All in the Game
God Of War 2
The sequel to the breathtaking God Of War is a gargantuan game in its own right, but does it have to be so bloody and violent?
God Of War 2 reaches new levels of carnage and destruction that don't seem justified.
The game has all the features of the original with enhanced gameplay and a more in-depth storyline giving it a new spin.
The original God Of War was certainly bloody and used the mortal trials of the main character and his battle with the gods as a unique story-line.
There were massive bosses and intense puzzles that could take hours of gameplay to solve.
This time around the main character, Kratos, has joined the gods of Greek mythology and uses this advantage to wreak vengeance on his enemies.
But Kratos cannot balance power and responsibility and he has his immortal status taken away, making him vulnerable once more.
One wonders if the game's release was meant to coincide with the cinematic release of Frank Miller's 300 - there are uncanny if unintentional similarities.
The game's scene-by-scene movies are exceptional and each one links the game to the next passage of play.
But it is the higher levels of blood and gore which differentiate God Of War 2 from the original game.
The game producers have definitely looked at making the game more violent to please fans of the original.
Yet, it does become repetitive with the gameplay more reliant on destruction rather than puzzle solving.
If anything the ultra-violent game, does have a negative impact on gameplay and it is gameplay that will be remembered rather than blood and gore.
- God Of War 2 is rated M and is recommended for mature gameplayers only.