One of the best exclusives on the Playstation is the God of War series. The original trilogy, which started on the PS2 and finished on the PS3, follows the adventures of an antihero demigod, Kratos, as he travels ancient Greece (and both the heavens above and the underworld below), seeking revenge in one form or another. The series is popular for its outstanding gameplay, stunning cinematics and compelling storyline with a wide-ranging cast of Greek gods and demigods.
Recently, God of War: Ghost of Sparta was released, the second GoW game for the PSP, and we finally got our hands on a copy and decided we’d run it through its paces. Ghost of Sparta picks up the storyline just after the first God of War. Kratos, having just won the throne of Ares, is still very angry. He questions himself and the gods and, going against the advice of Athena, has embarked on a journey to learn more of his past. Along the way, he is tasked with rescuing his brother, Deimos. On this journey, Kratos faces familiar adversaries, revisits locales from previous games and kills monster after monster.
As can be expected, the game has been scaled back a bit from the full blown Playstation games. There are fewer enemies on screen at a time and weapons augmentations aren’t as plentiful, but there’s still a lot going on. In fact, there were so many striking similarities to the original God of War games that I found myself thinking as I played “I can’t believe they can do this on a handheld.”
Camera angles, backdrops and well constructed scenes gives Ghost of Sparta an incredibly impressive scale. The gameplay is fun and easy to pick up and the ferocity with which Kratos attacks is extremely satisfying. Again, Kratos is up against bewilderingly large mythological bosses and, when he brings them down, the player is rewarded with a great deal of contentment.
Another very enjoyable aspect of the God of War games are the environmental puzzles that you are tasked with solving. Ghost of Sparta has its fair share and – I don’t know if it’s because of the platform, but – I was the tiniest bit disappointed by the challenge of this game’s puzzles. Still, all in all, Ghost of Sparta was a very fun time.
It should be noted that this game and the series isn’t appropriate for kids. There’s a reason for the M rating – there’s a lot of blood and brutality and occasional nudity and sex scenes. In Ghost of Sparta, Kratos can participate in a (pretty silly) mini-game where, off camera, he enters a bed with numerous topless women. So, parents should be warned. Still, mature gamers will find a lot worth playing in this game.
Disclosure: Sony sent GeekDad a review copy of this game.
