LTTP: God of War 1

Josey Wales

I think it is fair to say that I'm a little late to the party with the original God of War. I started playing it last night and it is pretty good. I'm playing the HD version that Sony released free on PS+.

At the time this game came out in 2005 I was going through a period in my life that I had very little interest in games. I did have a PS2 at the time but the only games I was playing was PES. I'd buy it each year and that was it. I was oblivious to every other game on the system. So when GoW was released it passed me buy. Years later I did play GoW III on the PS3, which was fun.

I did a search on the forum to see what people were saying about the game at the time and some of the comments are funny in hindsight. In one thread there seemed to be a genuine concern that this game would be a hidden gem that would be lost in the shuffle just like Ico. That thread is here. Strange to think that Sony at the time wouldn't have put any marketing muscle behind the game.

As for the game itself it looks pretty good still. I know it is the HD version but it is impressive nonetheless. I don't know what the framerate was like on the PS2 but in this version it is silky smooth. I also see that it is available for remote play on the Vita, a nice touch. The scale of the game is impressive even though I've been spoiled slightly by some of the sequences in GoW III. I find the combat good too because I'm not a huge fan of combat action games that have very complicated button combinations. Most of the combat moves I have now are simple enough and very effective.

Where would this game rank among the other five GoW games?

I think it is highly likely that I will go on now to play GoW 2.

It must also be said that PS+ and the Instant Game Collection from Sony is one of, if not the best thing to happen in this generation of consoles.

RedXIV

Anyone else thinking Link To The Past in the title??

Josey Wales

RedXIV wrote: »

Anyone else thinking Link To The Past in the title??

Sorry, other forums use that acronym when talking about older games that you experience for the first time.

CastorTroy

Yeah, I thought Link to the Past at first. LTTP is a neogaf thing isn't it? Now every time I figure out it's not Link, I just think Die Hard. So, Josey, "Welcome to the party, pal!"

I played 1 and 2 on PS2 but only about a year before 3 was released. Only recently played Chains of Olympus and Ghosts. I think it's safe to say if you like the gameply of 1 and 3, you'll be happy enough with the others as they are more of the hack and slash but with new enemies and weapons, resulting in new ways to kill. I'll be getting the new one at some point

krudler

I havent played the psp games but for me it goes 2>1>3 in order of how well they play. 3 is spectacular looking though. but the scale of GOW2 is mindblowing in places, the Island of Creation sequence is brilliant.

richymcdermott

To me gow 1 had the better story but gow 2 is just unreal in every single way. God of war 3 was great till the second half of the game near the end.
Chains of olympus was great from what i played and recently bought ghost of sparta on psn for 9 euros ..yet to play it though.

One of my favourite games series.

kaimera

picked them up myself recently for the ps3 having not had a ps2.

played the opening of 3 and wow...

danthefan

Considering it's a PS2 game I would have really liked if GoW was available/playable on Vita. Haven't played it in a long while but have PS+ and might give it another go someday.

Josey Wales

danthefan wrote: »

Considering it's a PS2 game I would have really liked if GoW was available/playable on Vita. Haven't played it in a long while but have PS+ and might give it another go someday.

It is available to play via remote play on the Vita like I said above. When I played GoW for the first time it promoted me to download a small update. The text for the update said that it enabled remote play for the Vita.

johnny_ultimate

Of the GoW games I've played (the three core games plus Ghost of Sparta), I found Ghost of Sparta to be the most enjoyable. The gameplay for the series is so shallow (both puzzle and combat) and Kratos such a pantomime protagonist that I tend to find myself losing interest between the epic setpieces. GoS, however, is lean and trimmed of most potential waste and filler. The result is a brisk, enjoyable little game that doesn't overstay its welcome. I never played its PSP predecessor, though.

Mr. K

I think the GoW is the best. I think its plot, level design and bosses are better than the other games. The other games are grander in scale, but the first is just so fresh. They're all worth playing anyway, even though Kratos is a bit of a flat character.

krudler

Mr. K wrote: »

I think the GoW is the best. I think its plot, level design and bosses are better than the other games. The other games are grander in scale, but the first is just so fresh. They're all worth playing anyway, even though Kratos is a bit of a flat character.

In the first game it was cool to play as a character full of hatred and just a nasty bastard throughout the game, itd old now though, why's he still so angry?!

Logical_Bear

krudler wrote: »

In the first game it was cool to play as a character full of hatred and just a nasty bastard throughout the game, itd old now though, why's he still so angry?!

He's greek and he realised the greeks invented the ghey and so isnt a happy camper:pac:

Never a big GoW fan,but did finish GoW 3. The scale of the titans in it was brilliant! and the sex scene in it was funny lol..a novel way to use the joypad:p

Angron

I love the GoW series, though I have yet to play the PSP games. I've heard, quite regularly, that those two were some of the best games the PSP had, so I'll probably try and pick up that collection for the PS3.

snausages

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Of the GoW games I've played (the three core games plus Ghost of Sparta), I found Ghost of Sparta to be the most enjoyable. The gameplay for the series is so shallow (both puzzle and combat) and Kratos such a pantomime protagonist that I tend to find myself losing interest between the epic setpieces. GoS, however, is lean and trimmed of most potential waste and filler. The result is a brisk, enjoyable little game that doesn't overstay its welcome. I never played its PSP predecessor, though.

I like that one too. GoW's gameplay works better in little 15 minute spurts. I've never enjoyed it on consoles. Combat is crap and block puzzles are boring.

Retr0gamer

I remember when GoW came out. Before it came out it was getting some really lukewarm previews with most of the complaints being about the amount of QTE's in the game. Really there was no buzz about it at all until it starting receiving some of the best reviews of the year and I ended up importing it. I really enjoyed it and despite the combat system boiling down to 'always be dodging' it was a lot of fun due to the sheer spectacle. The story was decent and unlike the later games Kratos actually had a reason to be angry whereas afterwards he comes across as a baby throwing his toys out of the pram. All itwas really lacking in was some boss fights. It had some really interesting developer making of segments once you finished it.

GoW 2 was better in every way other than the story which was awful. More boss fights and bigger spectacle. GoW 3 on the other hand was a major disappointment.

krudler

I like the first half of GOW3, but once you hit the labyrinth it kinda loses steam, I much prefered the one in the first game with the minotaur and all that. I actually enjoyed playing Dante's Inferno more than GOW3, the setting of that was brilliant. Its a blatant GOW/DMC clone but it was well made and the tone and setting were really well done.

LuckyFinigan

Their good games alright, I've play the main 3 games but never played the psp ones. They should probably put the franchise to bed tho. It seems like their just milking it with ascension, I haven't played it but it just sounds like a unnecessary prequel with the same old formula.

Josey Wales

I've played a good bit of GoW over the weekend now. I can't believe I've never played it before. It is really, really excellent. The one thing that is really surprising me is how strong the story is. Having only played GoW III I didn't think the series would be known for good storytelling. At the point I'm at right now I've just fallen into Hades. And I've had an explanation as to why Kratos is so white in appearance.

I will definitely be jumping into GoW 2 soon but not directly after. Will need a little something different in case I burn out on this style of game.

Josey Wales

Well I just finished the game. Loved it from start to finish. I was surprised at the lack of boss battles but that is a good thing in my opinion. It is very rare that I find a game that has enjoyable boss battles. At least the final boss in this game was pretty good. I liked the way it was broken up with surreal moments of Kratos fighting himself to save his family.

I also thought the epilogue was a nice touch. And the 'Kratos will return' message at the end has me anticipating GoW 2.

krudler

Josey Wales wrote: »

Well I just finished the game. Loved it from start to finish. I was surprised at the lack of boss battles but that is a good thing in my opinion. It is very rare that I find a game that has enjoyable boss battles. At least the final boss in this game was pretty good. I liked the way it was broken up with surreal moments of Kratos fighting himself to save his family.

I also thought the epilogue was a nice touch. And the 'Kratos will return' message at the end has me anticipating GoW 2.

GOW2 ties into the first game in a few clever ways too, won't spoil anything but there's some great sections in it, combat is better, puzzles are better, the scale is ridiculous in places.

Retr0gamer

I felt GoW2 was quite disconnected from the first game, especially in how Kratos acts. He's just a complete twonk after the first game. The story was dreadful.

None of that mattered though, it was heaps of fun.

tonydude

Never played the series until the HD collections came out and was never a fan of hack and slash games but totally fell for the series. Finished 1 to 3 several times and looking to get the psp collection finished also. I don't know a whole lot about the new one to the series, is that a sequel ? if so its a must buy just to see what happens after the third game.

Deano7788

tonydude wrote: »

Never played the series until the HD collections came out and was never a fan of hack and slash games but totally fell for the series. Finished 1 to 3 several times and looking to get the psp collection finished also. I don't know a whole lot about the new one to the series, is that a sequel ? if so its a must buy just to see what happens after the third game.

Nah, it's a(nother) prequel to the trilogy.

krudler

Deano7788 wrote: »

Nah, it's a(nother) prequel to the trilogy.

Really? why's he got the chains if its a prequel? or is it after he gets those but before GOW1

Deano7788

krudler wrote: »

Really? why's he got the chains if its a prequel? or is it after he gets those but before GOW1

Yeah, it's before GOW1, and both PSP games actually, but after he gets the blades. It's set about 6 months after he

kills his family.