God of War: Ghost of Sparta REVIEW

Kratos proves that even after all these years, he can still kick ass and take names.

#1) Gameplay: Enjoyability

While technology has changed a lot since Kratos’ debut in his original PS2 title, the man (and his games) remains much the same. You still interchange mashing the Triangle and Square buttons to create a string of light and heavy combos (I shouldn't have to explain that too much). But there's actually a new power that you unlock fairly early on. And this is the Fire Gauge. After you acquire it, you use it to deal extra damage to enemies by lighting the Blades of Athena on fire mid-swing. This can be used the rush weak enemies, or break through the armor of tougher ones. And while this sounds like a straight-forward addition, it really isn't. The gauge is limited, and charges over extended periods of non-use. More than once I used the gauge to kill a weak enemy, only to be tackled almost immediately by another enemy, that I could have stopped if I hadn't been so hasty in using up all my Fire. It sounds shallow, I know, but on higher difficulties, missing that one opportunity can be fatal. Since some enemies can only be killed with fire, the gauge becomes mandatory almost right after you get it. Normally this would piss me off, but since it's a rather useful ability, I actually WANTED to use it. It has some sweet side effects you earn as you upgrade it (don't worry, I won't spoil it for you) using the "souls" of your enemies (Kratos' currency of choice), so the Fire Gauge becomes an integral part of the this adventure. The game as a whole is just as fun as the original, and is DEFINITELY worth your time.
Score: 9

#2) Gameplay: Playability

I have 3 words for you: smooth difficulty curve. It’s been a while since I’ve played a game that grew as you played it. It starts easy, and finishes with you losing 90% of your health meter and screaming in frustration as you attempt to kill the last enemy on the screen (or at least that's what happened to me). And that's a good thing. Without a challenge, you might as well be staring at a sponge for 6 hours. The controls are smooth (although sometimes I had problems activating the fire gauge mid-combo, but that may have just been me being stupid), and it's easy to string together attacks (so easy it's almost effortless). It never feels like the game's fault when you die; Newcomers and casual gamers alike should be able to jump into the fray with ease.  

Score: 10

#3) Replay Value: Play Again?

Unfortunately, there isn't much of a point to playing through the campaign again (other than getting more souls to unlock extras). The campaign is about 6 hours long (I screwed around a bunch so it's probably more like 5), and almost entirely linear. Sure, there's a couple branching paths, but that's about the extent of your exploration. So if you play again, chances are it'll be to unlock something, or to experience the story again. I'm not so sure this game can truly warrant another playthrough beyond the obvious...
Score: 6

#4) Replay Value: Extras

Extras! Oh how how I love thee! Shall I count the ways? God of War: Ghost of Sparta is boasting with extras! You can re-watch the cutscenes, take on the Challenge of the Gods (rage your little heart out Kratos), visit the Temple of Zeus to unlock a BUNCH of neat extras, or mess around in the Combat Arena (my favorite feature). What do these things do? Well, you can unlock new costumes, fight any enemy on your own terms, and power up Kratos even further after the curtain falls on the last act. Overall, the extras are a solid addition to the title.
Score: 9 

#5) Graphics: Technical

Consider me impressed. This game is without a doubt, the most beautiful looking game on the PSP to date. The backgrounds are fully animated and life-like. While running around the doomed city of Atlantis you see molten debris being hurled into the air by an active volcano in the distance. The models stand out and look beautiful, and there is almost no difference between the (sometimes) pre-rendered cutscenes, and the actual game itself. All in all, graphically, this game is phenomenal. Too bad, that during the first hour, Ghost of Sparta is plagued by an inconsistent framerate (not game breaking by any means, but still very noticeable if you’re used to looking for graphical flaws), and vertical tearing every time the camera moves even the slightest bit. I will admit, the framerate improves greatly over the course of the game (as does the vertical tearing), but as it is still an issue I’m docking points for it.

Score: 8.5 (that’s the first time I’ve given a partial reduction since I’ve started reviewing; for anyone who’s keeping count)

#6) Graphics: Artistic

While this Ghost of Sparta is easily the best looking PSP game on the market, artistically, there’s a lot left to be desired. Sure, it LOOKS good, but there’s nothing special about it. It’s basically a culmination of all the things we’ve seen before (cool, giant monster, weren’t the ones in God of War 3 bigger?). The only truly unique environment is the sunken city of Atlantis (as in the one Kratos destroys, and revisits in the center of a giant whirlpool; that part was just awesome). Art-wise, there’s nothing WRONG, but also nothing that makes it stick out. Although there is a lot going on in the background (the backgrounds are more than just still photos of landscapes), beyond that, the environments are bland and uninteresting. While this isn’t a major issue, it does certainly take away from the experience.

Score: 7

#7) Sound: Effects

There isn't to much to say in this department. Everything sounds the way it should. I wish Kratos had some more creative grunts though, because hearing the same 3 "HURRRAGHHH"'s throughout he entire game does get old fast.

Score: 8.5

#8) Sound: Music

HOLD. DEVILS. POT OF TEA.

Epic orchestral music covered with incomprehensible lyrics in another language; that's what you're listening to while you play. Not going to end up in my iTunes, but it definitely fits the mood of the game.
Score: 8

#9) Story

I'm going to be extremely vague here, because I don't want to spoil the game for you. Kratos is searching for his long lost brother Deimos. In the process, he destroys an entire city, causes a volcano to erupt, crosses 3 continents, and visits Disney World! But seriously though, the story is good! As in really good! Kratos actually shows emotion beyond pure anger. The story was well written, and the cutscenes actually do more than just push the game forward into the next area. It isn't just a side-story though, it explains a TON about why Kratos is so determined to destroy Olympus, and actually makes you more attached to the man behind the mask.
Score: 9

#10) Bang for Your Buck

God of War games have never been very long, so the fact that Ghost of Sparta flaunts a 5 hour campaign (and a ton of extras) is no surprise. 40$ is a bit steep for the content you recieve, so I would suggest waiting til' the price drops below 30$ (if it ever does).
Score: 7 

THE FINAL VERDICT

God of War: Ghost of Sparta is an enjoyable and accessible new entry in Sony’s multi-million dollar franchise, and is a must play for experienced gamers and newcomers alike.


THE OVERALL SCORE: 8.2/10 PRETTY DAMN GOOD


-A Gamer Who Rants


P.R.(Post Rant): Finally, Blogger added the ability to underline text. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HAPPY THIS MAKES ME.