GoldbergBlog

Kratos, the anti-hero who slaughters most of Greek mythology, makes the Spartans of the popular film 300 look like pussies. Oh, the 300 have their moments, to be sure, but they don’t jump on giant eagles and hack off their wings in mid-flight. They don’t charge cylopses and pull out their eye (do it twenty times to unlock a bonus!). They don’t pick up wounded soldiers and throw them into giant gears because that next area isn’t going to unlock itself. No, Kratos is not a nice fellow, but he will get your bloodlust going.

Picking up right after the first God of War, Kratos has replaced Ares as well, the God of War. Unfortunately, he’s gone a tad overboard and is leading his Spartan people (seriously, with this and 300, I’m converting from Jew to Spartan. However, I probably will need to get my foreskin back…) and the Gods of Olympus decide that it’s time for Kratos to go. But even a sword to the gut from Zeus himself can’t stop our hero and it’s up to Kratos, with the help of the Titans, to find the Sisters of Fate and give all of Olympus a heafty dose of disembowlment.

At the end of the system’s lifespan, God of War II pushes the PlayStation 2 to its limits, calls it a bitch, and makes it go even further. The level of detail and graphical power of the game are simply astounding. But the graphics are more than just shiny pixels because the art design is so wonderously imaginative. Sure, Zeus looks a little cliched (white dude with a long white beard) but you won’t know what to expect when you come face-to-face with the Sisters of Fate or the Steeds of Time. The music and the score perfectly compliments the epic scale, with a full chorus, every brass instrument known to man, and sound effects that make every bone-crunch and snap all the sweeter.

But none of this works if the gameplay weren’t just as solid. Fans of the original God of War won’t be disappointed as Kratos will be employing all his old moves, plus a few new ones, like being able to move while firing arrows or turning your opponents into wack-a-moles with a giant hammer. However, there is one new addition that will have you dying more times than is really fair and that’s the Icarus Wings. Intended to give you the power to glide over large areas, the ability is poorly implimented and you’ll find yourself either not activating the wings when you need them or accidentally deactivating them when you’re over a giant pit of lava. Also, some of the puzzles go beyond the reasonable and will have you going online to figure out the answer, especially near the end of the game.

Still, God of War II is an absolute must-buy for any owner of the PlayStation 2 console. If you don’t like action-adventure games, get over it and buy this game. If you don’t like Greek Mythology, then you’re weird, should get over it, and buy this game. If you don’t like insane amounts of violence, I understand, I sympathize, but get over it, and buy this game.

Tags: videogames //