Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Best Week Ever: God of War II



Whenever I begin a new fascination, I tend to hyperbolize the greatness of the experience to an unrivaled level. For as long as I can remember, I have always declared my current obsession to be the very greatest of it's kind... ever, a notion I will swear by until the next of it's kind draws my interest. At one time, Spiderman 2 was the best movie ever made, Billy Joel was the greatest lyricist of the century, and Jane Addams was the most annoying figure in U.S. history. Actually, I still despise Jane Addams, but that's beside the point. The point is that these overly exaggerated statements create a sort of "boy who cried wolf" effect whenever I recommend things to my friends. If everything is argued as the best, it is difficult to show merit when the actual best emerges.

Previous "gun-jumperies" aside, God of War II is that actual best.

Don't get me wrong. It isn't the best game ever created, but it is clearly the best of it's genre, and I challenge anyone to find a more thrilling game of any kind. Plainly, if I had to review this game, I would give it a "God of War II" on a scale of 1 through God of War II. Besides the great gameplay mechanics and amazing presentation, this game is set apart by it's grandeur. This Penny-arcade comic describes it best, but it should be noted that the epic nature of the game does not end with the fall of the colossus. Level 2 has you slicing through the hands of hades as you climb your way out of hell itself. It is difficult to determine what constitutes a level thereafter, as a break in the action does not occur in the near future.

In short, buy two copies. Play the first, and keep the second under your pillow to intensify your dreams.