Bad Habits - Geeked - April 27 2005
Few recent games have created as much stir as Sony's new action/adventure title, God of War. Thanks to an impressive marketing campaign and glowing early reviews, geeks everywhere seemed to be waiting for this game like a bunch of 5-year-olds waiting for Christmas. And though, in this particular case, Christmas found itself planted firmly in the month of March with the role of Ol' St. Nick being played by a bloodthirsty warrior named Kratos, that seemed just fine with everyone concerned. The truth is that it's not often that you can say a design company has done almost everything right, but in the case of God of War, you can.
For those who've managed to miss the whole God of War frenzy, the game tells the tale of one homicidal Spartan's quest to exact revenge from Ares, the ancient Greek god of war. It's an interesting tale, full of rich characters and disturbing flashbacks, and it definitely helps establish the game's dark tone.
Unfortunately, it's also one of the few things I could find fault with in this title. The problem is the story's reliance on flashbacks, each one teasing the player with just a bit more information about Kratos' troubled past. The result is a main character who the player has little hope of identifying with until far too late in the game. Fortunately, the game is so much fun to play, it doesn't really matter. All you really have to identify with is his desire to kill countless mythical bad guys, from Gorgons to Cyclopses to obnoxious winged Harpies.
Battle is where God of War truly excels - which isn't to say that the game's puzzle-solving elements are sub-par. It's just that, as entertaining as the thinking elements of this game are, they simply can't compete with the ferocity that is Kratos in battle. Wielding his twin "blades of chaos" - evil-looking, flaming, machete-like blades attached to his forearms by long lengths of heavy chain - Kratos becomes a whirlwind of death. In fact, watching him in action is so much fun that I often found myself running through various attack combinations long after a room had been cleared of enemies.
Another great aspect of Kratos' fighting style is the number of unique finishing moves that the blood-spattered warrior can unleash upon his opponents. Rip undead warriors limb-from-limb, force one of the flaming blades down a Minotaur's throat, or tear a Gorgon's head right off her body. Each move will reward you with a small bonus to Kratos' health or magic pool, though at the expense of his experience pool, so pay attention. If you don't need the health or magic, take the experience, which you can use to increase the power of Kratos' attacks.
Magic also plays a part in the game, thanks to a number of gifts from the gods themselves. Hades gives Kratos the ability to summon a swarm of angry spirits; Zeus grants him the power to unleash Zeus' famed lightning bolts; Poseidon charges him with the power of a sea god's rage; and Athena instructs Kratos on how to rip the head from Medusa, queen of the Gorgons, and turn her petrifying gaze against his enemies. By the time Kratos finally gets his chance to face Ares, the Spartan is so full of godly might that there's simply no stopping him.
WHAT'S COOL: Fantastic animation and impressively detailed scenery; a great blend of exhilarating combat and engaging puzzles; and a brilliantly scored soundtrack worthy of a Hollywood epic.
WHAT'S UNCOOL: Not enough save locations; some levels that are frustratingly hard to navigate; and a flashback-driven storyline that is, perhaps, too convoluted.??