Every so often, a game comes along that changes your perception of what a game should be. Sometimes it is a game like Katamari Damacy; a game that, when the whole of the North American games industry was thinking serious games, brought some colour and fun. Other times it’s a Super Mario 64, single-handedly defining the entire 3D platforming genre. Then you get the games that come near the end of a console’s life-cycle. They take full advantage of the hardware, without exposing its flaws. They always seem to show-up the bigger next-gen hardware, proving that the power of the system does not a great game make. God of War 2 is that game.

There is no use in telling the story of the game. The story is so important to this game that I do not want to ruin any bit of it for you. All I will say is that you play Kratos, God of War. A series of events unfold that has you fighting off some rather important figures in Greek mythology, all in order to change your past. The story is epic, and on a scale that few games have ever accomplished.

Intense

If you are new to the God of War franchise, the first thing you will notice is that the gameplay is extremely intense. It’s a combination of platforming, puzzle solving, and large battles. The game is definitely for mature audiences, as it features some truly raw and disturbing means of killing, and equally disturbing enemies, as well as some nudity.

The enemies all have intelligent A.I., and will constantly keep you on your toes. Along with the enemies, there are numerous action sequences that have you trying to press a series of buttons on-screen when prompted that usually lead to some fancy acrobatics, or pulling the eye out of a Cyclops. They can be very intense moments, especially if you are surrounded by six other baddies that are waiting for you to fail so they can show you how to do it properly!

Kratos is equipped with what are essentially large knives on chains. You swing them around like a demonic fire dancer. Attacking is accomplished by using two different strengths of attack, as well as a grapple button. You are then able to further modify using the L1 button. This results in a combo system that is simultaneously simple, yet extremely deep. Each gamer will have their own style of fighting. Couple this with the fact that every animation can be instantly stopped so you can block or dodge incoming enemies, and you have a fighting system that is so refined and simple, you wonder why so many 3rd person action games have failed to address this for so long.

You also have magic that can be used for special attacks. The special attacks aren’t just for show; they are a key part of the game. Many times you will absolutely need to use them. Your weapons and magic abilities are also upgradeable. The more enemies you kill, and the higher the combos, the more points you will gain for upgrading. You will also find chests that contain upgrade points, as well as for health and magic.

Involving

The gameplay that has been crafted here really brings you into the world itself. It really is a testament to videogame design. For instance, instead of just pressing a button to open a health chest, you are instructed to hold that button. The results are simple: you feel more actively involved in the animation. It also adds to the thrills, when you are forced to hold the button with enemies getting ready to pounce on you. Another example is opening doors. You will again hold a button, but then once you grip the bar, you have to tap the circle button repeatedly to throw it open. These sorts of manual finger-labour events occur frequently, and add as much of a physical dimension to a PS2 game as is possible with the controller. On some sequences your fingers will feel very tired. So, just as the story is interesting enough to pull you in, the gameplay pulls you in even further.

They have also implemented a computer controlled camera system. It works so well, you won’t even think about it. The camera is always in the right place; zooming in on finishing moves, or zooming out to show you some truly massive vistas. The dramatic camera work deserves an award, and I’m not even joking on that, as it really helps deliver a cinematic feel to the game.

The pacing in this game is also perfect. You will go from long, intense battle sequences, to quiet puzzle sequences, and back again. Cut scenes, some interactive, never break the pace of the game, and only serve to heighten the sense of involvement in the absolutely epic plot. The game rarely loads, and this helps keep everything moving along smoothly, very similar to Half-Life 2 on the PC. Even saving is a relatively smooth process, although an option for auto-saving would have been nice.

Incredible Art and Sound Design

Speaking of epic, the graphics in this game are amazing. It’s not so much the polygons that the engine is pushing; it’s how it’s pushing them. As with every other facet of this game, perfectly implemented simplicity is the key. You will be in awe at some of the sites that have been rendered here; and whoever the artists are, they deserve a nice pat on the back for getting all the little details of the time period accurately portrayed. The creators of this game put a lot of effort into just doing things right on the graphical front, and in doing so, created a game that not only looks epic, but FEELS epic. From giant stone statues, to giant moving statues, to grotesque beings and the Titans themselves, it’s all done perfectly without pushing the hardware to the point where it stutters. There wasn’t one point in the game where the frame rate dropped off, even though the visuals are easily the best to grace the system.

Along with the great visuals, the voice work and music in the game is top-notch. The actors that were hired really put effort into the voices, and yet again another element of this game serves to pull you into it. The beautifully orchestrated music always feels right, and comes in right on cue. The sounds effects are surprisingly clear for a PS2 game, and add a real visceral element to the experience.

Perfect Experience

God of War 2 is the best action game that I can remember playing. It is a perfectly paced, visceral, cinematic experience that no other game last generation can touch. There was clearly a lot of hard work put into this game. It’s a game that represents everything that a veteran gamer could possibly want (it even includes a bonus disc with making-of features). The violence may be over-the-top, and some may find it too disturbing, but given the subject matter and plot of the game, it’s definitely not just a case of violence for violence’s sake. This game is the pinnacle of action gaming.