If you told someone that you played God of War recently, they would naturally assume you were talking about the 2018 reboot. That's not to say the PS2 game that started the series has become irrelevant, but the revival of GoW in 2018, along with being more recent, has massively exploded the franchise in a way not previously done before, so it's only natural that it would occupy the collective subconscious when compared to its relatively diminutive cousin. Of course, practically everyone who's aware of God of War at least is aware of the series debut, but it might shock some who decide to check it out. God of War (2018) is beloved for, among other things, for its narrative value and cinematic style. God of War (2005), well, isn't. This is not the emotional, character focused journey of a wiser man and his son. No, this is a bloodthirsty, unapologetic, brutal hack-and-slash, full of everything you'd expect from a violent, over-the-top action game. But don't be deceived, though; it's still very good.
God of War was certainly a product of its time, in more ways than one. Of course, it clearly took a good amount of inspiration from earlier PS2 title Devil May Cry (as did many), and it's certainly got that typical mid-2000s edginess to it. Appropriately, this is showcased most in the combat, and it's pretty well done. Chaining together combos is fluid and effective, and even when you're fighting hordes of enemies, Kratos's skill in combat is demonstrated by the player always feeling like they have the upper hand, even if ever so slightly. There are specific enemies that always give health or always give mana, so the game creates an impressive balance where you are always looking to kill specific enemies in specific ways. It's true that the game has a certain overreliance on quick time events during battle, and enemy variety is relatively low for the amount of fighting in the game, but your skills generally progress naturally enough that your moveset doesn't have time to become boring by the time you learn a new skill, or unlock a new combo.
Interestingly, for a series that is probably well known for its larger-than-life boss fights, GOW1 features only a few, with varying quality. Fighting a Hydra and a Minotaur are both pretty exciting, high-octane fun with a lot of brutally engaging cutscenes. But the game's final fight against Ares is a huge disappointment. In truth it's dreadful, and it's almost antithetical to the game's entire philosophy. It's a monumental let down from what should have been a truly epic encounter.
Surprisingly enough, while the combat is generally good, it's not the aspect of the game that continuously delights-it's the world design. One of the most impressive features of God of War is how it manages to be both a linear and a cyclical experience. The game's world has a great degree of connectivity, and it feels great when you realize how much time was spent to make its locales feel organic. You often return to areas from a new perspective or with a new ability, but because you're traveling in well-designed loops as opposed to straight lines, it doesn't feel like mindless backtracking, it feels more like a meticulously designed set that exists outside of your interaction with it. Particularly impressive is the game's main setting; Pandora's Temple, an expertly crafted setting full of light puzzles, thematic cohesion, and impressive architecture. It truly nails that Greek myth feeling. The Athens sections also are great, where the weight of Kratos's task is truly communicated as a massive Ares causes havoc in the background, almost permanently in view. (Which, sadly, only makes the final boss fight feel all the worse.)
If you want to play God of War for the first time, though, you have to make some concessions. As mentioned previously, this is an unapologetically brutal and edgy game; as a result, its overboard violent nature can get a bit old, and don't expect to see many of the few women in the game fully clothed. The story also falls a bit flat; Kratos doesn't really fit into the morally gray character archetype they were going for, and it ends up feeling more like your typical revenge tale. Gameplay wise, it's most unforgivable sin is likely just time wasting, as its overreliance on QTEs and more-frequent-than-necessary block pushing puzzles do hurt the pacing somewhat. And for the love of Zeus, R2 should never be a button mash option.
It's only natural that the series will grow and change (and in this case, mature) over time, and God of War is no exception. Narratives in video games were certainly not as cinematically stylized at the time. But just because GOW1 doesn't give you the modern God of War experience, that doesn't make it not worth playing. In fact, quite the contrary, and with God of War for the PS2, you can experience some excellent level design, enjoyable combat, and the beginning to a massively popular series...As long as you can handle that vintage 2000s edge.
God of War was certainly a product of its time, in more ways than one. Of course, it clearly took a good amount of inspiration from earlier PS2 title Devil May Cry (as did many), and it's certainly got that typical mid-2000s edginess to it. Appropriately, this is showcased most in the combat, and it's pretty well done. Chaining together combos is fluid and effective, and even when you're fighting hordes of enemies, Kratos's skill in combat is demonstrated by the player always feeling like they have the upper hand, even if ever so slightly. There are specific enemies that always give health or always give mana, so the game creates an impressive balance where you are always looking to kill specific enemies in specific ways. It's true that the game has a certain overreliance on quick time events during battle, and enemy variety is relatively low for the amount of fighting in the game, but your skills generally progress naturally enough that your moveset doesn't have time to become boring by the time you learn a new skill, or unlock a new combo.
Interestingly, for a series that is probably well known for its larger-than-life boss fights, GOW1 features only a few, with varying quality. Fighting a Hydra and a Minotaur are both pretty exciting, high-octane fun with a lot of brutally engaging cutscenes. But the game's final fight against Ares is a huge disappointment. In truth it's dreadful, and it's almost antithetical to the game's entire philosophy. It's a monumental let down from what should have been a truly epic encounter.
Surprisingly enough, while the combat is generally good, it's not the aspect of the game that continuously delights-it's the world design. One of the most impressive features of God of War is how it manages to be both a linear and a cyclical experience. The game's world has a great degree of connectivity, and it feels great when you realize how much time was spent to make its locales feel organic. You often return to areas from a new perspective or with a new ability, but because you're traveling in well-designed loops as opposed to straight lines, it doesn't feel like mindless backtracking, it feels more like a meticulously designed set that exists outside of your interaction with it. Particularly impressive is the game's main setting; Pandora's Temple, an expertly crafted setting full of light puzzles, thematic cohesion, and impressive architecture. It truly nails that Greek myth feeling. The Athens sections also are great, where the weight of Kratos's task is truly communicated as a massive Ares causes havoc in the background, almost permanently in view. (Which, sadly, only makes the final boss fight feel all the worse.)
If you want to play God of War for the first time, though, you have to make some concessions. As mentioned previously, this is an unapologetically brutal and edgy game; as a result, its overboard violent nature can get a bit old, and don't expect to see many of the few women in the game fully clothed. The story also falls a bit flat; Kratos doesn't really fit into the morally gray character archetype they were going for, and it ends up feeling more like your typical revenge tale. Gameplay wise, it's most unforgivable sin is likely just time wasting, as its overreliance on QTEs and more-frequent-than-necessary block pushing puzzles do hurt the pacing somewhat. And for the love of Zeus, R2 should never be a button mash option.
It's only natural that the series will grow and change (and in this case, mature) over time, and God of War is no exception. Narratives in video games were certainly not as cinematically stylized at the time. But just because GOW1 doesn't give you the modern God of War experience, that doesn't make it not worth playing. In fact, quite the contrary, and with God of War for the PS2, you can experience some excellent level design, enjoyable combat, and the beginning to a massively popular series...As long as you can handle that vintage 2000s edge.