God of War

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2512 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,245 out of 2512
  2. Mixed: 175 out of 2512
  3. Negative: 92 out of 2512
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  1. Cody1999
    Jul 20, 2018
    4
    ripped off devil may cry, has way too many qte's has you playing as a psychotic maniac and has you press the same 2 buttons over and over and over again to win, sure sounds fun don't it?!
  2. Andremax
    Jul 15, 2018
    10
    Problaby one the most iconic games enterprise mascot of all time. And Kratos showed how in this classic game. Dungeons has simple but well-prepared dungeons that remember zelda sometimes. Attack enemies is quite funny and playability is very tasteful. Bosses are memorables and story is the higest point, well-written and full-of-imagination. Graphics looks pretty good till nowadays (this isProblaby one the most iconic games enterprise mascot of all time. And Kratos showed how in this classic game. Dungeons has simple but well-prepared dungeons that remember zelda sometimes. Attack enemies is quite funny and playability is very tasteful. Bosses are memorables and story is the higest point, well-written and full-of-imagination. Graphics looks pretty good till nowadays (this is a 2005 game). Classic.… Expand
  3. BSchwarz95
    Jul 12, 2018
    8
    So, an “80%” is not the first grade that came to mind while playing this game. At the beginning, I loved the gameplay and story and while the story stayed pretty top-notch, the gameplay suffered severe quality fluctuations. Given that this game is 13 years old, functionality and fluidity are critiqued with bias but I can say this fairly objectively: parts of this game are relentlesslySo, an “80%” is not the first grade that came to mind while playing this game. At the beginning, I loved the gameplay and story and while the story stayed pretty top-notch, the gameplay suffered severe quality fluctuations. Given that this game is 13 years old, functionality and fluidity are critiqued with bias but I can say this fairly objectively: parts of this game are relentlessly frustrating. There are sections where ultimate surgical precision must be respected by the player, but not by the game. By that I mean that you’ll have to weave between dangers but the “hit boxes” for these dangers are far from exact: this game and it’s controls are often clunky but at the same time, you’re asked for perfection which makes many aspects of this game simple lucky coin flips. I also appreciated the camera work at times but at other times, it seemed like the absolute stupidest idea in gaming history. The variety of angles is “cool,” but often troublesome and easily substitutable for a simple third person close follow camera type. Artistic, not practical (which is a good way to describe a lot of the mechanics) which breeds annoyance almost consistently. Either way, if you have the patience and interest in going back to play this game, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the overall experience. The most notably spectacular aspect of this classic game is the storytelling: we fall in love with a murderous monster, and continue to follow him for 6 more games. The writing is stellar and I think that's the one part of the game that cannot be understated.… Expand
  4. PaupiTLD
    May 22, 2018
    10
    uno de mis juegos favoritos de la ps2 , totalmente recomendable!! al dia de hoy sigue siendo un juego muy genial!
  5. njja02
    May 15, 2018
    8
    Too much backtracking for my taste but a fun action game that I really enjoyed.
  6. Jconker
    May 8, 2018
    9
    The protagonist of the game is sympathetic in one moment then merciless in another it is interesting to see a video-game character this conflicted with a tragic story that repeats itself on the sequels. The voice acting is superb but the Gods motivations are not that great making it feel childish at times. The combat is deadly with great animation shown each time you make a specificThe protagonist of the game is sympathetic in one moment then merciless in another it is interesting to see a video-game character this conflicted with a tragic story that repeats itself on the sequels. The voice acting is superb but the Gods motivations are not that great making it feel childish at times. The combat is deadly with great animation shown each time you make a specific attack that you can see the bloody mess you can do. The combat does feature combos but you don't unlock long combos which is a small shame. The climbing is simple with responsive controls does make it feel realistic, while the button prompts that appear to make a finishing is a welcome feature that really makes the game stand out from the crowd. Even the underwater levels are awesome and challenging; the environments are almost perfect for the time with also amazing character models and background. The sound effects are just amazing with a great soundtrack, the enemies also makes player think for a better strategy in some instances like saving magic, dodging, avoiding, jump, and attack. The unlocks are the challenges in which is actually my least favorite in the series but still a good feature that also unlocks new customs. The level design showcases the diversity and a great pacing just made this game one of the greatest hack & Slash games of all time.… Expand
  7. AKthaBeast
    May 3, 2018
    10
    Great game and a start to the franchise it is now. Taking aspects from hack & slash, puzzle platformers, and gruesome game, God of War combines it to create one hell of a game
  8. Moish
    Apr 28, 2018
    9
    A real success of an American approach of Japanese game mechanics that was a milestone for the video game industry and for PlayStation because of the mixture of puzzles platforming combat and history, an interesting approach of the Greek mythology and a very good overall video game experience.
  9. Hatschi
    Apr 26, 2018
    9
    A true classic and one of the best games I've played in the past, it's too bad that the new PS4 game is lacking behind this one so much.
  10. artificeprime
    Apr 21, 2018
    8
    God of War is a spectacular action game with amazing scale and visual design. This is a really unique take on Greek mythology that has a lot of world building. It takes enough from known myth to be easy to understand and adds enough of its own lore to have its own intrigue. The gameplay is also very good with a mix of combat, puzzle solving and platforming. There are some problems withGod of War is a spectacular action game with amazing scale and visual design. This is a really unique take on Greek mythology that has a lot of world building. It takes enough from known myth to be easy to understand and adds enough of its own lore to have its own intrigue. The gameplay is also very good with a mix of combat, puzzle solving and platforming. There are some problems with combat such as really annoying button mashing sections that are more of a frustration than anything else. There are also a lot of QTE sequences. The scale of the game is massive but it is quite linear and short, the game only lasts about 10 hours. Over all though it is a great experience.

    Gamplay 9 - The combat is very fun, fast paced and there are a good variety of attacks and upgrades. The only major downside of combat is the constant button mashing required at some parts. I bought a turbo controller just to deal with this issue because some bosses require you to press buttons at insane speeds. With the button mashing problem aside though, I liked almost everything else about the combat. There are also some good puzzles and platforming. Boss battles are probably the highlight with some of the best of their time.

    Story/Progression 8 - The story is simple but it is full of interesting twists and turns. There are some really shocking and amazing moments. The way the game uses familiar characters from myth and puts a twist on them is very cool. The finally involves both an amazing spectacle and a satisfying series of events.

    World 8 - The game world is quite small but it does a good job of making it seem far bigger than it is with huge interactive backgrounds. Every area is beautifully designed and full of variety. Each location offers new spectacles and interactions. I was always interested to see what I would encounter next.

    Characters 7 - Kratos is a very iconic character and his backstory does a good job of making him an appealing warrior to play as. The supporting cast is well designed and interesting enough but most of them were a bit one dimensional. I enjoyed the cast as a whole but I felt that few of them offered more than surface level development.

    Visual Design 10 - Easily one of the best looking games of its time. The sets are amazing in both scope and design. The characters and monster designs are detailed and iconic. The cutscenes are awesome.

    Sound Design 9 - While the soundtrack is just decent, the voice acting is great. The sound FX are good and everything works together quite well. I never had a case where the sound bothered me and I thought it was well above average in almost every area.

    Length/Amount of Content 5 - Probably the biggest weakness is that it just doesn't have that much content. Playing through the story takes no more than 10 hours and there is really not extra content or reason for multiple playthroughs. On the plus side the game is fast paced and full of variety so at least the 10 hours of play time is well spent.

    Immersion 9 - I was never bored and I always wanted to find out what would happen next. I felt immersed in the world the whole way through. The only thing that took me out of it a bit was the QTE sequences and frustrating button mashing that made some sections a chore. Overall though the lore and atmospheric design kept me engaged and invested in everything that happened.

    X-Factor 8 - For the most part I loved God of War, it was one of the best action games of its time. The main drawback for me was the way that some gameplay sections were very frustrating. There were parts where I would go from being in awe of everything to hitting my controller against the floor. I know some people love a challenge but there are different types of challenge. To me mashing buttons at finger numbing speeds is not a fun challenge, it is just an irritating chore. I love the game overall but little problems like that made certain parts very tough to enjoy.    … Expand
  11. iddqd4
    Dec 31, 2017
    10
    Просто один из лучших слешеров на Playstation 2.
  12. carloscritic
    Dec 24, 2017
    7
    It's a great game but nowadays feels very old. It has beautiful graphics, enviable artistic style, an entertaining story, but also has a lack of good characters. The game has too many weapons and movements, and if u use them all in a creative way, it's because you have fun being creative, but this way to play is not rewarded, so there are not real motivations (at least, not too much).It's a great game but nowadays feels very old. It has beautiful graphics, enviable artistic style, an entertaining story, but also has a lack of good characters. The game has too many weapons and movements, and if u use them all in a creative way, it's because you have fun being creative, but this way to play is not rewarded, so there are not real motivations (at least, not too much). Also, the game often shows women with big breast showing their nipples, maybe to show that the game is a male adult game or something.… Expand
  13. nestoryavith
    Jun 22, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. "The monster you have created has come back to kill you"... Seriously.. If you haven't played this, don't be my friend alright? I'M serious.
    This is not only a game about a god but the god of games. I'm a santa monica fan for life now. Beautiful graphics, amazing gameplay and needless to say the best (and I mean this) experience in a video game ever period. This is it.. I'ma play this for life till I die of starvation. It's games like this that show you what adventure in another world feels like. 10/10    … Expand
  14. Broyax
    Apr 6, 2017
    2
    Un beat'em all très beau mais très vite lassant, on passe sa vie à chercher des clés et à s'emmerder sur des puzzles bidons entre les bourrinades sans fin sur la touche carré dans des niveaux étroits et des passages plate-forme soûlants, le tout avec des QTE de merde.
  15. Ishi123
    Oct 31, 2016
    10
    The first and the best. God of War is a master class in hack and slash fun. With an amazing story and fun and satisfying gameplay, this game sets a standard for many other games to follow.

    The game is mature, it's brutal, it contains to much energy and violence. Swinging your chain blades around and clearing a room with brutality and strength never gets old, and supplanted by magical    The first and the best. God of War is a master class in hack and slash fun. With an amazing story and fun and satisfying gameplay, this game sets a standard for many other games to follow.

    The game is mature, it's brutal, it contains to much energy and violence. Swinging your chain blades around and clearing a room with brutality and strength never gets old, and supplanted by magical abilities that you unlock along the way, the game is always fun and provides a meaty challenge for those who seek to brave this violent Greek tale of revenge.

    The combat system is top-notch, and swinging your chain blades around and cutting into legions of undead hellspawn feels heavy, satisfying and cathartic, and you are given a wide variety of combos and abilities to tackle whatever is in your way, sending hundreds of enemies straight back to Hades. Some enemies will require more strategy than just mashing square and triangle all over the place, which suffices for most encounters. Magic is provided to tip the scales in your favor for more hectic battles, and the boss fights this game has will definitely test your abilities.

    Level design is amazing as well, with each area feeling fresh with lots of secrets to uncover to reward a bit of exploration. Puzzles can get complex, and will make you stop the violence for a bit to think. The central location of the game itself is one of the most memorable locations in gaming for me, as it is a gigantic temple of trials, containing within itself multiple level types with their own challenges and enemies. Even though you spend most of the game in this one place, it never feels the same as you challenge its deadly halls, filled with demons and traps to test only the bravest and strongest warriors.

    The story is one of revenge, just like everything else nowadays, but it's told very well, and the scale of it sets a precedent that is hard to reach. You are a man up against a god, and it's up to you to gather the strength and the will to destroy the being who wronged you. However, it's not just murder and carnage, as the game will sometimes stop to make you think about your actions, perhaps making you feel some regret for all those innocent people you killed for health orbs back in the first area (you monster). The character of Kratos is tragic and depressing, a man blinded by rage and power who ends up committing atrocities that curse him, all of the world knowing him and the things he's done. It's a quest for redemption and absolution as much as it is for revenge, and it can be quite engaging.

    God of War is a timeless classic, setting the standard for the rest of the series to follow, setting the bar high and providing a gripping and amazing experience the whole way through.    … Expand
  16. MiguelNeto
    Oct 8, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. God of War é um dos melhores jogos de Playstation 2 ja feito, o jogo é a personificaçao da palavra épico, a historia é incrivel, com excelentes chefes, no jogo encontramos Minotauro, Medusa e o Ares o Deus da Guerra que é o ultimo vilão do jogo, a trilha sonora é incrivel, Kratos é um dos melhores personagem dos Video Game, ele é sangrento, e tem uma historia bem triste, sem falar no final épico, que ficamos gigante e enfrentamos o Ares, God of War é um jogo incrivel, com excelente momentos, e com chefes épicos. Nota 10… Expand
  17. Leoka
    Aug 19, 2016
    10
    Uno de los juegos mas divertidos de PS2, puede que sea corto y algo lineal (pero no tanto como el segundo de la saga) pero lo suple con espectacularidad y jugabilidad frenética para los amantes de los juegos de avanzar y pegar trompadas. El sistema de combate es muy bueno y los combos son muchísimos, me parareció como si jugara un Mortal Kombat pero de aventuras (el Shaolin Monks no estaUno de los juegos mas divertidos de PS2, puede que sea corto y algo lineal (pero no tanto como el segundo de la saga) pero lo suple con espectacularidad y jugabilidad frenética para los amantes de los juegos de avanzar y pegar trompadas. El sistema de combate es muy bueno y los combos son muchísimos, me parareció como si jugara un Mortal Kombat pero de aventuras (el Shaolin Monks no esta tan mal, pero no es tan bueno como este. En fin, un imprescindible de la PS2.… Expand
  18. Filemon_Sega
    Aug 19, 2016
    10
    Não tem oque falar, o nascimento do simbolo do mascote do playstation, jogo lindo, feito para brigar com o xbox, provou que o ps2 consegue fazer coisas incriveis, jogabilidade otima, graficos muito bons , levando a época e o ps2, trilha sonora impecável, um jogo muito divertido sim
  19. Rodrigo_31
    Aug 16, 2016
    10
    This game is the best entry in the God of War series, and will keep it like that! I am absolutely sure that for more beautiful that the new the last of War looks like for ps4, god of war will never be perfect as this title again, the same goes to bethesda, nothing will ever come close to morrowind and Skyrim again!
  20. FilemonBR
    Aug 16, 2016
    10
    Não tem oque falar, o nascimento do simbolo do mascote do playstation, jogo lindo, feito para brigar com o xbox, provou que o ps2 consegue fazer coisas incriveis, jogabilidade otima, graficos muito bons , levando a época e o ps2, trilha sonora impecável, um jogo muito divertido sim
  21. crimsondoor
    Jul 22, 2016
    9
    What a classic. I picked this up only because I love Greek Mythology, but I was surprised at the quality of it. I enjoyed it from start to finish.

    Compared with GOW2, it has better puzzles, story, pacing, atmosphere and soundtrack which is why I enjoyed it more. But they both are much better than GOW3 for sure.
  22. chayshirin
    Jun 25, 2016
    9
    A huge improvement over the first one.
    good:
    Enjoyable puzzles
    great music
    lovely art direction
    excellent pacing
    Good boss fights

    Bad:
    still some cheap deaths
    pointless weapons and abilities
    abandoning new mechanics just after they are introduced
  23. eurowriter
    Apr 12, 2016
    4
    I found this game to be pretty fun about halfway through. Wasn't too impressed. I suggest playing mercenaries or star wars battlefront 2. God of war has an extremely low replay value, its kinda 1 toned. I liked prince of persia better.
  24. bulletchan
    Apr 11, 2016
    10
    (Translate from Portuguese into English)O começo do que seria a melhor trilogia que já joguei,tudo é perfeito nele (para a época),a batalha final é épica,Kratos conquistou uma legião de fãs com este jogo,acho que foi o jogo que mais vezes zerei.
  25. Cosmozerk
    Mar 25, 2016
    8
    God of War is a great hack and slash, that any PS2 or PS3 owner should play.

    STORY: The story follows Kratos, a spartan warrior that killed his own family because the God Ares tricked him to do it. This causes Kratos to have nightmares every day of his life and to get rid of does nightmares he assists the Gods of Olympus and he will do anything that they say in exchange of losing those    God of War is a great hack and slash, that any PS2 or PS3 owner should play.

    STORY: The story follows Kratos, a spartan warrior that killed his own family because the God Ares tricked him to do it. This causes Kratos to have nightmares every day of his life and to get rid of does nightmares he assists the Gods of Olympus and he will do anything that they say in exchange of losing those horrible nightmares.

    PRESENTATION: For a PS2 game God of War looks very nice, the models, animations and backgrounds
    look very good for a PS2 game and if you play it on the PS3 (like i did) the HD treatment helps the look of the game by a massive amount. The voice acting isn't bad either and the framerate (at least in the PS3 version) is very consistent, not to mention the fantastic soundtrack. God of War presentation is very solid, well done and for a PS2 game, it still holds pretty well by today's standards.

    GAMEPLAY: God of War is a Hack and Slash, which roughly translates to: Beat the ever living **** out of anything that stands in your way!!!.

    This game makes you feel like a badass and that is no more apparent that in the first level where you (no joke) impale a giant 3 headed hydra into the pole of a ship and the rest of the game follows suit. In God of War your main weapon is the Chaos Blades, but along the way you will get different weapons from the different Gods. Every time you defeat a Boss, an enemy or pretty much any destructible object, you will get what i call "red souls", you use this to upgrade your different weapons and there are other types of ·souls like the green variation which replenishes your health and the blue variation which replenishes the magic bar that you use to do certain special attacks that the Gods give you along the way.

    I mentioned that you can upgrade your weapons and abilities, but i didn't mention that you can also extend your life and magic meters by finding...eye balls and feathers?...ok..., you find this things in chests and when you collect enough of them your life or magic will increase.

    Oh man, all of these and i haven't even mentioned the 4 main components of God of War. Let's knock out the easy one first:

    Exploration:...you explore places...with some platforming and mini-fights thrown in for good measure. Is also here where you can find checkpoints, the only way to save your game.

    Boss Battles: These fights are great, they are all different in terms of pattern, strategy and strength, the 2 things that all of them have in common is that they always have a quick time event and the fact that they are soooooooooo much fun.

    Puzzles: In my opinion this is one of the game's flaws because these puzzles are not only easy, bland and uninspired, but 70-80% of them are just: drag an item to a certain place and rarely do they have variety.

    Fighting: This is the best part of the game, you basically do combinations with the square and triangle buttons to do many different combos and block incoming attacks with the um....block button, but with your different weapons and upgrades the variety is throw the roof and there is nothing more satisfying than grabbing a guy and separating him in 2 pieces!!!.

    Overall God of War is a great game with amazing music and graphics (for the PS2), very good story, fun boss battles, incredible variety, genius fighting system and while the puzzles may not be that great, they serve to mix things up in order for the game to not get repetitive. With that said God of War gets an 8/10.    … Expand
  26. Antemiz
    Mar 19, 2016
    10
    I was extremly amazed when i first played this game back in 2005, fighting,weapons,levels,puzzle elements, and the characters showed how much this game just changed everything for gamers, well done to santa monica studios.
  27. ursynhu
    Mar 10, 2016
    10
    Este jogo é incrível! Eu recebi e ainda não posso parar de jogar. Os gráficos são tão detalhadas para um game e é desafiador, mas divertido e terá que jogar por horas! A história é complexa e profundamente pensado. O melhor jogo que eu já joguei de forma
  28. OwnedKill
    Mar 8, 2016
    10
    O sucesso dessa trilogia foi por causa desse primeiro jogo, muito massa, batalhas muito épicas, chefões épicos e claro gráfico muito muito massa para a época.
  29. Termin8ter
    Feb 9, 2016
    9
    God Of War is among the best action games of all time, excellent story, perfect combat, great graphics, and an overall amazing experience. Buy this game on sight.
  30. SportsareCrap
    Dec 27, 2015
    1
    Gameplay: 1 (Unplayable)
    Fun: 1 (You can't Have Fun)
    Story: 7 (Story is set during Era 5000BC to 500BC)
    Cast: 7 (Great)
    Score: 1/10

    Overrated By All should got less then 7.8s
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PS2 Game of 2005
2
#2 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2005
2
#2 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 75 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 74 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 75
  3. Negative: 0 out of 75
  1. Game Informer
    100
    While playing God of War, I honestly found it difficult to resist the urge to simply genuflect and be humbled to be in the presence of such digital divinity, this god among games. [Apr 2005, p.122]
  2. IGN
    98
    If you like to kill freaky things with your giant serrated knives, you'll love the s*** out of this... This videogame features sexual situations, bare breasts and excessive brutality. Good with that? Excellent!
    Read full review
  3. Play Magazine
    95
    The game contains so much energy and conviction, so much skill and spirit. There came a point where I was totally lost to it, in the way you are to a great movie - to any powerful art form. [Apr 2005, p.50]
See all critic reviews »