Simply put, God of War is the Best Gaming Experience I personally have had, this console generation.
This is the first time in my gaming experience, of 20 years, that I bought a game in the morning and did not stop playing it until the following morning, that's a 24 hour marathon, but God of War {GOW} is that addicting and fun. Is it perfect? No and no game, movie or piece of art is, but a game can still receive that most coveted of perfect scores, when it is clearly head and shoulders above the rest in its genre and this is exactly what GOW has done. It is also evident that the developers made the game as perfect as reasonably possible.
GOW works on so many levels: It has an excellent story that pushes the game forward and keeps the gamer involved. The graphics are the best the PS2 will ever offer and aside from the initial load at the beginning of the game, the gamer is never pulled from this immersive experience. Yes you heard me, no annoying load times. GOW has unbelievable sound from the voice actors and monsters to the sounds of battle. The Music is worthy of a AAA holiday movie and the sound track is downloadable for free by using a key code located on the back of the game manual when you buy the game, how cool is that!
You really have to hand it to the developers that spent 4 years planning and creating this masterpiece of a gaming experience. It is evident in the highly detailed environments that really put you smack dab in the Greek Mythology. Never has a game transported me to this level and really succeeded in making me feel I was there. The detail does not end with the environments. In fact the monsters and the main character Kratos are even more detailed. Not only in their graphical features, but also in their animations. There are close to 30 different enemy types, not counting Bosses, and all have their own unique features, animations, and special abilities. The Boss battles are extraordinary in their design and you will have a full sense of satisfaction playing and beating each and everyone.
The gameplay shines with a simple and intuitive combo system that is very deep as you level Kratos' powers up. The magical items you obtain throughout the game are unique in their own right and serve a purpose within the game, also can be leveled up in power. Kratos' combo system is freeform and combos can be strung together into over a 1000 hit combos if mastered properly and the gamer is rewarded with more orbs to purchase levels the higher the combo meter goes. The fighting is so fun in this game and Kratos' moves look so cool to pull off. If I was to complain about one thing it would be Kratos' jumping ability. Although it serves its purpose it just feels and looks rigid. Just not as fluid and smooth as everything else in the game.
GOW is a 12 - 17 hour experience depending upon your skill level but GOW is loaded with bonuses. Upon inspecting the game manual and before you even play the game, you know its quality, as the manual itself is 50 pages and is full of story, Greek Mythology, dialogue between the gods Zeus, Ares, and Athena. Monsters and the Greek Gods are hand drawn and have stories about them. The game disk includes a making of GOW documentary that takes you to the development studio and also has two trailers.
There are four difficulty settings Mortal/Hero/Spartan and the unlockable God mode. The latter two will make the hardcore gamers feel right at home with the huge challenge they offer. Other unlockables include extra levels, in-game movies, galleries, other development videos, extra costumes, and a couple of secret messages about Kratos past and possible future {sequel anyone?}. The best unlockable of all is the "Challenge of the Gods". This is a mini game consisting of 10 rooms and 10 challenges. To say GOW is loaded with value is an understatement.
No review I could write would ever do this game justice. It is a most own by fans of Ninja Gaiden and the Devil May Cry series or this genre in general. Infact, GOW is loaded with such quality from top to bottom that anyone who loves playing video games should get this game and I believe they will enjoy it for a long time. GOW raises the bar to what has come before it due to its relentless gameplay, but more importantly to how well the story is told within the game and the immersive atmosphere in creates.
GOW is the best overall experience I have had on a console this generation and it's a MUST BUY! I feel comfortable in stating it's the best PS2 game to date, as well. You will treasure this game for a long time and you may find it your most prized possession in your game library when all is said and done, it's that good.
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