Tuesday, 2 February 2010

Review | God of War 2


With God of War 3 on PS3 due for release very soon, Lukao from CeX Rathbone Place, London explains why it’s you should grab a copy of God of War 2 now.


God of War 2 continues the adventures of Kratos and his battles against the monsters and creatures of ancient Greece. But can the sequel stand up to the reputation of the first?

God of War 2 features much the same mix of combat, platforming and problem solving as other similar action games (Devil May Cry, Rygar etc.), with puzzle moving away from the ‘get key A for door B’ format and towards a more ‘Indiana Jones’ ethic. The combo system is almost exactly the same as before, which some might find disappointing, but is still rewarding and satisfying. Concerned parents might want to take note that the overall theme running through this game is ‘Bloody Violence’. Kratos’ fighting style reflects this.

The presentation in this game completely blew me away. Not only are the character models detailed and well animated, but also the environments and backdrops are constantly breathtaking. I often found myself aghast at how the programmers managed to put so much detail and scope onto a system seen as obsolete by many. The sound, voice acting and music is also impressive, with big name actors and a full orchestra on board.

Some people complained that the first game lacked bosses and spectacular events. The makers of the game took that to heart and really piled it on for the sequel. If Kratos wasn’t fighting some huge boss beast, he was falling down a bottomless pit, crashing through some collapsing ruins or being stepped on by a colossus. I would’ve felt sorry for the guy if I wasn’t having so much fun. However, the game’s pacing does suffer as a result. ACTIONACTIONACTION puzzle ACTIONBOSSACTION becomes a little tiring after a while.

There is definitely a lot of replay value to be had, with various unlockables and hidden collectables to be found, and multiple levels of difficulty (the hardest being as impossible as the trails of Hercules himself). While the extras on offer aren’t as impressive as in the first game, the special edition that’s available comes with a spiffy ‘making of’ disc, which contains in depth interviews and articles about the game and its developers.

If you buy one last Playstation 2 game, make it God of War 2. God of War 2 was released on Playstation 2 in 2007.

Lukao
CeX Rathbone Place, London
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