User Reviews (31 - 41 of 145)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Undeniably Awesome

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: January 08, 2008
Author: Amazon User

After playing through Kratos' epic journey in the first God of War, it was impossible to imagine a worthy sequel... until playing through God of War II. What Hollywood does wrong, God of War II gets right. Bigger battles and better graphics are meaningless if not backed by solid storytelling and gameplay. Like its predecessor, GoW II transports the player into a world where the interpretation of Greek mythology is addictively clever.

Technically, GoW II has achieved what no other PS2 title could. On a standard def television, the visuals are indiscernible from those of a next-gen game. I cannot wait to see what the God of War team will cook up for Kratos' next-gen debut.

The gameplay is similar to God of War's gameplay with a few minor changes (special attacks and different weapons/spells). This is not a bad thing when GoW's gameplay is so good. As with GoW, the sequel sprinkles in a lot of context sensitive moments that are just epically badass. Enough said.

Once again, I can't downplay the importance of the story and the alternative Greek universe created for the God of War franchise. For me, the God of War games are fundamentally story-driven with awesome gameplay as an added bonus. I give God of War II my highest marks.

Plenty of action and brainwork, perfectly balanced.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 09, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I don't play a lot of games, but the ones I do play I play a lot.

What I love best about this game is that puzzle-wise it doesn't get any easier in easy mode while it offers the full range of difficulty in terms of combat for those who just really love to fight--so if you like but don't love the fighting, you can just go with the easy level and still have as much of a challenge figuring things out without having to suffer through fighting scenes where you die over and over just to make it from scene to scene--I rather enjoy figuring it out rather than fighting my way through it. This combined with an excellent story line and refreshing lack of cuteness while not going over the top with violence and gore make this the overall best game I've played other than maybe one or two of the Tomb Raider series.

Like a good book of fiction, I felt like I was actually in the story, not just pressing buttons.

I do wish I didn't watch the bonus material, but wont ruin it by saying why.

BOTTOM LINE: Especially if you like games that are mentally difficult to figure out, you will love playing God of War--both 1 and 2. I made the mistake of playing God of War 2 first because I thought the first one might be crappy, but then near the end switched over the God of War 1 so I could have the full experience and know the whole background. Truth be told God of War 1 is almost as good as this sequel and it would be a mistake to miss it.

This is one of those games that drives me to buy the PSP and to upgrade to a Playstation 3 just so I can play my favorites.

better than the first

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 9
Date: March 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User

better than the first one. The graphics are amazing and the controls are much easier this time around. A way more involved story. this game rocks all around.

WHAT IS THIS?!!!!!

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 5 / 13
Date: April 24, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is not what I expected at all, this game, if it were anything but the sequel to perhaps the greatest game ever for the PS2, wouldnt rank above any other mediocre run of the mill adventure game. Where is the combat? What is Perseus doing here? The Icarus' wings seemed like a good idea, but what did they really do with it?, nothing, thats what.
Its as if they threw every bit of greek mythology the average american teen could be expected to remember or know into this imposter of a sequel.
Puzzle after puzzle, most of them fairly simple, so after awhile they just become annoying, a terrible plot ( SPOILER ALERT )
Kratos is Zeus's son, oh please what cliche' crap is that?
I cant go on its making me sick just thinking about it.
I havent even touched this game since i beat it the first time, and I dont think i will anytime soon. Save your money, and buy books, you're already here in amazon, it will do you more good than this junk.

a simple addictive game, sadly ruined by annoying puzzles

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 8 / 28
Date: May 14, 2007
Author: Amazon User

god of war 1 was a semi-fun game that became a lot less fun to me after i ran into a bug, getting trapped in one level. i quit after an hour or so of trying to figure out what the hell to do.

god of war 2 is luckily bug-free. but i had to consult a walkthrough about 5 times and i hate that! what happened to the good old days, when walkthroughs weren't even an option and it didn't matter, because you didn't need them? now more and more games put in incredibly annoying puzzles. well i don't like puzzles. if i wanted puzzles, i could go play a puzzle game. too bad god of war takes the path of half-life 2 - interspersing the fun cool action with lame annoying puzzles.

anyway i solved some of the puzzles, some i looked up online, and by the time i reached a place i didn't know what to do, jumping on a rock that i couldn't get past because of a huge lava pit, i quit this game. god of war 2's strengh is in its action, so why does it insist on putting so many obstacles in the way of getting to the action?? it makes no sense, really.

also i found the flying levels to be mostly a bore. i don't think this game should focus on flying.. it should focus on what it's good at - earthbound action. it's obviously taken a lot of inspiration from ninja gaiden and that's cool, but no way would i rate it as highly as ninja gaiden. unfortunately i'm the only one willing to talk about the negative aspects of this game, because gamers think the graphics are oh-so-kool.. and they are great for a ps2 game, but there are problems.

A God on the PS2

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: March 27, 2007
Author: Amazon User

How do you follow up a game like God of War? The first one was incredible. A thrill ride filled to the brim with complex puzzles and gameplay unmatched by most platformers of the day. In the end it turned out to be one of the most successful Playstation 2 games out there. So how do you follow up such a smash hit? The answer, very carefully, and that's exactly what God of War II does. It keeps the elements of the first one that worked, while being sure to tweak with a few minor things. The end result is exactly what a video game sequel should be. True to the first one.

Once again you assume the role of Kratos, the God of War. He still commands the Spartan Army, and continues to conquer the land. However, his actions have led to the Olympian Gods being disappointed in him and thus he is betrayed by them. Thanks to Gaia of the Titans, however, Kratos is able to live and go on another epic journal to once more change his fate. The journal is difficult and perilous, but it's no problem for a God of War such as Kratos.

As far as the story goes, God of War II is just as absorbing as the first one was. If it's been a while since your trip through the first game, you may want to play it again just in case because the two games link almost directly, and there will be a few references you may or may not pick up on.

The gameplay in God of War II hasn't really changed from the first one. In fact, it's almost exactly the same. You'll romp through the game slashing and killing things in a bloodfest. This game is a bit bloodier than the first one, but that's to be expected. It's also a little romped up in the difficulty. Much like the first one, however, there's a lot of button mashing involved in the combat. Simply put, as long as you keep swinging your blades you can survive. You've also got magic and other weapons you can use throughout your journey, but the problem with this little mechanic is much like the first one, spells and such become useless after a while. Once you get passed the point where you actually need a spell, there's no reason to ever use it again. While you get some pretty nifty weapons, none of them are as comforting to play around with as the default. In short, there's a lot of variety here, but no real reason to explore it.

As with the first game, there are a ton of puzzles throughout God of War II. In the first game there were plenty of difficult and sometimes frustrating puzzles. I'd be lying if I said the same wasn't true of the second game. There are a few frustrating puzzles, but nothing quite so frustrating it can't be done. A lot of the puzzles are actually very well constructed and crafted. Even the ones that'll frustrate you, you'll appreciate the complexity to them.

As far as the game looks, this may very well be the last fantastic looking Playstation 2 game. It doesn't look that strikingly different from the first one, but there is a lot more detail to the environments. There are just times when you want to stop and take a look at everything. Even better, there's hardly (if any) slowdown in framerate. Everything runs smoothly.

Then there's the audio. As with the first game, God of War II has a fantastic soundtrack that accurately depicts each situation and the mood of each situation. Even better, the voice acting is top notch. Just like watching an actual movie. As far as the sound and audio go, God of War II should be a game developers use as an example of how to do voice talent right.

There's not a whole lot that separates God of War II from the first one, and that's a good thing. While it feels almost entirely like the first one, the story and dedication to keeping true to what works is what makes God of War II just as good as its predecessor. This may very well be the last great game on the Playstation 2. If you liked the first God of War, then you'll absolutely love God of War II.

On the Positive Side

+Fantastic overall story
+Simple and addictive gameplay
+Complex puzzles and fantastic level design
+Great visual look
+Overall fantastic voice acting
+One of the greatest soundtracks ever composed in gaming
+Stays true to the original God of War

On the Negative Side

-Some frustrating puzzles
-Lots of variety, but a lot of spells and weapons become useless rather fast
-While the gameplay is fun and addictive it's almost reduced to mere button mashing, although that's not really too bad

Great game; not second coming of christ

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: April 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

God of War 2 is a very, very good game. It is almost as good as the original. But there are some glaring issues that prevent it from being better than God of War.
As you know this game is epic. Epic with a capital "E". The problem is this: you go from running around on mile high "steeds of time" to a swamp. Not an epic swamp, just a swamp. From plummeting through the air wrestling Icarus to running through a cave (note: Typhon's cave is an epic cave, but I'm referring to the boring later paths). Epic is good, but it is not consistent. The bland stuff is jarring and stands out from the rest of the game.
The game's puzzles are bad. Not bad difficult - bad totally unnecessary. Most are easy, for example get a block to put on a lever. The problem is that you go from a fast paced battle with a dozen monsters to a move the block puzzle. It totally breaks the flow of the game. Also the puzzles in this game are far greater in number and worse in content than the first game.
The new weapons are unimpressive. "Athena's" blades are great, but they do seem a bit similar to the blades of Chaos. I love rage of the titans but quite similar to rage of the gods. Euryale's head is fun, but, hmmm... a head that turns things to stone? C'mon. Just call them Chaos, the god's, and Medusa's respectively and stop pretending that they are even remotely new. The barbarian hammer is cool, but the other weapons are really not useful.
Also much of the story is good, but there are some big plot holes. One that was especially confusing is someone does something dramatic to you in the beginning, you do the same to Zeus (several times), and once to someone else with vastly different results each time.

Now this is a positive review, but just to boil down the only real negative: When the game goes it is great, but stopping points like puzzles detract from the game. The great visuals should have been consistent and the old weapons could have been left intact, but those are minor issues.

Having said that, this is still a game that you need to play. Those issues are minor compared to the positives. Also most of the game's combat hasn't really changed from the first game, so it still has the great combos with gruesome finishing moves.
There are many great things about this game and some are so perfect that I need to mention them. First when you start the game you would select new game and the difficulty and seamlessly go from the title screen to the first cut scene. NO LOADING! If you have seen that title screen you may recognize it as the ending scene from GOW. In other words continuing from the first game the story does not miss a step. In fact all of the cut scenes are of an extremely high quality and for the most part are long on story, but relatively short in length. Also I must give respect to the voice talent. Linda Hunt's voice is back to narrate and is everywhere in the game. Michael Clark Duncan was memorable as Atlas and Harry Hamlin as Perseus was inspired casting.
There were a number of situations that were supported by the epic nature of the game. For example early in the game you can see those "Steeds of Time" from a huge distance. Those horses are your destination and when you finally reach them you can't help feeling tiny against these huge creatures. Or near the end when Clotho trash talks you from a huge distance, then later you run right around her quite hefty build. It puts a dramatic perspective for your travels.

I would suggest this game to anyone who enjoyed God of War., but ultimately if I had to choose one over the other the first one was a bit better. You should absolutely play this game, but play the first one before 2.

The Perfect Action Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: August 28, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is awesome! I love the use of Greek myth which is so much a part of the excellence of Western culture. The graphics are wonderful and the use of innovative puzzles and insanely fun action gameplay with top notch music are unbeatable. I loved the first one as well but this one has some more memorable sequences like the Icarus and Pegasus sequences. Some would say it's a little too short but I think it's just right, it never gets old and always keeps you wanting more, tight and clean. I'm currently playing it through the second time and find it just as fun as the first time through. The value is certainly there with the second disc as well although I haven't even looked at it yet!

I was thinking they may run out of myths to use for the inevitable sequels, but I don't think so at all, they have not even touched most of the Iliad and Odyssey or any of the material from the Tragedies either. I think any studio that doesn't make the most of the numerous myths in the world out there are crazy, like Arthur, Wotan, Beowulf, etc. Of course few studios could do them justice like this one, although Prince Of Persia was well done. In short if you don't get this one and the first title you are crazy!

A worthy sequel and argueably the PS2's greatest title

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 7
Date: March 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

As if the first game was not good enough, God of War 2 is (in my opinion) THE single greatest game ever released on the Playstation 2.
The story: If you've played God of War, you know what happened. Kratos, who is a tormented and unbelievably angry Spartan warrior, kills Ares, who was the god of war. This game picks exactly where the first game left off.
Kratos is the god of war now and he is still not very happy about it. He is hated by the other gods, but he doesnt
care. He commanded the army of Sparta to seige the Greek city of Rhodes. Athena intervenes in his little conquest and asks him to stop. Kratos, being the stubborn brute that he is, pushes Athena aside and ignores her
little lecture. Kratos heads to Rhodes the size of The Statue of Liberty. Athena quickly shrinks Kratos back to normal size and as if that wasnt bad enough, she also brings to life The Collossus of Rhodes. Thats where the game starts out.
gameplay: the combat system has really been perfected. The combat in the first game was already great, so they shouldn't have to change it all that much. The context sensitive commands are back with a vengeance,
They appear all over the place it seems. The combat system is overall perfect.
graphics: MY GOD!! This game looks nothing like a PS2 game. That's how good it looks. I had to check and
make sure I wasnt playing a PS3. Thats what it looks like. It looks better than any of the PS3 games out.
That is saying alot. The environments, character models, lighting EVERYTHING looks outstanding in this game.
down to the last polygon.The scale of the game is mammoth, and the PS2 has a bit of a rough time trying to hold it, as you can see from some minor lag issues, but those do not disrupt the elegant size and beauty of this game.
enemies: God of War 1 didn't have much to offer in terms of enemies. There were only 3 bosses for God's sake. But that has been fixed. Gow 2 has 2 times more bosses than the first time around. The Collossus is
probably an equivalent to The Hydra from Gow 1. The regular enemies are never the same. The game uses
every enemy from the first game, and adds in a huge whole new beastiary as well. The game is defentiley harder than the first. The enemies are smarter and the new ones have pretty big craving for Kratos' corpse.
However the new context sensitive attacks are as satisfying as they are brutal.
Sound: The sound is astounding. The musical score in my opinion isnt as good as the one in the first game, but it's still pretty damn good. The voice acting is superb. Christopher Lee does a great job as always, and
Micheal Clark Duncan provides a very powerful voice for Atlas. Even though Perseus doesn't last in this game,
it's still nice to see Harry Hamlin revisit his old Clash of The Titans role.
secondary disc: Every copy of Gow 2 comes with a special bonus disc loaded with special features and behind the scenes extras. There is alot of stuff on the bonus DVD. There is a long documentary, a voice featurette, some spoilers, and a bunch of extras. It's very interesting to see how Cory Barlog and the guys held up making such an incredible game.
overall: You can probably see from all the stuff above that I'm strongly recommending this to you. Well, I AM!
Get out and buy this game dammit! This is a very fitting end to a great console. God of War 2 is defenitely the PS2's last great game.

P.S. F***ing two naked hot chicks at the same time is AWSOME!!

Five stars is not enough...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 7
Date: May 31, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is perhaps one of the best of all time. The only game that ever kept me glued to the couch the way this game has is RE4 when it came out for the Cube.

What else can anyone say that hasn't already been said about this game?

I hear the whimpering of the Gears of War fans in the background, trying to figure out where their beloved game went wrong. I think it was when Kratos clobbered Baird, Cole, Marcus, and Dom with one swipe of his sword and a little magic. Kratos proclaimed "I am the god of war" and those four could be seen running away in panic as they were chopped down. I think the master cheese is next on Kratos' list, stand by to meet your maker MC.

This is a phenomenal game, if you don't have a PS2 yet, get one (hey they are cheap), or better yet get a PS3 and play this game on it. I need to go now and play some more!

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next 

Actions