Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5253 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2007-04-27
• Platform: PlayStation2

Amazon.co.uk Review

In a nutshell:
The sleeper hit of 2005 returns with Kratos seeking an escape from his fate as the new god of war. The game’s even more bloody and violent than before as you take on every mythological monster in the book.

The lowdown:
Given the quick turnaround from the first game this isn’t an enormous departure from the original, but that’s no bad thing with a series as accomplished as this. Kratos has a new range of moves, combos and magic to unleash but the biggest changes are in the variety of monsters he has to face. The bigger ones can only be beaten with special button presses, which result in some spectacular finishing moves such as the Cylops whose eye Kratos plucks out of its socket or the cannon fodder zombies he slices in two. One of the best sequences though has Kratos leaping off the back of a Pegasus and onto a Gryphon, whose wings he promptly pulls off before falling to the world below.

Most exciting moment:
Just like the original this game recreates many of the best moments from ancient Greek mythology and movies. One particularly cool sequence involves trying to get a golden fleece that can reflect back the stony gaze of a gorgon.

Since you ask:
Many fans were surprised that this sequel wasn’t on the PS3 but a next generation version is being planned. Original creator David Jaffe isn’t working on either sequel at the moment though, but on an as yet unrevealed PSP project.

The bottom line:
Kratos sticks to what he knows best: the PS2 and ultra violence.
HARRISON DENT

Manufacturer's Description
The story picks up where players last left off with Kratos. Sitting atop his throne on Olympus, Kratos, the once mortal warrior has become a threat far worse than his predecessor Ares, had ever been. Kratos is a ruthless God, whose wrath strikes down anyone who crosses his path or the path of his beloved Sparta. The Ghost of Sparta sets out to alter that which no mortal, or god has ever changed, his fate. Kratos' journey brings him to the very edge of the Earth, facing countless beasts, monsters, and horrors from his previous life, all bent on preventing him from reaching his goal. But this is Kratos, and his defiance is filled with such arrogance and contempt that all of the Ancient World still trembles at his name: Kratos, the God of War.

Customer Reviews

A God On The PS2
How do you follow up a game like God of War? The first one was incredible. A thrill ride filled to the brim with complex puzzles and gameplay unmatched by most platformers of the day. In the end it turned out to be one of the most successful Playstation 2 games out there. So how do you follow up such a smash hit? The answer, very carefully, and that's exactly what God of War II does. It keeps the elements of the first one that worked, while being sure to tweak with a few minor things. The end result is exactly what a video game sequel should be. True to the first one.

Once again you assume the role of Kratos, the God of War. He still commands the Spartan Army, and continues to conquer the land. However, his actions have led to the Olympian Gods being disappointed in him and thus he is betrayed by them. Thanks to Gaia of the Titans, however, Kratos is able to live and go on another epic journal to once more change his fate. The journal is difficult and perilous, but it's no problem for a God of War such as Kratos.

As far as the story goes, God of War II is just as absorbing as the first one was. If it's been a while since your trip through the first game, you may want to play it again just in case because the two games link almost directly, and there will be a few references you may or may not pick up on.

The gameplay in God of War II hasn't really changed from the first one. In fact, it's almost exactly the same. You'll romp through the game slashing and killing things in a bloodfest. This game is a bit bloodier than the first one, but that's to be expected. It's also a little romped up in the difficulty. Much like the first one, however, there's a lot of button mashing involved in the combat. Simply put, as long as you keep swinging your blades you can survive. You've also got magic and other weapons you can use throughout your journey, but the problem with this little mechanic is much like the first one, spells and such become useless after a while. Once you get passed the point where you actually need a spell, there's no reason to ever use it again. While you get some pretty nifty weapons, none of them are as comforting to play around with as the default. In short, there's a lot of variety here, but no real reason to explore it.

As with the first game, there are a ton of puzzles throughout God of War II. In the first game there were plenty of difficult and sometimes frustrating puzzles. I'd be lying if I said the same wasn't true of the second game. There are a few frustrating puzzles, but nothing quite so frustrating it can't be done. A lot of the puzzles are actually very well constructed and crafted. Even the ones that'll frustrate you, you'll appreciate the complexity to them.

As far as the game looks, this may very well be the last fantastic looking Playstation 2 game. It doesn't look that strikingly different from the first one, but there is a lot more detail to the environments. There are just times when you want to stop and take a look at everything. Even better, there's hardly (if any) slowdown in framerate. Everything runs smoothly.

Then there's the audio. As with the first game, God of War II has a fantastic soundtrack that accurately depicts each situation and the mood of each situation. Even better, the voice acting is top notch. Just like watching an actual movie. As far as the sound and audio go, God of War II should be a game developers use as an example of how to do voice talent right.

There's not a whole lot that separates God of War II from the first one, and that's a good thing. While it feels almost entirely like the first one, the story and dedication to keeping true to what works is what makes God of War II just as good as its predecessor. This may very well be the last great game on the Playstation 2. If you liked the first God of War, then you'll absolutely love God of War II.

Buy Now & Lock Away Till God Of War 3 Comes!
Just finished this game and man let me tell you ive never been so engrossed in a game in my life. Im not usually a person who gets addicted to games but the first God Of War had me hooked and this one was even worse for me. The battles are insane and just really brutal. A few people complained that there werent enough boss battles in the first God Of War and i think the makers listened. There are so many boss battles it is hard to count. The game barely lets you get used to the controls before you are thrown against a giant Colossus. The storyline is something of beauty aswell it is so cleverly put together and so many greek myths are woven in. The game is epic in every department the scenery is amazing and probably the best to come out of the PS2. The voice acting is top knotch and the gameplay is just breathtaking. There were a few glitches but you hardly notice them and they do not take anything away from the game. But my advice is buy the game now and dont play it till God Of War 3 comes out on PS3. I feel sony have played a trick on us and i feel almost forced into buying a PS3 now just for my love of this game as no doubt the third will not be on PS2 so that is more money to sony (that is my only real gripe with this game). For those of you that have completed the game you will know what i mean. Im just not sure if i can wait another 2/3 years for the third installment. I dont usually write reviews but i just had to for this game. Overall top game and i have to say this is my favourite game of all time! It is brilliant and thats putting it mildly!

A perfect follow up to a perfect game
The first God of War is my favorite game. I can go through and complete it and pick it up and start over again because its great fun to play. God of War does has the same impact and is a fantastic sequel.

After becoming the new God of War, Kratos is spurned by the other gods and focuses his attention on leading his beloved Sparta into battle against the city of Rhodes. But the gods have had enough of Kratos' destructive campaign and betray him, strip him of his powers and try to kill him. But Kratos has escaped death more times than the entire crew of Jackass and tries to change his fate and take his revenge with the help of the Titans.

Although the first game had a more personal storyline which revealed itself in revelatory flashbacks, the sequel manages to cram as much Greek Mythology in as possible making it entirely more epic.

Everything about the game has been tweaked and souped-up making this a more in-depth and longer game without losing the core mechanics and ideas of the original. In fact, the graphics are virtually the same (i.e. still brilliant) and a lot of Kratos' animations have been kept. However, there are now different magic powers that the player gains during play aswell as a number of subweapons that can be easily toggled during a fight (similar to the Artemis Blade from GOW1). One of the best combat features and a crucial part of the gameplay is the Golden Fleece which allows Kratos to stop a projectile and hurl it back at the enemy - timing it right is a difficult but rewarding task.

Another improvement is the boss battles which many gamers were unhappy with in the first game, due to the lack of them. This time, there are at least 8 or 9 battles which vary from one-on-one swordfights with other Greek heroes to gargantuan beasts and all-powerful gods. The player is challenged much more in this game with loads of new baddies and much tougher puzzles. The only letdown I felt was that the much-hyped flying moments with Pegasus were too brief and fairly bland. But there are heaps of fantastic set-pieces and as usual the game inspires awe whenever it gets the chance. Whether Kratos is swinging from collapsing collumns or taking down the mighty Colossus of Rhodes, there are moments that really squeeze the best out of the PS2.

An amazing story combined with visceral gameplay, outstanding graphics and a masterful music score make GOW2 a must-buy.