Weapons and Magic
Weapons
You will spend most of the game with just one weapon: Athena's Blades. Eventually, though, you'll be carrying more than two weapons around. Since you only have one weapon switch button, you can only switch between the Athena's Blades and one other weapon at a time. To change weapons, hit Start and press O to cycle between the weapons that you want to select when you switch weapons. Athena's Blades are always equipped and can't be changed out.
Athena's Blades
You start the game with only Athena’s Blades as your sole weapon. You won’t get a true second weapon until well into the game, so make the most of the Blades by upgrading them fully before dealing with any of the other weapons that you possess. (We upgraded the Blades to level three, then upgraded Cronos' Rage to level two, then maxed out the Blades before bothering with anything else.) You’re almost definitely going to be using them more than the other weapons you pick up along the way, as they have longer range and a wider variety of attacks. Most of you will likely be familiar with the Blades from the first game; if you’re not, we’ll reprint the description that Doug Radcliffe wrote for our earlier game guide, when the Blades were called the Blades of Chaos:
"It's a good strategy to upgrade the Blade of Chaos before all other magic abilities. If you're thorough in red orb collection (seeking out hidden chests, etc) then you can have the Blades of Chaos fully upgraded certainly by mid-game. This provides full damage potential and access to powerful new combos.
;)
Take advantage of the Blade of Chaos' long-range attack. Make every effort to avoid getting too close to your opponent. If you begin to move close, use the right-analog stick to roll away. If you're close, an enemy's strike may interrupt your combo and leave you vulnerable for further attack. Roll away then start the combo string from long-range so you can complete the attack.
Some of the Blade of Chaos' strongest moves are those that knock enemies off their feet. The Plume of Prometheus is such a move that's granted from the very beginning of the game. Use the Square, Square, Triangle combo to knock lesser enemies off their feet and vulnerable to additional combo attack to inflict further damage and to also increase the amount of experience orbs you receive."
| Moves | Input | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Icarus Lift | X, X | Double-jumping is available as soon as you begin the game. |
| Olympic Ascension | Hold Triangle | Launches enemies into the air, and Kratos jumps along with them to allow for aerial combos or throws. |
| Orion’s Harpoon | O | When an enemy is airborne, you can grab them with the O button and slam them into the ground. |
| Athena’s Reverse | L1 | Tap L1 to parry a blow just before it lands. |
| Plume of Prometheus | Square, Square, Triangle | Two wide, sweeping strikes, followed by a ground slam that brings up an eruption of lava near where it hits. |
| Level Two: | ||
| Moves | Input | Description |
| Rampage of the Furies | L1 + O | Delivers a lengthy combo that's mostly intended to strike one large opponent. You'll be locked into the combo when it starts, so you'll likely be hit by any enemies that manage to get behind you, or by your target if they're immune to stunning. |
| Rampage of the Furies (Air) | L1 + O while jumping | Automatic attack that spins your blades in a mostly vertical motion, letting you hit targets above your normal maximum jumping height. |
| Level Three: | ||
| Moves | Input | Description |
| Cyclone of Chaos | L1 + Square | Another lengthy automated attack, albeit not quite as lengthy as Rampage of the Furies. This will swirl your blades around your body, hitting everything nearby multiple times. Works best against smaller enemies that can be stunned by damage; if your opponents don't get stunned (as in the case of cyclopes) then this will simply let them get a free attack on you. Still, for mass crowd control, this really can't be beat, and it'll also let you get some big hit counts when you have a lot of targets to hit. |
| Cyclone of Chaos (Air) | L1 + Square while jumping. | Lets loose with a circular spin-attack in midair that will hit nearby opponents around ten times. Can be used for taking out small flying opponents like imps. Also useful for darting attacks against enemies that can't be stunned, like stone golems or cyclopes; wait for them to complete an attack, then bust out one of these while they're recovering, then dash away before their next attack comes out. Since it’s one of the quickest moves you have, and attacks all around you, it can also be useful for attacking walls while attempting to find weak spots. |
| Spirit of Hercules | Triangle, Triangle, Triangle | A mostly single-target attack that deals heavy damage and finishes with another jet of flame that will pop enemies into the air, assuming they're capable of going airborne. |
| Valor of Hercules | Triangle, Triangle, Square | Two over-the-head attacks, followed by a whipping attack from both sides that will repel enemies and knock them backwards. Can be useful for crowd control, but attempting to pull it off while surrounded by enemies can be difficult, as the first two attacks will leave you vulnerable to attacks from the side and the rear. |
| Level Four: 9,500 Orbs | ||
| Moves | Input | Description |
| Hyperion Charge | Hold Square to run | Doesn’t do anything by itself, but sets up the following moves. |
| Hyperion Rush | Tap Square while running | Slams Kratos into any enemy in front of him. |
| Hyperion Rise | Tap Triangle while running | Will uppercut an enemy in front of Kratos, knocking them into the air. |
| Athena’s Wrath | While evading, hit Triangle | Slams Kratos’ blade into the ground at the end of a dodge, causing a jet of flame to travel along the ground. |
| Prometheus’ Torment | Hold Square while in Rage of the Titans mode | Causes Kratos to continously whirl his blades around him while in Rage mode. |
| Level Five: 13,500 Orbs | ||
| Tartarus Rage | L1 + Triangle | Smashes the blades into the ground in front of you, causing a large explosion and jetting foes up into the air. |
| Tartarus Rage (Air) | L1 + Triangle while airborne | This move can also be performed while airborne, but will cause additional whirling/slashing attacks in front of you before you land. |
| Prometheus’ Inferno | Hold L1 while in Rage of the Titans mode | |
