God of War II is everything gamers expected to find in the sequel to one of the hottest PS2 games in the system’s history. The graphics are amazing, the music and sound effects are interactive, the fights are intense and the story is … lacking.
Firstly, don’t expect to truly appreciate the graphics engine unless you have an HDTV. The graphics are great on any TV, but they’re absolutely amazing on progressive scan mode, and nearly rival those found on early Xbox 360 games. Everything from background details to semi-interactive surroundings feels like a truly interactive world.
The music and sound are equally impressive. The score provides for a truly “Greek” feel, if such a thing exists (and if it didn’t before, it does now), and adheres to a symphonic detail one would typically expect in a top-budget movie. The sound effects help in spades when interacting with the environment, providing clues as to what Kratos can destroy or affect with his weapons and what remains indestructible (one of the few graphical flaws, however not surprising given the PS2’s current-gen limitations).
Expect the same amazing battles, this time with much larger beasts and Gods. Your first level pits you against the monumental Colossus of Rhodes, a statue that once existed to greet Greek sailors but has now been turned into a destructive monolith hellbent on destroying Kratos. Defeating him requires not just a command of the weapons available but also a strong understanding of the PS2’s controller buttons, as pushing certain buttons at specific times during battles will trigger different cinematic events. Push the square button when prompted and your character might drive his blade directly into the Colossus eye. Can’t find the square button quick enough? The Colossus might just swat you away like a fly.
God of War II is a near-masterpiece, however it fails in the same way the original failed: the story. The game feels much more like a simple puzzle solver than an interactive story. There are characters who come and go … couldn’t they have been involved more?
Kratos’s goal in God of War II is to seek out the Sisters of Fate and change his destiny. His goal in the original was to seek out Ares (the god of war) and kill him. The possibilities for more depth in the story itself has always existed, and yet in both games it fell flat. Solve the puzzles, kill the enemies, and advance the story.
There will be a God of War III, and perhaps the story will finally flesh itself out a little more to finish out the trilogy. Until then, players will be spending the majority of their time solving puzzles and creating multi-attack combos. And they'll have fun doing it, only something will feel ... missing.
Ken Brosky - Ken Brosky's first novel was published in fall 2007. He has more than a dozen short stories published in magazines including Skyline and ...
