Where should I start in the GoW franchise?

Been eyeing up the God of War Collection (GoW 1 & 2 HD) and God of War 3 since I've never played any game in the franchise and feel like I should after getting a PS3 this Christmas. However, I'm not entirely sure where to start. Thoughts?

The first. Its not the best (GoW 2) but its still a great game.

Definitely with GoW 1 and then play 2. The must play games of the series to me. I think 3 was pretty good too. Never played the PSP games and didn't bother with Ascension.

Play 1 & 2 and the first hour of 3 thats all.

The GoW HD collection is as good a place as any. GoW2 in particular still stands as my favourite of the lot, though I admittedly haven't played Ascension. GoW 3's still really good too, if only for its spectacle alone. That game still looks bloody fantastic.

The HD collection for the PSP ports I would consider giving a miss, though. While they were surely impressive on the PSP hardware, when they're thrown onto a console that already has the main trilogy, it leaves them coming across as kinda redundant, especially Chains of Olympus.

There's some cheap nonsense in GoW 1, but it's still worth a look. If it's frustrating you, just move on to 2.

I have the HD collection, but I've never gotten around to beating the first game. Really want to get into the franchise, and I know that the second game is supposedly the best, but I can't bring myself to play the second without finishing the first. Someday, maybe.

Start with the first one and work your way through each game by release date. Definitely the numbered games. Ascension is okay, but I'd wait for that when you've finished everything else. I enjoyed the first PSP game when it came out, but I don't know how it stands today; never played the second PSP title.

Some people want to start chronologically based on the story -- which is fine -- but going from a 2013 game to a 2005 game can be hard.

I played each game in the series except for ascension in order of release and had a great time. I went 1,2, Chains of Olympus, Ghost of Sparta, and then 3. I think they are all great games. Two in particular was my favorite. The PSP releases are quick side stories and nothing that dramatically changes the fiction. Why don't you get God of War Saga? Five games for $23.99 on Amazon right now. Its what I did, and its a complete steal.

Try the HD collection. Some of the PSP games are worthwhile, too.

3 was good, Ascension was pretty much more of the same and I got bored 2/3rds way through.

God of War 2, this is a girlfriend series. A game to play in front of a girlfriend but not actually take too serious.