"A Truly Fantastic Sequel!"

I can't believe that I wasn't initially psyched to play this game. I can laugh at myself now because I should've known this game would rock. Especially after playing the first God of War (which is as worthy of a 10 as any game could ever be). I guess what turned me off at the time was all of the coverage at E3 in '06 said this game was going to debut on the PS2 again. This being the same time that Sony's PS3 hype machine was kicking into overdrive. "Why would Sony Santa Monica develop a sequel on last-gen hardware? Surely if the game was going to be a hit it would come out on the PS3." Not to mention the first game didn't exactly hint at a sequel. In fact, because of the completeness of the first game in wrapping up the plot (except for that tidbit about Kratos' brother), I was a bit skeptical that it could span a worthy sequel. By the gods (to borrow an expression) was I wrong! Somehow Santa Monica pulled it off, and created a sequel that's as good as, if not more perfect, than the first game. Cory Barlog & Co. took what is an essentially perfect game and made it more perfecter.

Just about every aspect of this game has seen some polish. There are more characters, more bosses, more weapons (good ones!), more story… the list goes on. And though some changes are not all for the better (the gorgeous CGI from the first is all but non-existent this time around), others, like the inclusion of functional alternative weapons add tremendous variety to the game.
I will go ahead and say right now that if you were a fan in any capacity of the first game, go right now and pick this game up. It's that good. The rest of this review is just heaping praise (and some minor nitpicking) on the various aspects of the game.

GRAPHICS

This is like, the best-looking game I've seen on the PS2 evar! Seriously, this game is absolutely gorgeous, and the amount of details that are present in every level is simply unreal. I have to commend Sony Santa Monica up front for doing such a superb job on such limited hardware. They must have spent a great deal of time working on texturing and character models for such an amazing end result. Perhaps they had more time since they had practically no CGI this time around. Yes, I jest, but seriously, these guys knew how to make awesome cut-scenes! I'd rate them right up there with Square-Enix and Blizzard as masters of CGI. It's too bad they didn't include much of it, but I forgive them every time I see new details in the backgrounds and enemy models. Like I said, awesome graphics. Way to go Sony Santa Monica.

CONTROL

The controls for this game remain virtually identical to the control scheme of the first game. This is a good thing, mind you, as it is a very intuitive setup that makes good use of both analog sticks for movement and the shoulder buttons for ancillary functions. The characters respond very quickly to prompts, with no lag whatsoever. Because this game can get pretty overwhelming with ten or more enemies on screen at once, having such responsive controls gives the player the ability to counter the seemingly overwhelming odds against him with his own lightning-quick reflexes. A+ to Santa Monica for superb control mapping.

SOUND

This important, yet oft neglected element of gaming is key to getting a visceral response from players. Fortunately, God of War II is a shining example of how to do it right. First off, the music is absolutely superb. Making use of orchestra and choir (both of which share roots in ancient Greece), the music creates a wonderful ambience, with just the right hint of Mediterranean flavor at the right moments. Listening to the soundtracks, you will feel like you're present in an ancient arena, or at the cusp of some major climatic event. I couldn't detect any themes from the first game (besides the main theme) though they were equally impressive, and I wouldn't have minded hearing some of them again. Still though, the music in this game is superb.

Voice acting was also top notch, despite the fact that only two of the recurring characters had their same VA's from the first game. This concept of continuity could be a point of contention for some gamers. Personally, I can get over the fact that Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, and Athena sound nothing like they did in the first game (nor do they even look the same). I will say that because of the way this game just sucks you right into the story, it's easy to overlook/forget. There were a couple of characters whose voices seem out of place though. Atlas' VA was Michael Clark Duncan. I can understand that they were looking for a strong, booming voice, but he just didn't pull it off in this case. Another slightly disconcerting voice was that of Cronos himself. Every portrayal of him thus far has been of a brutish, slightly primitive creature with little capacity or compunction to speak. And yet when he does speak, it is overly eloquent for what I see him as being capable of. Perhaps he is the archetypal example of not judging a book by its cover?

The sound effects were terrific as well. I personally loved hearing Kratos thrash an enemy to death as a finishing move with his Blades of Athena. Or the nice BOOM you get at the end of Plume of Prometheus. Every sound in this game is detailed and believable.

GAMEPLAY

Here is where God of War and God of War II both shine brightly. We have a deep, intuitive combat system in place that allows for the use of both magic and alternate weapons at key opportune times to wreak absolute havoc on the enemies. One of the best features of God of War II is the ability to quickly cancel a move or chain of moves in order to block. Later in the game, blocking will become your new best friend once you acquire the Golden Fleece. Many of the combat techniques in God of War II are simply perfectly suited to do various tasks. Moves like Plume of Prometheus and Spirit of Hercules are so absolutely essential in Titan mode that you will “praise the gods” that they were included. I must admit though that I'm less than enthusiastic that some of the power moves are linked to the block button. There are going to be times in the game when you're blocking against the enemy and you accidentally engage in a power move that can't be cancelled out of. It's annoying, yes, but once you reach a certain level of proficiency, it will become less of a problem (but it will never completely go away).

The puzzles in this game are far more challenging than in the first game. There were a couple of puzzles that had me genuinely stumped for a few minutes. These are my favorite kind, as they are much more rewarding when you solve them.

There are new weapons in this game! Pimp! And they are actually worth upgrading! If you ever watch a NUR (no upgrade run) of God of War II you'll notice there are certain times when the alternate weapons come in extreme handy. My personal favorite is a fully upgraded Blade of Olympus. It is hella powerful and has surprising range.

Much has been made over the Pegasus portion of the game. Personally, I don't see what's so great about it. It was basically a rail shooter like Starfox, only way more limited and less fun. Hopefully they'll tweak it before it makes a return in the next iteration.

There were a few additions to the gameplay that really worked out well. They are the amulet of the Fates, which lets you stop time ala Max Payne, and the Icarus' Wings, which let you glide ala Soul Reaver. Both features, while not unique, actually add a lot of variety and versatility to the game.

STORY

Somehow, Santa Monica managed to craft an excellent sequel to a very deep and engrossing story. This is a new chapter in the story of Kratos, with little connection to the story in the first game. Luckily, that period of time is so rich in history and mythology that the team had little trouble in crafting an equally engaging story, replete with famous mythological characters and weapons. I absolutely love the incorporation of the Colossus of Rhodes into the game. This time around though, we're left with a cliffhanger. Will the story of Kratos' brother ever be resolved? Who was the mysterious stranger that saved Kratos from Hades? Hopefully the next entry will fill us in on these fascinating plot points.

Conclusion

Wait, you're still reading this? Okay, as a final note, this game is packed with unlockable content and there's an entire disk dedicated to bonus material, behind the scenes footage, and storyboards. Sony Santa Monica could've easily released a special edition like Halo 2 and 3, but they didn't. Instead they chose to include all of this material with the game for no extra cost. I am really in awe of this developer. These guys are making a name for themselves and they rightfully deserve it. I can't wait for the next game to come out – and on the PS3 no less! Until then, I'm busy enjoying God of War II

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/23/07