There were small things keeping God of War from being an entirely fluid experience, and yet it was still a blast to play. God of War II effectively eliminates these issues, and -- unless you've already had your fill of Square-Square-Triangle combos -- this title is one of the best overall action experiences you'll find.

God of War never prided itself on the discipline and challenge that Devil My Cry and Ninja Gaiden present. Its focus is on making sure you don't have to work incredibly hard to feel like you're unstoppable (at least on normal difficulty). What makes up for this lack of challenge, though, is the sheer entertainment value of feeling in control of every slash of your blade in creating a massive multi-hit combo that lays waste to the fools around you. You can mash the buttons all you want, but performing these wondrous feats of multi-hitting viciousness will net you more opportunities to upgrade to bigger, better, and badder special moves.

That has been the God of War credo, but what makes the adventure better this time around the the little things fixed that held back the first adventure from being completely superb. Gone is the lame collision detection from environmental obstacles; everything feels "tight" this time around. If you got hit by a swinging blade, it's completely your fault this time. The balance beam nonsense is cut to a minimum, too. Finally, I really don't recall working against the camera this time around at all either.

What's better? More bosses. As with last time, not all of them have the epic scale of the first encounter with the Colossus of Rhodes (a multi-stage battle that takes you around and INSIDE the beast), but they are still intensely engaging even when they're as human-sized as you are. For instance, the absolute cunning of the disappearing Perseus makes for one of the most intriguing, delicious boss encounters in the franchise.

God of War II won't change the minds of those who swore off the first game's somewhat lenient action, and if you've had more than your fill, then you might not want to dive in again. That being said, God of War II is nevertheless crafted masterfully, with its niggling issues perfected, and still sports immensely satisfying action for those who like that kind of thing. When Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden Black are kicking you in the butt, at the very least you know you can take this one down -- and feel awesome doing it.

Bought this for my grown son. This game is very involved and so good he hates to stop. He loves it.

Make no mistake --- it's an excellent game. It may take a bit of getting used to after playing Halo 3 (or even Crackdown for that matter) since the camera is game controlled and not player controlled but it's worth the adjustment. (I think the game view has been implimented in this way in order to give the player clues as to how to solve the puzzles --- there must be some reason). Still it takes some getting used to. Other than that slight adjustment it's a very worthy game. If by chance you've exclusively moved on to the next gen systems take a half step back and play this.

This and Devil May Cry 3 are the best games to come out for the PS2, recommended for anyone that likes action games.

God of War II aside is the best action game on the PS2. Not much is new since the first part, but who cares? It couldn't be improved much more.

First, this game takes the graphics beyond what you thought was possible for the current video game platforms (ps2/xbox/gc). Second, it's a lot of action, making it fun. Then, you have to use your brain to solve certain puzzles. The story is awesome. This game is unsurpassed. The only thing is that once you beat it, you're done with it.

Kratos Rules !!!! There is no game better than this. Play and you will see. Play It NOW !!!!

This game features graphics you never would have thought possible on the PS2. The game also features tons of action. A guide of some sort (online walkthrough or store bought) is a must to maximize the game's potential. This is due to the fact that it's not always obvious what you must do to advance. Every few years a game comes by that knocks gaming on its ear. Grand Theft Auto III was one of those games and so is God of War II!

God of War was an epic game, and this takes it to the next level of strategy and puzzle solving. I enjoyed both games, but the new dynamics (flying, new weapons, etc.) introduced in GoW2 make it an even deeper game than the first installment.

5/5, no doubt - only one complaint - the ending! If you play it through, you will see what I mean. I try hard not to spoil anything in my reviews!

It was no as fun as the 1ST one.. Big Z is hard to beat.. But its sweet to try, try, & finally beat him down.. I'm waiting on the PsP game..

This is the Best game Everybody should get this game you heard it from uncle Tony

I am not even finished with this game. I am in the middle and I got a PS3 in the meanwhile so I stopped the game for a while. 2 days ago I started to play again and each time i pick it up i remember why i love this game so much. The graphics are amazing, the game simply keeps you hooked. You go from one extrem to the next and when you think you get a break after a crazy battle you realize you assuemd wrong because this is full action load and you have battles back to back. I cant wait to finish this so i can play part 3 on my new PS3 :o)

this is one of my fav. series, and GOW 3 is one of the reasons i purchased a ps3 I can't wait.

Wow.....WOW!!! This game is crunk!!! Kratos is a Bad Muva...shut your mouth! I have always been a sports game junkie, so don't usually go for these type of games, but...... when I saw my kid playing this game...it was over, now I'm addicted,I did'nt want to get a PS3 but now I have get it so I can play GOW 3. Good job Sony!!!They need to make this game into a Movie...for real.

Although this game is a sequel to "God of War", it is not necessary to be familiar with God of War to play. That said, I had many moments during the play of God of War II where I could really tell that the people who made this game went out of their way to make sure you get more. More action, more intensity, surprisingly more character development, and a rather clever way to dovetail the fiction of Kratos (your character) into Greek Mythology.
As Kratos, the God of War, you find yourself stripped of power and determined to go beyond vengeance: the Titans have found you, and you will use their powers to seek the Fates and undo the very existence of Olympus. How this quest ends, I will leave to you to discover. In the meantime, get ready for the testosterone ride of your life. Massive amounts of crazed combat, wild scenes, and clever puzzles await you. In an RPG-like fashion, you can control which skills you upgrade, and how far you take them. You also unlock bonus play features when the game is beaten (even on Easy difficulty), and can take part in multiple challenges, find hidden items to use later, and more.
Well worth the money, and one of a small number of superior titles for the Playstation.

I love this game its challenging! I loved the first one but the 2nd is much better!

i bought gow1 and 10 days later i had to know what happened next! so i bought god of war 2 right off i was in a state of awe the story picked up right where it left off in gow1 i first playes it on easy just 2 get the story faster and now im working on titan mode. this game rocks and i hate that i have to wait till 2009 to continue the story on the ps3 i hope they dont screw it up but because of gow and gow2's awesomeness i am forced 2 shell out the fat wad of mony for the ps3 just so i can get gow3 as soon as it is released. the bottom line is gow and gow2 are by far the best [story,graphics,gameplay ect..] ps2 games ever you will not regret getting in on the thrilling experence of the GOD OF WAR phenom!

What more can I say? Addicted to it... game play is great... graphics are excellent... definitely recommend it....

If you enjoyed the first God of War you will love this game. It runs great in your Playstation 3 (PS3), no glitches and it have wide screen support (you have to set it in the game options). Also turn on the Progresive Scan option for better quality.

Remember that it is a Playstation 2 (PS2) game and don't have a PS3 game graphic quality.

If you are planning to get God of War 3 (only for PS3) I recomend you to get this one and the first one too to get into the story line.

First off, this game has the best graphics comparing to any other ps2 games. It shows in some part of the game when you see screen tears. Not so noticeable and it doesn't affect game play. However, it seems like the developers max out the horsepower in the ps2 system. The gameplay mechanics is still the same as God of war 1 which includes hack and slack and outrageous combinations that you will need against certain enemys. Some combos did change but it's for the better of it. The game feels really smooth as far as story goes and there are even more Boss Battles than God of war 1. There are even more puzzles which can be confusing at times. Overall I would give this game a 5 for the challenges.

I am in absolute agreement with all the postive reviews for this game. Visually stunning for a PS2 game (how are they going to outdo this on PS3... can't wait for them to surprise me!). The graphics can sometimes be a bit violent(head chopping and brutal stabbings etc.), but the story-telling and the game level is just soo superb... you just can't pass this game up!! I'm not even half way thru the game, but I'm already more than satisfied with my purchase.

The most incredible that I played. I have no words to describe, if you like action game, this is your game.

WARNING: I HAVEN'T PLAYED THIS GAME ALL THE WAY THROUGH. SKIP MY REVIEW IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ONE THAT'S MORE THOROUGH!

I played GOW1 all the way through, and I loved the game. I even played all the the "challenges of the gods" or whatever they're called. I got all excited when I saw that there was a GOW2 available, so snatched it up right quick. I've had the game for at least 8 months, and I've only played it for a grand total of 15 minutes. It turned me off that it seemed like the same exact game as the first one - at least as far as I had played it. Because of my quickly-onset apethy toward the game, I let my buddy borrow it (who also played GOW1 all the way through and loved it). He came to the same conclusion: same game as the first. You would think that that would be a good thing, and I'm guessing that for some it is... why change what works right? But if you're the type of person who no longer has as much time for video games as you did when you were 16 years old, and therefore are only looking to spend your time on games that will fully capture your attention with its freshness and originality, then try either of the GOW titles. But once you have played one of them, you don't really need to play the other.

Lets start out by saying that just because I'm not rating this game AAA does not mean I'm saying its bad. Far from it actually, I'm giving it an 8, or AA, which is described as great. One thing people point to right away is the graphics. They say it has great graphics and I agree, to a point. Yes the graphics are good, but in all honesty its not all that improved from the original, and focuses most of the graphical power and detail on Kratos. Everything else in the game except for the bosses and Pegasus is really lacking in detail, and the bosses and Pegasus still don't look quite as nice as Kratos. Plus, when compared to a game like Shadow of the Colossus the graphics are just enough to stay afloat. The sound effects are good, but the soundtrack is mediocre and repetitive. There is no physics engine to speak of and nothing moves when you touch it, I mean come on, even an old game like Morrowind had that. The control scheme is very solid and feels good. The bosses are cool at first, but the get monotonous pretty quickly.The combos are both cool and effective. Two things I found to be very cool in the game were Wrath of the Titans and riding on Pegasus. The button sequences were nice but its not like we haven't seen it before. This has the core makings of an amazing game, but the lack of details and innovation keep it from getting there. I recommend that you at least try it out.

I don't play a lot of games, but the ones I do play I play a lot.

What I love best about this game is that puzzle-wise it doesn't get any easier in easy mode while it offers the full range of difficulty in terms of combat for those who just really love to fight--so if you like but don't love the fighting, you can just go with the easy level and still have as much of a challenge figuring things out without having to suffer through fighting scenes where you die over and over just to make it from scene to scene--I rather enjoy figuring it out rather than fighting my way through it. This combined with an excellent story line and refreshing lack of cuteness while not going over the top with violence and gore make this the overall best game I've played other than maybe one or two of the Tomb Raider series.

Like a good book of fiction, I felt like I was actually in the story, not just pressing buttons.

I do wish I didn't watch the bonus material, but wont ruin it by saying why.

BOTTOM LINE: Especially if you like games that are mentally difficult to figure out, you will love playing God of War--both 1 and 2. I made the mistake of playing God of War 2 first because I thought the first one might be crappy, but then near the end switched over the God of War 1 so I could have the full experience and know the whole background. Truth be told God of War 1 is almost as good as this sequel and it would be a mistake to miss it.

This is one of those games that drives me to buy the PSP and to upgrade to a Playstation 3 just so I can play my favorites.

Played it start to finish. End boss if harder than first game. I heard God of War III is on it's way.

THis game 2 in the Series is a pick up where 1 left off . And as 1 this one is Just as good and exciting to play . Great graphics and Great idea.
This is another Must have , Must play , must keep game . LOve the whole Game in its concept, graphics and game play..great story lines....
This one is a MUST !!

This game improves every single aspect of the original.

Epic, gorgeous, perfect!

If you are looking for a fantastic action game, don't doubt it!

(Runs perfectly on a PS3 60GB)

God of War 2 is one of the most awesome games I have ever played, from the opening credits to the end battle, you want to keep playing till you beat the game to see all the monsters and detailed events that happen along the way.

who needs a ps3 with a game like this? sadly, there aren't enough games even close to GOW....

what an amazing, refreshing experience.

i'm really picky about games lately, this one will not disappoint...buy it. i can't imagine someone not having a lot of fun playing this game.

it's more fun than fishing.....drunk...... with M-80's...

This game really keeps you on your toes, and alot of hard levels but I manage to beat the game and still play it over n over for fun.

Go get yours n have the fun of playing

After playing through Kratos' epic journey in the first God of War, it was impossible to imagine a worthy sequel... until playing through God of War II. What Hollywood does wrong, God of War II gets right. Bigger battles and better graphics are meaningless if not backed by solid storytelling and gameplay. Like its predecessor, GoW II transports the player into a world where the interpretation of Greek mythology is addictively clever.

Technically, GoW II has achieved what no other PS2 title could. On a standard def television, the visuals are indiscernible from those of a next-gen game. I cannot wait to see what the God of War team will cook up for Kratos' next-gen debut.

The gameplay is similar to God of War's gameplay with a few minor changes (special attacks and different weapons/spells). This is not a bad thing when GoW's gameplay is so good. As with GoW, the sequel sprinkles in a lot of context sensitive moments that are just epically badass. Enough said.

Once again, I can't downplay the importance of the story and the alternative Greek universe created for the God of War franchise. For me, the God of War games are fundamentally story-driven with awesome gameplay as an added bonus. I give God of War II my highest marks.

SECA should be ashamed of themselves for subjecting people to this button mashing game. I spent a great deal of time trying to like the game, but in the end I just got too tired of having the game ignore my moves, spending 20 minutes trying to make just that perfect jump-jump-grab-grab-hit ect ect combo to milisecond timing required by the programmers. They even keep statistics on how many times they kill you.
Save your time, money and peace of mind and avoid this game like the plague.

after playing the first game, i was excited to play the second as well. it completely lives up to the hype. riding the phoenix is cool, and the weapons are excellent.

God of War 2 is one of the best 3 dimensional like games i've ever played.the very colorful 3d like graphics and 3d like moves really makes you think.

Just an overall amazingly fun and exciting game...the hours pass and you don't even notice. Addictive.