God of War II
Sony Computer Entertainment
PlayStation2 | $49.99
With all the chains, whips, barely clothed bodies, and lashings that God of War II hosts, it could be mistaken for a Greek mythology S&M dungeon. Thankfully, your character, Kratos, is the dungeon master, and his role in the game is to give pain rather than receive it.
This sequel continues Kratos’ epic, blood-soaked story. In the original, he impaled a god to earn his title; in God of War II, Kratos has managed to morally offend all the gods and all the other creatures in his world. It’s hell on Earth as Kratos slashes his way through the land of the living, using his sparkler chain blades to fillet every medieval creature imagined, from Pegasus to Medusa.
Visually GOW II is as appealing as watching the Jim Rose Circus in 3-D. Creatures and caverns are finely detailed, causing the eye to constantly wander around the screen. The action is nitro-fueled and nonstop from the moment you hit the start button. There’s no need for a manual because the directions are laid out for you in every scenario via text hints that pop up around the corners. This convenient addition makes the turn-on-and-burn-out playability of GOW II instantly gratifying.
The only major defect of this Athenian bloodbath can be summed up in three words: fixed camera angles. If your weapon of choice is first-person-shooter games where the left thumbstick pans your view around the area, you might feel a little landlocked. Aside from that, this carnival of colors and carnage makes any game freak salivate for a butchering, vivid massacre. Sure, the plot completely disrespects any text by Homer, but at least the gobs of meaningless man and beast slaughtering are done in an artful manner. – Carson Barker
This article appears in April 27 • 2007.