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. KamB.
    Apr 16, 2005
    10
    Surprisingly intelligent game play and amazing graphics. I couldn't stop playing this game until I beat it. I did find that the game was a bit TOO easy to conquer making the other modes seem less worthwhile since you know what happens. Yes, there are other things to be unlocked in the harder modes but I still think the easy mode could have been a bit more challenging, or at least, Surprisingly intelligent game play and amazing graphics. I couldn't stop playing this game until I beat it. I did find that the game was a bit TOO easy to conquer making the other modes seem less worthwhile since you know what happens. Yes, there are other things to be unlocked in the harder modes but I still think the easy mode could have been a bit more challenging, or at least, given away LESS of the ending. However, I love this game, and I really hope a sequel is made. The story is what kept my going, so a sequel will need just as strong a story at this one.… Expand
  2. WhiteWarrior
    Apr 17, 2005
    9
    This game is the quentisential game for those in dire need of stress release. I pity them who would refer to this game as a common "hack & slash" because it is so much more than that. This game succeeds in immersing the player in an immense world that never stops being eye-candy, and at no point is there the all too common dead spots in the game. A game of this calibur has been screaming This game is the quentisential game for those in dire need of stress release. I pity them who would refer to this game as a common "hack & slash" because it is so much more than that. This game succeeds in immersing the player in an immense world that never stops being eye-candy, and at no point is there the all too common dead spots in the game. A game of this calibur has been screaming to come out for at least a decade, and lets hope this is the start of something to be expected for mature rated games.… Expand
  3. MikailaK.
    Apr 25, 2005
    9
    Amazing--this may be the best PS2 action game released. There's so much detail and passion in this game and it shows in the details. The final package easily blows away "Devil May Cry 3" and Kratos makes Dante look like a hippie. I've never had so much fun meting out punishment (except with "RE4"). The only complaints I have are minimal: a few frustrating camera views and that Amazing--this may be the best PS2 action game released. There's so much detail and passion in this game and it shows in the details. The final package easily blows away "Devil May Cry 3" and Kratos makes Dante look like a hippie. I've never had so much fun meting out punishment (except with "RE4"). The only complaints I have are minimal: a few frustrating camera views and that rather silly sex game (it kind of diminished the whole revenge-for-family angle, and didn't quite titillate me--maybe because I'm a girl). I also would've liked more than three boss fight; that final one was kind of a pushover. But other than that, this game is a gem. It's not as fun or as stunning as the superlative "Resident Evil 4" or even "Splinter Cell:: Chaos Theory", but it's definitely the best PS2 game out this year.… Expand
  4. GabeM.
    Apr 26, 2005
    10
    God of War is on of the best game ever...it includes greek myths even more than some would learn in a class rooom of this subject.
  5. JoshC.
    May 18, 2005
    10
    It was the best game i've ever played and its plot was godlike!
  6. JohnnyS.
    Jun 28, 2005
    10
    God of War is truly remarkable. It's combined all the elements of different games to turn this game into a gore-filled-puzzle-figuring-graphic-inspiring-ruthless-fighting-action-filled game. If you love great playability, superior graphics, and awesome fighting styles: This is for you! There are also many bloody and awesome fatalities in this game. In three words: Best Game Ever. God of War is truly remarkable. It's combined all the elements of different games to turn this game into a gore-filled-puzzle-figuring-graphic-inspiring-ruthless-fighting-action-filled game. If you love great playability, superior graphics, and awesome fighting styles: This is for you! There are also many bloody and awesome fatalities in this game. In three words: Best Game Ever. This is no lie, you won't be disapointed with this game!… Expand
  7. PhilipA.
    Jul 13, 2005
    9
    After completing the game, several 'behind the scenes' shorts become available. Playing all the way through the game left me - like many others I'm sure - ravenous for more and I watched the 'deleted monsters' and 'making of...' segments in awe. What the creators of the game repeatedly allude to is a time constraint that kept them from implementing all After completing the game, several 'behind the scenes' shorts become available. Playing all the way through the game left me - like many others I'm sure - ravenous for more and I watched the 'deleted monsters' and 'making of...' segments in awe. What the creators of the game repeatedly allude to is a time constraint that kept them from implementing all of the ideas they had. A pity, because what they did have a chance to do was create an engrossing, visually stunning spectacle from beginning to end. Graphics, soundtrack, gameplay and story-line (especially) are way above par and the whole of the game retained a very epic quality throughout. (Although, I found the final battle with Aries considerably dissappointing after a masterful plot build-up early on in the game.) Can't wait for God of War 2 -- hopefully they'll take their time with the next one and make it everything it can be.… Expand
  8. MoonW.
    Jul 14, 2005
    5
    Hack n slash in a sleek package. Cant move camera or interact (that much) with world. Also cant fall off ledges etc. Good for the younger player, older players soon bored of hack n slash.
  9. Tim
    Jul 16, 2005
    8
    As others said, the graphics are amazing and the interface/attacks are very well done. While it's nice to see Greek mythology used, they got quite a bit of it wrong. For all its glory, however, it's fairly short and anti-climatic. I finished it well within a rental period and haven't really missed it since.
  10. MohammadS.
    Sep 21, 2005
    10
    I don't know how any one gives this game less than 100% its the best game i played in my life JUST WAAAW.
  11. JakeR.
    Dec 6, 2006
    10
    This game is a miracle for the PS2. The system was dying, and this brought it back to life. This game is the only reason I still have a ps2. Its graphics are of the highest quality possible on the ps2, the ability to string togather attacks is sublime, and the cinematics seamlessly interwind with the compleling story. Sony owes Jaffe and his genius of a crew A LOT. Go, buy this game. If This game is a miracle for the PS2. The system was dying, and this brought it back to life. This game is the only reason I still have a ps2. Its graphics are of the highest quality possible on the ps2, the ability to string togather attacks is sublime, and the cinematics seamlessly interwind with the compleling story. Sony owes Jaffe and his genius of a crew A LOT. Go, buy this game. If you havent a ps2, you are sorely out of luck, as this is the ultimate in gaming. Marvelous.… Expand
  12. WesleyE.
    Mar 14, 2006
    10
    GTA may have innovated in game design, and Halo may have been fun to play, but to say that God of War is straight-up the best American game of the last 5 years is a very severe understatement.
  13. NiclasD.
    Apr 14, 2006
    9
    Probably the best game available on the PS2 God of War epitomizes the attempts of a combination of violence, sex, buttonbashing, difficulty, storytelling and narratives altogether told using Greek mythology - although the last hasn't been represented in most games... Seldom camera issues aside the game is hands down on of the best if not the best game of the year. Why the game Probably the best game available on the PS2 God of War epitomizes the attempts of a combination of violence, sex, buttonbashing, difficulty, storytelling and narratives altogether told using Greek mythology - although the last hasn't been represented in most games... Seldom camera issues aside the game is hands down on of the best if not the best game of the year. Why the game hasn't been awarded a 10 might occur to you as odd, as it is to me, but it feels weird giving a game based on rather simple elements such a grade - the counterargument is of course that the game and its elements are executed in such a damn good way. I'd give it a 9½ if half grades were possible.… Expand
  14. DonC.
    Jul 26, 2006
    10
    Phenomenal. Possibly the most polished game I've played. The design is excellent too - puzzles that don't get old, aren't too hard. Incredibly well balanced all-around.
  15. MatthewH.
    Aug 12, 2006
    10
    1 of the best i have ever played when u play till u literly not notice that u hungy or tired and keep u entertained untill the end u got a winner. and if u get mad because its over u just want to get more.
  16. AdamW.
    Dec 11, 2007
    9
    A very fun game if you like fighting (somewhat button-mashing), (poorly animated) breasts, and massive amounts of gore. There's very little replay value except to unlock some of the amusing extras and secrets. The music is alright but I've heard better. The storyline and plot was kind of generic but was acceptable. You should rent this game.
  17. JamesC.
    May 23, 2007
    10
    By far the best game for the PS2. Beautiful storyline. Unique upgradeable combat moves. Can't think of any reason why people are going as low as 1's or even 0's here. I'll be buying the PS3 solely for GOW3.
  18. JamesB.
    Jun 23, 2007
    9
    This game has high definition movies -in-game movies called- and the puzzles and battles you nned to do to win are considerably difficult. I expect that this saga of games -God of War- wouldn't end, but it has to. I'm very anxious waiting for the 3rd game.
  19. NelsonD.
    Sep 12, 2007
    7
    Its entertaining but Rygar: The Legendary Adventure is WAY better, IMO. I think its because of the better atmosphere/enviroment and music. God of War's levels are too bleak and bland for me (though im sure this is might be the intended effect).
  20. VahndD.
    Nov 14, 2005
    10
    best game i've ever played. from the begiining till the end always shocked me. can't wait for the sequel. excellent job for the team.
  21. jambubby
    Jul 27, 2011
    8
    Full disclosure: I am playing this game on the PlayStation 3, as part of the "God of War Collection" which includes both "God of War" and "God of War 2" upgraded to HD visuals. I'm writing the review here because they are two separate games and deserve their own analysis. Also, I am playing the game for the very first time, as I never owned a PS2. Fist off, I love the game. IFull disclosure: I am playing this game on the PlayStation 3, as part of the "God of War Collection" which includes both "God of War" and "God of War 2" upgraded to HD visuals. I'm writing the review here because they are two separate games and deserve their own analysis. Also, I am playing the game for the very first time, as I never owned a PS2. Fist off, I love the game. I absolutely love it. So why am I taking away two points and giving it an 8 instead of a 10? Well, a 10 is damn near unattainable. To get that score, a game would have to be as amazing as "God of War" is, but without some of its flaws.

    The first flaw is the camera. Players may not have had any issues with this at the time of the game's release, but they really should have. As your character, Kratos, moves throughout his environment, the camera is not static, but it is not dynamic either. It actually travels on rails, following Kratos around and often times delivering a very beautiful and cinematic angle from which to view the action. The problem is, that when battles ensue, (and ensue they do!) it is often impossible to see enemies on the periphery of the environment because the camera is too zoomed in, or positioned such that the player needs to lead the enemies to an area where they can get a good clean view of them. If you don't do this, you may get your ass kicked, even though you are fighting enemies you are otherwise fully capable of defeating easily.

    So how could the developers have dealt with this? Simple, there are plenty of games that zoom out when a battle takes place, and that is what should have happened here. I have no problem with the cinematic angles. In fact, I love them when they are not hindering the battle sequences. Its unfortunate that this is as big of a problem as it is and because of it I have to knock off a point.

    The second problem is the battle controls. That's right, the battle controls. How can I complain about everyone's favorite part of "God of War?" Well, I'm not actually complaining. I am actually pointing out something that is factual and non-objective; that the controls don't always work. They don't always work for a few reasons. One, I wish that the player had the ability to target a specific enemy, or "lock-on" to one of them, rather than just generally steer the left thumb-stick toward the desired target. In defense of the game, the defensive maneuver does seem to work regardless of which direction Kratos is being attacked from. This means that as long as the player is blocking, the enemy attack will be effectively blocked regardless of if the enemy attacks Kratos' front or back. I think the developer stayed away from the lock-on, probably because they were worried about it hindering the games combo system. Fair enough reason, but there are many games (Batman Arkham Asylum) which have great combo systems intact, even with a fantastic targeting system. This could have also been dealt with by allowing Kratos to score hits on enemies next to the ones he is targeting. Oh well, for whatever reason this was not to be.

    The second flaw in the controls is the often mentioned mini-games or quick-time events which serve to initiate finishing moves. After an enemy takes a certain amount of damage, a prompt appears on the screen letting the player know that that enemy is now vulnerable to a finishing move. The moves are usually extremely cool, elaborate, violent, and fun to do. The problem is that the game very often does not register that the player is hitting the prompt button, and the finishing move becomes impossible to initiate. Together, these control flaws are enough to warrant another point off for me. They make an otherwise superb game frustrating.

    Altogether, Kratos' first adventure is absolute stunner. Even with an 8 of 10 rating, the game remains a must play. It is stunning in its beauty even all these years after its original release. As far as a piece of art, it is perhaps a 9 or 9.5 out of 10, but due to some technical failures, the final is really no higher than an 8. Sorry Kratos, but that's as honest as a player can be.    … Expand
  22. Justinavery7074
    Mar 18, 2013
    10
    You buy a PS2 for reasons like this. Everything about this game is awesome. About 8 years after its initial release and it's still fun as ever. 2 or 3 problems but that's it
  23. 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!
  24. TheQuietGamer
    Mar 17, 2011
    9
    This isn't one of the best games for the PS2 for nothing, I still can't believe the PS2 is capable of these kind of graphics, don't get me wrong there aged by todays standards but back then these were top notch, the sound track and voice work are PHENOMENAL!!! and the gameplay might be simple but the puzzles and combat are extremely satisfying, this really captures what I love most aboutThis isn't one of the best games for the PS2 for nothing, I still can't believe the PS2 is capable of these kind of graphics, don't get me wrong there aged by todays standards but back then these were top notch, the sound track and voice work are PHENOMENAL!!! and the gameplay might be simple but the puzzles and combat are extremely satisfying, this really captures what I love most about Greek mythology the sex and violence, this game makes you feel like a bad ass slicing your way through enemies with a giant sword, taking on giant bosses, avoiding deadly traps, satisfying maidens, and solving puzzles, and the story is awesome, by now your asking yourself if this is so perfect why didn't I give it a perfect 10? the only flaw I can find with this is the first boss fight, it's just boring, that flaw aside this is still one of the best games I've ever played, and a must own that's just shy of perfection.… Expand
  25. duckypwns
    Dec 11, 2011
    9
    A lot of people say this is a button masher. Um ok? Well sure, if you sit there and mash the button. The same can be said about any game. That doesn't mean you're playing the game properly at all though. If you know how to play a beat 'em up properly and you understand the type of gameplay that's being utilized, you will love this game. The combos are interesting, each useful in varyingA lot of people say this is a button masher. Um ok? Well sure, if you sit there and mash the button. The same can be said about any game. That doesn't mean you're playing the game properly at all though. If you know how to play a beat 'em up properly and you understand the type of gameplay that's being utilized, you will love this game. The combos are interesting, each useful in varying situations, the leveling system is well implemented, the rate at which you unlock new weapons and abilities is very well done, and there's even a bit of exploration, although it's usually very simplistic and obvious. Those are the reasons I play the game, but there's also an added bonus of an interesting story, lore, and characters, as well as stunning visual effects.… Expand
  26. vahn
    Jan 12, 2013
    7
    Even if I do admire this game for its technologic standards and detail programming, story and combat system, I really never liked this game. I'll be really honest: the game is excellent graphically and the combat is still good, and the story is very well done and it's not there just to make an appearance. But still...the game is a big button masher, with just pressing one or two buttonsEven if I do admire this game for its technologic standards and detail programming, story and combat system, I really never liked this game. I'll be really honest: the game is excellent graphically and the combat is still good, and the story is very well done and it's not there just to make an appearance. But still...the game is a big button masher, with just pressing one or two buttons everytime, with almost no tactics or thought in the process. There aren't many weapons either, but even then you'll just use one or two tops, because it's always a button mashing game. The good thing is that the game has also puzzles inside and they are actually done very good and I had a lot of fun trying to solve them, even if not many. Second: the game has almost no replayabilty whatsoever. You finish the game once, and there's nothing else to do (except the 10 room challenge thingie). It's not a short game sure...but even Devil May Cry had much more longevity and secrets in comparison! I just expected more content from a game that apparently they say it's perfect, yet once you finish there's just nothing else to do, except restart on another difficulty (which is a cheap way to say "it's longer because it's harder"). And third, which isn't a real flaw, but more of a thought...I think the game is just very admired because of the gore. Let's be honest, everybody loves to rip enemies apart and even I enjoyed tear my enemies in pieces. But that gets tiring and, in all honesty, it's not impressive, and yet this is one of the core details of the game and probably one of the main reasons why it's loved so much (apart the good story, which IS good and has a nice twist, even if predictable). Personally, this game is not meant for me: it didn't leave an impression to me and the lack of content didn't make me want to restart the game, getting dust on the shelf once I finished it. It Is an impressive game for its time and if you're very curious about this game, you could give it a look. Just don't spend full price on it though. It's not worth the entire price.… Expand
  27. Watermelon789
    Jul 11, 2011
    9
    Epic masterpiece, Kratos is even more monster than the brutality. The slick control is smooth and brilliant. Bloody,incredible and bold just wish more heroes had this kind of sense of humor.
  28. raghav123
    Jun 24, 2011
    10
    absolutely amazing!!! i thing the people who are calling this a hack'n slash should first play this game and then look at the depth of its combat. great graphics,slick story and a great overall package...
  29. Sachi
    Nov 16, 2011
    10
    God of War is an amzing game that does not dissapoint. Everything is nearly flawless, the graphics are great for the PS2. The combat is very fluid and the best part of the game with many brutal kill animations. The plot holds out to be relatively strong with Kratos on a journey for vengeance. The set pieces are massive and detailed at the same time, God of War reaches epic proportions. TheGod of War is an amzing game that does not dissapoint. Everything is nearly flawless, the graphics are great for the PS2. The combat is very fluid and the best part of the game with many brutal kill animations. The plot holds out to be relatively strong with Kratos on a journey for vengeance. The set pieces are massive and detailed at the same time, God of War reaches epic proportions. The characters are all great too, especially Kratos. Kratos may be a cold-blooded killer but his tragic past makes you sympathize with him and he is a guy who you don't want mad at you. The only flaw is the platforming which can be a little irksome at times but not very. Overall, God of War is a great game to play, especially if you are into violence. "God of War" Score Breakdown: Presentation: 9.6, Graphics: 9.5, Sound: 9.5, Gameplay: 9.7, Lasting Appeal: 9.5. Verdict: 9.7 out of 10 "Amazing".… Expand
  30. BasilZero
    Sep 29, 2012
    8
    God of War is an amazing video game which all Greek Myth fans, action fans and fans of violent bloody games will enjoy. The game has a casual length with a decent storyline, character and environmental setting. The music and sound effects are well made and go well with the game. Although not as refined as other action games, this game will surely suffice for any lack of action games youGod of War is an amazing video game which all Greek Myth fans, action fans and fans of violent bloody games will enjoy. The game has a casual length with a decent storyline, character and environmental setting. The music and sound effects are well made and go well with the game. Although not as refined as other action games, this game will surely suffice for any lack of action games you may of add and can start your journey into the rest of the series.… Expand
  31. kailip
    Dec 29, 2011
    8
    Great game, but even at high difficulties it seems a bit repetitive and a pointless button mash. I mean, Devil may Cry has the best fighting system I've ever seen, and God Of War has a really great gameplay but it's not as deep, It feels more like a button mash. I'd give it an 8.5. Great game, after all, one of the best games of PS2.
  32. ns0l
    Mar 12, 2014
    10
    The finest video game of the decade. The best story. The best gameplay and controls. I didn't like that kind of games before but this one makes me speechless.
  33. hawaiianhappy
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    Excellent game. It has a very good story, great gameplay, it's challenging, and it exceeds expectations for a hack and slash game. The only problem I had with the game is so few boss fights. I thought the minotaur and Ares fights were great and after watching what the studio had to cut out of the game, I kinda feel that they wanted to add more but they didn't have the budget. :(
  34. Jouna92
    Dec 26, 2013
    8
    God of war started one bloodiest, goriest and over-the-top game series. Very satisfying and addictive gameplay. Epic music and story. Not much of a replay value and there could have been more boss fights.
  35. alex007
    Nov 5, 2012
    9
    "God of War" is a PS2 action-adventure game from the creator of "Twisted Metal Black". Based on Greek mythology, it tells the story of Kratos, a Spartan warrior in service of the Olympian Gods. As the game begins, he is tasked with one final assignment, the destruction of Ares, the God of War. The journey takes on a personal meaning for Kratos since Ares had tricked him into killing his"God of War" is a PS2 action-adventure game from the creator of "Twisted Metal Black". Based on Greek mythology, it tells the story of Kratos, a Spartan warrior in service of the Olympian Gods. As the game begins, he is tasked with one final assignment, the destruction of Ares, the God of War. The journey takes on a personal meaning for Kratos since Ares had tricked him into killing his own family. "God of War" starts with a highly-kinetic battle on a ship which acts as the opening tutorial level. Its action is comparable to "Devil May Cry" but it also features adventure elements and innovative on-screen button prompts. The involving story is mainly told through crisp, highly-detailed CGI cutscenes. Visually, the graphics and animation are impressive for a PS2 game. And the voice acting and Hollywood-esque musical score are superb. "God of War" proudly wears its 'M' rating on its shoulder. Its features nudity, sexual situations and graphic violence. Fans of fast-paced action and adventure will find much to enjoy in this first installment of the popular series. It's a terrific achievement and one of the PS2's best exclusives. 9.5 out of 10… Expand
  36. magician369
    Dec 22, 2012
    10
    GRAPHICS perfect 10 -GAME PLAY perfect 10- STORY perfect 10-MUSIC perfect 10
    ---EPIC---
    best game for ps2 and probably best game ever.you will be amazed by the big monsters and gods from the greec myth so many actions .the best story ever for a game ,every body say that this could be a hollywood film you will live in ancient history like never been with amazing sound track from Gerard    GRAPHICS perfect 10 -GAME PLAY perfect 10- STORY perfect 10-MUSIC perfect 10
    ---EPIC---
    best game for ps2 and probably best game ever.you will be amazed by the big monsters and gods from the greec myth so many actions .the best story ever for a game ,every body say that this could be a hollywood film you will live in ancient history like never been with amazing sound track from Gerard Morino .....a must play game    … Expand
  37. Wiksu
    Jan 26, 2013
    10
    Damn difficult game but still so awesome, good story, good fighting, everything is perfect, i have this game on PS3 re-mastered and its good never played in PS2 that shame but Graphics doesnt make a game, right?
  38. FluffyRG
    Feb 14, 2013
    10
    This game is a must buy if you own a ps2 the story is amazing and even the graphics are still ''good'' for a game from 2005 the combat is really good this game is a masterpiece!
  39. shprea
    Jul 9, 2013
    8
    God of War is one of the most satisfying action games around. The story rooted in Greek mythology is awesome, as is the music. The gameplay is solid and intuitive, full of weapons to use and difficult challenges to conquer. The only issue with this game are the qte, which just suck. It's a great game in general.
  40. Matesers
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    This game is amazing. The gameplay is perfect, the story is great and you've just got to love Kratos, the main character. Many games have copied the gameplay of God of War and I think that says enough about the quality of it. The story is great, best in the series. The other God of War games have a decent story but the gameplay is even more extensive. Overal: if you like this genre, youThis game is amazing. The gameplay is perfect, the story is great and you've just got to love Kratos, the main character. Many games have copied the gameplay of God of War and I think that says enough about the quality of it. The story is great, best in the series. The other God of War games have a decent story but the gameplay is even more extensive. Overal: if you like this genre, you will love this game. If you don't like the genre, this game might change your mind.… Expand
  41. Basem101
    Jun 16, 2013
    9
    The best hack and slash game you'll play with amazing soundtrack and fantastic story also the characters in this game are good and you'll love every moment of gameplay Recommended
  42. Auritone
    Apr 30, 2013
    9
    What can be said about one of the best hack ’n slash games ever made? Well, it’s a gorgeous game with some stunning and atmospheric graphics (even by today’s standards) which pulls you into the Greek mythological setting. Add to that some great sounds effects and you got a game that’s pleasing to the eyes and the ears. Though the music overall works well, it just seems to try way too hardWhat can be said about one of the best hack ’n slash games ever made? Well, it’s a gorgeous game with some stunning and atmospheric graphics (even by today’s standards) which pulls you into the Greek mythological setting. Add to that some great sounds effects and you got a game that’s pleasing to the eyes and the ears. Though the music overall works well, it just seems to try way too hard to be as bombastic as possible at times. This is particular noticeable when nothing is actually happening, which caused me more than once to wish the music would just take a diazepam and calm down a little.
    But the thing that really makes God of War the classic it has become, is the gameplay. Fluid combat against a multitude of enemies, great combos, intuitive controls, and some great, violent weaponry and godly magic, makes helping Kratos hack and slash his way through the levels in order to eventually defeat Ares in hope of getting rid of the nightmares and guilt that haunts him, an absolute joy. Along the way the action is broken up by some nice small, if not exactly intellectually overwhelming, puzzles, but they do a good job of pacing the game. Furthermore, this game is from an age when developers didn’t tell you everything you had to do at every turn through on-screen prompts, so sometimes you actually have to think a little yourself to solve the puzzles.
    Now, a lot of people point towards the God of War games when placing blame for the overuse of quicktime events we see in games today.
    I find this to be fundamentally unfair.
    In GoW the quicktime mechanic is an intricate part of the game, not unlike finishing- or special moves in beat ‘em ups, and it works very well indeed.
    Judging the quicktime events in this game by the very low standards used in games like Resident Evil 6, Black Ops 2 or the numerous other modern games, which basically use them by default whether warranted or not, is doing GoW a huge disservice.
    A lot of people have also pointed out that GoW was not original and it borrowed from a lot of other games. This is all true, but a game should not be judged on it's originality, but whether it sets out to do what it wants to. And the fact is, that GoW did and does this amazingly well.
    GoW is a classic and should find its rightful place in any hack ‘n slash or action game fans collection.    … Expand
  43. Pepelinojosefo
    Apr 14, 2013
    8
    Es un muy buen juego, tiene una historia aceptable, pero en parte predicable. Lo malo es que es muy lineal el juego, y la música es muy aburrida, es como si fuera todo lo mismo. Pero todo lo demás esta bien, los sonidos muy bien hechos, excelentes gráficos, buen voice-acting, controles muy cómodos, buenos cutscenes, buena ambientación del juego y extremadamente divertido y adictivo, yEs un muy buen juego, tiene una historia aceptable, pero en parte predicable. Lo malo es que es muy lineal el juego, y la música es muy aburrida, es como si fuera todo lo mismo. Pero todo lo demás esta bien, los sonidos muy bien hechos, excelentes gráficos, buen voice-acting, controles muy cómodos, buenos cutscenes, buena ambientación del juego y extremadamente divertido y adictivo, y tiene puzzles que a veces te puede costar bastante pensarlos, la verdad es que lo recomiendo, no solo por el estilo de pelea, si no que te deja con ganas de jugarlo y pasarlo una y otra y otra vez!, Tiene cosas malas, como el quick reaction system, de apretar rapidamente un boton que si lo fallas, perdes, o moris, cosa que te deja (en mi opinion) un sabor muy amargo en la boca, y tambien apretar repetida y rapidamente un mismo boton, eso tambien no es bueno, sobretodo para el joystick, pero no hay que negar que es un clasico de esta consola. Recomendable para el que le encantan juegos de aventura y accion!… Expand
  44. ERB
    Jul 29, 2013
    8
    God Of War is one of the best PS2 games you will ever play.I give story [5 points] and [3 points] for game play.Ans still playing this game even In 2013 is still satisfying.
  45. AJCk19
    Jul 12, 2021
    9
    All game designers must study the 1st section/hour/opener of God Of War. It was perfect game design and completely shows what the game has to offer. With that said, this game is almost perfect in its' entirety.

    The only thing I wish is that it had more replayability. It had something similar to a new game plus, but it was subpar. Regardless, this goes down in the list of top 100    All game designers must study the 1st section/hour/opener of God Of War. It was perfect game design and completely shows what the game has to offer. With that said, this game is almost perfect in its' entirety.

    The only thing I wish is that it had more replayability. It had something similar to a new game plus, but it was subpar.

    Regardless, this goes down in the list of top 100 greatest games of all time. It will be hard to dethrone it. It is easily the best god of war entry as well. Yes, even better than II, III, Ascension, PSP Origins collection, & Norse.    … Expand
  46. Epicluko
    Jul 9, 2013
    9
    Before Shadow of the Colossus, the original God of War was my favorite PS2 game. And who could blame me? It's unbelievable!!

    Not only is the action over-satisfyingly gory and intense, but the story of Kratos is surprisingly fascinating! The graphics, for its time, were the best in its genre. The mixture of Greek mythology and relentless violence is both intriguing and awesome! If you    Before Shadow of the Colossus, the original God of War was my favorite PS2 game. And who could blame me? It's unbelievable!!

    Not only is the action over-satisfyingly gory and intense, but the story of Kratos is surprisingly fascinating! The graphics, for its time, were the best in its genre. The mixture of Greek mythology and relentless violence is both intriguing and awesome!

    If you are looking for an extremely violent but unbelievably well executed action game, pick this up! It's a definite must-have for any hardcore gamer!    … Expand
  47. iddqd4
    Dec 31, 2017
    10
    Просто один из лучших слешеров на Playstation 2.
  48. 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
  49. Fedelca
    Sep 28, 2013
    9
    Uno de mis juegos más nostálgicos que he jugado. Posee una excelente virtud que lo hace un juego épico y merecido de jugar... Perdón: un juego NECESARIO de jugar. Excelente temática, impactante ambientación, escenarios de lucha magníficos y gran desarrollo de personajes, nada que le pueda faltar
  50. 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.
  51. fijiboy
    Apr 30, 2014
    9
    such a great game. greek mythology is very interesting, and its portrayed in such an epic way in this game. Kratos is one of the most powerful videogame characters ever and you certainly feel that when you play. the combat is the best part of this game, it feels so smooth and is easy to use and still feel badass. the story is also great and is very interesting to follow. the combat isn'tsuch a great game. greek mythology is very interesting, and its portrayed in such an epic way in this game. Kratos is one of the most powerful videogame characters ever and you certainly feel that when you play. the combat is the best part of this game, it feels so smooth and is easy to use and still feel badass. the story is also great and is very interesting to follow. the combat isn't exactly repetitive, but you soon figure out wich moves are most effective and just end up spanning them. that is the only downside to this game. the boss fights are awesome too, some of the best I've ever seen even to this date and that goes for all the god of war games… Expand
  52. Ydun79
    Feb 11, 2019
    8
    Great action game though a bit over the top for my taste. But if you want to go nuts for a couple of hours, you cant go wrong.
  53. Kai82
    Apr 22, 2020
    10
    The first entry in the legendary God of War franchise. Believe it or not the story might be even better than the for its time really good gameplay. You play as Kratos a Spartan warrior who was called many thinks like the fist of Ares, monster, murderer, ghost of Sparta and more. The narrative is excellent. First Kratos seems just to be a one dimensional raging killing machine. As the storyThe first entry in the legendary God of War franchise. Believe it or not the story might be even better than the for its time really good gameplay. You play as Kratos a Spartan warrior who was called many thinks like the fist of Ares, monster, murderer, ghost of Sparta and more. The narrative is excellent. First Kratos seems just to be a one dimensional raging killing machine. As the story unfolds you learn more about the man and his tragic backstory. While he has done unspeakable evils he is also someone who seeks redemption and forgiveness. For me it is amazing that you feel compassion and want that he gets his redemption. He was betrayed by Ares and wants revenge. He seeks a way to kill a god while just being a mortal. As the story progresses you get a lot of interesting reveals, some good twists and an awesome final act. Gameplay wise the battle system works excellent, You can feel the impact and never have the feeling to be out of control. There are some good puzzles to solve and the upgrade system gives you a lot of new options. Also you unlock new abilities. I must also praise the graphics and the soundtrack. For its time it was amazing. The final battle is some of the best in videogame history. It feels and plays amazing. Also the conclusion is worthy of a Greek tragedy. As you already know the game is really violent. Kratos does not hold back when he fights. It can be too much for some and I think it is my duty to warn you here. Overall this was an excellent game with a story I still remember. It created emotions and was fun to play.… Expand
  54. tsakiym
    May 21, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it.................................… Expand
  55. Minge
    Jul 21, 2018
    10
    One of the goats.........................................................///
  56. Epik_Ninnja
    May 22, 2015
    8
    I first played God of War in early 2015 and I can reassure anyone who hasn't yet played it or hasn't done so since it launched; this game withstands the test of time. Not only is the combat intense (and very bloody), but the dungeon design is superb for the most part. You'll spend the majority of the game in a giant temple on a titan's back. How epic is that? Also, the puzzles areI first played God of War in early 2015 and I can reassure anyone who hasn't yet played it or hasn't done so since it launched; this game withstands the test of time. Not only is the combat intense (and very bloody), but the dungeon design is superb for the most part. You'll spend the majority of the game in a giant temple on a titan's back. How epic is that? Also, the puzzles are genereally fun and the music is as epic as the story. As for the bad, well, it can get frustrating. I'm not even referring to the repetitive combat but the parts where, say, you have to walk across a thin piece of wood and jump over a spinning blade. Thankfully these parts aren't too frewuent but parts like those are very annoying. Also, difficult curves are annoying (where one fight is randomly far more difficult than ones before and after it). LAstly, the bosses, although few, are downright awesome!… Expand
  57. kyle20ellis
    Mar 17, 2022
    9
    Yes, this game was very fun and well worth the 14.99 I paid for it on sale. The story has Kratos as a man hell bent on revenge. The target for his revenge, Ares the god of war. Ares has his own plans as he is trying to take down Aphrodite, she is using Kratos though to take him down. So you have your double crosses and such. Why is Kratos wanting revenge, well Ares tricked Kratos intoYes, this game was very fun and well worth the 14.99 I paid for it on sale. The story has Kratos as a man hell bent on revenge. The target for his revenge, Ares the god of war. Ares has his own plans as he is trying to take down Aphrodite, she is using Kratos though to take him down. So you have your double crosses and such. Why is Kratos wanting revenge, well Ares tricked Kratos into killing his own family so there ya go. The combat in this game is very fun, simple to do yet it looks very cool. You do cool combos and nifty looking finisher type moves on various mythical creatures. You span a few levels as you start with a cool ship scene and also an attack on a city, you also have to go through this strange fortress on top of a giants back. My favorite level though is the hades level as it looks really awesome. Speaking of awesome, the graphics here are just that. From the giant Minotaur's, to the super scenery, and to the falling people in the hades level everything here looks exceptional. My only complaint is the rather short play time and the shortage of boss fights which is a shame, because the ones they do have are very fun. So for a fun game that offers a challenge, but does not make you rip your hair out give this game a try. Add to that you even get to see some boobies!!!… Expand
  58. njja02
    May 15, 2018
    8
    Too much backtracking for my taste but a fun action game that I really enjoyed.
  59. Cmmcfreire
    Apr 25, 2020
    7
    Story - 8/10
    Graphics - 8/10
    Levels - 6.5/10 Soundtrack - 8/10 Replay value - 5/10 Gameplay - 8/10 GoW I is a great start for one of the best game series the world has seen, it does a great job introducing Kratos and it set a standard for any GoW and action-adventure game to come. The thing that holds it back for me is the levels honestly, i loved the start of the game but i think    Story - 8/10
    Graphics - 8/10
    Levels - 6.5/10
    Soundtrack - 8/10
    Replay value - 5/10
    Gameplay - 8/10

    GoW I is a great start for one of the best game series the world has seen, it does a great job introducing Kratos and it set a standard for any GoW and action-adventure game to come.
    The thing that holds it back for me is the levels honestly, i loved the start of the game but i think when it gets to pandora's temple the game begins to lack variety (a thing that was much improved in GoWII), because of this, GoW I has little replay value for me.
    Still, GoW I was the first game in the series and it revolutionized the action-adventure genre as a whole.
    A must play for any GoW fan

    7/10    … Expand
  60. 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
  61. CDizzness
    Sep 1, 2020
    10
    I can't believe this game was able to run on original PS2 hardware. One of the most impressive hack and slash games I have ever played, this is the game that made me super jealous of my friends who had a PS2. It's one of those games you have to play to believe just how amazing it is. Playing through it for the first time on an original PS2 with HDretrovision cables hooked up to an HD 5.1I can't believe this game was able to run on original PS2 hardware. One of the most impressive hack and slash games I have ever played, this is the game that made me super jealous of my friends who had a PS2. It's one of those games you have to play to believe just how amazing it is. Playing through it for the first time on an original PS2 with HDretrovision cables hooked up to an HD 5.1 surround system and I feel like I am Kratos!!! Can't wait to continue playing through this adventure on PS5.… Expand
  62. TyyroneMugga
    Nov 20, 2022
    9
    Gameplay - 10/10
    Characters - 8/10
    Visuals - 8/10
    Story - 8.5/10
    Uniqueness - 9/10
  63. 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
  64. 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
  65. 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
  66. 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
  67. 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.
  68. frederik1478
    Jan 18, 2020
    9
    The second best God of War game in the series : And certainly the of hardest ones. It will be an Unforgettable experience . And one of the few games Kratos is not the bad guy
  69. weskergamer
    Dec 19, 2019
    8
    The start of one of the most awesome franchises in video games story, is not perfect but very recommended to everyone
  70. IronFanton
    Nov 21, 2022
    8
    At this point an all-time classic, the first game of God of War, unlike other pieces from the 2000s, has aged so well, and, except some of the old-camera moves and perspectives, that make the game frustrating at some points, the game feel and the story is exceptionally accomplished, turning the beginning of our favorite god killer into a must play masterpiece.
  71. 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
  72. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Sep 10, 2023
    9
    The best action-adventure game on the PlayStation 2. Inspired by the ancient Greek myths, it blends the combat systems of "Onimusha" and "Devil May Cry" with the puzzles and platforming of "Prince of Persia". Featuring gory violence and naughty content, the game certainly earns its 'M' rating. Game creator David Jaffe was inspired by the feature film "Clash of the Titans" and "Heavy Metal"The best action-adventure game on the PlayStation 2. Inspired by the ancient Greek myths, it blends the combat systems of "Onimusha" and "Devil May Cry" with the puzzles and platforming of "Prince of Persia". Featuring gory violence and naughty content, the game certainly earns its 'M' rating. Game creator David Jaffe was inspired by the feature film "Clash of the Titans" and "Heavy Metal" magazine and it shows. The game combines the cinematic presentation of the former with the adult content of the latter.

    God of War is also one of the best looking titles in the PS2 library. The CGI rendered cutscenes are amazing, the animation is smooth and there is no framerate or screen tearing issues. At the time of its release, the game's graphics were noted as being close to Xbox quality. Of course, good gameplay is what really counts and GOW delivers it in spades. This is a 10-12 hour action-adventure game with no padding at all. It's compelling and entertaining from beginning to end. I would give it a 9.5 out of 10.    … Expand
  73. XJoseManuel10X
    Mar 4, 2019
    9
    God of War is a 2005 hack and slash action-adventure video game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony.

    + One of the best Hack and Slash + An Excellent, Variety-Filled Combat System with Plenty of Upgrades + Lots of Challenging + Kratos is a Highly Entertaining Antihero, and the Story Constructed for him Works Brilliantly + Beautiful Character Designs and    God of War is a 2005 hack and slash action-adventure video game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony.

    + One of the best Hack and Slash
    + An Excellent, Variety-Filled Combat System with Plenty of Upgrades
    + Lots of Challenging
    + Kratos is a Highly Entertaining Antihero, and the Story Constructed for him Works Brilliantly
    + Beautiful Character Designs and Environments are Backed up by a Technically Excellent Engine
    + One of the best Orchestral Scores

    My Score: 9.7/10    … Expand
  74. SPLINTERBORN
    Jul 20, 2020
    9
    The Game that started it all back in 2005 and later re-released on PS3, GOD OF WAR is an incredible game. The Visuals are stunning and still hold up well after 14 years, For the most part the puzzles are great and consistent yet that are a few really challenging puzzles that can throw you off the immersion from time to time. The Story is very well written for the time and with sequels andThe Game that started it all back in 2005 and later re-released on PS3, GOD OF WAR is an incredible game. The Visuals are stunning and still hold up well after 14 years, For the most part the puzzles are great and consistent yet that are a few really challenging puzzles that can throw you off the immersion from time to time. The Story is very well written for the time and with sequels and prequels its really well tied up in the franchise. The combat is viscous and bombastic with magic attacks, air attacks and dozens of varied combos it is endless fun from start to finish. As previously stated the puzzles can slow you down further on in the game but it is challenging and it was meant to be played on hard and i love that. It is a great starting point in the series and now god of war ascension has been out for a few years now its great to play one after the other, The bottom line is you have to play it to understand what I've written and i would give the game a great 8.5/10… Expand
  75. bear00766
    Feb 6, 2021
    10
    This game is by far the best game I have ever played on the PS2. It had all the elements you'd expect from a top rate title.
  76. 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
  77. kedireturns
    Jun 5, 2021
    10
    Absolutely fantastic game. Didn't age at all even though I'm playing decades apart. This is what a single player game should be! Perfect match of gameplay drives the story and story drives the gameplay! Superb loved it! Story is fantastic too, writing of this standards is missing nowadays. Terrific stuff! Advice to modern AAA Devs: In modern games, single player games are mostly gameAbsolutely fantastic game. Didn't age at all even though I'm playing decades apart. This is what a single player game should be! Perfect match of gameplay drives the story and story drives the gameplay! Superb loved it! Story is fantastic too, writing of this standards is missing nowadays. Terrific stuff! Advice to modern AAA Devs: In modern games, single player games are mostly game movies. Please learn from this game, how to have the perfect sync of yin & yang of gameplay + story. AWESOME! God of war!!!!… Expand
  78. syandicate
    Aug 25, 2019
    8
    +Good story +Combat is excellent. +Great music
    +Great atmosphere

    +Parkour system is OK for an hack and slash game(but it gets really cancerous in the last hour) -Only 3 boss figths
  79. Max_Spidey
    Oct 8, 2018
    8
    [PT-BR] Clássico,um dos meus jogos favoritos do PS2,história muito boa,tem um ótimo gameplay,é de fato um dos jogos mais memoráveis da geração.
  80. Caisonysta
    Aug 29, 2022
    10
    Jogo incrivel com uma diversidade de combate incrivel pra epoca. Historia marcante, trilha sonora narcante. Jogo completo e não deixa nada a desejar.
  81. AlvaroK95
    Jan 2, 2020
    9
    Un inicio sobresaliente para una saga que recrea de forma inmejorable la mitología griega.
  82. 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!
  83. 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?!
  84. Schism78
    Jul 23, 2018
    7
    A classic Hack and slash with awesome music and story , a very good game for the time
    7.5
  85. Br_AgSs
    Apr 6, 2022
    9
    One of my favorites franchises started with this amazing game. The combat is awesome,frenetic and addictive. The story is great and deep, one of the best PS2 games.
  86. Onask
    Oct 7, 2018
    8
    God of War es mi franquicia favorita de hack & slash, pero he de reconocer que este juego no es tan increíble como me lo esperaba. Sus múltiples secuelas le adelantan por la derecha en todos los aspectos, pero hay que recordar que hablamos de 2005 y PlayStation 2 y tranquilizarse.

    Estableció un nuevo modo de combate de hack & slash y creó su propia identidad en el mundo de los    God of War es mi franquicia favorita de hack & slash, pero he de reconocer que este juego no es tan increíble como me lo esperaba. Sus múltiples secuelas le adelantan por la derecha en todos los aspectos, pero hay que recordar que hablamos de 2005 y PlayStation 2 y tranquilizarse.

    Estableció un nuevo modo de combate de hack & slash y creó su propia identidad en el mundo de los videojuegos, con un personaje carismático, una historia y una ambientación brutal, y unas más que conocidas ejecuciones de enemigos bastante explícitas, lo que hizo realidad los sueños de muchos jugadores.

    Técnicamente imponente en su día, a God of War hay que atribuirle lo que suyo es.

    Imprescindible.    … Expand
  87. Kvantaliani03
    Nov 20, 2021
    8
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs
  88. Xilg
    Aug 14, 2020
    10
    Um jogo revolucionário, com uma história épica e marcante, uma verdadeira obra de arte.
  89. reasonableGamer
    Jan 20, 2019
    8
    The game that set the gold standard for this classic Playstation franchise. Graphics hold up well, it's one of the best-looking PS2 games after all. Gameplay is fluid and refined, bosses as well as normal enemies are a joy to battle. It's fun to try to get better and better with your combos, and while there isn't any direct reward from it (besides extra xp), you will feel the subtleThe game that set the gold standard for this classic Playstation franchise. Graphics hold up well, it's one of the best-looking PS2 games after all. Gameplay is fluid and refined, bosses as well as normal enemies are a joy to battle. It's fun to try to get better and better with your combos, and while there isn't any direct reward from it (besides extra xp), you will feel the subtle satisfaction. The Pandora Temple gives you a bit of Majora´s Mask vibes.
    The game's main drawbacks are some annoying trial-and-error parts, and quick-time events suck too
    from time to time.

    All in all a musthave for PS2 that sometimes frustrates you with aspects that would be considered a no-go nowadays, but holds up surprisingly well nonetheless.
    Score: 83 / 100    … Expand
  90. philzlz
    Mar 21, 2023
    7
    Playing the first God of War in 2023 was a frustrating experience. While the story and cutscenes are great and hold up very well, the game feels unfair. Now I might have forgotten that older games were way harder but some sequences were overtuned with enemies that took too long to kill and constantly respawned. The blocking system did not feel natural and you became stunned easily whichPlaying the first God of War in 2023 was a frustrating experience. While the story and cutscenes are great and hold up very well, the game feels unfair. Now I might have forgotten that older games were way harder but some sequences were overtuned with enemies that took too long to kill and constantly respawned. The blocking system did not feel natural and you became stunned easily which took momentum out of fights.

    I loved the level design and the mix with puzzles on the other hand, the camera work was stellar showing you impressive vistas in the background that made the levels feel bigger than they are. There are hidden secrets and chests to find and the environments are varied enough.

    Overall the game did not age very well and would have received a better rating from me on release.    … Expand
  91. NWStarightEdge
    Apr 18, 2019
    9
    One of the most challenging games I've ever played. The settings in this, the villains, the game play, the story... just amazing.

    Also one of the most frustrating games I've ever played^^ But happy to have in my collection
  92. AdleneIV
    Jan 10, 2019
    10
    This Should be called God of PS2 Game ,because it's the best PS2 game ever .… Expand
  93. gameking
    Sep 1, 2022
    8
    This game has a lot of good things. The gameplay, character designs, level design etc. This game is little bit long but it is okay. You just boring a few episode. The weapon types are not too many. We have too many spells in this game but you can't use effectively because the magic capacity is not too much.
  94. KratosKong
    Jun 20, 2019
    10
    El comienzo de una leyenda y el comienzo de la historia de Kratos. Este grandioso videojuego fue toda una sorpresa en su momento. La jugabilidad consiste en un Hack n slash que ya de por si toma como referente dos excelentes juegos como son ICO y Devil may cry. Para mi uno de los mejores juegos de la historia sin lugar a dudas.
  95. PlayerOtaku
    Feb 5, 2019
    10
    Amazing! Great fighting system, very good graphics! Surrounding history. I really like that kind of game.
  96. TwoBe
    Dec 4, 2020
    9
    This was my first God of War game, I played it in hard mode and I played it in PS Now. It was epic, challenging and buggy but epic. The final battle was one of the longest and best ones I’ve ever played, and it was not only challenging but dramatic too, you need skills and a good strategy to finish the game, it’s not just a random hash and slash fight.

    The combat mechanics were really    This was my first God of War game, I played it in hard mode and I played it in PS Now. It was epic, challenging and buggy but epic. The final battle was one of the longest and best ones I’ve ever played, and it was not only challenging but dramatic too, you need skills and a good strategy to finish the game, it’s not just a random hash and slash fight.

    The combat mechanics were really good with the only disadvantage of not being able to control the camera angles, the camera blinds you on purpose at times during the fights and that can become very frustrating because it is not about skill anymore but luck, you just end up pushing buttons blindly hoping to defend yourself or give a hit. Despite that it was really fun to play.

    The puzzles weren’t hard to crack but they weren’t easy either, they had the right balance, enough to challenge you and enough to progress further in the game. The story was impactful, is not deep and they don’t give you much but what they give is worth your while.

    I think the developers did a great job with the game despite all the technical issues, it was an epic adventure and I had a lot of fun playing it.    … Expand
  97. Soullex
    Nov 15, 2022
    10
    Muhteşem bir intikam hikayesi başlangıcı. Şu an oynasanız oynanışı yavan gelmez. Hikaye, oynanış, atmosfer, karakterler her şey on numara.
  98. elolugo
    Oct 14, 2020
    10
    Fun, challenging, epic, brutal, violent, great story, great combat. One of the best if not THE best game available for PS2
  99. Nameless2131
    Feb 6, 2020
    10
    10/10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  100. Miguelbpaes
    Apr 14, 2023
    9
    Por mais que atualmente God of War tenha envelhecido mal, analisando em retrospecto, é um dos melhores hack'n'slash já lançados na história. Com gameplay refinada, gráficos excelentes, brutalidade sem igual e com um protagonista memorável, tornam o título imprescindível para o PS2.
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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 »