailed beyond a mention that it is a brand new "graphic-novel style story" tracing a journey towards becoming the next Champion of the Gods. As well as early beta access, it also offers more tangible rewards - in-game unlocks for God of War: Ascension multiplayer and exclusive multiplayer weapons and armor. Players will be asked to side with either the Spartans or Trojans, and the winning side will score early access and 30 day PlayStation Plus subscriptions.

The beta has not been dated beyond northern winter. Expect more details soon, though; Ascension's due in March. Check out the latest trailers.