God of War: Ghost of Sparta... in HD!!!

As promised, I've hacked through the second God of War remix from the PSP, Ghost of Sparta. This one is set between the first two God of War games, with Kratos recently ascended to Mount Olympus. He receives a troubling vision, which sends him on yet another grand quest, to explore his past and free himself of the visions which torment him.

Of the two, I think this one is the better game. Hit the jump for why!

As previously stated, Ghost of Sparta kicks off shortly after the events of God of War 1. Ares is dead, and Kratos has taken his place as the new God of War. He is tormented by visions of his mother, and in these visions sees Poseidon's temple, deep within the city of Atlantis. He sets out to find her, against the wishes of the Gods. 

Upon finding her, and fighting her (long story), she tells him that his brother, Deimos, long considered dead, is in fact still alive. Kratos immediately sets out so find and free his brother from captivity. This journey takes Kratos into Deaths Domain, to battle the God of Death himself, Thanatos.

Moody bugger isn't he...

The combat remains similar to previous games in the series, with the standard addition of some new weapons and powers. The biggest change here is the secondary weapon, the Arms of Sparta, a nifty shield and spear combo. This setup allows both ranged and melee combat, with a strong emphasis on defense. Its a lot slower than the Blades of Chaos, and requires a more measured approach. The other big addition is Theras Bane, essentially allowing you to fuel your Blades with the power of fire. This has multiple uses, from smashing shields, destroying armor, and adding a good bit of power to normal attacks. The meter for this replenishes over time, allowing this power to be used very frequently.

The pacing is great in this game. Whereas Chains of Olympus felt short, and forced, this feels like a much more complete adventure. The plot keeps things hurtling along nicely, and fits nicely into the overall story. The tale of Kratos and Deimos seems essential to the overall canon, not the throwaway plot that was used in Chains. We learn about the reasons for Kratos' iconic tattoos, and where he got that fashionable scar on his eye, two facts which have been a mystery for years. It also plugs a nice gap between the first two games, where Kratos seems to turn into an angry douche for no reason. This helps put his rage in context, and legitimizes his motives for the rest of the series. 

You see this city in chaos? This is what I'll do to your FACE.

The usual Challenge mode is unlocked at the end, as well as a new arena mode, where you can practice your skills against any enemy combo you choose. You can also buy extras from the Temple of Zeus, but the prices on these are fairly high, so expect to spend a long time grinding these out.

This game is far superior to Chains of Olympus, in terms of plot, gameplay, and feel. It could have easily been a part of the full console series, and it really should have been. Bottom line, go buy it.

My Rating: 8 / 10

Next Time: Twisted Metal Beta impressions! Its gonna be Car-maggedon! 

What? 

That's a registered trade mark? 

Well shit.