Kratos makes a bid for Olympic gold in rhythmic gymnastics.
For the neophytes, the God of War series tells the story of Kratos, a Spartan warrior whose lust for blood leads him down the dark path to self-destruction. Soon enough, the ‘Ghost of Sparta’ finds himself a slave to the Gods of Olympus and chooses to rebel in the most brutal fashion imaginable. The narrative of both games is pure hokum, but the clever way in which the tropes, icons and figures of Greek mythology have been updated gives the series a sense of freshness not shared by the floppy-haired casts of every other anime-inspired action title.
The melodrama plays out in the form of an action-adventure, comprising accessible combat, exploration and puzzle-solving. Even by today’s standards, both of the games in Collection represent sterling examples of terrific pacing and seamless transitions of different gameplay mechanics. One minute sees Kratos pulling levers and leaping over traps, while the next sees him engaged in an eye-boggling set-piece battle against a lumbering colossus, and it is this varied and consistently measured approach to progression and level design which makes the God of War titles so engaging. The combat system itself is fairly rudimentary, owing more to titles like Final Fight than any heavyweights in the action genre such as Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, but it is instantly accessible and satisfying from start to finish. The litany of upgrades available for each of Kratos’ primary weapons wards off any scent of repetition, and overall, one would be hard-pressed to name another entry in the genre which is as gratifying as the games on offer in Collection. These games are beloved pieces of pop-entertainment for a reason; they are welcoming and mainstream but never relinquish any of their sense of challenge.
Traversal of gorgeous levels is one of the series' great pleasures.
Overall, Collection plays even better than the two games did in their original iterations. Controls are smooth and responsive, and aided by an enhanced framerate which appears to remain locked at a consistent sixty frames-per-second across both titles. If you have never played either of the God of War titles, this is the place to start. For many, returning to the PlayStation 2 iterations will be unbearable in light of the improved performance on display in Collection.
Along with the buttery-smooth framerate, Collection boasts HD-quality visuals, and believe us, the improvement in resolution and image quality is astounding. For series’ veterans, the games will seem new and vital, and those who have never seen the originals will wonder how the titles ever ran on the PlayStation 2 hardware. God of War 2 in particular boasts graphics so detailed and laden with effects that it outstrips many titles of the current generation. These were always gorgeous games, but Collection ensures that gamers can throw aside their rose-tinted nostalgia-goggles and behold these classics as the technical showcases they represented at the time of their release. Sadly, the only fly in the ointment is the quality of the game’s video scenes. These cinemas, whether FMV or in-engine animations, are held back by the quality in which they were originally rendered, and the result is that watching Collection can be somewhat of a bumpy, uneven experience, ranging from the sublime to the sloppy. Still, the game is gorgeous where it counts, and is best experienced on the largest high-definition set one can muster. The sublime orchestral score and pounding effects sound as wonderful as they ever did also. All in all, what was once regarded as beautiful is beautiful once more, and has us salivating at the prospect of other titles in the PlayStation 2 back catalogue being afforded the same loving rejuvenation.
These screenshots accompanied the second game's original release. This time, however, the visuals really do look this good.
As a package, Collection is a tremendous bargain, offering two substantial adventures and a raft of bonus content which was previously available as part of the limited edition releases of the originals. There is little else to be found on the disc, but the addition of trophies makes a profound difference to the lifespan of both games, giving veterans a chance to display their prowess to the world at large.
To answer the questions posed in the introductory paragraph, God of War: Collection is a sleek, tidy culmination of two of the most influential, engrossing action-adventures ever made, delivering both games in their definitive iteration. If you already own both of these titles, buy Collection to experience them as they should be experienced. If you are new to the series, begin your education by sampling what God of War: Collection has to offer. With no confirmed Australian release date for the stand-alone collection, you may have to turn to your local importer to track down a copy or purchase the upcoming Ultimate Trilogy Edition of God of War III; trust us, you will be glad you did.
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