God of War Review

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Rated: Mature (M)

About God of War

God of War is an action-packed, addicting single-player adventure game that keeps you coming back for more. You play Kratos, a powerful Spartan warrior on a mission to destroy Ares, the God of War. Since the other Gods are forbidden to destroy one another, they plot to help Kratos in secret, by giving him gifts of magic. As the game plays out, discover the secrets of Kratos mysterious past and discover his destiny.

God of War Gameplay

Difficulty Level

God of War is easy to learn, but full of challenges. The many puzzles, obstacles and monsters keep you on your toes. There are different levels of difficulty – Easy, Mortal, Hero, Spartan and God Mode. (which is available only after completion of the game on any of the other levels). A great feature is that new combos and actions are displayed during the action of the game at the appropriate time (such as how to use a ballista).

Fun Factor

This was a fun game, and it is easy to learn. From the beginning, the action is continuous as you battle numerous mythical monsters including Cyclops, Gorgons, Harpies and Wraiths. The game is filled with challenging puzzles and obstacles. Kratos is powerful from the start, fighting with “Blades of Chaos”, a fire-tipped whip-like weapon. He also has access to Magic abilities, including the Gaze of Medusa, which can turn enemies to stone, or the Rage of Zeus, which shoots powerful lightning bolts. You can improve your abilities by collecting the magical red orbs, which are collected by killing enemies, opening chests and breaking certain objects.

Replayability

This game is addictive. Hours will pass by without notice. After completing the game once, you have access to the most challenging level, the God Mode and other various secrets and challenges are unlocked.

Depth/length of game

God of War is long; the most time consuming portion of the game is puzzle solving. However, you may want to spend time simply exploring the world for bonus items.

Game Controls and Physics

Kratos, along with his weapons, combos, special abilities and magic is fluid, easy to use and exciting to see. The only gripe is that there is little control of the view. I would have liked to see things from different angles, but this flaw is common in these types of games.

Graphics

The graphics are awesome in God of War. Walking through the ruined city of Athens, seeing the bold detail of the monsters and other characters encountered in the game gets you immersed in the God of War world. Kratos moves fluidly, and loading time is fast. Combat is graphic, as blood and gore, are dramatically displayed.

Audio

The sound effects are perfect with this game. Narration and dialog with other characters is flawless. Music is fitting for this game, like a soundtrack from a great action movie.

Movie sequences

There are a few movie sequences that give you the feel for the situations you encounter. It gives you views of things you need to do, solve etc. You can escape from most of the sequences, but some are necessary to show you what you need to do.

Instructions/manuals

The instructions were helpful to the game; the manual outlines all the different actions, combos and magic used in the game, and gives a background on Kratos and the Gods, with nice artwork.

Summary

God of War is an fun, addictive, fast-paced, action-adventure game filled with mystical monsters, Greek Gods and exciting challenges. Time will pass quickly as you battle enemies with powerful combos and magic. Immerse yourself in the exotic world of Athens, and fulfill Kratos destiny.