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 | God Of War Playstation 2 SCEA Santa Monica Studios/SCEE  'God Of War' is easily one of the best Action Adventure games to hit the market in some time. Veteran actress Linda Hunt provides a faultless narration which transports you into the first scene, thrusting you into Ancient Greece where you are the famous historical figure Kratos. Having pledged your life to Ares, the God of War, you have spent decades spilling the blood of the innocent for the glory of your master. But Ares has gone too far: he has openly attacked the city of his sister Athena and she has called upon you to put an end to her psychotic brother once and for all. Hence you must fight your way into Athens, speak with the city's Oracle and then undertake the gargantuan task of traversing the Desert Of Lost Souls to find Pandora's Box. This powerful weapon is the only thing that can defeat Ares but happens to be in a vast, trap-riddled temple which has been strapped to the back of Kronos, the last remaining Titan, who Zeus has commanded to wander the desert for eternity. What should have been too difficult to deliver for any game studio has been made to look incredibly easy by Santa Monica Studios. The impressive level design, the characters (which include gorgons, minotaurs, centaurs and undead soldiers) and excellent game play are almost faultless. The level animation has pushed the PS2 platform to its absolute limit, setting a new benchmark in terms of detail and breathtaking beauty. Couple this with the fact that there is little load time in between stages and 'God Of War' starts to look like a revolutionary advance in the genre. Be warned though: this game is not for everyone. The violent content of the game is hard to quantitate because the word "gore" just doesn't seem remotely strong enough. There are also examples of gratuitous nudity and a mini-game in which you hit a sequence of controls as the hero has his way with two beautiful women. Comically the camera only shows a close-up of a vase next to the bed which smashes to the floor if you succesfully complete the sequence, but in the end this sexual gimickry belittles what should be a glorious achievement of artistic excellence. The controls incorporate the mini-game function as quick kills for different creatures, and the battle combos are simple and fun despite being largely repetitive. The anti-hero Kratos is vividly cruel and tragically flawed, making him an eminently playable character, complete with scars, tattoos and a thorough contempt for human life: he can even kill innocent bystanders to replenish his own health. In short, 'God Of War' delivers in all categories. Only a few of the puzzles are really annoyingly difficult and the game doesn't invite too many replays, but with hints in the unlockable movies that there will be a new game in the series, Santa Monica Studios have a lot to live up to.  | |
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