I have to admit, my PSP was gathering a lot of dust on my desk. Mainly because I usually play it only when I’m traveling. So when the opportunity for me to travel on business came up, I thought it was a good time to update my library, and it just so happened that God of War: Chains of Olympus was released around the same time. I enjoyed God of War II on the PS2, so I figured I’d give the portable version a go. I’m happy to report that it delivers the goods.
Basically, Chains is a pared-down version of the console edition, with all the blood, gore, and sex you’d expect. The story takes you back to the very beginning of Kratos’ saga, and gives you some background about why he’s always so angry at everyone. Not that it’s really relevant in this case, as you’d probably just want to hack, slash, and decimate your enemies. The combat system and controls are pretty much the same, along with the quick reaction moves you have to pull off when finishing larger enemies or bosses. As with the other games, dispatching your enemy gains you red orbs for opening up certain chests, which you can use to upgrade your weapons and abilities. Other chests also provide health, magic, or other items.
In this version, you only have two weapon choices; your trusty Blades of Chaos, and a new weapon called the Gauntlet of Zeus. The glove is about half the size of Kratos and allows you use to pound your enemies to a bloody pulp. Your magic is also limited to only a few spells. You’ll find yourself using the Efreet most of the time, which you can upgrade and does damage to all enemies close to you. You’ll also acquire the Sun Shield, which allows you to deflect enemy attacks as well as catch and hurl back certain magical spells launched against you. You’ll also have a few puzzles to solve, though most of them are fairly easy. And what God of War game wouldn’t be complete without the sex mini-game to prove your demi-godliness with the ladies.
My only complaint, and it’s minor, was that it was a little short for my taste; I was able to finish the game in about 6 hours. I would also have loved at least one more weapon added to the arsenal. But it is a PSP, and with the quality of the graphics, something had to give.
Graphically, there are few games on a PSP that can rival it. It was as though the developers ripped it straight out of the PS2. I didn’t experience one single slow down despite all the carnage I was causing on the screen. Match the visuals with top notch voice acting and a superb musical score, and you’ve got yourself one of the best PSP games of the year. As time passes, more developers are unlocking the potential the PSP has to offer, just as this game shows. I’m excited to see who is going to try to top it.
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