Games can never be perfect. But if there was one game that would come close to perfection, it would be God of War 2 (GOW2). Picking up from where the first game left off, you are once again the anti-hero that you love to hate (or wish to become in a sadistic twisted way) Kratos. As the new God of War, you are more destructive and merciless than his predecessor Ares ever was. However, Zeus, the ruler of all Olympus, deceived you into releasing your Godly powers into the Blade of Olympus. After a sequence in which Zeus kills you, you are given a second chance to live and reach one goal; to kill the ruler of Olympus. Game-play is quite the same from the previous title, as you are equipped with the Blades of Athenas (formerly the Blades of Chaos) and one magic. There are other weapons and magic to obtain such as a large hammer, staff, and relics to add some variety but you can actually go through your quest with your blades. Most will find this to be a flaw but it is the most effective in dealing with enemies. Most of the familiar enemies have returned (minotaurs, cyclops, sirens, and medusas), with some of them slightly upgraded visually and during battles. What's more entertaining are the boss battles. There are many mini-games in GOW2. If you are not comfortable with the mini-games, you will struggle to complete your quest. During your encounters with certain enemies, you will be prompt to press a face button or rotate your left analog stick that corresponds to the button icons on-screen. This formula is one of the key areas of game-play that has made the first title a success. The controls are responsive and translates well during play. Moreover, the treasure chests filled with orbs for health, magic, and now the rage of the titans, does not require you to repeatedly hit the R2 button. Holding the R1 button will suffice. Opening doors did not get the same treatment but it will not be a burden. Overall, the game-play isn't too hard or too easy for the casual gamer. The harder difficulties are more challenging for the more advanced gamer. Sky's the limit when it comes to graphics. Arguably, you won't find many other games that matches the amazing visuals in GOW2. The character designs are excellent, from Kratos to Zeus, Athenas, and some of the titans in the game. The level designs are just jaw-dropping landscapes that you traverse. It's very possible that you would stop proceeding during your quest just to admire the designs of some locations. Very detailed for a PS2 game. The cut-scenes are just flawless, seamlessly tying in to the story. In the sound department, the original score, sound effects, and voice work done for all of the characters are excellent as expected.
Playing GOW2 will make a gamer not want to put the controller down. The game comes with a bonus disc for extra features on how the game was created and more.
There was no major flaws to report. PS2 may be at the end of it's life cycle, but the developers' efforts for this title reflect just how much the PS2 is alive and kicking. Other developers would have jumped to the next-gen consoles. If you like a lot of action with excellent game-play, story, jaw-dropping visuals, and a lot of violence (rated M), GOW2 is a must-have for your PS2.
Strengths: Intense and exciting combat; New weapons and magic keep things interesting; Some of the best boss fights ever seen in action games; Amazing graphics; Absolutely beautiful CG cut scenes; Great voice acting & su... Read Full Review
God of War 2 sticks w/ the formula that worked w/ the first game and improves on its greatest weakness from the original, its lack of content. So if you enjoyed the first game, it is likely you will enjoy its sequel. T... Read Full Review
