An updated take on God of War 2

God of War II is the best game for Playstation 2. The game absolutely pushes the Playstation 2 hardware to the max. After God of War, I seriously wondered just how much harder the system could be pushed. The art direction, lighting, animation, use of color, and art style makes most "next generation" games look like shit. This is what happens when you let great artists show their stuff. The soundtrack trumps the first effort and the sound effects match the action just as you would expect them too.

God of War II plays fantastic. From the title screen, the game almost never gives you a break. Here or there I did find myself scratching my head thanks to a puzzle, but 98% of time, you're fighting enemies, dodging projectiles, avoiding traps, and fighting what seems like an endless amount of mini bosses and bosses. To be honest, some of the mini bosses were even more challenging than the bosses themselves. All of the bosses so far have been incredibly well designed. They look fantastic and all offer a unique challenge with their own quick time events. Kratos gets a bunch of new moves and weapons including the ability to use his swords as a grappling hook. To be honest, after seeing how well this mechanic works, it really makes me want Konami to just copy the gameplay mechanic and take another shot at a 3D Castlevania. You use the swinging mechanic to close gaps, maneuver around bosses, and make your way through puzzles. I won't spoil it, but there's a great puzzle involving the swinging mechanic, swimming, slowing down time, and some pretty good reflexes on your part. You'll know it when you get to it.

God of War II makes use of an updated graphics engine, a modified combat engine, and a some enemies from the first game (though they do appear to look a little bit better). With that said, the game feels familiar, but new at the same time. It's hard to describe, but I think saying this is more of the same is a knock against the final product. God of War II makes me smile, even when it's kicking my ass or a vein's popping on my forehead thanks to a puzzle. If you have even a remote interest in Greek mythology or ancient history (if you've studied either, you know they're heavily intertwined), you'll get a kick out of the cast of characters. Do not watch any of the trailers or videos for God of War II if you haven't already. There's a reason why I've avoided revealing any of the cast or story in this review. I obviously won't give away the ending, but don't listen to the garbage some of the press have been spewing. The ending closes the story to God of War 2 and sets up what should be one hell of a third game on PS3.

There are a few nagging points to mention. The fixed camera is one of the best along with the original game and Ninja Gaiden, but it still provides a crippling angle from time to time. This is rare, but I thought I should mention it. The 'tight-rope-walking' of the first game (the underworld and Hades' challenge portion of Pandora's temple) is almost non-existent and will hopefully be eliminated completely in the third game. The tight-rope portions that are included are far less annoying than in the first game and make Kratos' feet 'sticky' so he's not as likely to fall off and have to pull himself up. That's really all I can think of and hopefully Matt will post his own review. There are a number of secrets to unlock in the game and there's a good deal of incentives to play through on the other difficulty levels and attempt the Challenge of the Gods.

God of War 2 is the best game on Playstation 2. It's the most intense 14-16 hours of gaming you can find on Sony's aging machine. The action is beautiful, sounds amazing, and leaves you breathless and hungry for more. Hats off to Corey and Co. for the extraordinary effort. I readily look forward to the third and final chapter in the series.