God of War II

By Kristan Reed Published 1 February, 2007

Hands-on with the brand new demo.

Prepare the testosterone injections! Apply the baby oil! Shave your head! Get a tattoo! Hammer the triangle button! Kratos is back!

Yes, everyone's favourite grumpy killing machine returns to the PS2 in the near future, and today we got our feeble mortal hands on a hot-off-the-press demo version. Cue excitement and exclamation marks!

Kicking off with a quick overview of how the gods conspired against Kratos, the follically challenged deity has his reign of unrelenting terror cut short when his gigantic body is wracked with an electrified charge. "Athena! You conspire against me?" he roars, before shrinking down to normal size and finding himself inside the confines of a shattered, architecturally majestic villa surrounded by blade-wielding minions.

Unfortunately for him, a statuesque colossus (think a giant statue of Liberty, but in Rhodos) also wants him dead. His steely, electric blue eyes peer through the cracks in the walls in search of his prey and so begins a concerted, lumbering, wall-smashing chase sequence that kicks off the game in typically stunning style.

Ultraviolent Ray (Harryhausens)

'God of War II' Screenshot 1

Grappling - the only way to travel.

In keeping with the ultraviolent ways of God of War, dispatching hordes of oncoming death is a fairly straightforward business that involves little more than a blizzard of button-mashing and determination. Triangle unleashes the more powerful of the two main attacks, while square gives you a faster but less powerful melee option. As before, circle gives you a chance to grab, L1 along with an attack button provides a 'special' version, while holding down triangle lets you launch enemies into the air (apparently - when we tried it, we just soared into the air sans enemy). Elsewhere you've got L2 for magic attack (made more effective by hammering circle), X for jump (or double jump), and the right stick to pull off a quick 'evade' roll, so players of the original will slip straight back into it.

Since you asked, the demo is split between fighting off hordes of determined but rather easy to eliminate enemies and the kind of spectacular boss interludes that made the original such a memorable gaming event back in 2005. So, for the most part, you're tasked with hacking away merrily at waves of enemies, swishing those blades attached to your wrists with blizzardous abandon and automagically sucking up the red soul orbs they leave behind. Outside through the cracks in the wall you'll see your pursuer angrily trying to locate you, but via watery tunnels, ladders and a succession of wonderfully detailed locations you'll be all too aware of his stomping presence.

Once you get to the old stony faced Colossus, you find yourself trying to suss out his weaknesses. A catapult allows you to fire Kratos at high velocity in his direction, but you're snatched out of the air and dumped unceremoniously back where you started - and with less energy. Hrmph.

'God of War II' Screenshot 2

No, I don't know where Kratos' head has gone either.

[Mild spoiler alert] Plan B suggests slashing wildly at his hands and arms when they smash down in your direction, and after a few hapless attempts (and being generally pounded into a million pieces by fists the size of double decker buses) you'll get the hang of it. Eventually, the pain of your blows stuns him for a while, allowing you to fire yourself at his face, and a few button prompts later you'll have plunged your blade with sickening force into his right eye. In rage, he grabs hold of Kratos and throws him about half a mile away - and so begins another round of delightful hack and slashery.

Beyond that, you get to complete the most obvious block-pushing puzzle in the history of videogames, and try out your new grapple manoeuvre, which frees up the level design a touch. Rather like Tomb Raider: Legend, you'll notice a white glow on the things you can grapple with, and with a swift jump followed by R1 you'll swing back and forth over the gap you need to traverse, with a jump or double jump to complete the effortless feat of athleticism. Later, you'll be reminded of how easy Kratos finds wall climbing, and just how refined the controls feel in general.

Once you reach the second stage of the boss encounter, you'll be fully refreshed and reminded of how to control Kratos, so with a mixture of grappling, evasion, special moves, magic and guile you'll suss out how best to deal with Stony Face. Again, it's a case of delivering enough blows to stun him before climbing up to his head and following the button prompts like a good boy. Twice. Sure, this opening section isn't the most challenging, but nor should it be. It's a vital period of refreshing old hands while gently introducing the game to those who were foolish enough to not play what was, arguably, the best action game of 2005. In short, it's just the comeback we were waiting for, and getting our hands on the finished article can't come soon enough. [End spoiler]

Next-gen current-gen

'God of War II' Screenshot 3

Oi you, come back here.

It's hardly a startling revelation to note that the game's visuals are sumptuous in the extreme, but Sony's LA studio has - on this evidence - topped even the original in how far they've managed to push the dear old PS2. Without exaggeration, God of War II looks as impressive as any so-called next generation effort - and you know when a PS2 game looks good when you can get away with running it on a big, hi-def screen without wincing. Replete with prog-scan mode and widescreen, the game still manages to pull off every graphical trick the PS2 is capable of without any noticeable frame rate drop or glitch. And it's not just impressive in terms of the technical tricks it's pulling (lovely dust motes, by the way guys), but the sheer artistry that has been infused into every corner. Every potentially bland corridor, every empty room comes alive, and benefits from probably the best automatic camera system ever invented. No camera complaints here, sir. Have an entire box of Jaffe Cakes.

So there you have it. A quick fire assessment of a quick fire demo. Be sure to check out our more in-depth preview of the game from E3, where game director Cory Barlog details some of the new moves, AI, monsters and more. Expect a full review shortly before the game's release and an interview in the near future.

Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (76) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Steroyd #1 5 years ago

    today we got our feeble mortal hands on a hot-off-the-press demo version. Cue excitement and exclamation marks!

    OMFG!!!!

  • Charroux #2 5 years ago

    Gah! Must..resist..temptation..to..buy..PS2

    TBH I'm surprised I've lasted this long. GoW 1&2, Ico, SotC, etc, etc, etc

  • Xerx3s #3 5 years ago

    Should be interesting.

  • caligari #4 5 years ago

    Yet ANOTHER reason to ignore the 360 / PS3!

    (I apologise for the statement above...thanks for listening)

  • Hughes. #5 5 years ago

    I'M TENTING!

  • SeesThroughAll #6 5 years ago

    Is the demo on a CD/DVD? How does it run on the PS3?

    Just to know what to expect from the performance regarding BC.

  • Darren #7 5 years ago

    My favourite game of 2005 soon to get a sequel. Yippee!!!

    Sadly I don't own a PS2 anymore, sold it about a year ago, but I kept the game and hope to be able to play this sequel on the PS3.

  • Artemus #8 5 years ago

    Just watched the preview on Gamespot. Looks great.

  • Dizzy #9 5 years ago

    It does look pretty impressive. I had a close look at it and they have done some amazing stuff. The clue (a bit like WoW) is in the texturing. They had some very smart and good texture artists. It doesn't really push that many polygons but it does everything very smart.
    Edited by 1 at 01/02/07 @ 13:29

  • El_MUERkO #10 5 years ago

    Sounds great ... thou i have yet to play 1 as my PS2 died the day it was delivered :(

  • lemonfist #11 5 years ago

    Impressive, will be buying this.

    Still need to finish the first one though (been stuck at the rotating spikes forever!).

  • myiagros #12 5 years ago

    Loved the first one, am really looking forward to this.

    Do we have any confirmation on a release date in Europe yet??

  • Blerk #13 5 years ago

    The original was one of only two PS2 games that the missus liked. So this is a definite buy. :-)

  • mkreku #14 5 years ago

    Oh wow. This and Rogue Galaxy will keep my Playstation 2 going for a while yet.

    And Okami and Final Fantasy XII. GAAH!

  • zErOb_cOOl #15 5 years ago

    Yeah the Gamespot preview is definately worth checking out if you're interested in GoW. It looks identical to the firsty game, which can be seen as a good or bad thing.

    Getting straight into the driving seat will be good (if you've played the last game) but I just hope the gameplay varies a bit from the last game, adn the game is a bit longer!

    Still, from what I've seen in terms of previews, this looks set to be as awesome as the last game. It is a really good game concept, plays well, the story and Kratos character are awesome, so it can't fail in my eyes.

    Also, why would I rather play this over any of the current 360 offerings?

  • JediMasterMalik #16 5 years ago

    This is a must buy, seriously amazing game the first was, this could be even better.

  • Fl0yd #17 5 years ago

    "No camera complaints here, sir. Have an entire box of Jaffa cakes."

    Nice :-)
    Edited by 1 at 01/02/07 @ 13:56

  • JetSetWilly #18 5 years ago

    When's the PAL release?

  • tonynibbles #19 5 years ago

    Better than Gears.

    No, wait! No score...

  • Blerk #20 5 years ago

    When's the PAL release?

    "Quarter 2" is the best they can manage at the minute. It recently slipped from quarter 1. I imagine it'll be SCEE's big summer release.

  • space_ace #21 5 years ago

    they are still making god of war games!

  • trevd72 #22 5 years ago

    i loved the first game but got stuck in the room with the spikes on a timer and a pushable box to get up a ledge. It just seemed a glitch i could not get past......at least 4 hours on this one section and i think it was close to the end too.

    really want this game!!

  • JediMasterMalik #23 5 years ago

    It's the second... and it'll be brilliant.

  • Zomoniac #24 5 years ago

    NEEDAGENEEDAGE

  • AcidSnake #25 5 years ago

    @trevd72:
    Use kratos' kick...You really should wait until he is fully charged before letting go...
    Good gaming ahead from that point...

    Can't wait for the second one!

  • Nikanoru #26 5 years ago

    Had high hopes for the first one (partly Eurogamer's fault), and ended up WAY disappointed.

    So I'm just gonna keep my expectations low this time.

  • Blerk #27 5 years ago

    Had high hopes for the first one (partly Eurogamer's fault), and ended up WAY disappointed.

    What didn't you like about it?

  • Dizzy #28 5 years ago

    "Had high hopes for the first one (partly Eurogamer's fault), and ended up WAY disappointed. "

    Too much Ninja Gaiden probably ;)

  • krudster #29 5 years ago

    I think if I found God of War 'disappointing' I'd find a new hobby. What's not to like?

  • Nikanoru #30 5 years ago

    Nothing in particular, really. It's just that if you read all the reviews you'd have believed that it was the absolute height of gaming bliss, and then I ended up with a merely "nice" linear button basher with an annoying camera.

    I still would have bought it. It's just that it was ridiculously overhyped. And I'm not gonna set myself up for a disappointment this time.

  • Steroyd #31 5 years ago

    Dear lord God of War is the most balanced action adventure game I've ever played it's hard to find things not to like about unless you hate Greek Mythology in general...

    I was looking at Cory Barlogs blog and he said the games a very good length.

    And the game length has stay right around 15-17 hours...so that is pretty freaking sweet

    http://corybarlog.blo gspot.com/

  • Steroyd #32 5 years ago

    I ended up with a merely "nice" linear button basher with an ,annoying camera.

    Are you sure you're talking about the same game I played? o_O

  • Nikanoru #33 5 years ago

    Are you sure you're talking about the same game I played? o_O

    Look, guy. I beat challenge of the Gods. I know what I'm talking about.

  • JediMasterMalik #34 5 years ago

    lol

    Button masher

    Play on god mode, then call it a button masher!

    (still haven't beaten it in god mode :()

  • krudster #35 5 years ago

    Again, if you found the camera "annoying", that's an amazing thing to say. I can think of 497 games right off the top of my head with a worse camera.

  • loopii #36 5 years ago

    Jaffe cakes?

  • JediMasterMalik #37 5 years ago

    @krudster - You counted? :p

  • krudster #38 5 years ago

    It's probably 503, I lost count after the 360th.

  • Steroyd #39 5 years ago

    Jaffe cakes?

    David Jaffe creator of God Of War.

  • Bongo #40 5 years ago

    "Jaffe cakes"

    David Jaffe was the Creative Director, I think...

  • Chtulie #41 5 years ago

    "a statuesque colossus"

    Surely THE colossus, the one from Rhodos, the statue of legend. They even name the city in the opening of the game. It stands over the entrance to the harbort in the game just like the myth/legend.
    Christ, the game devs of a gorefest hack & slash game are more literary then the eurogamer previewers. Who'd have thought.

  • krudster #42 5 years ago

    Well pardon me, smartcakes.

  • JediMasterMalik #43 5 years ago

    I was gonna mention that, Gamespot talked about it.

    Forgot to though, to busy drooling.

  • JetSetWilly #44 5 years ago

    "Quarter 2" is the best they can manage at the minute. It recently slipped from quarter 1. I imagine it'll be SCEE's big summer release.

    I guess I should have finished Okami by then. This does look rather splendid, I must say.

  • Mageme #45 5 years ago

    "Quarter 2" is the best they can manage at the minute. It recently slipped from quarter 1. I imagine it'll be SCEE's big summer release.

    So the March 30th date has slipped? Damn... ah well, just have to make do with FF XII and Okami then.

  • Steroyd #46 5 years ago

    Eh? the date has slipped what where when, I am cry.

    I thought it was a Euro, US simultaneous release, don't deny me PLEASE DON'T DENY ME!!!

  • smoothn00dle #47 5 years ago

    "Without exaggeration, God of War II looks as impressive as any so-called next generation effort - and you know when a PS2 game looks good when you can get away with running it on a big, hi-def screen without wincing."
    by Kristan Reed

    How powerful is PS2? A six years old hardware. That was the time of Nvidia GeoForce 256.. If PS2 showed today's graphic ability back then, Sony would change PC gaming forever.

  • krudster #48 5 years ago

    Almost seven years old, actually. This always happens at the end of a machine's life cycle, no-one should be at all surprised.

  • Chtulie #49 5 years ago

    @ smoothn00dle:

    that's the particular tradegy with the end of the past console generation. It's being done with right when software developers have made the hardware sing like it was never imagined possible in the beginning.

    The NES, SNES and even PS1 could still go on for a bit once they had achieved techincal brilliance unthought of at their respective launches. But the cube and especially the X-box never really got that luxury. At least the PS2 looks to be well catered for, for a while to come.

  • lemonfist #50 5 years ago

    300 Mhz of pure EMOTION!

  • itamae #51 5 years ago

    I also thought that the first game was a bit poo. It's a technical marvel, to be sure, but a bit boring, gameplay-wise. And I really didn't like Kratos, the least likeable character I've played as in years.

    Ninja Gaiden > Devil May Cry 3 >>> God of War

  • Tomo #52 5 years ago

    Can see why people love it but not for me :[

  • captainrentboy #53 5 years ago

    Can't wait for this bitch to be released,I loved the first one and it was definitely one of my top games of 2005....Still, I wont be buying a PS2 just to play this,I completed the last one in work whilst on my lunch breaks and I'll do the same with this one.
    Microsoft need to get games like this on the 360 quick sharpish.

  • Scimarad #54 5 years ago

    lol at 'grumpy killing machine':-)

  • HIGHVOLTAGE #55 5 years ago

    Why are people so blown away by these game????? I think all it proves is Sony +gamespot are very good at brain washing people...

    The 1st one was ok but not great. The Prince of Persia's, Devil May Cry's and even Tomb Raider Legend piss all over it. Infact the phrase "generic Tomb Raider clone" sums it up perfectly, its just all the same old cliches of trap dodging and block pushing with a sort of 12th rate attempt at doing Devil May Cry combat tagged on. The graphics are nothing special at all, very average. I couldn't agree more about the camera which constantly points north and obscures everthing behind you but this seems to be a constant failing of most PS2 games but the press never have the balls to critcise the machine so why start now. The only remarkable thing about it is it actually has (badly drawn) topless women+a sex scene, which when you consider all the pointless fuss over Grand Theft Auto's Hot Coffee its amazing this never caused the same uproar in "moral" america.

    Hell don't take my word, take David Jaffes-wasn't there a drunken confession MP3 floating around with him admitting both the game and himself are well overated and he couldn't believe how popular it was.
    Edited by 2 at 01/02/07 @ 23:57

  • Genji #56 5 years ago

    "In rage, he grabs hold of Kratos and throws him about half a mile away..."

    Mile? MILE?

    HE'S A PAWN OF THE AMERICANS! GET HIM!
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/07 @ 00:47

  • Cider-X #57 5 years ago

    Why are people so blown away by these game????? I think all it proves is Sony +gamespot are very good at brain washing people...

    The 1st one was ok but not great. The Prince of Persia's, Devil May Cry's and even Tomb Raider Legend piss all over it. Infact the phrase "generic Tomb Raider clone" sums it up perfectly, its just all the same old cliches of trap dodging and block pushing with a sort of 12th rate attempt at doing Devil May Cry combat tagged on. The graphics are nothing special at all, very average. I couldn't agree more about the camera which constantly points north and obscures everthing behind you but this seems to be a constant failing of most PS2 games but the press never have the balls to critcise the machine so why start now. The only remarkable thing about it is it actually has (badly drawn) topless women+a sex scene, which when you consider all the pointless fuss over Grand Theft Auto's Hot Coffee its amazing this never caused the same uproar in "moral" america.

    Hell don't take my word, take David Jaffes-wasn't there a drunken confession MP3 floating around with him admitting both the game and himself are well overated and he couldn't believe how popular it was.


    + 1 million

  • Scimarad #58 5 years ago

    HIGHVOLTAGE, you have clearly been smoking something dubious.

    /ignores
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/07 @ 08:58

  • JediMasterMalik #59 5 years ago

    Comparing GoW to TRL = complete fail.

  • Steroyd #60 5 years ago

    I'm all for opinion but...

    The Prince of Persia's, Devil May Cry's and even Tomb Raider Legend piss all over it.

    Both of those i bolded are more puzzle orientated than er... battle orientated you might as well compare those 2 with GOW for being 3D games.

    I don't even want to get started between DMC and GOW comparisons i could be here all day ripping DMC apart piece by piece compared to GOW.

    I couldn't agree more about the camera which constantly points north and obscures everything behind you but this seems to be a constant failing of most PS2 games but the press never have the balls to critcise the machine so why start now.

    This is where the credibility of your opinion fails spectacularly.

    the only remarkable thing about it is it actually has (badly drawn) topless women+a sex scene, which when you consider all the pointless fuss over Grand Theft Auto's Hot Coffee its amazing this never caused the same uproar in "moral" america.

    Only difference being that the hot coffee mod lets you see the sex where in GOW you only hear the sounds otherwise there'd be an equal uproar with Killer7 and Fable. ¬_¬

    David Gaffe while he was drunk was saying that he was more of a level B developer and he doesn't think he's the bees knees of developers just because he's made one critically acclaimed game from the press and commercially unlike some other developers.

  • -TKF- #61 5 years ago

    PS2 Ownz motherfuckers!

  • Mr_Bogus #62 5 years ago

    "Replete with prog-scan mode and widescreen..."

    Apparently GoW1 supported progscan but i could never enable it no matter what methods i tried. Hope the 2nd one has it as a menu option a la Primal rather than relying on holding down some button combo somewhere that no one seems to know.

  • Rambaldi #63 5 years ago

    So the PS3 gets it's first decent game then?

  • krudster #64 5 years ago

    The NTSC version of God of War had Progscan - sadly they took it out of the PAL version, and censored various bits too.

  • reflux #65 5 years ago

    TRVE n3xt g3n!
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/07 @ 13:01

  • SomaticSense #66 5 years ago

    The PS2 just won't die will it?

    Even after the rush of 360 releases at the end of last year, I've recently found myself lured back to the lower-res graphics of the PS2 and games like GTA:SA and GT4 after not playing on the console at all since the last God of War game was released. Now with Okami having piqued my interest the new Final Fantasy being the first FF game I've wanted to play since the 7th, me frantically searching everywhere (and failing) to find a copy of Shadow of the Colossus, and now this, it seems the PS2 still has plenty of life left.

    It's also reassuring proof that maybe graphics are not as important to me as I once thought they might have been (60fps and great gameplay still come out top).

    /goes off to play through GoW again

  • SomaticSense #67 5 years ago

    "The Prince of Persia's, Devil May Cry's and even Tomb Raider Legend piss all over it. Infact the phrase "generic Tomb Raider clone" sums it up perfectly"

    Making that comment makes you come across as not having played either GoW or any of the Tomb Raider games. Hey, why not compare Prince of Persia and Mario 64 while you are at it......

    Anyway, saying that Tomb Raider Legend pisses all over the first God of War immediately makes any opinion you make null and void in my eyes anyway. Opinions are available to everybody, but in no way am I going to take anything you say with anything other than a pinch of salt if you truly believe something like that, as ou clearly have a warped sense of gaming quality that is far far different to mine.
    TRL was ok, but nowhere near the level of quality of the first GoW in any aspect.
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/07 @ 13:21

  • Makkuro #68 5 years ago

    "Hell don't take my word, take David Jaffes-wasn't there a drunken confession MP3 floating around with him admitting both the game and himself are well overated and he couldn't believe how popular it was."

    He's a pudgy little nerd, of course he's going to have self-esteem issues. That doesn't mean the game he helped make isn't brilliant.

  • #69 5 years ago

    BEWARE THE POWER OF THE PLAYSTATION!

  • Nikanoru #70 5 years ago

    Again, if you found the camera "annoying", that's an amazing thing to say. I can think of 497 games right off the top of my head with a worse camera.

    Well that's why I said "annoying" and not "so awful I want to stick a fork in my brain", but there are many, many games with a better camera also. Sticking it in one uncontrollable position just doesn't always work for a fast paced game of this type. It's especially bad in any of the jumping bits, and I remember one very aggravating moment where I had to jump to get to a chest, but the camera would always switch angles right in the middle of that jump.

    During combat, when a lot of enemies are coming from all directions, it should be obvious where the problem lies. A lot of the extra challenges for example had you basically flinging your blades off screen, hoping to hit something while trying to get to a part of the arena where you could actually have some oversight. Very annoying in the bit where you're not allowed to get hit even once.

    So, yeah. Not that problematic at all times, but definitely something that a lot of the game's proponents seem to turn a blind eye to. (Oh and please don't take this as my one and only reason to think of the game as overhyped.)

  • HIGHVOLTAGE #71 5 years ago

    Lads, whatever substances I may may not have smoked in my time one thing is true: God of War is worth no more than 7 out of 10 and it has got where it is by being a major label game. If it was made by some unknown publisher and had less hype behind it none of you would have played let alone defend it.

    Of course its bloody based on the Tomb Raider format you plonkers! Before Tomb Raider this format of game hadn't existed. Soul Reaver, Ico, the 3D Prince of Persia's and this are all based on the Tomb Raider format, just as Tomb Raider is based on the 2D Prince of Persia games. I love how some of you get snooty about that and talk like Tomb Raider is a filthy low art game that isn't in the same league-well sorry to point it out but Tomb Raiders low art has gone on to influence this game whether you want to acknowledge that or not. Good come back that man who claims I can't have played any of these games. Eh? Er ok you say so! Why the hell would I say Prince of Persia was based on the Mario 64? Tomb Raider yes, it is what a next gen Tomb Raider should have been in the 1st place- even reviews at the time acknowledged this! I'm slagging this off because I have played a lot of games and there are other ways of doing things than making yet another derivative platformer.

    To sum up God of War it just plays like a load of games crossed together. You can tell it was designed totally from a marketing man perspective, "how about a cross between Tomb Raider with Prince of Persia bits, a little squirt of Castlevania with some Devil May Cry combat, with (marketing man smirks) some boobies(!) oh and a homoerotic slaphead macho main character in crappos all set in oldy fashioned times. Christ its even got Shenmue style quick time events in too! Its just like a massive rip off of every decent game you've ever played accept not as good as any of the originals.

    Ever heard the phrase "Pop eating itself." Its a phrase music critics coined to describe how pop music has become so creatively bankrupt its just become a procession of wannabies recycling old ideas with nothing new coming along. This is the gaming equivalent. Infact its not so much games eating themselves, its games eating themselves, crapping then eating the crap and trying to pass that same crap off as something new and exciting.

    But hey lets praise it for those boobies! I'm actually glad they had the balls to do that, I think its so funny reading reviews on US websites hearing them get all disgusted but the fact that you can rip peoples heads off is OK. Shows what a bunch of twats Americans are.

    I will repeat again: the man who made this game says its not all that clever-he isn't wrong! But praise those boobies!!!

  • Roddy100 #72 5 years ago

    Wow! God of War II, Tomb Raider Anniversary, Okami, Final Fantasy XII. All on PS2. All incredible.

    Tell me again why we need next gen machines?

  • dirigiblebill #73 5 years ago

    @ HIGHVOLTAGE

    Do please let me know when your balls drop, so I can drop-kick the little fuckers.

    Nobody has tried to deny that GoW is derivative- certainly the block puzzles and platforming are cut from the same mould as Tomb Raider, and yes the combat system owes a lot to DMC. But borrowing lots of bits from other games isn't a recipe for crap providing you do it with flair and panache, and God of War does this very, very well. Best comparison on the platform would be Jak 2.

    @ Roddy

    Don't forget Godhand, Rogue Galaxy, Valkyrie Profile and the new Mana game (assuming we get it).

  • gmjapan #74 5 years ago

    "It's a technical marvel, to be sure, but a bit boring, gameplay-wise."

    "Why are people so blown away by these game?"

    Couldnt agree more! I am looking forward to a GoW2 but I am alot more cautious after the hype that got me buying the 1st one.

  • Ryze #75 5 years ago

    I agree with dirigiblebill - I mean. Wasn't Tomb Raider just a 3D version of the original Prince Of Persia, with some puzzles and guns thrown in?

    HIGHVOLTAGE - Just because you only started gaming when I was more than 10 years into it, doesn't mean that all games started with the Playstation.

    I still think that God Of War is more of a spiritual successor to GOLDEN AXE, as I had similar fun playing them both when they were new games. Tomb Raider - don't think so. Feels nothing like it to me, and I've played plenty of Tomb Raider - starting with the original Saturn version.

    Another garbage talker. It's all well and good saying that God Of War is another hack and slasher, but it has more variety than its competitors, it's bang up-to-date in terms of gameplay and presentation, and simply a very enjoyable game.

    We could slag off F.E.A.R, because you just walk around and shoot things - It's just another DOOM!!!!!!! or Half-life!!!!

    But no. We recognise quality. Presentation and storyline can compliment solid, tried and tested decent gameplay when combined with new twists and original features.

    That's called - A GOOD GAME.

  • icelt #76 5 years ago

    FWIW 1st NA reviews are consistently stellar:
    [link url=http:// ps2.ign.com/articles/763/763624p1.html
    ]http://ps 2.ign.com/articles/763/763624p1...[/link]
    [link url=http://w ww.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3157112
    ]http://ww w.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=315...[/link]
    [link url=http://p s2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r29128.htm
    ]http://ps 2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r29128...[/link]

    Based on the posted scores, IGN has a 2.1% higher opinion of the game compared to 1up. More than 1 significant digit in a game review score FTL.