Full Disclosure: I did not play the Challenge mode, Challenge of the Gods, Challenges of Ares, Challenges of Athena, and The Temple of Zeus.
Story: The sixth installment to the God of War series, God of War: Ghost of Sparta debuts on the PSP console as another enticing adventure featuring the main protagonist Kratos, but this time he sets out to explore his origins and reunite with his long lost brother Deimos. While much of the story is similar to the other God of War titles, I find them as entertaining as the first one because of how the story is portrayed through the character Kratos. I got a sense of guilt for the main character, because of all the bad luck Kratos has had, and almost feel the exact vengeance he seeks out on the gods. With that fuel and drive to defeat any obstacles, I tend to get hooked to this series and can’t stop playing. The general story benefits the game greatly because it creates this connection between gamer and main character that makes you want to play for hours on end.
Gameplay: Similar to the other titles, I found the controls to be good here and there in regards to the PSP. One thing I did not enjoy was using the nub analog control to move Kratos around. I found it annoying and uncomfortable because of the angle position it’s placed and how heavily it’s used. Many times I wished that the directional pad was used instead. But with using the analog nub, everything flowed nicely in the overall game play.
One thing I have always enjoyed in the God of War series is the battling. Again, the battling is similar to the previous titles and is still entertaining. The blood and gore factor is well maintained as well as the weaponry. I especially looked forward to fighting the bosses and minions because it always presented a challenge. For example, there is a moment where you fight a wave of light minions and after defeating them, three large ogres spawn, unleashing havoc upon you. The randomization of enemies was nicely done and always kept me on my toes. Furthermore, I enjoyed coming home to tear apart minions after a long day of work, stress reliever anyone?
Another factor was the puzzles presented in the game. This also caught my attention and kept me interested because the puzzles were not easy. It involved a lot of critical thinking because there were several components to solving the puzzle and advancing to the next area. I was frustrated at times and stopped playing the game for a bit. But after having time to clear my mind, I went back and was able to overcome the challenge. At times I found the levels to be a challenge because it was in the format of a puzzle. I disliked it at times because they were so hard that I would become frustrated and stop playing. For example, one level involves pulling several levers to have different platforms adjust to certain heights. I had to go back a few times and test it out before finding the right combination that allowed me to move onto the next area.
Graphics: Considering this is on the PSP, the graphics for Ghost of Sparta were well rendered. Nothing like today’s consoles of the PS3 and Xbox 360, but was reminiscent of the PS2 graphics which was fantastic to me. I was very pleased that a small handheld game had such well rendered graphics. General coloring was well done, not too vivid but also not too dull. It suited perfectly for the atmosphere of the game.
Audio: Musically, God of War: Ghost of Sparta features a dark theme followed by exuberant opera vocals that are iconic to the God of War series. There isn’t a distinct battle theme; however the scores have a quicker tempo with staccato type notes. Tragic moments and plot twists gave that eerie sense of music that captured what Kratos may have been feeling in storyline, such has betrayal or vengeance. I loved every aspect of the audio; it really brought the game to life. From the opera to the incorporation of an orchestra absolutely made this game far more interesting. I never got sick of hearing any of the music and I also didn’t have to worry about muting my PSP, the music was just so fantastic.
Replayability: Replaying this game is a toss up for me. I enjoyed several parts of the game such as battling and the story, but I don’t know if I would go back and do it all over again. There were some pretty enjoyable battles with different bosses and minions and if there were an option to go back to play certain sections of the game, I would. This was very entertaining and one of the few enjoyable PSP titles I have come across.
Pro’s:
- Compelling Story
- Great music
- Well-rendered Graphics for a PSP game
Con’s:
- Similar to the other God of War titles
- Very challenging puzzles
- Replay ability is dependent on the gamer
8/10 Great
Value: Full Price ($39.99)
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