Positives:
- The action you loved from the first one is still here in spades.
- Irons out some minor flaws with platforming pretty nicely.
- Balances things out to where those late-game sections aren't as harsh.
- Combat is still a strong point, and the combination of physical combat and magic is satisfying.
- Story takes some fascinating, solid steps forward from the first game.
- Kratos remains an amazing lead character.
- Visual design remains a stellar high point.
- Some of the best music in the series (like "The End Begins") is introduced here.
Negatives:
- Doesn't really make any huge improvements to the first game.
- I found the quick-time events a bit more annoying this time around.
Consensus: It sounds weird to give a game an 8/10 and admit to being a bit disappointed in it. I mean, I've done it before, but it's still pretty rare. Make no mistake, "God of War II" is a great game, and it's definitely worth playing. The action gameplay is as smooth as effort, with a few small improvements to make the experience a bit better than the first one. But the keywords here are "a bit," because I was getting a bit of that "more of the same" feeling when playing this sequel. I know that "God of War" was so strong for its time that maybe it didn't need anything resembling a major "overhaul," but it did at times feel like playing the same game again. Don't get it twisted, it's a title I'd still recommend for its strong overall gameplay, but just don't expect it to be a radical switch-up from the first one.
Final rating: 8 out of 10 "Great"