God of War (2005 Video Game) User Reviews

An absolute classic.

[knowledge · 10/10 · 3 June 2006]

God of war is an instant classic, its a visceral, exciting, intriguing adventure of a game that grips you in away that few games can .

Playing as kratos (one of the most bad ass game characters ever) god of war invites you to solve the brilliantly conceived puzzles and fight the truly awe inspiring monsters of a game that pushes the PS2 to its limits.

God of war excels in all areas -amazing graphics , a simple but brutally effective combat system, Great character designs, a beautifully haunting score and a storyline that you actually give a hoot about.The only problem (and i stress the word "only") is that it has bad replay value-to get all of the games extra goodies you have to complete the game AGAIN in a pretty darned impossible "god mode". Apart from that though, its all good.

God of war is one of my favourite games ever and if you haven't played it then i suggest you do . Now.

On par with such masterpieces as Prince Of Persia: SOT, WW, TTT

[XAEEM · 9/10 · 21 August 2006]

I picked this up two days ago in the pre-owned bucket as couldn't afford it when it came out. As soon as it was in my slimline, AWE and AMAZEMENT, brilliant cinematics and dramatic story. It gets you hooked from the start and makes you wonder what will happen to Kratos and why he's doing what he does. The game is beautiful, frame rate is excellent even with many enemies on the screen.

A lot of attention to detail is applied to all the characters including NPCs and other 'extras' that are normally very generic. The main character himself is detailed to the bone, watching Kratos walk and accelerate into a run is a feast to the eye.

The levels are beautifully designed and the puzzles are just hard enough to keep you interested but easy enough not to get you frustrated.

The action element is very present, unlocking combos, upgrading weapons and magic spells really makes a difference to the gameplay. The combos are varied and very well animated.

Gore: this game is definitely an adult title, i have played violent games before but this is a level above, not that its any grittier but its just more stylish, there isn't loads of blood just for the sake of it, you have to execute the best combos to get the chance to see what I'm talking about but the actions of Kratos really characterize him and makes you believe in the fact that he's a seasoned warrior(thats actually an understatement)

Partial nudity in there but nothing too naughty and OMG the bosses and GODS are the very best part of this game, fighting the HYDRA is a treat and watching Ares stomping in the background while you are scouring the mountains is just one of the small touches that prove that a lot of time has been put into developping this game. Definitely worth the buy!

The first game of an incredible saga!

[Lady_Targaryen · 8/10 · 12 April 2010]

God of War is one of the most successful video games of all times, mixing the '' beat ' em up'' and the '' action adventure'' genres in just one game.

It had success in introducing the story of the spartan Kratos with the Greek mythology already known by many. In this first game of the franchise, Kratos needs to defeat Ares, the god of war, (and responsible for making Kratos murder his family) by the request of the Gods. Since Ares is attacking Athens, the goddess Athena herself tells Kratos that if he destroys Ares, he will be forgiven for the acts of cruelty he did, and also will be able to forget his horrible past.

This game is full of puzzles, beautiful scenarios (that are a great characteristic from all the God of War games)and many action scenes.

In my personal opinion, sometimes the game gets tiring specially because of the many puzzles and many moments you need to come back to the same spot you were before. I also think that, of all the God of War games, this one is harder then the other ones.

''Gow 1'' is a mandatory game in the collection of anyone who enjoys Greek mythology, massive destruction or simply wants to play a very good game.

Definitely one of the best games for the PS2 and of 2005.

[BlackJack_B · 28 August 2005]

God Of War, released on March 22, 2005, is one of the best action games ever released on any console. David Jaffe and his team at Sony-Santa Monica have created a game that is better than the Japanese created Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden.

This game is noted for its deep use of Greek Mythology. Mr. Jaffe for years had wanted to make a game based on it. You are Kratos, a super-human who at the start of the game is seen falling to his death. The game then goes back to three weeks earlier where you control the chain of events that lead to him committing suicide.

Kratos has two attacks, magic, and a jump and a roll/evade move. Combat is a breeze and is very satisfying. In this game, you are powerful enough as is to combat your opponents. You gain orbs to increase your powers and the Gods themselves bestow you the magic.

The game is an absolute work of art. The graphics are some of the best you'll see with much detail on the enemies and the locales. The controls are easy to get into and the manual details everything for you. Combat features mostly hack and slash but there will be times you'll do specific button presses or Track-And-Field style button mashing against tougher enemies or bosses.

The music is outstanding; perhaps one of the best original scores ever created. The voice acting is top-notch with Oscar-winning actress Linda Hunt providing the narration. Best of all, the game is just plain fun. You can get into it right away. It can be beaten in 10-12 hours but you'll want to replay it.

One word of warning: this game is rated M and it richly deserves it. There is a lot of violence, blood and gore, and some nudity throughout the game. This isn't a game for kids or the squeamish. For everybody else, this is the PS2s best game of 2005, maybe the year's best, and a game franchise to keep your eye on.

A very good action game with a very cool character...Kratos.

[Aaron1375 · 9/10 · 26 November 2008]

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 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!!!

An Incredible game with an equally great story to boot!

[bigveeddt · 10/10 · 13 December 2005]

I'd give this game a 10/10 easy..

Presentation: The story, though an old one, shines in the way it is told..it truly makes you want to slaughter the God of War..

Graphics: I'm not the greatest at noticing 'supperior' graphics..however I must say the game looks great and the art style/presentation is very well done. The cinematics are fun to watch and the 'feel' of the game is exciting through and through.

Sound: The single most notable aspect of the game (in mine and many others opinions) is the sounds that create its atmosphere. The music and voice acting were so good that I was compelled to download the soundtrack. I've also immitated the scenes, incorporating the quotes into my daily conversations for laughs. Good stuff.

Gameplay: I've played DMC3 and all the 'new' Prince of Persia games and must say that neither comes close in drawing my attention like God of War did. The puzzles were MUCH better than I thought they would be. The Boss fights are the best I've ever encountered (and the most fun)on a action-adventure game although a bit easy (even on God Mode). The Challenge of the Gods offered more tilt value to the game, though through means of utter frustration in Challenge 8 and 10 (still enjoyable if you're a glutton for punishment). The bonus features are cool all round (especially the video features..that had there work cut out for them). Kratos was a FREAK..the Blades of Chaos were well done, though Artemis could have used some fine tuning (plus the small detail that the nature of the fighting mechanic in easier difficulties seems so incredibly "hack n' slash"). Underwater and in air fighting mechanics plus a few more bosses would have been excellent (I understand however that time ran out and they needed to see some money or risk losing everything). The 'fatalities' are my favorite aspect of this game without a doubt. They throw no punchs and I love that. It makes killing your enemies SO much more satisfying then them slowly fading away or simply bursting into mist.....

~I've played this game more than 24 times..14 on God Mode..this game is well worth the price of purchase in my book..however..if you have a problem with short games you should just rent it..if you think it's too easy..play God Mode *that's were the fun's at!!!*

Finally a VG that I can relate to!

[Deoglood · 10/10 · 25 March 2007]

This outstanding slice-n-dicer arises from the under utilized ancient Greek mythology. While not completely rooted in historical myth, the authors have created a well though out, intriguing storyline that brings both ambitious goals and better than most emotionality to the screen.

The interface, while very functional as most Playstation games are, is exceptionally intuitive and rewarding. When I began my first game, on a moderate setting, I was expecting to be daunted by the numerous, very beautifully rendered moves preformed by Kratos, the game's hero. Forgive me for doubting, since I've turned 35, I have found that programming VCRs has become challenging. I'm sure that a seven or fifteen year old will wonder what I'm even talking about.

This game is gory. It's not just gory for gory's sake, but honest to gory gosh gory because the hero is a violent guy. I loved the feel of this, because it reminded me of watching the swords & sandals movies, just as they slashed and wrestled their way to ultimate, noble glory, so does Kratos. In fact, if there is any real flaw, it is because there is perhaps too much hubris distributed among all the characters in this game.

I've been bored of the video game industry's fascination with anime and the Japanese spiky- haired teen heroes. There is plenty of luscious large-chested babes in slinky, barely decent attire, and then you have 'warriors' that look like ten-year-olds in safety-mom's dream football gear. I've never been a big costume fan. In God of War, Kratos is rendered bare- chested and powerfully built, with a blazing red body tattoo, scars and white skin. It's something I can relate to. He's moody, vicious, and he extracts blood and limbs like nobody's business. I can relate to this too.

The God of War world is expansive, inviting exploration as well as providing very good direction, and only once did I have any trouble with the puzzles. I spent nearly two days solid trying to place a dumb crate into a room to jump to a ledge. Apparently it had to be just so, and I kid you now, I was near destroying my console with my bare hands, Kratos style.

If this game has any educational value what so ever, it will teach patience, and that try, try, try yet again will eventually pay off. This game stays in my personal library. I love it.

God of war, a really long game...

[jamesroyalty05 · 10/10 · 15 October 2006]

This game is the best game that I have ever played on any game console ever created, and that I've played. It is a long, and complex game, if your using cheats or not. However, all of the game is graphically rich and pushes the envelope. This is a good stress relieving game when in the massive, and I mean massive, fights that are in some areas. But in others areas I think you'll find that it is down right annoying simply because you have to figure things out. (for those who have played the game I am talking about the spinning blade towers in hades.) This game takes place for the most part between two places, ancient Greece, and Pandora's temple, but there are lots of places to go and explore in this game which will really give you an overwhelming felling of how massive this game is.

Even The Gods Fear This Games Greatness

[Movie_reaper · 10/10 · 1 October 2006]

This is the most fun I have ever had playing a video game. It is gore, mythical beasts, puzzles, and boobs! What more could you want? The graphics are terrific, especially for the PS2. The music is epic and the voice acting is great! The gameplay is fun with great and smooth controls. Every time you pull off a combo you fell good about it.

Although I am only eleven, I respect the challenging puzzles in the game. The really help the game from getting repetitive. I have played through the game at least three times on each difficulty and I might just play through it again! If you own a PS2 and don't have this game, GET IT.

10/10

If they make a movie i think Frankie G should do should be Kratos

[zach88 · 10/10 · 7 May 2006]

This game is awesome and Frankie G has everything it takes. HE's got the body the look and the voice. If u don't know who Frankie G is, he is the guy from Saw II who tossed that girl in that pit of syringes. Can you believe he's 40 years old?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? The game has a great story line interesting characters and addicting game play. When you get to the end you almost feel motivated to kill. This game should make for an interesting movie i just hope they don't screw it up if they decide to. Note that this game is not for children it contains nudity and loads of blood and gore especially in the cut scenes.

This game gets a 10/10 and should have been the video game of the year!!

Legend,Legend,LEGENNND

[BatuhanEnizToprakman · 10/10 · 28 October 2018]

God of war for me the most beautiful mythological construction of both action and jigsaw puzzle with kratos very first step in the way of killing the game I think the most legendary games playstation I think this

The Gods of Olympus have abandoned me.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 10/10 · 12 May 2020]

'God Of War (2005)' is great. It's a hack 'n' slash title set in Ancient Greece that focuses on Kratos, a vengeance-seeking soldier on a mission to kill Ares, the God of war. The story of this first entry is told mainly via intermittent flashbacks, with Kratos' enigmatic backstory slowly being revealed to the player as they progress towards their ultimate, deadly goal. This two-handed approach works really well, leading to a well-paced and propulsive narrative that serves as more than just an excuse for all the killing. Having said that, killing does make up a majority of the experience. The gameplay consists of two things: combat and puzzles. Both are enjoyable but it's the former that really stands out, with a myriad of moves slowly unlocking as you progress. The monsters you fight are all inspired by Greek mythology, as is the whole experience, and they make for some fierce foes. There's plenty of bloodshed and gore here but it doesn't seem out of place. Kratos isn't a good guy; he's barely even an anti-hero. In mean, he'd rather kill a civilian than move one step to the side to pass them. Because of this, though we understand his motivations, we don't completely empathise with him. Instead, we sort of watch in horror as he descends further into his seemingly unceasing fury. Yet, the plot is still surprisingly gripping and his character isn't as cardboard as you may expect. It's a unique approach to writing that works wonders for this type of title. In the end, the game is a blast. It looks great and controls just as well. It's a hugely entertaining time and is certainly one of the best that the PS2 have to offer. 10/10

Kratos' journey to The God Of War

[kyrenj · 7/10 · 5 December 2021]

I played this recently for the first time ever.

The opening is amazing and really gets you hooked.

This game was revolutionary when it came out, I can see why.

This is a fun Slash and Hack game, with lots of ground to it, it feels driven and keeps you playing. Lots of enemies, puzzles and upgrading. It feels complete and new, the story really pushes the interest of the player and gets better throughout.

Towards the end it felt a bit dragged out for more playtime, other than that I thoroughly liked it.

whoa

[smellyface20002000 · 11 April 2005]

that is the only word i have to describe this game, whoa. everything about this game is amazing. the level design is superb and original, offering new challenges that seem daunting, but aren't too hard to figure out. the character design is amazing, from the smallest grunt, to the tallest god (of war... sorry, i couldn't resist) the animations and movements of the characters are smooth and great top look at. the fighting looks kind of like a button masher, but it is deep, layered, and fun to get into, offering combos that give you more experience, or letting you rip your enemy in half. the only complaint is that a lot of the gore is over the top, like ripping the wings off a harpie, ripping the arm off an enemy and killing them with hit, and lastly (the most fun to watch) stabbing a Minotaur in the face. all in all, this is the reason action adventure games were created, the reason for anyone who doesn't already to get a ps2, and, dare i say?, the best ps2 game I've ever played, 10/10

Athenaaaa

[Badr90s · 10/10 · 3 October 2021]

A PS2 greek god, a masterpiece by all means, bossfights soundtrack the game design the protaginist ofcourse .. Kratos.

Best "road-to-revenge" story ever told.

[jebyvyson · 9/10 · 3 May 2019]

Everything is this game is satisfying as hell. I love the story of God of War, telling us how Kratos became what he had become as you move along in the story and delivering spectacular things I enjoyed experiencing. This game. The WHOLE series at hold, is all about experience. For a game that came out in 2005, it has age, but the story, gameplay, and characters are the one that holds up and I highly recommend this. You well not be disappointed, TRUST ME!

the best game ever made?

[brandon_lee420 · 10/10 · 12 April 2008]

i got my ps2 with this game cause i heard people saying its a masterpiece, best game on ps2, should not be missed etc. i set up my ps2 and i played this game and it was more than a masterpiece really i loved it. i kept it really safe from people that want to harm it.

now about the game, this game is amazing really the powers, the swords, the graphics , the characters, monsters and bosses, and really really fun .

guys if you think the game is sh(i)t try it out by yourself dogg. then see what i really mean .

game spot: best action-adventure game on ps2 should not be missed. ign: the best game on ps2

GAMING INNOVATION!

[Analog_Devotee · 10/10 · 26 July 2021]

Absolute phenomenal hack n' slash affair chock full of intuitive gameplay and Greek Mythology. It's no wonder this game became an instant classic -- in '05, we'd never seen anything quite like it.

This first entry is still my favorite of the bunch.

Absolute Masterpiece, breath of fresh air from the game movies we see now

[kedireturns · 10/10 · 5 June 2021]

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 game movies. Please learn from this game, how to have the perfect sync of yin & yang of gameplay + story. AWESOME! God of war!!!!

A fantastic place to start...

[maxglen · 8/10 · 9 November 2020]

God of War (2005) has aged quite well if you ask me. 15 years and it still looks and plays beautifully. It's not a perfect title, in my opinion, being a little bogged down by unvaried but still pretty impressive level design. I think God of War is at it's height when it's supplying you with it's emotionally packed narrative and epic boss battles which despite being few and far between are easy highlights of my playtime. Although it would be surpassed by it's sequel just 2 years later, God of War (2005) does enough to entice the player and stand out amongst the rising tide of blockbuster video games.

Verdict: An 8 out of 10

Brilliant! One of Playstation's Best!

[scottama · 10/10 · 12 April 2008]

This game is fantastic. After a year of owning a PS3, this was the only PS2 game I had gone back to. Finally, in March 08, a year after the release of God Of War II, I bought it. I decided I'd go back and play God of War and then play GOWII over the weekend.

I was blown away again. The first PS2 game I'v played on my new HDTV and it's brilliant. The graphics are brilliant, the sense of scale is incredible, the music is fantastic and the storyline is epic.

I would not hesitate to put this in my Top 5 PS2 games, and I'd even put it in my top three (bettered only by its sequel, and Shadow of the Colossus). I completed God of War after two full days of sitting in the house and playing, and it's fantastic. It's very hard to convey just how strongly I feel about this game.

God of War is brilliant at creating a sense of scale that so many other games have tried and failed to do.

Buy it, buy God of War II, buy a PSP, buy Chains of Olympus, buy a PS3, buy God of War III!

God Of war

[ritikrafukiya · 9/10 · 20 December 2019]

One of the best game of all time best experience by plaing

It's alright but I really don't get the hype.

[chunkylefunga · 6/10 · 18 October 2019]

So I had high hopes for this game given how much the industry has gone on about it but I really just don't see why everyone is raving about this game.

The controls: Why you can't move the camera around kratos is beyond me, I mean it's gaming 101 to allow you to see all around your character, so quite frequently you're moving/fighting with completly the wrong camera angle.

Ths storyline: It's nice to see various parts of Greek mythology come to life and the Ares storyline is fine enough but it's a bit paint by number. Would have been nicer to have some twists and turns along the way. And as for only revealing kratos is Zeus' son after completing the game is just bizarre, surely kratos should have been given powers to reflect this. I mean they didn't have to reveal zeus is his father, they could have just given him mysterious powers and allude to an unknown father.

The fighting: The combos are very limited and soon enough you'll be doing the same combo over and over again as you work out which is the most effective. They could have done with way more combos/controls. A few different weapons would have been nice.

Graphics: The cut scene videos are nice enough but the actual gameplay graphics are very clunky, you can very blatantly see where corners have been cut and as for the cyclops? Very badly designed, you can't even really see that he's a cyclops.

Shame the lift level that we saw in the trailers was cut, that looked quite interesting.

And as for hyping it up as having a massive world? If it's soo massive then why isn't it an open world? They really shot themselves in the foot but making it 100% linear. Easily would have gotten 2 more stars from me for making it open world.

So all in all it's just an ok game with loads of room for improvement, which hopefully will be done if they make a sequel.

Awesome Graphics and Gameplay

[thedapp · 12 April 2005]

The last game I really enjoyed on the PS2 was Metal Gear Solid 3. I loved everything about it, mainly the game-play, graphics, and story. Since then, I've bombarded with a series boring and bland titles. When will something good come out?!

Luckily, something good did come out; but I wasn't there on the game's release. I was a bit skeptical about God of War because there have been a few Sony games in the past with a bunch of hype that didn't live up to the hype. However, GOW is completely different. After hearing the reviews for God of War and finding it for only $32.99 on Outpost; I had to give it a try.

Boy was I amazed!

The graphics are outstanding and the controls are very easy to play. Anyone can pick up this game and have fun. That's what I love about it because I don't really have much time to get too involved with a 'tedious' game.

Hardcore gamers might complain about the game being too easy, not having enough replay value, or it being too short. I, on the other hand, embrace it for the same reasons. I loved the story, graphics, and gameplay; it was an excellent game.

Graphics: 10, beautiful in HD Game-play: 9, easy-yet fun Sound: 10, just awesome w/ loud speakers Story: 9, very entertaining Overall: 9.7

Overrated but still fairly enjoyable

[gangstahippie · 8/10 · 7 August 2007]

Rated M for Strong Bloody Violence,Sexual Content and Nudity

When I got my Playstation 2, I wanted to get this game.

I heard it was one of the greatest games for the PS2.So I got it and I played it.

Well,the graphics were amazing and it was fun but afterwords it got a bit repetitive and annoying.

I just didn't like it as much as I thought I would.

Its not a bad game, if you have the PS2 its worth the $20.

Its pretty violent and fun at times but I just expected a bit more.

8/10