God of War: Becoming video game deity
May 27, 2005 | 12:00am
It has been a while since the Playstation 2 has given me anything to rave about. There were a few good games here and there but there was never really anything spectacular. So, for a couple of months my PS2 had only one game, NBA Live 2005, running and I was playing it by default.
Until one fateful day, like the day the Angel Gabriel revealed to Mary that she was going to give birth to God made man, my friend told me of a game that was so good it was almost sinful. It is aptly named God of War.
God of War is a story of a fallen Spartan warrior named Kratos, who is on a quest for salvation in the land of ancient Greece. Kratos is a man haunted by his dark past and is set on a mission by Mythological gods to kill the renegade god of war, Ares, who is ravaging Athens with his treachery. In exchange for destroying Ares, the gods of Olympus will grant him the forgiveness that his tormented soul seeks. In this near-impossible endeavor, Kratos will receive the help of gods such as Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Artemis and Athena.
The game starts with a scene of Kratos, with a desperate look in his eyes, standing on the edge of the highest cliff. Thinking the gods have forsaken him, he lunges forward and sends himself to certain death. This, ironically, is where the game begins.
It takes three weeks before this moment which is at the start of Kratos’ quest for the head of the God of War.
As the game progresses, more of Kratos’ past is revealed. The brutal Spartan, facing certain death at the hands of a barbarian warrior, made a deal with Ares for power in exchange for his life. Since that moment, the brutality in Kratos’ ways could only be surpassed by the amount of innocent blood he spilled. Now, haunted by a past that he blames on Ares, Kratos’ brutality is focused on killing the God of War. This, though, won’t be easy as there is only one weapon in the entire planet that will allow a mortal to kill a god – Pandora’s Box. The box is hidden and protected by the gods and Kratos must prove himself worthy by finding and obtaining it.
Along the way, Kratos will face several familiar mythological creatures like minotaurs, centaurs, medusas, cyclops, Harpies and undead skeleton warriors. The quest will take you through several locations, all of which have a certain feel and challenge.
The game’s environment depicts the grandeur of what ancient Greece might have looked like. God of War features some of the best levels I’ve ever seen on the PS2. From the sprawling streets to the towering pillars to the beautiful statues spread across the city, you get the feeling you are actually looking at history. Conversely, the game also takes you to darker, more fantastic locations like underground chambers, cursed deserts, Pandora’s temple and even the Underworld itself.
What is so great about this game though is the satisfying mix of fast-paced, vicious battles and challenging mental puzzles. Kratos wields as his weapon the Blades of Chaos, two large blades chained to his wrists. The battle sequences in God of War are among the best I’ve seen on any game console. With great, gory battles that feature Kratos ripping his foes in half with his bare hands and puzzles that will often leave you staring at the screen for answers provide a one-of-a-kind video game experience that will surely make you skip meals and sleep just to continue playing.
God of War is the best game of the year to date and is probably one of the best of all time. Anybody with a PS2 and mature enough to handle a bloody action-adventure game would be crazy not to get it.
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