A fantastic evolution in the franchise, God of War 2 lives up to the standard established by its predecessor.
GAMEPLAY
In a sense, God of War's gameplay does require a lot of button navigation and rapid execution for it to be fully enjoyed. However, the majority of the movesets, techniques, and battle scenarios you're put into require a bit too much button pressing. How many more doors to empty areas do I have to open by recklessly and wildly crushing the O button? However, the developers do sling curveballs your way with ingenious puzzles and situations that utterly eclipse all other games in the genre in sheer inventiveness, difficulty, and imagination. Combine that with some unforgettable boss battles and you've got something quite memorable. Still, standard battle sequences too feel a bit structured from time to time and the game does tend to feel like a movie moreso than it should.
OVERALL........8.5/10
GRAPHICS
Now, to judge graphics we have to take it in context of the rig the developers were given to work with. The PS2 is by far an inferior console to the Xbox and Gamecube and with all the next-gen hub-ub going around, the glitz in this game will probably go sorely unnoticed. Nevertheless, outside of Square-Enix games like FFXII, FFX, and Kingdom Hearts, you will not see better visuals in any game for the PS2 than God of War 2. The amount of detail stuffed into environments is astounding and complete in every facet. From the reflection in the marble floors of the Greek Temples to the intricate weaponry designs, everything has been given meticulous attention.
OVERALL.......10/10
PRESENTATION
Presentation is what God of War is all about; it's all about how the game is experienced. When combining a choir of trumpets, trombones, and symphonic orchestra into the brutally gory sequences and epic layout of certain areas, you walk around with a sense of awe at the environments you come across, as well as the magnificent boss battles you undergo. To summise it one word: stunning.
OVERALL........10/10
VALUE
If you own a PS2 and don't own at least one of the God of War games, you should be stripped of all gaming privileges (assuming you have no moral standards, anyway. If by all means you can't take nipples, more power to you). Still, replaying through the game is a tedious venture and the story, though good, isn't near as good as the first to endure another play through to experience it again. It's great while it lasts and every moment is an adrenaline high, but once it's over, it's over. Enjoy it while it lasts.
OVERALL.........7/10
TILT
Alright, I do have a pretty serious moral backbone in my body and I do look around to make sure nobody's watching when a nipple or two pops up in this game or when the gore does become extremely over-the-top and even I'm tempted to turn it off at times (and a few times I've caved). However, the fluidity of gameplay, the epic presentation, and the overall gameplay experience are worth enduring the setbacks of this game to play. Like I said before, it's a guilty pleasure of sorts and a game, at minimum, worth a rental to understand what it is God of War is meant to be. I definitely advocate toning down the blatant use of nudity and extreme level of gore, but that's not my call and if you're going to play this game, you're just going to have to gut it out. And if you have lower standards and morals, then this game will hit every note you were hoping to hear.
OVERALL.......10/10
God of War 2 faithfully recreates the same epic experience established in the first game, though it does lose some of its originality due to the "been there, done that" kind of sensation, plus the game stuffs tons of greek myths and content into the game that are otherwise unnecessary, but still cool. So, all in all, it's an absolutely great game, worthy of its praise and its attention. More of a blockbuster than a cult classic, God of War runs laps around any other media created for the same philosophical intent.