by Rhian Hibner
Daily Lobo
Every console generation has a game that will forever define how that console will be remembered when it is finally eclipsed by its successor.
The original Nintendo had "Super Mario Bros. 3." Super Nintendo had "Chrono Trigger." The PlayStation peaked early with "Final Fantasy VII." And finally, the PlayStation 2 has its defining moment in "God of War II." One might even say "God of War II" is the defining moment of video games overall.
This game is unabashedly violent. It holds nothing back and holds no mercy for the squeamish. The game is rated Mature, and it certainly earns that rating. This is not a game for children. While the majority of "God of War II's" opponents are the offspring of mythical creatures such as Medusa or the Minotaur, plenty of them are human. The human opponents, some of whom continue to fight despite having recently shuffled off the mortal coil, die just as easy as the mythological creatures.
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Most of the game revolves around the main character Kratos and his rather violent method of solving problems. His default weapons are the Blades of Athena that are chained to his wrists, though he does occasionally have use for a bow or a spear. This makes for an interesting combat style, as the weapons are rarely in Kratos' hands. Usually, they're spinning through the air and are controlled by only the chains that bind them to Kratos. The player can use these weapons to throw enemies into the air and to yank them back down to the ground in a bone-crushing thud.
While throwing around the foot soldiers is quite a bit of fun, the real rush comes in the boss fights. Each boss encounter starts out like a normal fight, but when Kratos delivers enough damage, a mini-game is activated, allowing the player to do some damage by timing button presses and movements of the analog stick. Each button press allows Kratos to avoid being swatted by an enemy that is typically about 10 to 20 times his size. The final correct movement gives Kratos the chance to deliver a massive amount of damage.
"God of War II" has a few innovations over its predecessor. First, the controls are smoother and more intuitive than the first game. The graphics have been improved to a point where it's surprising to see the PlayStation 2 pushing that many pixels. A few bonuses, like the flying segments that take place on the back of the Pegasus, and the fact that Kratos can now use his blades to swing from hooks, give the game a much smoother feel than its predecessor. Overall, the boss encounters are smoother, and the storyline seems better throughout as it pays more attention to actual Greek mythology.
Essentially, "God of War II" is the perfect video game. The bar it sets in the first 10 minutes of play is so high that most video games don't reach it at their climax. Its combination of mythology, macabre humor and unyielding violence are in such excellent balance that it is fairly difficult to stop playing, even when one's thumbs are beginning to hurt.
"God of War II"
Grade: A+
Available now
