God of War II

No review can truly capture the magnificence of God of War II. There are memorable moments galore, the kind that you'll try in vain to describe to your friends but words can't fully do justice to this game.

The sense of scale is off the charts. From the opening brawl with the towering Colossus of Rhodes to the Island of Creation—a sprawling mega-level which takes a good half of the game to traverse—God Of War II's venue doesn't feel mortal for even a moment.

God of War II is the strongest game to hit the PS2 this year, and should be high on the list of best games on the system, period.

If you loved the first "God of War" more than your first born child, get ready to throw out your second child for this sequel.

If I remember right, the last game I gave a 10 to was "ICO." GOWII is that caliber. It's polished, infinitely satisfying, offers a ton of replayability and bonus content, and is just plain fun to play. That is a 10 game to me.

As we begin to plan our eulogies for a truly superb console, how fitting it is that Sony delivers its final and finest offering. [Apr 2007, p.110]

Even though the latest outing isn't a massive departure from the first and pretty much carries on where the old one left off, that is no bad thing when the original was so close to perfection. [Apr 2007, p.70]

A masterpiece of action gaming. Story, production values, gameplay, ... it’s the whole package, and it runs just beautifully on the PS3 too in case you’re interested. Unless you absolutely hate action gamers, you’ll absolutely love God of War II.

God of War 2 brings back all the things that made the first game such a huge hit, including an incredible battle right at the start of the game to set the pace for the rest of the way.

Few games are as successful as God of War II in making a player feel like an invincible warrior. This is an absolutely thrilling adventure and a clash of the titans you are unlikely to forget soon.

It's a game that has everything.

While the story issues and a slight "I’ve done this before" factor stop it just short of perfection, God of War II is a title you simply cannot miss. It never stopped being one of the best games I’ve ever played.

Not only the best action/adventure game ever to grace the Playstation 2, but also one of the most amazing gaming experiences of the entire generation, and one that should not be missed by anyone who can handle the extreme violence and sexual content.

God of War II may in fact be the best action game ever made. It outdoes the original God of War in every way.

You simply won't find a more satisfying single player experience on the PS2.

It doesn’t reinvent the wheel but for some 12 hours we’re seeing tighter, nimbler combat, fantastic level designs, and great gameplay. GOW II is undoubtedly better than its prequel and ultimately one of the best games on any last generation console.

As action games go GOWII certainly has one of the most elegantly plotted and skilfully woven stories ever, perfectly mining its mythological setting to deliver an experience full of all the delightful twists, awe inspiring set pieces and huge battles that you'd hoped for.

The game's pace is quicker than the first so you might finish it quickly, but like the first title there are tons of unlockable content, including new levels of difficulty and costumes.

With all the attention directed to the next-gen systems, here comes a game that shows that the PS2 is still the baddest boy on the block and probably will be for a good while.

It’s brutal, beautiful and brilliant. God of War 2 gives gamers more of exactly what’s wanted: unashamedly blood-thirsty combat, an epic storyline and one badass anti-hero who doesn’t say anything without shouting it. You’re doing your PS2 a disservice if you don’t see it out with God of War 2.

There are a few brilliant core improvements, such as the beautifully implemented grappling system that lets you swing around with your blades. But for the most part, the game's best features are context-specific things rather than features that change or improve the title as a whole...A stellar example of what can be done when a developer focuses on telling a story and lets that drive the game.

It's not just one element that turned the game into a masterpiece, it's every element – the controls (perfection), world design (unbelievably creative), combat (exciting and challenging), and enemy selection (unreal) are just a few of the reasons why this is PS2’s best first-party release.

For every video game system there's a piece of software that defines its capabilities. God of War II is that game. It's a thrill ride from beginning to end, and one of those experiences that will cause you to hunker down, turn off your phone, and check out of reality for a few days.

The first God of War was never about deep, involving combat -- it was about solving puzzles, having an entertaining classical setting and hacking your way through hordes of enemies. God of War II continues the tradition, but improves in just about every area.

Simply put, God of War II is as good as it gets on the Playstation 2. [Apr 2007, p.44]

Critics might wonder that if GoW2 turned out this good, imagine what it would have been like on PS3...yet in resisting the lure of all that next-gen horsepower Sony Santa Monica have instead crafted a sequel that somehow - amazingly - coaxes out every last drop of PS2 juice to create a fitting testament to the system. Astonishing. [Apr 2007, p.78]

There is not a game out there that takes you this close to an expression of rage. [Apr 2007, p.44]

God of War II does nearly everything right: beautiful visuals and sound, intense action gameplay, impressive design. Forget the next-generation - God of War II proves PlayStation 2 still has plenty of game.

Even if it didn't have the violence and the gore and the nudity and all that fun stuff, it would still be great game because of its masterful gameplay. [May 2007, p.66]

Not many games reach this level of polish and immersion. The brutal action, the fantastic sound and voice work, the incredible cutscenes, and the well-crafted storyline makes for a complete package that rivals any game you’ll find on the shelf.

The depth of combat rivals a fighting game, while the story will keep players glued to the screen. Couple that with the high production values that God of War 2 has and you get what is perhaps the last great jewel in the PS2 crown.

God of War II is an amazing game and has everything from great graphics and great sound, to fun combat and an exciting story that make this one of the most epic titles in a long time.

Violently sublime and logically puzzling there is no better third-person adventure out there. Get it - this is another true classic. [Issue #152, p.56]

But combine all this with an excellent dynamic soundtrack, wonderful action, great voice acting for a pretty big range of characters, and an epic scale that will dazzle any PS2 gamer (and even a few Xbox 360 and PS3 players as well), and it quickly becomes clear that God of War II is just as much of a contender for Game of the Year as the first one was.

Accompanying all of the great gameplay and astounding visuals is an amazing score. The music behind God of War II is as epic as any other component, and it serves to make the game a much more intense and immersive experience.

Like running eyes-first into a wall of beauty, GOW2 is yet another of PS2's last minute masterpieces. [Apr 2007, p.62]

GoW II proves that you don't need £400-worth of technology to make a fantastic game, as Kratos' second outing is more intense and rewarding than anything we've played last- or current-gen.

The graphics of GoW II are just as beautiful as ever with some of the best art direction in a game to date.

That the game manages to both come to a satisfying conclusion and still make it clear that Kratos' adventure is far from over is quite a feat and a lesson that other action-game developers could learn something from. [Apr 2007, p.90]

Simply put, it's easily one of the best action adventure games of the last console generation, and it even trumps much of what has been shown in the current generation.

It does what it does best – quick amazing action with great graphics and fun gameplay.

A spectacular, overly aggressive and a thoroughly entertaining rollercoaster ride - just what one would expect. The "more bosses, less ordinary ballet" attitude is a double-edged sword, but does not stop the game from delivering an experience almost as good as the original did. [Apr 2007]

God of War II begins with a bang louder than a falling Kraken and does not let up for the next dozen or so hours you will spend engrossed in its mythos.

God of War II has its weaknesses, but its strengths are unparalleled. This is yet another bloody, tasty, tough piece of code made flesh from Sony, and we can’t wait for another helping. Don’t listen to Nietzsche, this God is alive and kicking ass.

Audibly speaking, the game, like the first one, is nearly flawless. The voice work is executed with such grace that they make you feel as if these characters are believable and a part of the time period.

The movie style production values from the visuals to the voice acting to the sound and story were far above anything I would expect out of a PS2 game.

Sony's masterpiece, God of War II, not only trumps its prequel, but also redefines the action adventure genre...Not only does it cement the PS2's amazing legacy, it delivers one of the best gaming experiences in the video game history.

It adheres very strongly to the concept of, "If it isn't broken, don't fix it," perhaps to the point of excess. It is a well-designed game, with terrific level design and a smooth, excellent combat system, but it also doesn't particularly bring anything dramatically different to the field.

Accessible, exhilarating and macho as all hell, it's another thunderous outing for PS2's angriest anti-hero. Essential. [Mar 2007, p.82]

Aside from a few frustrating spikes in difficulty and a slower-paced final act, God Of War II is about as perfect an action game as you could ever hope for, and a worthy sequel to one of the PlayStation 2’s crown jewels.

An addictive, relentlessly fun thrill ride that'll make you feel like the toughest, most brutal thing in the ancient world.

Combat seemed flawless; the puzzle element, while at times unnecessarily misleading and therefore frustrating, was even more rewarding because of the joy of discovery.

God of War II manages to improve on nearly every element of the original game, something that seems unbelievable given the quality of the first title.

God of War pushed the PS2 to breaking point on its release in 2005 and this sequel amazingly outdoes the original in every respect.

Arguably a better game than its predecessor in every way. Level design is more intelligent, puzzles require more thought, and the boss battles are more cinematic than ever before. In terms of the storyline, the first game has the edge.

Maybe the one notable down-side of this incredible sequel is that it is 'just' the second part of a game we all loved two years ago, and even die-hards like myself have to acknowledge that. As such, as refined and honed as the gameplay is as a whole, you can never quite replicate the wow factor of the original - even if it ends up being a better game.

God of War II just seems to go on and on, without ever resorting to needless padding or levels for the sake of it. It's one of those few games that you just don't want to finish, and surprisingly never seems to come to this climax.

The sequel to arguably the best action game on the console just got better.

And all this carnage is rendered beautifully through the game's graphics and sound. It's hard to deny that God of War II is one of the greatest looking and most epic games on the Playstation 2, but it wouldn't be much of a stretch to call it one of the best looking games on any console.

GoW2 is exactly what every action/adventure game should aspire to be. Everything from the puzzles to the action to the story are so perfectly in sync that the game becomes less of a game and more of a personal conquest.

There isn’t much else to say about this stupendous game. It is among the very best games to have graced the console, indeed it is among the best of this or any other generation.

At times the overwhelming similarities to the first game can be a little off-putting, but at the end of the day this is an action adventure of the absolute highest calibre, outstanding in every respect, and with some of the most awe-inspiring set-pieces and fantastic action sequences ever committed to a videogame.

To me there's nothing exciting about being stuck on some invisible rail smacking winged creatures out of the air only to be finished off with a series of context button commands.

A great adventure game that does everything a game is supposed to do, and while the bad habits of Hollywood march in to gaming, it still is worth every minute. Kratos could kill his way through the Mushroom Kingdom and it would be entertaining.

The action is fast, and furious, it looks damn good, and the adventure is a whole lot of fun thanks to how it embraces Greek mythology. Top notch.

Overall God of War II shouldn’t be missed by fans of the first God of War.

It's more of the same - and at almost double the length of the first game, that's quite a lot more of the same - but it's the same widescreen awesomeness that you loved the first time around. [May 2007, p.96]