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god of action

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 17
Date: March 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

holy crap this game is awesome! i was skeptical at first, but then i started seeing all the good reviews in magazines, so i had to go out and pick me up a copy and see what all the fuss was about. and i couldn't be happier that i did.

you play as a warrior named Kratos, and he got screwed over by the god of war, Ares, so now he wants to kill Ares. The plot is pretty good, and told quite well through flashback cinemas, and present time ones, too. But the story isn't where it's at with this game, oh no, this game is all about the killin'. And trust me, you'll be doin' lots of it, in the coolest ways possible. Ripping people's heads off, tearing them in half, breaking their backs, gouging their eyes out, ramming your Blades of Chaos down their gullets...the list goes on and on.

The graphics in God of War are flat out amazing. from the highly details character models (even the regular enemies look amazing), to the awe-inspiring backgrounds that are almost always filled with fighting and some type of storm (sand, rain, lots of buildings on fire), and the first time you see Ares just marchin' around town (and you being about the size of one of his huge hands), you will crap yourself. you obtain different god powers throughout your quest of vengeance (and sadism...), such as Medusa's Gaze, which temporarily petrifies enemies in a stone casing, Poseidon's Rage, which is a large electrical blast to surrounding foes, Artemis' Blade, a massive, razor-sharp weapon that helps you just plain smack the crap out of enemies, and there are others, but i won't ruin all the fun for everyone. the bosses look amazing, too. from the Hydra to Ares, you'll be half kicking ass, and half admiring the graphics with which you are doing so.

the game isn't terribly hard, and i think i beat it in just under ten hours...i think. i could be wrong. that might sound relatively short, but trust me, it's just the right amount of time for a game like this. Sure, the developers could have tacked on a bunch of half-assed side-quests or backtracking missions to lengthen your adventure, but then the game would just feel...i don't know...tainted, somehow. like it was perfect, but then they had to get greedy and try to throw in some cheap crap to boost the number of hours it takes to complete the game. i'm glad they didn't though, because as it is, the game is flat out amazing. and you'll be playing it for a long time anyway, just for the action. but anyway, when you beat it, you unlock a harder mode, which i haven't touched yet, and you also can unlock a ton of other goodies that will keep you playing, if you aren't already hooked on beating the pants off every enemy and trying to rack up a huge chain of hits while you do it. I do like how the game flows, though. There isn't really any traditional level design, everything just goes right from one stage to the next, with little to no loading time, which is always a plus. but i don't even think an irritating loading time could harm this game's greatness. it is by far the best game of the year, already, and will probably stand as one of the best action/adventure games of all time...until God of War II comes out, anyway....

Wonderful game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: March 24, 2005
Author: Amazon User

God of War is fantastic. It's like a cross between Onimusha and Prince of Persia.

Basically, you are in the times of Athens and Sparta. There are a bunch of monsters you have to fight, which you will probably recognize. There are medusas, sirens, cyclops', minotaurs, etc. There are also gods, such as Ares, Athena, and Zeus. The story revolves around you trying to get your sins from the past wiped clean. You must do this during a war the gods are waging with each other. So right away the story is pretty interesting. They manage to work in different monsters and gods at just the right times to keep you hooked. Right when the game started to get boring, I witnessed Ares for the first time and couldn't imagine what would happen next.

The fighting is good. There are basic attacks and strong attacks. As you progress, you can unlock new moves. There's a large enough variety of moves that you won't become bored too easily. There are god powers, which keep the game interesting. The cool thing is, you can do so much while fighting. The right analog stick lets you roll to evade things. This is very clever and one of the best uses of the analog stick I've ever seen. If you wonder about the camera, fear not. It is always in sort of fixed places. You always see what you need to see, and you never have to fiddle with the camera to solve a puzzle. Hoo ray.

The reason I compared this game to Onimusha was because the glowing spheres that come out of dead enemies. In this and that game, killing enemies results in different colored spheres. Green restore health, red let you power up, and blue restore magic. In Onimusha you have to hold down "O" and be real close to suck orbs up. In this game, it's automatic and they will absorb from far away. This saves you alot of time, and makes killing enemies meaningful. The game reminds me of Prince of Persia because of all the platforming. It is very easy, just like Prince of Persia. The thing that makes this game better is the fighting. Prince of Persia has you doing a lot of cool platforming, but the fighting is stupid. In this game, both the platforming and fighting are good.

Lastly, the graphics are great. They aren't mind-blowing, but they are really good. The textures fit well with the game. The landscape doesn't seem to be all squares and circles. What's better is that you can usually see a lot. The camera is always fixed, but you will always be able to see something interesting. I was climbing some vines and I noticed a battle off in the distance. Later I got to witness that battle.

The last reviewer said it best. It's not long, but that's only because the creators didn't want to add in a bunch of stupid crap. I'm impressed.

Can't get past this part

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 73
Date: March 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Hello, this game was good and all for the first 1 hour but then I came against the big Hydra, I kept on pressing O button but the pole couldn't get damaged, I kept trying and trying, just can't do it. The online guides did not help. I think this is just unacceptable, I give it 1 star.

Hands down; The BEST PS2 Game Yet!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: March 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game sucks you in and beats you into submission from the very first screen. The Sound is THE best of any game I have heard on any console period. The visuals are all wonderfully detailed and the frame rate keeps a very steady pace. The main character and all of the NPC's are all highly detailed as well and all have great animations. The control scheme is also way above many of other games as you are able to cancel one action mid way and change it up on the fly. The story line is a strong one and keeps you wanting more of it. The game has got to be one of the most graphic games out there and is not intended for children as there is nudity and some sexuality. I cannot say enough about this game; it is one of the most entertaining games I have played in quite some time. A BIG 2 thumbs up to Sony Santa Monica Studios. Great Job!!

An excellent game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: March 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Very fun and interesting game. The battle moves are awesome! Great graphics and gameplay. Moves along at a great pace, not too hard, not too easy. It is a game that should not be missed!!

Best game of all time? Close.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: March 26, 2005
Author: Amazon User

God Of War is a GREAT action adventure combat type of game, similar to Onimusha, Castlevania, Devil May Cry, and Ninja Gaiden. My favorite genre BTW. Prior to playing God Of War, Ninja Gaiden was the best game I've ever played. I played Onimusha, Castlevania, and Devil May Cry AFTER Ninja Gaiden, I was shocked how HORRIBLE these games are! THESE games have fixed camera, the backgrounds do not rotate.... so its pretty much like playing 2-D Double Dragon, Streets of Rage or Golden Axe with more flash.

God Of War uses a fixed camera system. I was very suspicious about this before I got the game. I assure you this fixed camera system is TOTALLY AWESOME. The camera engine will always give you the best playable angle, it will zoom in for combat sequence which is important because it makes the characters and actions come ALIVE, it will auto-rotate with your runs, and more. The game designers really put a lot of effort into the camera system. Actually this game uses a semi-fixed camera system, because the background rotates. Games of this genre for the Playstation 2 dont offer adjustable cameras because PLAYSTATION 2'S HARDWARE IS INCOMPETENT! THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE BEST PLAYSTATION 2 CAN EVER DO.

The setting for this game blows any action adventure combat game away. Its Greek mythology! You will meet many famous Gods, monsters, and people. The stage design is magificent, they are HUGE, detailed, and beautiful. You will feel like you are in ancient Greece. The stages totally blow away all other games. Its like playing a movie and watching the Traveling Channel. The levels are very well designed, I've never seen any games like this. You dont go into rooms after rooms like other games, other games' level has that divided sections design within a level. In God Of War you will play a truly huge continuous level design with no loading time.

The combat is awesome. This is not a dumb simple hack and slash game like Baulder's gate, Champions of Norrath, or Dynasty Warriors. The bloody actions have a Mortal Kombat feeling to it. The combat is like a fighting game. There are lots of BLOOD, myriad of execution moves, and the motions all look REAL! However the RPG element is a bit lacking, it seems to offer only 2 weapons and 4 magics. The weapons can be upgraded 4 times and the magic 2 times. The weapons and magic dont look all that different thru its upgrades....

The platforming for this game is actually fun! Very Indiana Jones like. The puzzles are cool action puzzles, not stupid little brain puzzles like all other games. Lots of cool innovated ideas in this game! This game is very dark and very adult! Expect lovely nudity, simulated sex mini-games, extreme bloody violence, profanity, etc.... The boss fights are cool, very fun, funky, and unique and not just all chopping like Ninja Gaiden. However there are NOT ENOUGH BOSSES.

The graphics for this game is awesome, it looks like XBOX game. Lots of cool cinematic effects and CGI cut scenes. Make sure you set the picture soften option to OFF. The music is sweet, very epic, classical and perfect for battles.

Ninja Gaiden has better action and bigger characters, it gives player a dynamic feeling that GOW don't have at times. IMO Ninja Gaiden and GOW ties for best action/adventure/combat game of all time.

Overall this is a must PLAY game! Go buy it now! SONY please make God Of War 2 NOW!

Update: 4/16/2005 After playing this game more than 7 hours or 80% thru I lost all interest. This game is very pretty but very stupid too, WAY too much puzzle thingeys! TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! Gamespot was right. After the hydra boss and on the way to Athens, about 2 hours of gameplay here, then I played for 5 more hours OF stupid puzzle thingeys, the stages were cool I have to admit, but this game is way too ridiculous. Only the first and last stage are good, everything in between was pure stupid puzzle garbage. The VARIETY OF ENEMIES is seriouly lacking! There are only 3 bosses, I didnt even get to the last 2, I didnt want to, spending 5 hours of stupid puzzle thingeys WITHOUT boss fight completely turned me off. AS the game progressed, my friends and I who took turns playing this lame game decided this game is DEFINATELY WAY WORSE THAN NINJA GAIDEN. This game is totally overhyped. Listen to Flavor Flav, yeahhhhhhh boi! HEHEHE cant believe bought into the hype. F.U. SONY! IMO YOU didnt really make this game, you probably based it on some other game's engine.

ARES!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: March 26, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I used to be a diehard Playstation fan, and I HATED Xbox or Gamecube. Then, after playing Halo, Halo 2, and Fable, I started to lean towards and finally decided that Xbox was a little bit better (mainly the graphics were what made me decide). But then THIS comes out, and I am COMPLETELY HOOKED!!! This game has the best graphics on the console (IMO) and the controls are perfect! The storyline isnt boring or stupid, and the cutscenes and battles are WAY above par! The only beef that I have with this game is when you're saving the Oracle. She looks COMPLETELY different in the cutscene afterwards! But that in NO WAY diminishes this game! I just found it funny. Anyway, if you're old enough to handle some extreme gore and a little breast-action, then by all means GET THIS GAME!!!!

I think the game of the year contest is already over......

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: March 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is it. This is gonna be game of the year, no doubt in my mind. The only other game that could come close is the vastly overrated Resident Evil 4. Pick this one up. It's incredible.

Near Flawless

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 227 / 240
Date: March 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Do you remember that thrill when you played Devil May Cry for the first time? That experience that was familiar in some aspects but so different in a completely bad ass way? The opening moments of God of War exceed that thrill. In fact it brings to mind what comedian Dane Cook would call a BAMF. I'll let you do the math.

The opening moments are filled with creatures both small and large that you can effortlessly kill, the game subtly teaching you the mechanics. But all of that is just setup for a truly epic first boss fight against the Hydra that not only kicks the game into high gear, but also is better than practically any "end boss" fights of most games. With context sensitive button pushes, the game incorporates a cinematic experience into your fighting. By pushing buttons at the right time, you are dodging, climbing and killing each Hydra head thrown at you. It is intense and immensely satisfying. Never before have I felt this immersion in a video game. Instead of watching a cutscene of Kratos finishing a Hydra, YOU are doing it. You are swinging off its nose, jamming your blades into its eyes. It is awesome.

Graphically, the game excels. I have been constantly surprised recently with the graphic quality of PS2 games. God of War is almost seamless. The game moves from gameplay, to cutscene, to gameplay, level to level without a load screen. In fact, with the exception of the initial load, I don't remember ever seeing a load screen. It is beautiful to watch, gruesome to play and just fantastic.

Sound-wise, the game also is gold. It has a fully orchestrated soundtrack that fits perfectly with the Greek time period. In fact, the soundtrack is available for a free download if you buy the game and its definitely worth it to those who like this kind of music. The voice work is well done and the lip synching for once matches perfectly.

For all of the graphic prowess, there are some problems. The biggest of which is a kind of scanning problem. When the camera moves, sometimes the areas get...squiggly?...I don't how to explain it, but there's lines moving through the game because it can't handle it. There's also a little bit of slowdown when battles get hectic. Neither of these are major problems but it does detract from what really are wonderful graphics.

The camera also generally shows the best angle for the action. You can't control the camera, it's preset like Devil May Cry. There are a couple instances, however, where you can get sandwiched between two or more huge brutes and you can't see yourself because of the camera. It can be incredibly annoying when it happens but it is so rare that it isn't much of a complaint.

Finally, the game isn't too long. It's a 10-15 hour game depending on how well you play and what difficulty setting you choose. They actually had to cut the game down to get it done on time. You can check out the levels and monsters that were cut after finishing the game. Along with the shortness, there aren't many bosses. In fact, there's only three. But man, when they throw a boss at you, they really throw a boss at you.

Note of warning: This game is definitely rated M. The violence and gore is in your face as there are decapitations, breaking necks, wings ripped off, people cut in half, violence against women, etc. And there's nudity and sexual situations. Copious breast shots follow suit.

I can't recommend this game enough. If you are a fan of action games, this game redefines the stylish action Devil May Cry heralded back in the day. Playing as Kratos gives you the same bad ass feeling Dante did, only God of War ramps this up to the extremes. Play this game, you'll be glad you did.

UPDATE: I don't know if there's anyone out there who hasn't played this game yet, but if you haven't, why not? At 19.99, this game is a complete steal! There is a sequel on the way, coming out on the PS2 in early 2007.

Epic Adventure

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: March 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Forget everything I've said about every other game I've reviewed - this is THE game. Everything about this game is incredible; the graphics, the control, the gameplay its all flawless. The story is fantastic as well. You play Kratos, a Spartan soldier who basically makes a deal with the devil, then regrets it as he is forced to perform inhuman acts in the name of Ares, the God of War. The story is layed out in chapters, to give the game the feel of a Greek Epic, and it succeeds in every sense of the word. Levels are challenging, but not frustrating, and the ease with which you can pull of great combos makes battling enemies a pleasure. This title is a must have for any PS2 owner, and I can give it my highest recommendation with no guilt whatsoever.

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