God of War
Producer: Sony
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Platform: PS3
Rating: Mature
Genre: Action
God Among Men
Written by Jesse Seilhan
Every generation, a videogame franchise emerges as the foundation for what a “good” game should be, spawning myriads of imitators and detractors, all owing their lives to this great series. In the ’80s, Mario was king and the next decade saw the rise of sports games and RPG’s. This past decade, however, one franchise rose above the rest and is now synonymous with third person action/adventure with their creation God of War. The retelling of classic Greek stories combined with epic scenery, fluid combat and more style than Fashion Week has proven to be more than a success—its become a movement. The original two games launched on Playstation2, the third on PS3, but today we’re looking at two oft-forgotten entries into the series, namely the PSP titles Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta. These two games never quite got the attention their bigger siblings did (mostly due to their portable console not being as popular as the home consoles), but Sony has decided to release those two in a single package for the PS3 dubbed God of War: Origins Collection.
The original two titles in this franchise were both given an HD upgrade and ported to PS3 with grand success, but those games were made a generation ago and show their age, even with a new coat of polish. These PSP games, however, were built for portability and travel, creating small chunks of furious combat to take with you on the bus or on a lunch break. Also, these games were already head-and-shoulders above their brethren when they came out and the up-res’ed graphics created for PS3 only made them look even better. There isn’t a single loading screen or a blemish in the graphics, nor do the audio or controls suffer from the move. In all, every effort was made to ensure smooth gameplay, which is the crux of this series. Mixing light and heavy attacks with grapples, magic and endless combos is exactly why you play God of War and all of that has been faithfully recreated. Aside from Kratos’ blades, players will be able to wield some giant stone fists, a spear and multiple spells that create screen-filling devastation.
The beauty of a package like this is the size and scope. Both games feature epic set pieces, designed by the Gods themselves, often twisting and turning the hero Kratos into the bowels of Hades before lifting him to the tops of Mount Olympus. Parts that should feel canned do not, even when forced to return to an area previously explored. When the camera changes perspective in a place you’ve already been, the game not only keeps it fresh by showing you something different, but often advances the story or subtly guides the player toward the next path. The level design and architecture is just as important in the story telling as the script and dialogue, something most games often forget.
The only frustration comes when a quick-time event has too short of an input window or the quick-succession shoulder button mashing doesn’t work for an unknown reason. Other than that, and the inability to switch between the two titles without quitting the game and starting over, there is little to grieve over. This two-tiered title is potentially the best value for your $40, as was the first God of War Collection. Fans of this series may not even be aware of these two portable classics, but with new graphics, better controls and 3D support, there is no excuse for not playing the most influential franchise of its generation.