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44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Adds quite a surprising amount of depth to the first in the series..., March 15, 2007
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Like so many of us that have been counting down the days, I picked up my copy early upon its arrival at the store--and probably like a few of you, I was afraid there was simply no way that they could emulate the marvel of the original...oh how happy I am that my fears existed only in my head.
After 16 hours, I've completed the game so I'll tell you why I feel the sequel has just bested the original God of War. Obviously the first is the amazing storyline that not only picks up right where the first installment left off, but it develops the story a considerable amount with regard to the history of the gods (especially Zeus), the titans, and most excitingly, the past great war between both (I'll give nothing away but suffice it to say that the curious might want to grab a decent Greek Mythology handbook to look up alot of the names associated with the new faces).
The visuals are nothing but spellbinding, as we have come to expect no less considering our first experience with "the ghost of Sparta." The game designers have employed the elements of all the seasons in implementing the rich, colorful world through which Kratos must trek. An especial care to detail has been taken to ensure that no single part of the game stands out when compared to the others so that the entire God of War world seems an endless tapestry of rich colors and dark hues befitting our hero's purpose. Very simply every image, background, character, and enemy (the look of Cyclops, for example, is dramatically improved) is painstakingly detailed and beautifully produced on screen.
Only a small word about the musical score will be necessary. That the original God of War won Best Original Musical Score in 2005 isn't surprising...what will be surprising is if GOW2 fails to pick it up again later in the year. Beautiful vocals, percussion and strings strongly complement all the eye candy. But again, no surprises here...we simply expected it.
The gameplay is also much more fluid. For example, you don't have to wait for the slow climb up ladders anymore, you are now able to heave yourself up in quick jumps. Moreover, you are now able to use your swords to climb under cliffs (very cool by the way) making Kratos much more versatile. Some of the new "gadgets" include Icharus wings (earned later in the game) that allow Kratos to glide over longer distances, a device for slowing time, and [at least] 2 new "other" weapons besides your chain-swords (I had an option for three but only procured two in my first time through the game).
And finally, my personal favorite...the in-game movies. This is where the history of the titans and the titan/olympian war literally come into view. Saving just one early close-up shot of Kratos' face, every normal- and high-resolution movie looks fantastic. After unlocking and watching them following the game's completion, it will be evident to all that a great deal more effort went into the production of these little treasures compared to its predecessor with regard to both overall length and depth of storyline.
CONCLUSION:
Superb visuals, addicting gameplay and action, wonderful story, and compelling characters. Overall, my recommendation is this: if you're a God of War fan already, you've already bought it...if you like a good action game, you'll find none better (including the original), and if you're curious about all the hype, then rent it (my guess is, afterwards, you will have bought it within two days)...this one makes it hard for any to be disappointed.
5 out of 5--absolutely no doubt about it.
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68 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sending the PS2 off with a vengeance, March 14, 2007
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
It's no secret that the PS2 is on it's way out, and that final death rattle isn't so far away these days. So in that case, it's safe to say that the long awaited God of War II is the last, best original game to hit Sony's 128-bit juggernaut. Picking up right where the first game left off, Kratos was successful in killing Ares, and now resides as the God of War in on Mount Olympus. However, Zeus has grown displeased with Kratos, and the Spartan warrior soon finds himself cast into Hades. After striking a deal with Gaia of the Titans, Kratos is once again on a very long, and very violent, journey of revenge. The first thing you may notice when you pop in God of War II is that the game's graphics are astounding for a PS2 game. The first game pushed the limits of what the PS2 could pump out, and God of War II exceeds it. Besides that, the game ups the ante on just about everything that made the first game so great. The level design is superbly done, and the boss battles are more plentiful this time around, and all the more epic as well. Not to mention that the game's music score is even better than the fantastic one found in the first game. And oh yeah, the incredibly brutal fighting and blood-letting is here as well, and there's buckets more to be found. The kills are gorier than one could ever expect, and the game more than earns it's Mature rating. The puzzle elements are more difficult this time around as well, wonderfully rounding out this package. If there's any downside to God of War II, it's that the fighting system itself hasn't changed much. There are still times when button mashing rules, but Kratos gets a few new weapons and magics this time around too. Besides that, everything else about God of War II is superb: from it's narrative to it's voice acting, to it's overall epic feel; God of War II is one of the best titles available for the PS2, period. This is one of those rare cases when the sequel outshines and outdoes it's genre-bending predecessor, and maybe the third installment will make the PS3 worth owning. All in all, God of War II is a masterpiece of modern gaming.
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35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best games the PS2, and the action genre, has ever seen, March 27, 2007
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
God of War 2 had a lot to live up to, being the successor to one of the best Playstation 2 games ever released, God of War. The original game had stellar graphics, sound, action, and an overall epic feel. The sequel lives up to its name, and improves upon it in nearly every way.
First of all, the game was released near the end of the Playstation 2's lifecycle, and many consider it to be the last hurrah of the console. Why would anyone spend $50 on a game that's released on archaic hardware, with worse graphics and such than current generation consoles? There's many reasons, and I'll tell you them.
God of War 2 has an amazing graphics engine that shows that the dying Playstation 2 still has some tricks up its sleeve. It really shines in the visuals department and is an amazing feat for the console. Considering most of the game's cut-scenes utilize ingame graphics, you can clearly see how much emphasis was put into making this game look good. Audio goes hand-in-hand, bringing the entire audio/video experience full circle.
As an action game, God of War 2 is one of the best ever released. It has extremely frantic moments where tons of enemies fill the screen, each creature having its own distinct traits and skills. Just when you think you're dead, a context-sensative icon will appear, allowing you to do certain actions at specific times as they appear on screen, causing massive damage and rewards. The pacing of the action seems just right, although a fair amount of dying will be involved.
The one thing God of War 2 captures, much like its predecessor, is the epic feeling of the entire game. Cut-scenes, battles, locations, enemies, weapons, and the overall feel of the game just immerses you in it, much like a film. The production values are some of the best ever seen in a video game.
Really, the only bane of the game's existence are the overabundant placement of puzzles. God of War 2 and the original all have very interesting and well placed puzzles, ranging from quick move-the-boulder to sprawling levels consisting of tens of time-based and skill-based puzzles. The original game had just the right ratio of action to puzzles, but God of War 2 focuses much too heavily on the puzzle aspects. There's really almost more puzzles to the game than action, which can be excruciatingly annoying and demoralizing. Being cut short of continuing the action because you can't time a grappling hook is obnoxious the first time, but having it happen hundreds of times in countless parts of the game is unnecessary.
All in all, God of War 2 is a mandatory game for any Playstation 2 owner, action game lover, or really just any gamer in general. It's a landmark release with some glaring flaws that still can't bring it down, because everything else about it shines so brightly.
Pick up God of War 2 now and enjoy the game as soon as possible.
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