PlayStation exclusives have been special to many gamers worldwide. These games were creative and engaging, transporting players to worlds unlike anything seen beforehand. During the PS2 era, one gaming franchise made quite a name for itself with its violent and gory nature: God of War. Initially created by David Jaffe, this Greek mythology-inspired game came onto the scene and won the praise of many gamers at the time of its release in 2005. What follows is a rollercoaster of emotions as the player slays and rips apart gods for our hero to ultimately fulfill his conquest. Although some of the graphics and gameplay mechanics may not be as polished as today’s gaming standards, for a Playstation 2 that has since been ported to Playstation 3 in HD (the version I’m playing), it's wildly impressive for its time.
Kratos (Terrence ‘T.C.’ Carson) is a warrior who was once the leader of a Spartan army. After suffering a fatal death, a god named Ares (Steve Blum) saves his life by giving him and his army a chance to defeat his rivals in the war he finds himself in. However, his faith comes with a price, as not only is he bound by the Blades of Chaos, but he accidentally kills his own family in a blind rage. Now, Kratos sets out for revenge to kill Ares and dethrone his title as the God of War.
The Story is surprisingly engaging and easy enough to follow. I was at first worried that it would be too complicated. Thankfully, Greek mythology is represented in a way that is primarily accessible, and how the mythology shapes the world and even our main protagonist, Kratos, is outstandingly well handled. According to the game’s creators, some of the biggest inspirations for shaping God of War were the already-established Greek mythology and movies such as Clash of the Titans and Gladiator. The inspirations help make the characters and their world interesting. The actual story itself is a typical revenge-like plot that is made better by how our main hero goes through many trials to accomplish his goal of ultimate revenge. Flashbacks are common in this story, but they help the player understand Kratos and his reasons for his conquest without draining any precious time away from what is happening to Kratos now. I was surprised at how emotionally involved I was with this story for a game where you violently rip apart gods and goddesses.
The Characters are few and far between. Most of the time is spent on Kratos' journey of trying to kill off the god Ares, who turned him into a monstrous killer. Kratos's arc of vengeance is so strong, however, that it can be forgiven that there is a lack of characters with just as much deep profundity as Kratos does. Kratos's journey has many twists and turns. Every obstacle faced in his path can be a chance to really know him for his past actions and those he makes in the present. Sure, there are other characters besides Kratos, such as Goddess Athena and a narrator of the story who is voiced by Linda Hunt. Still, Kratos’s journey holds the story together. It proves that one exciting character can be as compelling as multiple characters in any story.
The Gameplay may have a few rough spots, but it's awe-inspiring for 2005, and I’d argue that it mostly holds up by modern standards. The player controls Kratos using combat and puzzle-solving abilities to achieve his ultimate goal and slaughter those in his path. Throughout the game, Kratos will open many chests containing Green Power for Health, Blue Power for increased attack, and Red Power for upgrading abilities. Sometimes, Kratos will come across a chest containing either a Gorgon Eye or a Phinox Feather to increase either health or the magic meter. Kratos fights using the Blades of Chaos. When pressing buttons in different orders, Kratos can attack in combos for massive bloodshed. Sometimes, Kratos will have to use QuickTime events by using buttons or thumbsticks to outsmart opponents. The magic meter can help to use newly equipped powers such as the Medussa stare and Zeus’s Lighting Strikes to deal more damage to enemies. Sometimes, a god or goddess grants Kratos a unique ability, such as breathing underwater to get to places that seemed impossible before. This game is more than just combat. It's also about platforming and puzzle-solving. Platforming from one place to another sounds easy enough. However, deadly obstacles that can cause bloody deaths await the player at every turn. The players often solve a puzzle and move on to the next area. The puzzles are all fair in the challenge they create. The game moves briskly, and there is never a dull moment. Combat and puzzle-solving were balanced equally, making for a well-rounded experience.
The Graphics show off how gruesome and gory it can be while diving into a Greek Mythology playground that looks just as good now as it did back then. The cutscenes look very low in video quality, and sometimes, some animations in the game don’t feel quite right. What they accomplished visually, though, is quite impressive for a game made for the PS2. The game's epic scale represents its sandy landscapes and puzzle-defying dungeons filled with Greek mythology creatures such as Medusas and Centaurs. Every location is made to look larger than life. The way the creators packed in so much visual eye candy, even with the graphic limitations for the time, is a feat that can impress any gamer from any decade. It's violent as all get out, and Kratos usually finishes his foes in an over-the-top, bloody matter. The character animations on Kratos, though not as impressive as the modern games of today, still garner my respect cause they manage to be expressive enough to convey the emotions that he's mainly feeling clearly. This game goes big, and every detail is spared to create a world where a gamer can easily get lost in.
The Music was composed by many composers, including Gerard K Marino and Ron Fish. Using musical instruments commonly used during the Greek period, the soundtrack breathes its unique tunes to accompany Kratos's journey from mindless to vengeful killer. Expect the music to become loud and epic when tensions are high and smaller, simpler sounds to build up the journey until the end. Everything the music does helps to emphasize the game’s tone and style and does all those things exceptionally well.
God of War is more than just being violent and ripping apart gods and goddesses in the most gruesome ways possible. It is also about setting a familiar but unquie tone and style while adding a story that can engage people to root for Kratos and his journey for revenge. This grand game would go on to spawn sequels and spin-offs and would become a mainstay for the PlayStation company. The gameplay moves quickly, but every moment in the game builds upon one another and engages you until the very end. Given the time, the visuals may look rough around the edges. However, the environment's size and scope are still jaw-dropping all these years later. Any game can just be violent to appeal to those who love those things. Still, it's the game's story and engaging character arc of Kratos that make this game worth remembering.
(Final Grade: A-)