God of War Table of Contents

God of War - 6. Review

Developers should study this game to see how games should be made!

In "God of War" you play as Kratos, an ex-Spartan warrior who makes a pact with the Greek God of War, Ares, to become the most powerful mortal warrior (as opposed to a god). Without ruining anything, Ares betrays Kratos and it becomes your goal to hunt down and destroy Ares. Doing so will require you to venture to magnificent classic Greek settings and face off against some of the most ruthless classic monsters such as Gorgons (Medusa), Minotaurs, and Harpies.

"God of War" is one of the best action/adventure games to come along in some time. Most games of this type do offer a blend of action/fighting, puzzle solving, an engaging narrative, and detailed settings, however, in most games the various parts of the blend seem to be off. That is not the case with "God of War". In fact, this game should be a study in how to give the gamer the right amount of each aspect of the blend so that the puzzles are challenging but not impossible, the fighting is fun but not overdone, and the narrative and settings merge into one cohesive unit to carry the mythology of the game; in this case a ready-made Greek mythology.

The game play of "God of War" centers around your quest to find Pandora's Box, the only weapon that can defeat Ares. To get there you'll have to face off against an army of Undead and classic Greek monsters like the aforementioned Gorgons, Minotaurs, etc. You'll also have to navigate mazes and solve puzzles created by the Gods to protect Pandora's Box.

Your default weapon is the Blades of Chaos. This is basically a sword attached by a chain to your arm. You have one on each arm. Because the swords are on chains you can attack from a distance and use them in close combat. In addition to this magnificent weapon you have five magic powers that you'll unlock, each given to you by a God. All of the weapons/magic are upgradeable and it is definitely worth your while to do so.

The puzzles in the game are some of the most expansive I've seen in any game. Usually, in games such as this, you'll encounter a puzzle and then find the answer nearby and then continue. "God of War" is essentially one large puzzle with many smaller puzzles. Each part of the smaller puzzle goes to solving the larger puzzle. Puzzles in the game consist of the classic "how do I get from here to there" and also consist of spinning rooms, draining water, finding special keys, and other usual fare. But, like I said, they don't get boring because all of the smaller puzzles go to solving the larger.

When it comes to "getting from here to there" you'll be reminded of, "Prince of Persia: Warrior Within," if you played the game. Essentially, you'll enter a large area, be shown a cut scene of where you need to go, and then have to figure out how to get there. This may include pushing/pulling blocks or statues, swinging from and climbing ropes, climbing vines or walls, and activating various elevators or platforms.

The boss fights in "God of War" are also quite enjoyable, again, giving that rare blend of challenging but not impossible. And, if you find that you are having too much trouble the game asks if you'd like to move to a lower difficulty setting...not that I'd know ;).

"God of War" excels as a game because it has solid and enjoyable game play and combines that with a wonderful narrative and settings based on classic Greek mythology. You already know many of the stories, Gods, and items so you aren't forced to learn and accept a brand new mythology (like so many games today, "Halo," "Advent Rising," "Deus Ex," etc.). I wish more console games would be based on Greek or Roman times and Gods as it is a quick and easy way to engage the gamer.

Finally, I have to mention that "God of War" is one of the most gory, gruesome, and sexually explicit games that Allison and I have played. Kids should not be playing this game.

-Jeremy