The game that introduced me completely to the world of video games and one of the best PS2 games.
Image credit: Press photograph published by Atresmedia / Neox.
Source: Atresmedia - original image
Summary
- Name of the game: God of War II
- Launch date: March 13, 2007
- Developer: Santa Monica Studio
- Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Platforms: PlayStation 2 (original), then PS3 (Remaster in God of War Collection)
- Genre: Action-Adventure, Hack and Slash
- Context: Second installment of the original saga. Kratos, now as the new God of War, challenges the
gods of Olympus themselves in a story of epic revenge and betrayal.
History and narrative
The story of God of War II starts a few years after the first game, with a Kratos who is no longer the same tormented warrior we knew, but the new god of war after defeating Ares. Now we see him in another stage: more arrogant, more ruthless, feared by all, abusing his new power and acting without worrying about the consequences. The gods of Olympus, who function almost like a team of bosses in an office, can't stand him anymore. It's like that co-worker who does what he wants because he has a high position and no one says anything until the boss arrives. And in this case, that “boss” is Zeus, who along with the other gods decides to betray Kratos, take away his power and kill him. Again.
But this is where something even greater comes into play: the Titans, ancient rulers before the gods, who rescue him and offer him the chance to change his destiny and take revenge on Zeus. And beware, what I'm telling you is just the beginning, not even half of the game. The narrative goes up several levels compared to the first title: more epic, deeper, with more lore, with a brutal start that grabs you from the first minute and doesn't let go. Kratos no longer only seeks revenge for his family, now his hatred is greater, his rage is directed at all of Olympus, and the ultimate goal is to challenge Zeus himself and change what destiny has written for him.
The journey is full of mythology, twists and turns and spectacular moments, especially with the introduction of the sisters of destiny, who are key to the whole plot. God of War II ceases to be “just another mythology game” and becomes the title that defines the saga, the one that put it at the top and the one that is still remembered today as one of the best stories ever told in a video game.
Kratos shines as a protagonist. He's no longer just the Spartan who mourned his family; now we see him more complex, full of anger, but also carrying years of service to Olympus only to end up being betrayed. He is a character who is on a tightrope between madness and revenge, and that makes him all the more fascinating. Zeus, Gaia and the Sisters of Fate add a ton to the lore, with dialogue that, while not too much, is well written and serves its purpose. Yes, there are some plot holes (typical stuff when playing with time travel), but nothing that ruins the experience.
The ending deserves a special mention. Kratos, together with the titans, climbing Mount Olympus to finish off the gods is simply one of the best things ever made in the history of gaming. And of course, that immortal phrase that we all remember: “Zeus, your son has returned and I bring the destruction of Olympus”. A brutal, epic closing that marked an entire generation and set the table for God of War III. It had such an impact that it even helped boost PS3 sales.
Gameplay
We have fluid combat with combos, magic, secondary weapons and cinematic endings with quick time events. Now we have the swords of Athena, which I liked more than the swords of chaos, the bow of Typhon, the wrath of Cronos which comes replacing the wrath of Poseidon from the first game, which was a fan favorite, the head of Euryale which has the same effects of Medusa, and the wrath of Atlas which is a lot of fun to use. Plus secondary weapons like the Barbarian's Hammer, the Spear of Destiny and the Blade of Olympus, which you only get in New Game Plus. Each one is very well balanced, they work well, but it must be admitted that the wrath of Cronos is used more and the swords of Athena.
Beyond combat, mechanics such as the use of time with an amulet of the sisters, flying with the wings of Icarus, riding Pegasos against griffins in very specific parts are now introduced. There are puzzles and platforming, but less loaded than in the first game, so they are more accessible, which offers good breaths between the action, very well balanced.
We keep the life and magic upgrades, with the gorgon eyes and phoenix feathers, also the red orbs, which help us to improve our weapons and magic. They are obtained in chests, defeating enemies and in the erotic mini-game in Rhodes that more than one remembers. In addition, it implements the golden fleece, which works to repel any attack at the right time.
The game, despite maintaining a similar structure to the first God of War, retains its essence and is quite innovative in terms of gameplay, being even more replayable.
because of the way it is made. The controls respond very accurately. The quick time events are integrated quite well and they are excellent, you know that something good is going to happen every time they appear. In New Game Plus it's really worth using the Olympus Blade, the most powerful weapon and it really is; when you upgrade it to the maximum you can easily defeat enemies and bosses.
I love that God of War has a learning curve accessible to everyone, with good and simple to understand mechanics. The menu and tutorial are easy, and that shows us that something easy can be better than something complicated, in the sense that sometimes more quantity is less quality. Here less is more quality. The game is totally focused on making the experience fun for the player and it does it perfectly. You have life, magic, combos, orbs to upgrade equipment and that's it. No skill tree, no extra quests, no complications. Everything is in the player's experience, even exploration has its rewards and they are not impossible to find.
God of War II has impeccable gameplay, fun and memorable, so much so that it's a game you're unlikely to replay.
List of main bosses in God of War II:
- Colossus of Rhodes: Brutal, too good and is one of the best introductory bosses in a game I have ever experienced. The Colossus is visually appealing and a very fun battle. Plus its historical background of mythology, inspired by one of the wonders of the ancient world.
- Undead Barbarian: The very wretch Kratos killed years ago returns from the underworld to exact revenge as the undead. This combat further expands on the lore of the first game. His combat is great: take him on horseback first, then summon souls from the underworld (and in fact the captain of the ship from the first game comes out), and at the end fight a giant version of the Barbarian getting his hammer. A very well designed combat.
- Euryale (Medusa's sister): In my opinion, the least good boss. It's not bad, but I feel like it's a bigger copy of Medusa, now able to climb a few pillars. Beyond that, it feels the same as the first game. While it's not bad combat, it's not one of the best.
- Perseus: An unexpected confrontation. It's funny to know that this guy was also looking for an audience with the sisters and sees Kratos as a test from them to advance. His death is awesome with those quick time events at the end. The battle is very good, in a kind of pool, and Perseus can become invisible, so to attack him and defend yourself you will have to pay attention to the movement of the water. An excellent combat design.
- Theseus: A boss that is a headache for many, especially in high difficulties. He challenges Kratos and underestimates him for having lost his god-like powers, although he didn't know he was still the best warrior in all of Greece. His combat can be tiring, since in his second phase he climbs on a platform to shoot you from afar and you must do the same with Typhon's bow until he falls, and then finish him off by smashing his face with a door, well deserved.
- Icarus: Super memorable, despite not being a fight as such it is a different confrontation. His appearance is interesting and he throws us together with him into the abyss. The funny thing is how Kratos thinks about getting him out of the way and of course, he thinks: “I'll tear off his wings to get to the other side”. Although it's more of a simple confrontation, it's fun to play.
- Kraken: His appearance is very good as we come from facing the soldier of Sparta, with Kratos mentally blinded that he can't fight, until Gaia locates him again and Kratos starts making sushi with the Kraken. The battle is good and focuses on using the corpse of the soldier to put it on a switch that releases air, which serves to give Kratos momentum and attack the weak point of the Kraken, which also has a painful death.
- Lachesis and Atropos: For many, the best combat of the game, although I would say it is the second best. It is a very extensive combat with 3 very clear phases. First against Lachesis (the “pretty sister”), a complicated battle where you have to have good coordination and be precise in each blow, especially in the air. The second phase is the best, where we are teleported to the past and we see Kratos vs Ares in the first game, only now we are on the sword that Kratos used to kill the god of war. Here we face Atropos, who seeks to destroy the sword, which would be fatal because without it Kratos would lose to Ares. We must avoid it at all costs. This is a mega detail and a brilliant idea. The cinematic if you lose is great because you really feel like you failed. Then we come back against Lahkesis, but now with Atropos' attack support. The final quick time event is brutal, Kratos locking the sisters of destiny in the past without being able to return. A mega fight in every sense.
- Zeus: The best for me. The whole game we seek revenge for what Zeus did to us, now he's in front of us and takes us to an arena higher than the clouds. The setting is epic, with rain and darkness as if it were a catastrophic battle, which it is. Zeus at the beginning becomes giant and summons sirens, which when defeated cause him damage, and then he returns to his actual size. Here the phase gets complicated because he does a lot of damage and won't leave you alone, but every time you hurt him he gives enormous satisfaction. At the end, Kratos' strategy to put him in a difficult situation and nail him with the blade of Olympus, just as he did to us, is incredible, epic. Until Athena intervenes and now the end of the world begins.
There are also encounters with epic enemies like griffin-riding Pegasus, which are very innovative for their time and fun. Using Pegasus was a great experience.
Graphics and visual design
For a PS2 game, it was outstanding. It used every resource of the hardware and took it to the max. This game explodes and closes the PS2 generation on a high note with what it had to offer.
The animations, lighting and scenarios are spectacular, improving considerably the first game in graphic quality. Beyond the quality, its style is still classic mythology with a slightly darker and more brutal tone. It could be interpreted in some parts of the game that way, although in others not so much.
The settings again take the plaudits: each one is memorable. The city of Rhodes, the temple of Typhon (which are actually ice caverns), the island of Creation, the temple of Euryale, the Great Abyss, the Underworld with Atlas, the Palace of Fate, the Phoenix Chamber, and more.
Most of the game takes place in Lahkesis, but each area takes its time to etch itself into your memory. Who won't remember the first time you walk towards the horses? Or when we reach the Palace of the Sisters of Destiny? Or the Underworld where we see Atlas? Each area is spectacular and memorable. The design is impressive, and the best part is that it's always fun. Each zone has a similar amount of time to progress, keeping it from feeling like a drag to stay in one place. Perhaps the area I liked the least was where the titan Typhon is.
The enemies and boss designs are very good, quite faithful to Greek mythology for the most part. Each design is made with a lot of passion and it shows, they fulfill very well in every aspect. An outstanding art style and graphic quality in every part of the game that, honestly, I don't feel it has anything to envy to other titles.
Sound and music
God of War II's soundtrack is EPIC! There is no better word to describe it. My respects to its composers, no more and no less than Gerard Marino and Cris
Velasco. They are pieces that, no matter how many years go by, you will not forget: The End Begins, The Glory of Sparta, Phoenix Rising, Colossus of Rhodes, The Battle of Olympus. All of them are impressive, plus some improvements to the soundtrack of the first game. It's one of those soundtracks that you later search on the internet to have the playlist.
The sound effects are not far behind: they are just as impressive and memorable. Every attack, block, scream, roar or dialogue you remember. Every effect is well designed. Even just the sound of Kratos opening a chest of magic or one of gorgon eyes is iconic.
The voice acting of each character is excellent, even if their participation is not always extensive. Hearing Zeus, Gaia, Athena, and obviously Kratos played by Terrence C. Carson, is brutal. He has a powerful and distinctive voice that makes our beloved Spartan unique. It gives him a lot of life, it is very aligned to the character and his motivations.
Difficulty and accessibility
The difficulty is varied, depending on the mode you choose. There are four modes: Mortal, Hero, Spartan and Titan (from easy to very difficult). In easy mode, there is no major challenge in terms of combat. The puzzles always maintain their level, they are not complicated and are quite affordable for anyone. This game also reduces the platforming of the first title, which was a point criticized by many players (although in my case I did like it). In very difficult difficulty, as its name suggests, it is a real challenge, especially in the final part, before facing the last Sister of Destiny and Zeus is a total headache.
The game rewards aggressiveness, but also punishes mistakes. It's very linear, practically impossible to get lost: it's designed to make you enjoy the experience, not to frustrate you with mechanics or puzzles. The entire menu interface and arsenal of weapons and magics is easy to understand, which is great. Overall, it's an accessible title for anyone.
In terms of accessibility, it is limited. There are no options to customize controls, small subtitles, etc. At the time, this aspect was not prioritized, so it is to be expected that it would be scarce.
Additional content
The campaign can take about 10-12 hours in a first game. In my case I usually take about 7 hours, knowing the game and without using glitches to skip areas. For a title of its genre and time, it has a very good duration and all the content is of quality.
Regarding replayability, I can only say that it's the game I've played the most times in my life: more than 20 times easily. It's so good that it's fun even just finished. Depending on the difficulty, you unlock costumes (the best of the whole Greek saga), some cinematics or stories that add value to the game. lore, and Challenges of the Titans.
It is a game that most players return to, for its essence and how well worked it is, and although it does not have a lot of extra content, what it offers is so solid that its replayability is very high. It does not have DLCs, it is a complete game from the beginning.
Technical Aspects
In the original PlayStation 2 version, God of War II was one of the console's most ambitious titles, and achieved very solid performance. Although the PS2 had technical limitations, it maintained a stable frame rate around 30 fps, with well-optimized load times.
On PlayStation 3, the remastered version runs at 60 fps, with improved resolution to 720p HD and sharper textures. The fluidity and visual quality were clearly superior to PS2.
For its time, it was a very polished game. Sure, it had the occasional bug, and it was also a game very much given to glitches, The game is a bit like that, even allowing you to “swim in the air”, as illogical as it sounds. Entire areas could be skipped, and even in the remastered version you can still do several. Maybe sometimes Kratos would go through a wall or object and you would fall into the void, but overall it didn't ruin the experience.
Santa Monica Studio took full advantage of the console's hardware. The graphics engine they used, called Kinetica, allowed for advanced visual effects such as better lighting and animations.
Value for money
The PS2 version had a launch price of $49.99 USD, expensive for its time. Although most of us, as in my case, bought the pirated copy that cost 3 dollars (I never bought the original). The full edition included two discs, the game and a bonus disc with behind the scenes content. The PS3 version had a launch price of $39.99 USD and included God of War and God of War II remastered in HD. I still have mine.
For me, either version is worth every penny. Their price and quality are very well justified. Super recommended as it is a classic game that ages beautifully.
Trophies / Achievements
- Platinum obtained: Yes.
- Percentage of trophies: 100%
- Estimated time: 15-20 hours
- Platinum difficulty: 4 out of 10. The platinum for PS3 asks to pass the game in god mode which is on hard, luckily it does not require finishing in Titan mode which is the most difficult. It does require completing the 7 challenges of the titans, the good thing unlike the previous game is that in this you do not have to do them in a row, but each time you complete one, it will be saved. They are a bit complicated, but there are only 7 and with a few attempts you should be able to get it. The rest of the trophies are related to the story and improving Kratos to the maximum.
Conclusion
God of War is a masterpiece of the PS2 era. Its story of betrayal and revenge, its enhanced combat, its graphic quality, its artistic design, soundtrack, technical aspects made it one of the best games of the generation and one of the best in the history of its genre. Even though years go by, fans still enjoy this title as if it was the first time. For me it is one of the best games ever, the best of PS2 and one of my all time favorites being the game that consolidated an iconic saga.
My final rating for God of War II is:
4.8/5
