Before the big pre-summer of releases (and maybe summer if we’re lucky and this new next gen of consoles keeps the summer from becoming the cultural wasteland of gaming that it usually is) it’s time to embrace the one of (if not the) last great game of the PS2. God of War II. What may be the end all and be all of the console that, yes, is still tops over it’s lagging next gen second cousin the PS3.

One day, a few years ago, the sky opened up and from above the voice of Sony cried out “Let there be a button masher that DOESN’T SUCK!!”, and lo from the heavens fell our first copy of God of War (the original series), and the masses cried out it was the greatest button masher ever made.
Excelling past any other button masher before, God of War won many an award and earned many a 5 out of 5 rating from near and far. The game became a hit, and despite the fact that game was short it was impossible not to play the game over and over again.

But as time passed, and suddenly the people cried out against Sony as the heavens created an evil next generation console that was an overpriced, hefty paperweight that has yet to find it’s place (and the amount of games which keep people talking about the PS2 to this day) the heavens cried out “Let there be a SEQUEL to a button masher that DIDN’T SUCK!!”
Lo, that game had come to us, here in the PS2’ darkest hours… and that game be called God of War II.

Let’s face it, after we got ahold of God of War II can you blame us for waving our fingers at Sony and bitching them out? I mean, what gives! Apparently the PS2 is going to fade away soon yet it still has an endless potential for the greatest games we’ve ever played (which, yes, includes the underdog of fighting games, Godhand) while the brand spankin’ (as in spankin’ you with it’s overblown pricetag) new PS3 is floundering in a deadzone of mostly underwhelming games which doesn’t bring it near to winning over old PS2 fans into the cult of the PS3. God of War II, of course, shows that there is still life in the PS2... And then seemingly breaks your heart as you realize this game -- well, what the hell!

How can it be that the PS2 is still alive and well with games that keep people happy, while the brand spanking (over priced) PS3 can barely squeeze half a dozen titles out that’s worth a good God of War II or Godhand… hey! Both of the latest great games of the PS2 have the word “God” in it… weird!
Anyway I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s talk God of War II.

If you haven’t reached the end of the original by now then you might as well have the ending spoiled for you, why not. At the end of God of War, Kratos (now in possession of Pandora’s Box) takes on Ares and ultimately finishes him, only to end up committing suicide off of Suicide Cliff thing but instead of going to Hades he ends up in Olympus with the new title of God of War. And that’s where this game picks up.

However as you enter the game you realize that the once and former maniac depressive man is no less maniac depressive than he was in the original. Time has passed, he’s been God of War for awhile, but because the Gods of Olympus kinda left

one little thing absent from their promises to Kratos for killing Ares (mainly the whole we’ll forgive your past and give you a mind wipe of your bad memories) he’s been a lot more moody than ever before. However, now that he’s the God of War, he’s got a whole new way to express his anger management than he ever did before, becoming the god his Spartan bros always needed and leading them to march upside all over the Greeks (the people who worship the Greek Gods).
Yeah, obviously as this game starts he isn’t the most popular God on Olympus.

As Kratos heads down to deliver the death blow to the city of Rhodes it looks like Zeus has to take it into his own hands to put the brakes on Kratos, first by stripping him of some of his godly power (which leads you into the city of Rhodes which helps refresh your memory as to how to play the game… mind you this shouldn’t be too hard since the game is for the most part identical to the original with just enough changes to give the game a fresh feel while still being comforting to us who played the original) (don’t forget to take your stop at the bathhouse with those hot (oh goddess they’re hot) bathing beauties) before he drops the hammer on Kratos by tricking him and then killing him. Briefly. You need to stop with those twin beauties and play the sex mini game because you’ll find there’s a few new tweaks to the whole RE4 fatality mini-games and you’ll need to get them down pat now. It’ll help later on in the game.

However all is not lost. Because you still have two people on your side, one being (believe it or not) Athena (though her role is not really felt except for just a wee little bit she does for you), and the other (the important one) being the Narrator. She who talked you through the first game, and this game, has returned and her true identity now stands revealed as you are dragged into Hades. It turns out the narrator is Gaea, the Titan Earth Mother, and she wants you to kill Zeus and restore the balance.

To accomplish this you’ll have two things on your to do list.
First off you’ll start by stocking up on brand new weapons and powers, which not only replace the powers you had before in the original game but expands on them as well. Also, in the first few hours of the game, you’ll gain a new “Rage” power, this one being of the Titans which is just as good as “Rage of the Gods” from the original.

One thing however, is that unlike the original game where you just had to reach checkpoint after checkpoint and get a new power from the Gods you’ll have to work for some of these powers. Need the new Rage of the Titans? Gotta put somebody out of their misery (dunking in fire might work). Need that nifty bow and arrow? Might have to yank it out of some giant thing’s eye… no I don’t know why it doesn’t get a visit from it’s giant optometrist and get it removed but whatever. Some powers do come easy, others you have to work for (and work for hard).

One new move, which you don’t have to earn to use, is your new Bionic Commando style swing move. You don’t use it all the time, but once you do it’ll add a new dimension to your swinging moves (and a new level of

difficulty as well).

Second job? Take a wee little trip to the land of the Sisters of Fate (they who weave the thread that represents the span of human life… you remember the original Hercules Disney movie right?). Anyway they (two of them who look like they sometimes moonlight in the Valkryie Profile franchise) are the one you have to see if you want to kill Zeus. Don’t expect that to go well.

Speaking of things that should be considered hard you’ll also find that, unlike the last game, this game has way more boss battles in this one (starting with the rampaging Colossus of Rhodes and ending with… well, what‘s the surprise, yes this game won‘t be over until you reach the bearded wonder Kratos is out to kill, who once totally embarassed himself by actually appearing in Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s first acting job as Hercules in “Hercules in New York“ when Schwarzenegger was called Arnold Strong, where he dressed up like a Jewish Rabbi at the end of the movie and rode on the wing of an airplane), and everytime you think you came to the hardest boss battle the next one comes and proves to be worst than the last. This’ll keep you on your toes. (Uh, no, I did NOT make that up! At the end of “Hercules in New York” Zeus dresses up like a Jewish Rabbi and rides on the wing of an airplane because he’s going on vacation… the weirdo. Hence Kratos’ going to smack him down should be considered a mercy killing.)

Oh and the bonus stuff you’ll get. Let’s start off with the CD Soundtrack of the game that you’ll be able to purchase (review of that coming shortly), and the upcoming PSP God of War game. And as for voice acting in this game? This time you’ll get quite a few guest appearances in both the mythological and star power sense. Start off with the fact that the original VA for both Kratos’ and the Narrator (Gaea) have returned to ply their vocal talents in the new game, then add on the star power and things really get interesting.
Sure, at the start you’re only throwing Prometheus on the BBQ, or running over the dead corpse of Jason (Argonauts), but once you reach a certain part of the game you’ll get your first true star power talent as you participate in a little “Dancing with the Stars” as you trade blows with Harry Hamlin (reprising his role as Perseus from Clash of the Titans -- guess he’s not on the Titans’ favorites list since he did kinda kill one of them).

Then you go mano-a-mano with a crazed Icarus (no, not Kid Icarus, this game may be M for Mature but it’s so NOT going to let you bloody a little kid)… though, mind you, if you remember your mythology and then look at this guy you’d probably think it’s his dad and not Icarus… well, you’ll have to see for yourself.
Once this is done, however, you come face to face with the second big voice actor (litterly) as you run into (hope I didn’t get this wrong again) Michael Duncan Clarke (Atlas) and get told something which may or may not refer to the upcoming PSP God of War (Want to know? Go ask Atlas to explain.)

As for the rest…

The game does have a few flaws. Yes it does.

1-Once you get right down to it? The only weapon you really need is Athena's Blades (what was once the Blades of Chaos from before). Yes, there are several weapons and while you'll get

use out of the rapid-fire bow you'll get from Typhon, or Cronos' power you'll realize of your weapons the only one you'll use for the most part (unless forced by the game) is your traditional weapons. Hence you should probably level this up first since it'll be your go to weapon most of the time.

2-The game does have replay value, yes, but once again the game does not have 100+ hours length. Well, I didn't think it would. This time out it clocks in at 15-20 or so hours, abit longer than previously. However once you beat it you'll be able to put it to bed in the same amount of time as you did God of War (original).

3-Once you get to the ending... OK. I'll just say it. Rumor at present (unconfirmed as of yet) says we might be seeing a God of War III for the PS3. Yeah. Not nice to have gone this long with God of War only to realize this game may (again may as the above is rumor only) only be a hook to get you buying a PS3 just to play God of War III. I hope this proves to be just a rumor, and doesn't pan out, because not even God of War III will make me drop $600+ for a PS3.

Unfortunately this is sorta like The Crying Game… no, no, Athena’s not a guy in drag… I’m talking about this is one of those experiences (once you reach the islands where the sisters live you’ll think what an easy task Pandora’s Temple was in comparision to this endless maze of puzzles and boss fights) where people should be reminded NOT to reveal the secrets of the game, so that you will discover it for yourself. I’ll wait awhile, then in the near future I’ll write my first article on God of War PSP… there I’ll bring up the sad “inheritance” this game leaves you as it comes to it’s end. And yes… it’s sad, but I’m not griping about the PSP version of the game, for once I’m not (Puzzle Quest gave me back my faith in 3rd party developers).

But for now we have this game, it is one more affirmation that there is life in the PS2 and it is still a most relevant console (since only the XBox360 seems to be finally in it’s zone and cranking out hot games… though Microsoft is still portable shy since they’re still not willing to enter the portable market yet).
God of War II is a game you must own for your PS2, as it may very well be one of the last great titles for the console before it’s upcoming “retirement”, and once you‘ve traveled the full length of the islands and had a chance to catch up once again with the big Z you‘ll wish the PS2 wasn‘t eventually going the way of the previous generation console (since it still has so much potential left in it‘s mainframe).
God of War II gets 5 Rage of the Titans out of 5 (aka a Golden Gold Recommendation).

As for God of War reviews? No, they will never stop… not yet.

Next time?
We move from God of War the game to God of War the musical experience, aka God of War II the CD Soundtrack (yes, I have it and you’ll hear about it shortly!)
And then… your first look at God of War PSP. The next step in the franchise before… what comes next.
Stay tuned, God of War (it seems) isn’t done with you yet (no, no it’s not).