God of War: Feel the epic fury of a vengeful Spartan! Thanatos epica.
You are Kratos, a Spartan general that conquers "inferior" tribes and civilizations with sadistic glee. However, Kratos and his army eventually encounter a particularly powerful Nordic tribe that proves to be too much for them. As Kratos' army is being slaughtered, Kratos makes a pledge with the God of War, Ares, to spare his life in exchange for his allegiance and services. Ares accepts, and Kratos manages to conquer the Nordic adversaries. Ares realizes that Kratos has a wife and daughter, and that his family might interfere in his conquests. Hence, Ares tricks Kratos into killing his own family. After Kratos realizes his grievous sin, he goes on an epic quest for vengeance against the God who betrayed him. Only Pandora's Box possesses the power to destroy a God and Kratos must obtain it...
Graphics:
The graphics in GOW are amazing! GOW is arguably the best looking PS2 game ever made. All the environments are gorgeous, teaming with AAA production values and diverse backgrounds. All the characters in the game port high polygon counts and realistic animation. The physics system is top notch, as well as the impressive lighting effects. Play GOW on a High-Def’ TV to truly experience Ancient Greece in all its glory!
Sound:
Aurally, you will be hard pressed to find a game that sounds as beautiful as GOW. The voice acting in the game is stellar: most notably the voiceover work of T.C. Carson (Final Destination 2), who plays the role of Kratos. The sound effects are superb; from the searing of earthly flesh to the flow of the raging seas. Most impressive, however, is the mesmerizing orchestral score. The music in GOW, in a word, is perfect. The music tells a story on its own, as the epic fury of a determined Spartan courses through the psyche and leaves its chilling mark! If you don't buy this game, you at least owe it to yourself to purchase the phenomenal soundtrack on Amazon.com or something. Regal production values throughout. Gameplay:
GOW is a superb game. Kratos is armed with the Blades of Chaos, and you can link together 100+ hit combos with ease. Think of it as Devil May Cry on steroids and with a macabre twist. The game is excessively gory. Kratos eviscerates hapless foes with a blitzkrieg fueled rage that is unparalleled in modern age gaming. Some of the mini "context-sensitive" sequences in the game usually involve you impaling a Minotaur, or dismembering a Cyclops. The death and battle animation in the game is an "experience" all its own. GOW implements RPG-ish mechanics in its core. As you kill enemies, one (or two) of three orb variants will usually protrude from their lifeless corpses. Green orbs restore health; blue ones magic; and red orbs represent experience points. You can use red orbs to power up your weapons and magic, which add to the replayablity of the game. I won't give away too much regarding the necromancy, but suffice it to say they are amazing: oh, and a select few Greek Gods bestow them on you... You can switch between magic's at will, and combine them with your melee weapons for a plethora of gorgeous, lethal damage. The game also involves some entertaining puzzle's and platforming elements. Think of an R rated Prince of Persia puzzle/platforming system, but not as fully fleshed out. All in all, the gameplay is nigh-perfect, and an exhilarating little jaunt into carnage euphoria!
The Coda...
The game is relatively short, as most gamers can slice through it in about 7-10 hours. The game also boasts a bevy of awesome extra's such as making of featurettes, mini-games, trailers, secret movies, and the like. There are 4 difficult levels in the game (one of which [God Mode] must be unlocked), ergo neophytes and grizzled veterans will find much to love about this hegemonic tour de force. To be honest, I only bought a PS2 for GOW. (I’m an aficionado of Greek mythos.) I checked out Gamespot's review by Mr. Navarro and the gameplay footage blew me away. If you love action-adventure games with an archaic, brutal twist (and some nudity); a gripping narrative; a mesmerizing musical score; and marvelous graphics, you should definitely pick up GOW. Prepare to duel blades in thee cataclysmic battle against the malevolent "God of War!"