Ghost of Sparta, the latest action-adventure in the God of War series was developed by Ready at Dawn and SCE Santa Monica Studio exclusively for the Sony PSP handheld console. This is looked upon as the second title in the series for the portable device and sixth iteration in the acclaimed God of War series. The title has already grabbed the attention of fans that are on the lookout for some serious hack and slash action, portable style! With us falling nicely under that category, we got our hands on a God of War: Ghost of Sparta copy for review to see what the companies had up their sleeves this time around.
As expected, the narrative was of the captivating sort and offered us three difficulty modes Mortal, Hero, Spartan and God which in turn meant increasing difficulty along with a host of options that made our stay in Sparta more appealing. Once again we see the much-recognized protagonist Kratos, seeking not only revenge but his brother as well which is the actual overall plot. By now, the mere mention of his name seems to strike fear into enemies after all those iterations and puts a certain self-confidence into our fingers as well. The game sees the God of War embarking on a perilous journey to find answers to baffling questions like whether his brother Deimos is still alive. The haunting visions leave him no choice but to set out in search for the secrets behind his family’s mysterious demise.
The title is embedded with awesome, realistic imagery that pulls you into Kratos’ world of chaos. Complementing these great graphics is the superb sound and awesome audio that plunges you totally into the game if you aren’t already in it. The echoes of the waves, people shouting and especially the grunting of the Ghost of Sparta among others are all very realistic. The game starts by transporting you to Atlantis. It’s rainy, cold and you’re all alone to face minions clambering up the boat. Here’s your first brush with the baddies where you are exposed to your godly powers and a plethora of moves you are blessed with. For those who want to fearlessly and ruthlessly embed pain onto the foe and need a wide Health meter can do so by acquiring five Gorgon Eyes for a good sacrifice and increased meter. Likewise, five Phoenix Feathers and Minotaur Horns expand your Magic Meter and Fire Meter respectively.
The weapon of choice is the formidable Blades of Athena however players are also aided in battle by the Eye of Atlantis, Thera’s Bane, Scourge of Erinys and Horn of Boreas which individually smite enemies with lightening, fiery stings, void outbursts and a roaring tempest. These attacks along with the trusty blade can be leveled up during the course of your epic journey by powering them with blood red orbs that fly out of either treasure chests strewn across the stages or from foes that you’ve defeated. The Eye of Atlantis can target all enemies in the surrounding area while the Thera’s Bane is able to destroy things and enemies that cannot normally be harmed. Other powers come in handy for seeing the opponent sequel with soreness. When leveled, various combos are unlocked which makes annihilating evil scum even more awesome. At any time during the game, you can view the various combo moves via the pause menu.
As the title progresses, you encounter a lot of surprises along the way when you least expect them to pop up. There’s no room for turning your head to sip a drink or grab a bite without hitting the pause button. The shockers come in the form of huge beasts suddenly popping out of the murky depths to either have you for a meal or sweep you off your feet, quite literally. We also observed that all the action can be seen executed in a little distance on the screen but when it comes to tearing open and ripping apart enemies, these particular actions are brought in full frontal view and close proximity which gives you a Mortal Kombat-type brutality and fatality in nearly every enemy you induce pain upon.
In between all the hacking and slashing, you see some frightened mortals and just when your compassionate side begins to crop up, the greed for red and green orbs overtakes that urge and you end up slicing innocent beings that especially inhabit Crete and Atlantis. But then again he is hell-bent on revenge and his quest and everything else can ‘go to Hades’ for all he cares. He even uses a dead body as weight to keep the door open while he runs through it. How more ruthless can this Spartan really get you may think? Well, a lot more. During his quest, he faces well-known Greek mythological characters that somehow seem less nasty than we remember from the console versions. Some of the mythical monsters we encountered during the game include Cyclops, Syclla, Callisto, and Laneus among others which we tackled with justice.
Unlike Dante’s Inferno PSP version, you get to actually involve yourself with the quick thinking and fast finger pressing sequences to get out of tight spots. These situations include falling debris while climbing walls or a quick sprint across different ledges and rocks or evading the threat of plummeting to your death. If however you aren’t a true fan of Kratos and get defeated repeatedly then the Gods provide an option that pops up on plunging into death compelling you to switch to easy mode. Unlike a few other games, only the combat would get affected and not the limited levels you can explore. Since this game divulges into the protagonist’s dark past, we see quite a few flashback sequences that are very clearly detailed and chalked out to perfection with one even being interactive. Besides the new inclusions that have been incorporated into the game, there are many familiar elements that fans may recognize with one such example being the mini-sex games and a fair share of nudity.
Overall the game is pretty straight forward and enables players to know just where to head next and which path to tread on without much effort. This leaves you time to concentrate on the meaty action all the way without wasting a single moment. The characters are slapped with details that aptly match their roles complete with scars and accessories. A stunning background view with very comprehensive work on the vital specs are provided in order to make Greek Mythology that much intriguing. And all those extra red orbs you have stored by the time the game ends need not go to waste as this can be used to splurge around at the temple of Zeus which is your ticket to unlock artwork, backgrounds and other goodies.
Final Word: For fans who are familiar with the series will soon realize that this iteration holds the same familiarity but with a new plot and baddies to unleash their wrath upon. Newcomers to the game as well as PSP owners who love indulging in other titles would soon get affixed to all the action that tends to only heighten the senses as the title progresses. The God of War: Ghost of Sparta game can essentially be summed up in a couple of words, very addictive with lots to destroy without wasting too much time on puzzles and figuring out where to go next. Being the sixth iteration of the acclaimed series, we surely don’t mind and are actually looking forward to get our hands on some more of Kratos’ escapades be it on any console. It would although be interesting to indulge in one of these adventures through the Kinect or PlayStation Move experience.
Graphics: 9/10.
Game Sounds: 8.2/10.
Environments: 8.9/10.
Gameplay: 8/10.
Story: 8.6/10.
Replay Value: 8.5/10.
Overall (not an average): 9.5/10.