Two decades ago, God of War debuted on the PlayStation 2, and immediately became a smash hit. Developed by Santa Monica Studios and starring Kratos, a Spartan warrior with a shadowy past, this hack ‘n slash action title raised the bar in almost every way, with impeccable combat, a mythological story, and some seriously bloody deaths. In the time since, God of War has become one of the most respected gaming franchises and a standout in Sony’s catalogue, and it’s all thanks to the 2005 original. In celebration of this seminal PlayStation 2 masterpiece, let’s take a look at the original God of War and see what made it so undeniably impressive.
The Tragedy of Kratos
God of War kicks off with a bleak opening, depicting Kratos, downtrodden and at his wit’s end. Saying farewell to the cruel world around him, he plunges off the side of a cliff towards his imminent death. A perfect setup for the dark tone that permeates the rest of the game, we then jump back a few weeks in time, playing through the events that led to Kratos’ fatal dive. As a servant of the gods, Kratos wages war in their names, but has grown tired of his contract and looks for a way out.
To this end, he strikes up a deal with Athena, and promises to kill the God of War, Ares, in exchange for his freedom. Throughout the game’s highly cinematic story, we learn that Kratos is tormented for good reason, as he murdered his wife and child in a fit of bloodlust. True to the Greek myths so heavily featured in the narrative, God of War paints a nuanced and macabre tale of tragedy and revenge, cementing itself as an inspired interpretation of classic mythology.
God of War, God of Death
Combat evokes the same wild, frenzied style of rage that Kratos embodies, most specifically through the Blades of Chaos. Kratos’ main weapon throughout the game, the Blades of Chaos are fused to his wrists, letting the player execute a flurry of attacks with decent range. Taking a page out of Devil May Cry‘s book, killing enemies grants you experience points that can further improve your weapons and spells, unlocking new special moves that further extend combos.
Above all else, brutality is at the center of combat, with some exceptionally gory finishing moves, all presented in an in-your-face cutscene accompanied by a quick-time event. Combining your normal attacks with various spells like Poseidon’s Rage can absolutely toast multiple enemies at a time, and the more glorious the kill, the more experience you’ll usually gain. Better than any of its peers at the time, God of War excelled at this power fantasy, putting the player in the center of some seriously bloody battles and making them feel truly unstoppable.
There’s no better example of this focus than the handful of boss fights in the game, which deliver a level of spectacle that has become synonymous with the God of War franchise. The first boss fight against the Hydra is truly iconic, as you must battle three sea serpent heads at once, subduing the two smaller heads before facing down the largest of the three. Fast, intense, and brutal, this fight culminates with Kratos slamming the serpent’s head onto a broken pillar, impaling it through the eye and claiming victory in the coolest way possible. There are a few other fights that provide ample thrills, but the Hydra fight is easily the most memorable and a perfect example of God of War‘s expert pacing and aggressive design.
A Lasting Legacy
God of War was a huge success on the PlayStation 2, and in its total lifetime on the system, it sold upwards of 4.6 million copies. This places it as the #15 best-selling PS2 game of all time, edging out other major titles like Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Ratchet & Clank. Further success was found with the sequel, God of War II, which launched in 2007 and also sold over 4 million copies. The original God of War trilogy would later be concluded with God of War III in 2010 on the PlayStation 3, wrapping up the series for the time being.
Of course, God of War was resurrected in 2018 with a soft reboot of the franchise, whisking Kratos to the world of Norse mythology for an all-new adventure. More solemn and introspective than the PS2/PS3 entries, God of War (2018) was critically lauded and received tons of awards, but it’s a much different style of game. Even the original creator, David Jaffe, isn’t the biggest fan of the franchise’s newfound direction, but that hasn’t stopped the new generation of God of War from becoming a best-selling hit as well. Only time will tell if we ever return to the “classic” style of God of War games, but based on the direction of recent sequels, those odds seem slim. Thankfully, we can always boot up the 2005 God of War to relive one of the best stories of Greek mythology ever made, and there’s no better time than now.
