God of War Preview

By: Eric Mortensen

System: Playstation 2
Genre: Action
Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
ESRB Rating: RP Most likely M
Release Date: March 22, 2005
Difficulty: Hard
 
 

Pros	Cons
Fluid action, great graphics, engaging combat, fun, nice sound.	Some minor control issues, very difficult, story might be lacking.

I have received a demo of the much anticipated Playstation 2 title God of War. Many people have said this is the most anticipated game for the Playstation 2. Does it hold up to the hype? Could this be the game that all Playstation 2 owners should buy? I will tell you about my first impressions of the game.

The demo was pretty fun to play. The controls worked well for a demo and kept you engaged in the story. I would compare this game to Prince of Persia with more emphasis on the combat. God of War contains platforming elements like in Prince of Persia. The combat is a much bigger part of the game. There are a lot of combat moves that are easy to pull off. I enjoyed the game and am looking forward to see how the game turns out.

One thing that concerns me about the game is the story. The one level I got to play contained a confusing story with a lot of answers left unanswered. The story takes place in mythical Rome where hydras and many other mythical beasts exist. The character you play known as Spartan has had a rough past. Not many people look kindly upon him. He also has been cursed by the gods. I will have to wait and see how the story turns out.

The basic concepts of the game has been done over and over again. The polish of the game brings the game above many other games of its kind. The fluidity of the combat I have seen in very few games. There are many good combos that really add to the experience.

The graphics of God of War are pretty good at this point. There are nice backgrounds and nice character models. The game is probably too violent for younger children. It has not received a rating yet but I would be amazed if it did not receive a Mature rating. There is a decent amount of blood in the game. One example of the violence is you can tear the wings of a batlike creature.

The sound in God of War is nice but not spectacular. There are nice sound effects and character voices. None of these really stick out as amazing. The musical score was pretty good though. I thought the music fit the game perfectly. The music is mostly orchestral. The sound is good but not excellent.

The challenge of the game is very hard. The game is challenging and the average gamer will have a hard time progressing through the game. The boss at the end of the demo was very difficult. You had to defeat two hydras. They both put up a good fight and I lost once or twice to them. I hope when the game is shipped the difficulty is decreased. It might just be that one level and I hope it is. If you want a good challenge God of War will definitely give you a run for your money.

Right now God of War looks like a game to watch out for in 2005. It could become game of the year. I will wait till the game is shipped to make my final rating.