God of War
- God of War (2018 on PlayStation 4, 2021 on PlayStation Now, 2022 on Windows)
Description official descriptions
God of War is set in the age of ancient Greek myths. The hero of the game is a mortal warrior Kratos. Long time ago, Kratos was the leader of Spartans, a fearless and brutal general who waged wars for the glory of his city. Today, he is known as the Ghost of Sparta. For the past ten years, he is tormented with terrible nightmares, unable to forget the tragedy that happened in his past. He has to serve the gods of Olympus, who promised to forgive his sins if he becomes their champion. Finally, the goddess Athene tells Kratos that redemption will be granted to him if he defeats her brother, the god of war Ares, who was the very reason for the tragic event of his past...
God of War is a 3D action game with platforming and puzzle-solving elements. Kratos has two default swords that he will always carry with him, called the Blades of Chaos. They allow the player to perform combos, which will constantly climb until the fight is over or until it takes too long to register another hit. The higher the combo total, the more red orbs Kratos receives from defeated enemies.
Similar to Devil May Cry, the red orbs collected from fallen enemies can be used to purchase upgrades. It is possible to upgrade the default weapons, learning new moves and striking faster, or put the orbs into different weapons acquired throughout the game, such as Blade of Artemis. Kratos will, over time, also have access to a selection of magic spells. At specific points in the game, he will be able to generate an arc of electricity, courtesy of Zeus, or use the decapitated head of a Gorgon to turn enemies into stone with Meduza's Gaze.
The game features several unlockable extras, which are only acquired when the player has beaten the game on different difficulty modes. Most of the features are a behind-the-scenes look at various aspects of the game, such as creating the world, modeling Kratos, and a look at deleted levels that didn't make the final cut of the game.
Spellings
- 战神 - Chinese spelling (simplified)
Groups +
Screenshots
Promos
Credits (PlayStation 2 version)
453 People (402 developers, 51 thanks) · View all
Game Director / Lead Designer | |
Producer | |
Lead Programmer | |
Art Directors |
|
Coordinating Producer | |
Associate Producers | |
Project Coordinator | |
Game Programmers | |
Lead Engine Programmer | |
Design - Level Design & Scripting | |
Design - Combat Scenarios | |
Design - Combat System | |
Design - Camera | |
Design - Level Design | |
[ full credits ] |
Reviews
Critics
Average score: 93% (based on 104 ratings)
Players
Average score: 4.1 out of 5 (based on 169 ratings with 12 reviews)
Hell of a great game...unfortunately the final moments ruined my gaming experience
The Good
To start, it's been awhile since I've played a really really good 3D action/adventure game. It's really not my thing since most of the time...like 80% some idiot developer manages to ruin the game play by messing with the camera view point.
Good to know, this game works pretty dang well in almost all aspects. Almost. Back to the review of the game... (note, the reviewer played the "Spartan Level" in this game...at least the I think it was the hardest available level you choose at the start)
What's good:
**The Bad**
Well regardless about the bad sh*t I will say about the game, this game really deserves good credit. I wouldn't be surprised if it snagged a couple of awards. It's really good and above average compared to the many lame 3D action/adventure games recently released out there. If only they could make games like this a "minimal standard". Back to the review... The bad:
**The Bottom Line**
A good game, but something developers tend to forget: "What you seem to be fun or challenging may not be the same for the player..."
PlayStation 2 · by Indra was here (20752) · 2006
It's not easy to be a human being
The Good
Usually I like platform games, even though you need a lot of patience for them. "God of War" is just such a game. In every place you have to figure out the trick that you need to do to continue. Like for example there is a place with three switches, you need to find a way to press them all to open a door.
There is also fighting, and the moves look great. And there are many combinations to do different moves. Another very fun thing are those parts when you have to press different buttons one after the other, or the same button very quickly. Like for example when you have to press circle quickly to kill that cow. It's very cruel, to put a knife into the mouth of a cow. Poor cow! Well, it's not really a cow, more like a cow-warrior.
Speaking of those cows, there are some that are on fire. I don't understand how they can be alive. I mean, they are burning. This is already a steak, not a cow.
You also crawl on walls, like Spiderman, kicking the enemies that try to hit you. This part is a bit silly, just hit the enemies a couple of times until they fall down.
The great thing about all this is that there are always different things to do. You never feel bored. Sometimes there is a lot of fighting, sometimes a lot of puzzles.
It's a platform game with a great story. The story is great because of Kratos. Actually, Kratos is an evil man. He kills people, he even kills innocent people, he is very cruel. But... we still feel compassion to him. I don't know how the developers did that. I don't know how they could look so deep into his soul. They show us that this character is still a human being. He is bad, he continues doing bad things, but he also feels bad. He suffers. That was the most exciting thing in the game.
There was one very touching part in the game... I can't say exactly, but you will know when you play it. It reminded me of the song: "I Can't Give You Anything But Love"...
Now the other characters are gods. And they are really cruel. You have to be cruel to become a god. For example, Athena is very beautiful, but also very cruel. And Ares... well, he is the God of War, so if he doesn't make war, what would he be? It's "part of his job"... It's hard to say, because he is cruel, I admit it, but the whole meaning of his life is to be God of War, I don't think he can reject it. So when he dies... I even had some pity to him. And what happens in the end is very sad, very tragic.
The graphics and the music are cool, no complaints.
The Bad
The only bad thing is the camera.You can't look around. The camera changes automatically. You lose your direction. Especially me, because I have no sense of direction at all.
Maybe many people can think that killing an innocent person in a game is bad, but that was the game's intention. This game is all about war. Maybe that part where Kratos just kicked down an innocent man was a bit too much. Although I think it was part of the game's meaning. It's all about gods and sacrifices. And I mean, it's just a game. Don't take this part too seriously.
The Bottom Line
All the blood and violence are part of the game's idea, so they have a meaning. And Kratos is a complicated character, and his story is touching. "God of War" is a great platform game with a great story.
PlayStation 2 · by Melody (48) · 2008
Very gory.. but the more blood, the merrier I am!
The Good
This game was, to say the least, an entertaining trek through the world of Greek mythology. While platforming through a War-ravaged (LOL) Athens, you get to use all sorts of bloody fatalities, such as ripping an opponent in two, or impaling him on one of your chain blades, and swing him around in circles. The powers, while they were not as functional and useful as possible, were cool looking and could drastically change the way you played through.
The Bad
The game's cutscenes were too few, and some of them were annoying in that some of them consisted entirely of drawings, without any animation to speak of.
The Bottom Line
This game is great, so long as you don't mind the MK-style gore and the gut-wrenching fatalities.
PlayStation 2 · by lord of daedra (62) · 2007
Discussion
Subject | By | Date |
---|---|---|
Kratos | Unicorn Lynx (181773) | May 19, 2008 |
Trivia
1001 Video Games
The PS2 version of God of War appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.
Athena
In the God of War series, the Greek Goddess Athena is voiced by Carole Ruggier. Co-incidentally, she also voiced the same role in the game Age of Mythology.
Development
According the "Making of" materials, A number of elements were removed from the finished game. Kratos, for example, underwent a number of incarnations before his final design. Some of these included a tribalistic, African design with dreadlocks, a "Lone Wolf and Cub" theme that included a child or small dog (which may have inspired the Cerberus Pups), a vaguely futuristic, armoured look, and various gladiator designs, which were rejected because they didn't look savage enough.
German version
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's original intention was to release this game in Germany alongside the other countries in June 2005. They even had a cover art for the Germany release ready, as you can see on this back cover, yet there was one big problem.
The USK, Germany's age rating organization, refused to give the game a rating. And while it is not illegal to sell games in Germany without a USK rating (in this case it acts in most cases as it were rated USK 18), Sony Computer Entertainment Deutschland decided to not release the game in Germany.
For this, SCED's Marketing Director Ulrich Barbian gave a statement telling that:
"The publication of a title without an age rating does not fit Sony Computer Entertainment Deutschland's company philosophy. As a pioneer of a whole category, we can't expect that the public accepts video gaming as a natural entertainment like music and video if we release titles without age ratings. We hope our Action-Adventure fans understand us. Besides, there are many very good Action-Adventures available for the PlayStation 2, which got an age rating from the USK."
Besides this marketing speech, there is another reason. Games released in Germany after April 2003 without a USK rating tend be be indexed shortly after. And this means that most of the sales drop to zero after a short time.
Essentially, publishers only have two choices once the USK rejects the game. Give up or cut it so much until the USK is satisfied. The latter of course runs the risk that the publisher is investing tons of money in cutting it down and the public won't take it anymore, because it is cut way too much.
A similar thing happened with Activision's Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil, where Activision decided not to release in in Germany after the USK refused it. And ultimately, the game found its way to the index.
But for God of War, don't cutting it down went to success, as the USK revised the decision two days ago, on 13 February 2006, when it got its USK 18 rating (and therefore the protection from being indexed). However, there is one change: during the sacrificing sequence the human victim was replaced with a monster.
Kratos
Kratos, the name of the game's main character, is Greek for strength or power. Even though he is not part of the canonical Greek mythology, a deity named Kratos (κρατος, "power") is mentioned in several classic works, including Hesiod's Theogony, the primary source for Greek mythology.
Kratos was one of the four children of the titan Pallas and Ocean's daughter Styx. He had a brother named Zelos ("rivalry"), and sisters Bia ("force") and - the most famous of the four - Nike ("victory").
The four sided with Zeus when he fought the titans, and became somewhat of "bodyguards" to him. Interestingly enough, in the few myths that mention Kratos, his portrayal is not dissimilar to the protagonist of God of War. His loyalty to his master and his brutality are particularly noticeable.
Awards
- 4Players
- 2005 – Best Game Without German Release of the Year
- 2006 – #2 Best Game of the Year
- 2006 – #2 Best PlayStation 2 Game of the Year
- 2006 – Best Action Game of the Year
- 2006 – Best Hero of the Year (for Kratos)
- 2006 – #2 Most Impressive Boss of the Year
- 2006 – #2 Best Original Soundtrack of the Year
- 2006 – #2 Best Voice-Acting of the Year
- 2006 – #2 Best Graphics of the Year
- 2006 – #3 Best Story of the Year
- Computer Games Magazine
- March 2006 - Console Game of the Year 2005
- GamePro (Germany)
-
- February 2006 - Best Console Action Game in 2005 (notable is that the game was not released in Germany at this point)
-
- GameSpy
- 2005 – #3 Game of the Year
- 2005 – PS2 Game of the Year
- 2005 – PS2 Action Game of the Year
- 2005 – PS2 Game of the Year (Readers' Vote)
Information also contributed b< Mark Ennis, PCGamer77, Supernintedo Chalmers and Unicorn Lynx
Analytics
Upgrade to MobyPro to view research rankings!
Related Sites +
-
Wikipedia: God of War
Information about God of War at Wikipedia
Identifiers +
Contribute
Are you familiar with this game? Help document and preserve this entry in video game history! If your contribution is approved, you will earn points and be credited as a contributor.
Contributors to this Entry
Game added by JPaterson.
PlayStation 3 added by MAT.
Additional contributors: Unicorn Lynx, Xoleras, formercontrib, DreinIX, Caelestis, Patrick Bregger, Charly2.0, FatherJack.
Game added April 13, 2005. Last modified January 28, 2024.