God of War

Ron Osborn takes a minotaur by the horn in this legends of Greek mythology action game.

Some would say there is too much violence in video games today; others would say you can never have too much of a good thing. If you fall into the later category, then God of War may have the violence and partial nudity that you crave – you sick, twisted psychopath.

God of War is based on the legends of Greek mythology, placing the player in the sandals of Spartan warrior Kratos. The game is of the same action/puzzle genre as games such as Prince of Persia and the Legacy of Kain series. The game is heavily slanted toward the action side of the genre though, with a multitude of special moves to unlock, and a wide variety of enemies to test them on.
 
Thankfully, the special moves that you unlock are actually useful and you’ll find it pays to put some thought into your button mashing as you progress through the game.
 
Adding emphasis to the combat element of the game is the mini-game mode. It appears Sony has a different idea to what a mini-game is, as entering this mode does not actually break the flow of the main game. Instead, after wailing down a barrage of blows on an enemy, an icon will appear over its head prompting you to press a particular button or carry out a thumb stick movement. Follow the prompts, and Kratos performs a tastefully violent combination or execution move that results in some spectacular in-game cinematic sequences.
 
The ability to quickly kill an enemy adds another dimension to the game though it does get repetitive after seeing the same animation for the fifteenth time.
 
The game environments are a visual treat and there are plenty of moments when you just want to sit back and marvel at your surroundings. It’s almost a shame that such moments are usually accompanied by a particularly large beasty, waiting for you to put a blade through its face.
 
It’s not all about getting stabby; you’ll find the usual block moving, lever pulling puzzles too. These complement the action elements and are inventive, yet not so obscure you’ll need to slap your grandmother with a herring to open a door. The game does have its shortfalls though.
 
As is typical for action games, enemy attack patterns are predictable and fighting wave after wave of the same enemy can quickly become tedious. Platform jumpy/climby areas can also be annoying as Kratos isn’t exactly nimble and falls, often resulting in instant death.
 
Though the levels look good, the design at times can be rather bland and while there are bonuses to be found by checking for hidden doors etc, the benefits usually don’t warrant the effort.
 
In all, God of War is a must for action fans. It may not revolutionise the genre but it’s still damn good fun.