If you own a PS2, GET THIS GAME! If you don't own a PS2, buy one then get this game!
Gameplay: Awesome. The combat system is just right. Not too complicated, not too simple. You have a decent arsenal of magic ablities (obtained throughout the game from the Gods), which are all upgradable, as are your base weapons. There's enough upgradability that it would be quite the task to get them all maxed out before reaching the end of the game. Which really says something as the game is pretty long. My friend took a little over 12 hours to complete it, and he is extremely good at these kinds of games. The enemies are interesting and all have a unique finishing move you can perform that usually gives you a little bonus over just beating them to death. Also, one notable thing is that the gameplay is damn near never interrupted. There are only 3-4 load screens in the entire game, and those are less than 2 seconds each. Yes, I'm serious. This 12 hour game will have you looking at load screens for less than 10 seconds total.
Graphics: Beautiful. This is one of the most graphically intense games the PS2 has to offer. Character models are very detailed and texures are smooth. Animations are also some of the smoothest I've seen on the PS2. The backgrounds are really what sets this game apart from others. These artists did an amazing job creating a beautiful and believable ancient greece. Everything from the city streets to the inside of buildings to the desert sands look spot on. On top of all this, there is a very steady framerate with virtually no slow-down. Ever. This makes the extreme lack of load times even more unbelievable.
Sound: Really stands out. The music is simply amazing. With no licenced tracks, you have to listen to the original score, which is absolutely epic. I could not imagine better music for this game. The noises of the enemies are menacing and realistic. The clank of armor and slicing noises of blades are amazingly well done, and really add to the experience. The cinematic scenes are even better, particularly the voice acting, which is on-par with big-budget hollywood movies. The voices really bring the characters to life, and make you forget that you're playing a video game.
Gore: Excellently done. For those of you who say that violence doesn't make a game good, I generally agree. God of War, though, is one of those games that would lose it's entire feel if there was any less violence. The cinematic scenes are some of the most gruesome ever made, and I really couldn't imagine Kratos doing anything less than stabbing women and children through their throats. Whether you're pulling the head off a gorgon, stabbing a cyclops in the eye, or burning a man alive in a cage as a sacrifice to Hades while he screams for mercy, the violence really sets the tone for the story, which I will get to in just a moment.
Story: Immersive. The tale of Kratos' adventure for revenge and forgiveness is compelling and pretty easy to follow. You will find yourself talking about the story in the forums, but not to ask about things you didn't get. That's really all there is to say, as I don't want to give anything away. If I did my job right with this review, you will get this game tomorrow. If not, then I don't care if you know the story or not.
Difficulty: Variable. With 3 levels of play (4 after beating it once), you can guarantee yourself a good challenge. The game starts off pretty easy for the first little bit, but gets really hard really fast. Also, if you die on the same section about 4-5 times, it gives you the opportunity to switch to easy mode mid-game, which is pretty nice.
Replay value: Suprisely good. Unlike a lot of action/adventure games, God of War has some damn good reasons to keep playing after beating it. There is the "God Mode" difficulty, which is unlocked after beating the game, and is insane. There is also the "Challenge of the Gods". It is like an arcade style game where you go do small missions. Plus, it's not just a "go in and kill everything" arcade game. They actually get pretty creative with the missions.
Bottom Line: God of War is just about the best thing you can spend $50 on. Get it today.