The games that set a standard for PS3 action / adventure, and spawned countless copycats on 1 disc? EPIC WIN.
THE GOOD : Just about everything. It can't be overstated that getting both of these incredible games on one disc is a bargain that's unparalleled in gaming. Considering the price the disc currently goes for, the fact it comes with 2 full length games w/ all the extras and that the quality of the games is so remarkably high, you just can't beat this disc. I challenge you to find a better deal than what's offered by the God Of War Collection. Aside from the fantastic deal that this disc is, the games themselves are, as anyone who has been a PSx gamer since 2005 knows by now, fantastic, unparalleled, industry-standard games. Considering God Of War 1 and 2 have been out since 2005 & 2007, respectively, there isn't much I can say in 2010 by way of a review that hasn't already been said, so I'm not going to go too deep. Needless to say, these games are insanely brutal, testosterone-driven monster (and button) mashes based in Greek mythology. It's incredible fun to wield Kratos' chain blades in varying powerful combos along with certain magic abilities in order to absolutely crush, demolish and obliterate the various beasts and Gods of Greek mythology in a rage-induced fury. Ripping a gorgons' head off or yanking a cyclops' eye right out of the socket has never been so much fun. And where God Of War serves as a baseline, God Of War 2 ups the ante in every meaningful way with additional abilities, weapons, magic and settings. Both of these games have great balance between furious action, tricky, timing-oriented jumps or moves and mind-bending puzzles (and of course each has the requisite sex mini-game – too funny!) Overall just a well-balanced, incredibly immersive, undeniably fun collection of amazing games.
THE BAD : Not very much at all. There are really only a few minor things about both these games that I have a gripe with. The first is that when you execute a combo attack, you're committed to it. In other words, you could be in the middle performing an attack, and either what you're attacking or another on-screen opponent could go to attack you. And though you may try to dodge or roll out of the way of the incoming attack, it's not going to happen until you've finished your combo, which always results in taking the incoming damage. In this regard, All 3 God Of War games (and the ones on the PSP) could take a cue from the unbelievably good BAYONETTA. Something else that proved to be a bit annoying at times was the camera's lack of 'intuitiveness'. IE, it doesn't always position itself for the best view of what you're fighting. You could get stuck behind a large mass of enemies or just positioned the wrong way against a large one and find yourself flailing away hoping for the best. This doesn't happen a lot, but just enough that it bears mentioning. Also, and this is really a very minor nitpick, as many other reviewers have noted, the cut-scene graphics are noticeably 'dirtier' than the gameplay graphics. Which makes you wonder, if the developer took time to clean up the graphics throughout the game, why not clean up the cut scenes? Not that they look horrible, but they definitely look a step below the gameplay graphics.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Two industry-standard, unbelievably fun, incredibly addictive games all on one disc complete with all their extras and a trophy system for the PS3 at an average price of $30 or so is simply an unparalleled and unbeatable deal. Even if you played them on the PS2, do yourself a favor and rediscover them on the PS3. And if you haven't played them before, it's near impossible to describe how much fun you're missing. It's akin to being a parent; everyone can tell you what it's like, but until you actually experience it, you just don't have a clue. Do yourself the favor and add this to your collection!