Compelling storyline, reluctant hero, stunning boss fights, and great battle moves - all in the first hour of gameplay!

User Rating: 9.3 | God of War (Greatest Hits) PS2
By Acheval | Review Date:
Look, I'm not normal. Never have been, never will be. I like seriously quirky games that appeal to a very niche market. Shooters and action/adventure? -- nah,.... gimme an obscure TBS or RPG any day. But when I saw GoW for the first time -- over my roommate's shoulder in our basement on a hi-def -- I forgot where I was going, what year it was, and quite possibly how to spell my last name… and then had to sit down and play it for myself.

Ambiance: The graphics are amazing (Xbox), and the world is very real, despite the mythological setting. Non-story environmental elements are moving and being affected in the background; so when you’re climbing or fighting, other characters are resolving battles around you, bodies are falling, etc. You really feel that you’re there, and the music adds to the appeal. The soundtrack is very well-matched to the action, particularly in boss fights. I dare you to keep your heart from pounding in response to all of the environmental cues.

Controls: I have no complaints about this on the Xbox, although I had trouble remembering the combos in order to get the best damage ratios (that’s cuz I’m usually playing other genres, so I bet it didn’t bother most folks).

Storyline: Very mature. You’ve got some serious bloodbaths, psychological trauma, an ‘off-screen sex’ mini game, and some nudity. No question – lock this one away for the kiddies (and quite frankly, some 18 to 20-year olds might not be ready for it either!). Despite this, the storyline is quite compelling, and is a welcome change from the norm.

Bottom line: Lovers of this genre will be in Hog Heaven, and everyone else will be seduced if you can get them to see/play the first hour of GoW.

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