 "Photo: Fatemeh")
In "God of War II," Kratos hacks and slashes and stabs and dismembers and decapitates and maims and impales and executes and ... well, you get the idea.
Having replaced Ares as the God of War in ancient Greece, Kratos is one mean deity. He is arrogant, angry and thirsty for blood.
Having off'ed one member of the Pantheon of Olympus, Kratos now sets his sights on Zeus, after the king of the gods tricks him and steals his newly acquired godly powers. Kratos' only hope lies with the Sisters of Fate, and so that's where he goes.
On his quest, Kratos will dispense death with impunity, destroying his enemies in the most brutally effective ways imaginable.
The timed button pressing of the first game returns to keep players on their toes and adds a visceral edge to the Kratos' savage finishing moves, resulting in countless "Holy Kratos! Did you just see that?" moments.
Here's an example: After pummeling an enemy with a hammer bigger than himself, Kratos grabs the monster, rips off its arm and impales the monster with its own sword - still grasped in the severed limb.
And that's just one of the most basic enemies; don't even get me started on boss fights.
Speaking of which, the lack of boss fights in the first "God of War" has clearly been addressed, as "God of War II" is brimming with epic duels. And the major enemies are a veritable who's who of Greek mythology. Each boss fight is unique and challenging, and the final blow is always satisfying.
The pace of the game is perfectly balanced, with puzzles sprinkled in between, and sometimes in the middle of, combat sections. They're the kind of puzzles that frustrate until the "Ohhhhhh" moment when everything falls into place, and you wonder how you didn't see it before.
One of my few complaints is the use of a fixed camera. The designers have created a gorgeous mythological world, I just wish I could stop and admire the view. The visuals are stunning, and the sheer scale of the environments can only be described as "epic."
Another weak point is the story, as Kratos' rage often feels excessive and pointless (he yells just about every time he talks - sort of like a pasty Samuel L. Jackson), but there are a few softer moments when Kratos feels almost human, and a couple late-game plot twists give some purpose to Kratos' violence.
As if combat this fun needed a purpose. The first level has players destroying an animated Colossus of Rhodes (only about 300 times Kratos' size) bit by bit, finally bringing the metal monstrosity down from the inside.
The badass factor in this game is astronomical. "God of War II" is a non-stop orgy of brutal violence - and it's glorious.
