In case you missed the news, God of War: Ascension will have a competitive online multiplayer mode, a first for the series. While many will undoubtedly have reservations, we found it to be pretty darn fun. PlayStation Plus members will be able to get their hands on the online offering soon, with the beta opening on January 8th.

But if you participated in The Rise of the Warrior social game, you may have earned access to said beta now. Additional bonuses are coming to players, including "exclusive DLC items," so it's not too late to join.

The beta will include the objective-based "Favor of the Gods" mode, in both team and solo variants. In this mode, you'll get points through kills, opening chests, capturing domination points, and performing executions with the Spear of Olympus, which spawns later in the match. I had a chance to get an early hands-on with the beta, and have to say that it's quite fun to sneak around opening chests, whilst the rest of your team deals with the Spear. Those points could mean the difference between winning and losing.

Helpfully, the beta also includes a tutorial level, which helps you learn the ins and outs of God of War's combat, and how it works in an online environment. You'll also be able to pledge your allegiance to a god, giving you a unique unlock tree to level up towards. Your XP will be used to unlock new weapons, armors, and abilities.

God of War: Ascension will be available on March 8th, giving Sony Santa Monica plenty of time to use your feedback from the beta.