much better than the first imho
Kratos now has a barrage of weapons and moves, and can now switch between 2 weapons on the fly. theres also more magic in GoW2. seems like they kind of followed DMC3 a tad with the weapon switching, which is not a bad thing by any means. like the first, theres a good mix of puzzle solving and plenty of action. the boss/mini boss fights will also not disappoint.
the graphics look incredible considering its a ps2 game. sure, it may not be "next-gen", but my rating is considering the fact this is a ps2 game, and it is arguably the best looking ps2 game out there. like i mentioned before, there is some screen tearing, some parts have a quite a few jaggies and the framerate can chug a little when theres big battles or a lot of action on screen, but overall, GoW2 looks fantastic. the art direction is wonderful, and most of the levels really impressed me.
the sound is also great. it has a similar soundtrack to the first. the voice acting is good, and overall, it sounds just as good as the first.
i couldn't justify purchasing the first GoW at ~$50. i rented it and bought it later for ~$20. however, i was so excited to play the second GoW, that i bought it at the early price, and i am not disappointed. the replay value has improved, and the overall game is better. if you're debating whether or not to get it now, i would say its worth it.