Have you ever played a game where you wish you could have chained blades painfully grafted to you? After this game, yes
Once the game spits out the first level, you will be absolutely appalled on how the developers managed to fit the graphics in this game. The sense of scale is immense and maybe during the gameplay, you might actually stop and pause to please your eyes to the scenery. These graphics are the best I have ever seen on the PS2 and with the PS3 pushing its way in, I don't see the graphics being beat on the PS2.
People who played the preceding title will instantly be familiar with the gameplay controls. Light attack, heavy attack, and grabs are instantly accesable but to get the flashier moves, you will need to upgrade your blades with orbs from your fallen foes. The blades move in such a fluid manner, it is just as fun to watch as it is to do. The deadly weapons can unleash massive combos inmost combat situations. The Blades of Athena are one of the funnest weapons I have ever encountered. Since they are so fun the other weapons you encounter just don't have that oomp the blades have. Don't misinterpret me, the new weapons add a bit of different possiblities to combat and are pretty good but, actually I don't think any weapon could be funner to use on those mythical monsters.
If you are deaf, in short, you won't get the full experience in this game. The soundtrack and dialogue here is at least half the experience here. Dialogue between characters is educated and very well written. Extra points go out to Linda Hunt who, in my opinion, is the best narrator to ever grace a game. I am not really an orchestra listener but this choice of music somehow matches the carnage being inflicted onscreen and creates a very mythical atmosphere.
I have had the game since Easter and have beat it 3 times and I am not even close to being tired of it. In case it has to be said, replay value is so immense here. Do you want to put enemies in an arena and eviscerate them? Do you want to unlock costumes to play as? Beat the Challenge of the Fates? Watch bonus features? You can also conquer it again with all the magic and wepaons powered up. I think I will playing this game off and on for a LONG time.
If there's anything bad I had to say about it, I would say that sometimes once you get hit in battle it stuns you so you get hit a couple of times. It feels cheap sometimes. The story doesn't tie up here and leads you to infer that God of War III is in production.
Those complaints are minor and not at all hinder the experience of ripping one in two. If you like gaming at all, you should surely pick this up.