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Reviewed by Ian Johnston
Byline: "A superbly designed and executed action/adventure game that is among the finest ever made"
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America
Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica
Genre: Action
# Of Players: 1
Without a doubt, the hack n' slash genre has a long and storied history. Games like Golden Axe, Dungeons & Dragons: Shadows over Mystaria, Magic Sword, the Dynasty Warriors series (excluding the first game), and Aliens vs. Predator (the arcade game, of course) were enjoyed by many gamers. Although the typical hack n' slash game has undergone a bit of a metamorphosis over the years, the simplicity and straightforward gameply has remained largely intact; one, or sometimes two, protagonists take on wave after wave of enemy hoardes en route to a massive final battle with a formidable adversary.
God of War happens to follow that basic premise as well, and is in large part very reminiscent of Capcom's Devil May Cry series and Tecmo's Rygar for the PS2. Like the aforementioned games it features a single protagonist that must fight his way through wave after wave of enemies, but it's the interesting twists and additions that make it such a compelling experience, despite the fact that it's somewhat derivative. You assume the role of Kratos, a great and powerful warrior that was granted unimaginable power by the Greek god of war, Ares. Kratos turns on Ares and allies himself with Ares' sister, Athena, in an attempt to save Athens from complete and total destruction at Ares' hands.
The emphasis on Greek mythology goes well beyond the storyline, permeating every conceivable aspect of the game. Visually, you really get the feeling that you're fighting through the towns and villages of ancient Greece. The buildings, statues, enemies, and assorted landscapes that comprise the game convey the look and feel of ancient Greece exceptionally well. Be it huge, ornate statues, massive buildings complete with columns, or the grassy hills and dirt roads typical of rural ancient Greece, it's all there, the totality of which is a truly splendid atmosphere and visage. In keeping with the theme, the multitude of enemies represent, in large part, the pantheon of mythological Greek monsters.
You'll find yourself taking on minotaurs, gorgons, wraiths, sirens, and harpies among others. Additionally, there are epic boss battles that pit Kratos again some of Greek mythology's more infamous characters. By defeating these bosses you can gain specific powers of theirs that you can then use throughout the remainder of the game. Also, Kratos, the various monsters, and the other animate parts of the game move quite fluidly, although the frame rate does drop a bit at times. There are cut scenes interspersed throughout the game to help advance the storyline, though surprisingly some look decidedly nicer than others. That said, it's still quite a visually appealing game, especially given the limitations of the PS2 hardware.
The audio is similarly excellent, featuring an orchestral score composed by a team of seven very talented musicians. SCE Santa Monica also employed a huge choir for the vocal portions of the soundtrack, the end result of which is some really intense and rich music. There are 34 tracks in all, varying from as brief as seven seconds to as long as three minutes and thirty seconds, but the majorty of the tracks are a little over two minutes. They are so expertly composed that they dramatically enhance the gameplay experience, emphasizing tension, calamity, sorrow, and anticipation. The choir featured on many of the tracks is absolutely phenomenal as well, featuring some very intense chanting and even a few vocal solos that are quite impressive. As is usually the case with any game that has a fantastic soundtrack, the sound effects take a backseat in a major way. The assorted grunts of Kratos and his foes all sound fine, as do the screams of fleeing villagers and the clash of weapon striking weapon, bit in lieu of the orchestral score it's little more than neccessary filler.
As for the gameplay, it is both unique and derivative as mentioned before. One the surface, the game has both the general look at feel of Devil May Cry. It utilizes the same kind of camera and related perspectives and the same type of combat, but it goes much further. As you dispatch enemies you collect their blood energy in the form of little red orbs. This blood energy accumulates and can then be used to upgrade Kratos' blades, which he swings and are his primary weapon, as well as the various magic powers he gains from winning pivotal battles against certain gods and infamous monsters. As his weapon is upgraded new moves and combos are unlocked, thereby expanding his offensive repertoire as the game progresses. Kratos can also grapple with his foes, allowing him to rip them apart, pummel them with his fists, kick them in the head, and even impale them, although some of those moves are dependant upon certain situations and enemy position relative to Kratos.
There is also a heavy dose of puzzle solving required, which helps elevate the game beyond a simple hack n' slash affair. This includes some platforming, which at times can be bothersome, but it's kept to a reasonable minimum and never proves to be overly frustrating. The sheer volume of enemies and moves that Kratos can ultimately perform makes the combat quite varied and exhilirating when it could have just as easily been monotonous and tedius.
All told, God of War is a thoroughly enjoyable game that's both well conceived and designed. It is a bit short, considering it can be beaten in about six hours, but it's six hours of gaming bliss. There are some nice unlockables included in the game as impetus to play through it multiple times (new costumes, infinite magic, god mode, cut scene viewer, and so forth), so for those gamers that are completists, it'll keep them busy for quite a while. Those that played and enjoyed Devil May Cry and or Rygar will undoubtedly be very satisfied with God of War, but even if you aren't familiar with those games, God of War has a lot of fun to offer and is easily one of the best PS2 games of 2005. If you're in the market for a great action game, look no further.
Highs:
Excellent graphics, fantastic soundtrack, great gameplay, lots of unlockable extras, top-notch level design
Lows:
Can be beaten rather quickly, frame rate drops at times, cut scenes of varying quality
Copyright © 2005 Ian Johnston
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