There are many things that Greek Mythology has given Western society: The basic underpinnings of theater, general explanations for science and even viewpoints into governmental institutions. Most recently, however, it’s provided the setting for Sony’s latest title – an action packed game called God of War. Not only does it capture the adventuring spirit of ancient mythic heroes, it’s quite possibly one of the most violent and most engaging titles to come out on the PS2.





Perhaps one of the most interesting facets of God of War’s storyline is the “flashback” perspective it launches immediately after a new game is started. While the demo we had only featured one level, it was enough to leave a lasting impact. Claiming that the gods of Olympus have forsaken him, Kratos climbs a mountain and casts himself off the peak into the sea below. See, Kratos made a pact with Ares, who turned him into an unholy killing machine. However, he soon tired of this, and sought a way to murder the controlling deity and free himself. Obviously, there are a number of reasons why his life comes to an end in such a drastic way, and whether or not he succeeds in this task is something that isn’t readily apparent at the start. As his suicide comes to fruition, the plot travels back in time to three weeks before his demise, placing the stoic Spartan warrior on a ship in the middle of the Aegean Sea.





This is no three hour cruise, however. Kratos’ ship is besieged by undead soldiers, all of whom want to slaughter him. Fortunately, the Spartan is more than capable of handling himself in hand to hand combat against numerous enemies. Kratos’ primary weapons are a pair of swords known as the Blades of Chaos – massive serrated knives chained to Kratos’ arms. These weapons provide him with an exceptional reach and plenty of destructive combos. In fact, at the very beginning, Kratos has more than twenty separate attacks that he can use against his opponents with his blades alone. This isn’t counting the ability to juggle enemies up in the air or ripping foes apart with his bare hands. Yes, I said with his bare hands – Kratos is easily as strong as Hercules, with a similar disposition (and I’m talking about the short tempered, mythical one, not the happy go lucky TV version). Each opponent that you destroy provides you with red orbs which can be traded for new attacks or abilities, further increasing his damage. You’ll also manage to acquire supernatural powers from the gods, such as lightning blasts from Poseidon.





It might seem like overkill, until you get to some of the mini-bosses and bosses in this game, most of which easily fill half to almost the entire screen. If you’re familiar with Greek Mythology, you probably comprehend the terror and havoc wreaked by monsters like the Hydra or awe invoked by Cerberus. Well, better throw that notion completely out the window, because Kratos will have to take on and defeat beasts like this to enact his revenge. Clearly, this comes down to a classic showdown between hero and boss, but with a definite twist. If he manages to inflict significant damage on the monster he’s fighting, he’ll have a chance to land a critical blow to the animal by entering a “button pressing mini-game.” Players will have to hit the proper button that flashes on screen, maneuvering into the best position to strike his target. If you manage to get the sequence correct, you’re rewarded with a damaging and potentially fatal attack. If you fail, however, you either allow your opponent time to restore its energy or counterattack.

As I said earlier, while there was only one level, the graphical presentation of this game was visually awe inspiring. Character animations are large, slick and fluid for every model onscreen, and considering that might find yourself fighting against 8 or more opponents at a time, it’s an impressive feat to witness along with the large scale environments without any visual slowdown. In fact, there are moments when you’ll find yourself staring at the background more than you will at foreground action, picking up incidental action. This is also an incredibly gory title. Creatures spurt blood and limbs when they’re hacked to pieces. The harpies, for instance, literally tear hapless soldiers apart in front of your eyes. These details were enough to make me play the demo over and over with eager anticipation for the March release of this destructive action title. Come back some for more of this additive game!