Videogame Review by Jonathan Zabel
The Smackdown. The "God of War" franchise is one of only a select few based on original IP that have broken out into major mainstream success. Hard as it might be to believe today, SONY took a pretty big risk when they greenlit the original, "God of War." We do live in the age of movie tie-ins and sequels, after all. I can only imagine the reaction from execs when legendary designer David Jaffe gave them his first elevator pitch: "There's this bald Greek dude, Kratos, OK? And the gods screwed him over! Armed with only a kilt, a bunch of body paint, and the two swords chained to his arms, he's going to get revenge..." But they bought it, obviously, because we have "God of War II" to play now.
"Griffins are mythical beasts with the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle... but don't worry, I fixed the second part."
The Challenger. When you're making the sequel to an almost universally acclaimed game, you've basically got two options: (1) Change as little as possible and improve by degrees or (2) spend the goodwill of the fans trying out innovative new mechanics. SONY Santa Monica took the conventional path with "God of War II," but I can't say I really fault them for it. Everything has been dialed up to 11 both in terms of scale and intensity. Let's take the opening stage as an example, in which Kratos is drained of his godly powers and forced to square off against the humongous Colossus of Rhodes (which has been granted ghastly life by a vengeful Athena). It chases you across the entire island as you frantically attempt to slow it down by breaking its arms and cutting out both of its eyes. Eventually, you climb inside the statue and deliver the final blow using a sword given to you by Zeus himself. Did I forget to mention that was the first level?
"Where's Harry Hamlin when you need him?"
The Defending Champion. "God of War" impressed critics and gamers alike not because it was original, but rather because it took almost every concept that action games have been trying to do for years... and it did them right. Most of the gameplay revolves around the combat, which is context-based. Press the correct button or sequence of buttons at the right time and you'll perform a devastating finishing move. You can never behead enough Gorgons if you ask me! As far the story goes, there's no argument that ashen-skinned Kratos is a certifiable badass in addition to being one of the most unrepentant anti-heroes gaming has ever seen. Finding out the true reason behind his unflinching desire to kill Ares (the God of War), regardless of how it might damn him, is a surprisingly compelling story considering the medium in which it's being told.
The Scorecard. "God of War II" is, in many ways, simply the logical extension of the first game, but that doesn't mean there aren't some meaningful differences between the two. More specifically, the plot of the second feels like a "greatest hits" compilation of Greek mythology, as you cut down heroes like Perseus (who killed Medusa), Theseus (who killed the Minotaur of Crete) and anyone else who happens to also be seeking out the Sisters of Fate to change their destiny. Admittedly, having to pause to go Wikipedia a mythical figure or three is a bit distracting...
The Decision. There's no easy knock-out for either game because both do so many things right. The second entry in the series is one hell of a swan song for the PS2, soaring to Olympian heights with enough memorable gameplay moments to fill any number of lesser games. Still, when we're looking back at the true classics that defined the high point of an entire console generation, the original "God of War" is still first in terms of original story and setting. It also scores heavily because it pioneered a cinematic style of action game that will undoubtedly influence the genre for a long while to come. Here's to hoping Kratos doesn't enroll in anger management before "God of War III" shows up on the PS3!
