God of War

Dark, grim, and excessively gory, the outing chronicles the tale of one warrior's quest to kill the supposedly immortal Ares by uncovering Pandora's Box...
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PS2
 
9.7
excellent
 
 

Game Overview

Dark, grim, and excessively gory, the outing chronicles the tale of one warrior's quest to kill the supposedly immortal Ares by uncovering Pandora's Box. Amusingly, the journey is portrayed as one long flashback sequence, as its starring anti-hero (whose name hasn't yet been announced) is in the process of committing suicide in the game's opening sequence. Stepping into this burly, bald-headed ex-Spartan's boots, you'll assume control over not only his scarred visage, but the last three weeks of the character's life as well.

The Good

An excellent, variety-filled combat system with plenty of upgrades, Lots of challenging yet not impossible puzzles, Kratos is a highly entertaining antihero, and the story constructed for him works brilliantly, Beautiful character designs and environments are backed up by a technically excellent engine, One of the best orchestral scores we've ever heard.

The Bad

Combat can occasionally get away from you and feel a tad button-mashy, A few janky animations here and there.

The Bottom Line

Similar to franchises like Devil May Cry, Rygar, and Castlevania, the game draws its inspiration from ancient Greek mythology and boasts a heavy emphasis on exploration and battle strategy. Broken into three to four acts, the game also has a strong focus on story-telling and boast tons of magic spells and abilities. Described as "Clash of the Titans meets Heavy Metal", God of War equips its hero with a pair of sword-like chain weapons that can grab enemies, perform multi-hit combos, and pull off a variety of different aerial attacks. Slight platforming elements and an energy collection system similar to that of Onimusha have been incorporated as well, and players are even able to use certain elements of their fallen enemies as a weapon (re: Medusa's head, for instance, can be used to turn enemies to stone after you've defeated her).

Game Screenshots

Expert Reviews

GameSpot review logo
93/100
score

It's simply a marvelously executed experience that's fun from beginning to end, and anyone with a taste for mature content and the action adventure genre would be foolish to pass it up.

GameZone review logo
97/100
score

A phenomenal bit of storytelling, immersive and a truly incredible videogame in terms of graphics, sound and gameplay.

IGN review logo
98/100
score

If you like to kill freaky things with your giant serrated knives, you'll love the s*** out of this... This videogame features sexual situations, bare breasts and excessive brutality. Good with that? Excellent!

Character Profiles

Kratos

Kratos
Also known as: The God of War This former Spartan general has suffered from a bit of bad luck. He's lost everything he holds dear and he's a bit cranky because of it. The only man to face off against the gods, he eventually becomes a god himself, reigning supreme over all in his way, and it looks like he'll keep on fighting as long as he has a breath left in his body.

Game Features

Winifred Phillips Discusses Her Journey to Composing the Music for God of War "God of War is angry, brutal and merciless -- which is why it is so striking how human it all feels."

Game Specs

Audio/Video
Progressive Scan

Controllers
Analog Control, Pressure Sensitive, Vibration Function

 

Memory
454 kb

Modes
Full Mission Single-Player, Story

 

ESRB Game Ratings

ESRB Rating of "M"
This game is Rated: Mature
Content is most suitable for persons ages 17 and up. This game is likely to contain violence and blood, suggestive themes, or strong language.
Content Descriptors:
Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Themes Strong Language
 
God of War Cover
 
Game Info
Platform:Sony Playstation 2
Release Date:3/22/2005
Publisher:Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer:SCE Studios Santa Monica
Genre:Action
ESRB Rating:M
Gamesite:--
 
Game Quality Ratings
Overall
9.7
Gameplay
9.7
Graphics
9.8
Sound
9.6
Concept
10
Difficulty: Medium
OVERALL
9.7/10
 

Recent Customer Reviews

Do the Impossible and prove yourself to Gods!

If you don't mind blood, nudity, and a lack of restraint and you want a wild and fun game go for...
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Published 1399 days ago by destroyer77

Almost as Awesome as People Would Have You Believe: God of War

God of War is a great game--but don't be fooled. The lackluster final act certainly dulls some...
more
Published 1407 days ago by Mike_Bracken

God of War 2-Awesome

I would recommend this to anyone who can play M rated games because of the graphics, gameplay, and...
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Published 1549 days ago by aragorn7

Best of the best

It rocks. Best ps2 game out there
Published 1751 days ago by shiralh

Hercules ain't got nothing on Kratos.

This is a near perfect game, just make sure the kids are out of the house first.
Published 1774 days ago by sndfrddy

God of War for PlayStation 2
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