Summary The former Spartan commander, Kratos, has set off on a quest for vengeance to do what no man has ever done. Kill a god...

Description Back in 2005 when this game was released, I don't think even the producers expected it to do as well as it did. Now, in the pages of gaming history, God of War is one of the best selling PS2 games to date. With great gameplay, story, and more, God of War takes you on an epic quest of destiny and vengeance as one lowly mortal sets off to do the impossible... Story: Once head of the Spartan army, Kratos was a vicious warlord feared by all men until he and his army were at the mercy of the Barbarians. Because his ego wouldn't let him lose, and his body wouldn't let him win, Kratos denounced his faith in himself and summoned the aid of Ares, the God of war. Agreeing to help Kratos, at the price of eternal servitude, Ares struck down the Barbarian forces and endowed Kratos with the power he needed thereforth. For years, Kratos served Ares faithfully in battle, until the tragic day where, under Ares' manipulation, was brought to slay his own wife and daughter. Never being able to forgive himself, Kratos journeyed the world in servitude to the gods of Olympus in hopes that the nightmares he's had since that day would be forgotten. After ten years serving the Gods, Ares declared war against Athens. As Zeus forbid Gods from waging war against each other, Athena summoned Kratos, a mortal, to stop Ares with promises that his sins would then be forgiven. While unable to defeat the monster that made him kill his own family in his current status, Kratos set off on a quest to obtain the strength needed to do what no man has ever done before--kill a God... Gameplay: God of War has an incredibly simple control scheme. The controls are very straight forward and the game can be beaten simply by mashing on the square button, but with lots of different combo attacks, learning them adds style to the slaughtering of the mythical beasts of Greek mythology. Another cool addition to combat are Context Sensitive Attacks. When an enemy reaches a critical health point, a context sensitive icon appears on the enemy. If you press the correct button/series of buttons as they appear, Kratos will unleash devastating finishing moves on the monster that often result in extra orbs (items you collect that allow you to upgrade your Blades of Chaos and your magic). On top of these context sensitive sequences, the Gods of Olympus grant Kratos their own unique gifts. Poseidon's Rage: Attack multiple foes at once with a devastating rain of lightning granted by Lord Poseidon. Madusa's Gaze: Petrify enemies with the head of Medusa. Zeus' Fury: Attack enemies from a distance by hurling bolts of lightning granted by Lord Zeus. Army of Hades: Summon the souls of the underworld to fight by your side, a useful ability granted by Lord Hades. Blade of Artemis This ancient blade, granted by the Godess Artemis, lets you dismember enemies at a close range with more power than your Blades of Chaos. Graphics: I wouldn't say the graphics are bad, but they sure aren't the best the PS2 has to offer. While I don't find the in-game graphics anything to drool over, the CG cutscenes are very nice. Overall, I don't think this game, nor any other PS2 titles (to date) has ever been able to top that of Hideo Kajima's Metal Gear Solid 3. Sound God of War has a very nice soundtrack and excellent voice talent. Though GoW has far from the best soundtrack in a game, there are still some very catchy tunes and, at no point, did I find the voice work forced. From the narrator to Kratos to Ares, all the voice actors do an incredibly good job at bringing these characters to life. With a great musical score, incredible gameplay and a gripping story, a game of this magnitude is a title no PS2 owner should be without. I completely disagree with LunarFan's take on playing this game (renting opposed to buying). This Greatest Hits title has recieved great scores and dubbed "2005 Game of the Year" by many.If you own a PS2, you need to buy this game and avoid envoking the wrath of the Gods of Olympus, for simply renting it won't do it justice. Awarded '2005 Game of the Year' By: Play Magazine/ GameZone/ PSM/ Sound and Vision/ IGN Other Scores God of War Received Game Informer: 10,10 (out of 10) Electronic Gaming Monthly: 10,9.5,10 (out of 10) IGN: 9.8 (out of 10) Detroit Free Press - Game On!: (out of 4 stars) LunarFan's GameTZ review B+ (A+ being the highest) Review Page Hits: 2 today (31 in the last 30 days) Create Your Own Review or