This game is a superb sequel to one of the best games of all times, God of War 1, and it's definitely worth playing.
God of War 1 was a game that in my opinion, revolutionized the hack n' slash genre when it came out back in the year 2005, and it is also my favorite game of all times. So, I was really excited when I heard that Sony Santa Monica was making a sequel to this game, which was somewhat predictable since the ending of God of War 1 was kind of a cliffhanger ending.
I bought God of War 2 on the launch day and I started playing it as soon as I got home. Man, it completely blew my mind! The game was much better than the original God of War in almost every aspect; combat, graphics (best looking game on the PS2), voice acting, puzzles, and etc. There was however, one thing that disappointed me a bit, and that was the storyline. Don't get me wrong, the storyline wasn't bad by any means, but it wasn't nearly as deep and thought-provoking as the storyline of God of War 1.
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Storyline: B+
This is the only aspect of the game that I find somewhat disappointing. It is definitely not bad; in fact, it's a very epic story. Kratos meets up with many different characters from the Greek mythology (much more characters from the Greek mythology are included in God of War 2 in compared to God of War 1), the pacing is excellent, it is way more epic than the first game, and last but not least, it is intense and keeps you at the edge of your seat throughout the entire game. Well, there are parts where the pacing is little bit slow, but the majority of the game is amazing in terms of intensity and you will never get tired or bored of the plot. What it lacks is the depth and originality that made the first game so unique and a masterpiece in this genre. Also, there are a couple of minor plot holes, but they are not really important to the story of the story trilogy so I can let them slide this time!
Overall, God of War 2's story is intense, breathtaking, and epic. But unfortunately it was a bit disappointing to me because it lacked the depth and uniqueness of God of War 1.
Note: Sorry but I couldn't give a summary of the story simply because it would result in a spoiler.
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Gameplay: A+
God of War 2 has the best gameplay between all the game in the trilogy. The level design is fantastic and varied, puzzles are neither too hard nor too easy (in other words, they are logical), there are many different types of enemies, the combat itself is improved, the controls are much better, and the list goes on and on and on!
The one major improvement that really made the gameplay much smoother is the fact that Kratos is much while he's climbing. It might not sound like a big deal, but trust me, if you've played the game you'll know what I mean!
Another difference is that you'll actually obtain two other weapons throughout Kratos's journey, and once you beat the game for the first time, you will be able to start a new game plus using the Blade of Olympus.
The main formula of the gameplay remains the same as the original God of War; it consists of three parts: combat, puzzle solving, and platforming. Fortunately, every single one of these have been improved in this game. The combat has a lot more variety thanks to the number of different weapons that you obtain during the game and the number of different combos that can be unlocked by upgrading each of these weapons. just like the first game, you will also obtain four magics throughout your journey and each one of these magics can be upgraded just like your weapons. Puzzle solving is improved as well. Don't get me wrong, God of War 1 had some fantastic puzzles, but God of War 2 puzzles are alot longer, in same cases much more logical, and they are really varied. Last but not least, the platforming; the improvement can be seen in this part of the gameplay as well. For example, the climbing is much more efficient and it's way faster (like I mentioned before), the camera angles are better than the first game, controls during these platforming sections are much more responsive, and overall, they are much more enjoyable.
Another thing that really impressed me was the vareity of the levels and enemies in the game. Kratos travels to almost every location imaginable; forests, temples, mountains, caves, and many more mind blowing locations which I will not talk about in this review because it will result in spoilers.
Overall, the gameplay of God of War 2 is the best in the trilogy; it is much better than the first game (improved in every single way), and it is alot more varied. I would say God of War 3's gameplay was better, but the level design in that that game is not nearly as good as God of War 2.
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Sound and music: A-
The music in the game is, once again, epic. The main theme is not as good and original as God of War 1's main soundtrack, but that aside, all the music fits the epic atmosphere of the game perfectly. The voice acting is just as good as the first game; God of War trilogy has never been famous because of its voice actors, but they do a fine job in delivering their lines nevertheless (specially Gaia's voice actor). The sound effects are very well-designed as well.
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Graphics: A+
For a PS2 game, the graphics are perfect. Animations look great, environments look fantastic, the textures are very detailed, cut-scenes look much better than they did in the first game, all the effects look very realistic, lighting is very good, and the list goes on forever!
The bottom line is that God of War 2 is, without a doubt, the best looking game on the PS2. Maybe not artistically, but technically it's the perfect for a game from the past generation.
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IN CONCLUSION:
God of War 2 is a fantastic game and it's an epic ride from beginning to end. Yes, the story is somewhat disappointing in compared to the first one, but it is still really epic and it provides a really satisfying ending. I highly recommend this game to any PS2 owner; it's a must buy (not my favorite game in the trilogy, but still brilliant).
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Storyline : B+
Gameplay: A+
Sound and music: A-
Graphics: A+
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OVERALL SCORE:
9.5/10
A+
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