Bow down to 'God'

Back in 2005, Sony unleashed "God of War" on the masses. The blood-soaked tale of Kratos, a Spartan warrior raging against the god Ares, was voted by many as one of the best Playstation 2 games ever, and its newly released sequel surpasses it on almost every level. Kratos now seeks to change his fate by confronting Zeus himself, and with the help of the Titans (a race once greater than the gods themselves), he's got a shot.\nThe game commences with one of the most epic boss battles I've ever tackled, but before long Kratos' effort to change his fate finds him on the Isle of Creation, a massive rock crawling with a population of ravenous baddies to kill and intricate puzzles to solve. The controls are more fluid than in the first game, and Kratos' signature weapons, the Blades of Chaos, are as formidable and combo-friendly as ever. The massive locations and difficult challenges Kratos encounters on the Isle of Creation are often nothing short of jaw-dropping, and best not spoiled here; suffice it to say the sense of accomplishment you'll feel after beating the game will rival any PS2 game since "Shadow of the Colossus."\nSony's decision to release "God of War 2" exclusively on the Playstation 2 was a smart one, given the Playstation 3's slow start out of the next-gen console gate. The graphics are stunning, but depending on whether your television supports Progressive Scan, there can be some minor issues with frame rate when Kratos is covering a lot of ground quickly. My tube TV fell victim to this, but anyone with a newer TV shouldn't have a problem. As with the first "God of War," the game's orchestral and choir score complements the grandiose scope of the game and kicks in at all the right moments.\n"God of War 2" comes complete with a ton of extras and rewards, such as different costumes for Kratos, the impossibly difficult Challenge of the Titans mode and, for those who manage to beat the game on the highest difficulty setting, a customizable battle mode that provides hours of extended fun. Also included is a bonus DVD chronicling the games production, development and testing. The DVD also features a slew of lost level demos and unused game element concepts that fans will find themselves wishing were made part of the finished product.\n"God of War 2" is simply one of the best third-person actioners in the Playstation 2's catalog, surpassing its predecessor in terms of visuals, music, controls and challenge. The game's earth-shaking final scene promises that the upcoming "God of War 3" will be even more epic than this installment, which at first seems like an insurmountable task, but if the developers could top the first game this thoroughly, I wouldn't put it past them to top the second.