God of War

About the Game

Release: 

First release on the PlayStation 2 console, it is the first installment of the God of War series, and the third chronologically. It was released in North America on March 22, 2005, in Europe on July 8, and on November 17, 2005, in Japan. Loosely based on Greek Mythology, it is set in the ancient Greece with vengeance as its central motif. The player controls the protagonist Kratos, a Spartan warrior and a demigod with superhuman god-powers who serves the God of Olympus, begins his task to exact revenge against Ares, the God of War and Kratos' former mentor, who had tricked Kratos into killing his wife and daughter. As Ares besieges Athens out of hatred for Athena, Kratos embarks on a quest to find the one object capable of stopping the God once and for all: Pandora's Box.

Gameplay: 

The gameplay of God of War focuses on combo-based combat, achieved through the player's main weapon-the Blades of Chaos-and a secondary weapon acquired later in the game. It features quick time events that require the player to complete various game controller actions in a timed sequence to defeat stronger enemies and bosses. The player can use up to four magical attacks and a power-enhancing ability as alternative combat options. It also features puzzles and platforming elements.

Story: 

Kratos is a Spartan warrior with superhuman godly-powers and abilities (due to the fact that he is the demigod son of Zeus the King of the Gods, which was never revealed in the first game until in the sequel) who serves the Gods of Olympus in Greece. Numerous flashbacks revealed that he was once a successful warrior but eventually became a bloodthirsty captain in the Spartan Army as he frequently led his men into several victories before being defeated by a Barbarian King, Alrik, Kratos' arch-enemy. Facing death, but refuse to surrender his defeat, Kratos called on the God of War, Ares, whom he promised to serve if the God would spare his men and provide the power to destroy their enemies. Ares agreed and bonded the Blades of Chaos, a pair of chained blades forged in the depths of Tartarus, to his new servant. Kratos, equipped with the blades, then decapitated the Alrik while Ares destroys Alrik's men, leading Kratos to regain his victory once more.

Kratos waged war at the behest of Ares, eventually leading an attack on a village occupied by worshipers of Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom. Unbeknownst to Kratos, Ares had secretly transported Kratos' wife and daughter to the village; during his frenzied attack on its temple, Kratos accidentally killed them in a blind fury. Although Ares believed this act would free Kratos to become the perfect warrior, the horrified and saddened Spartan instead renounced his pledge of servitude to the God and swore vengeance against him. An elderly Oracle of the destroyed village cursed Kratos by bonding the ashes of his dead family to his skin, turning it ash-white and earning him the nickname, "Ghost of Sparta". Plagued by nightmares of his horrible deed, Kratos vowed to serve the other Gods in hope of ridding himself of the visions.

God of War Trailer