Classics and failures

God of War
PS2

Act of God: Destroy the minions of Ares in God of War.

The game:
Kratos, an ex-Spartan warrior trained by the ancient Greek Gods in the art of warfare, is embarking upon a merciless quest to destroy Ares – the God of War.

Kratos has been sent on a mission from the Gods of Olympus to stop Ares from destroying the city of Athens.

He must carve through mythology’s darkest creatures – including Medusa, Cyclops, the Hydra and more, while solving intricate puzzles in breathtaking environments.

The play:
Ancient mythology guides you in your quest and you’ll need all the powers and magic you can find in order to defeat your vast array of enemies.

Kratos is equipped with a pair of sword-like chain weapons that can grab enemies, perform multi-hit combos, and pull off a variety of different aerial attacks. Upon defeating opponents, you are able to use their powers for the remainder of your quest.

Each level requires problem solving as well as combat skills in order to progress and there’s enough variety to maintain a very fast-paced game. You’ll find cyclopses, gorgons, minotaurs, undead warriors, and winged harpies, among others, on offer.

The terrain:
Nothing has been missed in this game – from the enemies to Kratos himself, the graphics and scenery are great and the mechanics smooth.

Even in between hits and jumping there are relatively minor hiccups.

In between levels, there are minor loading times, which will not be noticed, and the sounds and effects are fantastic. Take the time to explore and you’ll find plenty of hidden extras for your amusement.

The experience:
The vast majority of single player games find little longevity after completion – the beauty of this title is that upon completion you will unlock deleted levels, another mini-game and a new level – god mode.

Finish the game in god mode and there’s even more extras. This is a fantastic game for those who like challenging puzzles with lots of enemies to be destroyed along the way.

Viewtiful Joe 2
PS2

The game:
Joe, the obsessive movie geek turned spandex-clad superhero enters the world of movies to fight hordes of evil robots and their bizarre masters.

The play:
The play is simple and unimaginative, and other than using special effects powers, it’s a very dull ride.

The terrain:
If you’re one of those types who think that the Pokemon characters are magnificent art pieces then this is perfect for you. As far as hardcore gamers go – cheap, cheap and cheap sums this up – this sort of graphics is perfect for the Commodore 64.

The experience:
It’s bad enough I had to play it, but I personally think you’ve paid too much if you win this title.

Ford Mustang
XBox and PS2

The game:
Commemorating the 40-year history of the classic American muscle car, Ford Mustang – The Legend Lives gives fans an opportunity to race all forms of this classic motor car.

The play:
34 authentic ’Stangs, from the 1965 Coupe to the latest 2005 GT-R Concept, will give the petrol heads plenty of variety.

There are the standard car driving career modes, unlocking tracks and cars when enough credits have been won.

There is the standard two-player head-to-head where you can race any of the unlocked cars against your mate. There are also several variations on the two-player contest.

Unfortunately, in all modes there isn’t much in the way of damage effects, so you can just ride the barriers with the pedal to the floor.

The terrain:
The racing takes place on 22 tracks that cover seven US cities such as San Francisco, Miami, New York and Chicago.

The game supports high-definition TV resolution, which is cool, but the relatively low polygon count becomes more noticeable at the higher resolution – especially on big screens.

As far as sound goes, I’d have to say that there’s not much difference between the sounds of the cars and they don’t accurately replicate the throbbing eights that are so much what the ’Stangs are about.

The experience:
Mustang fans are sure to enjoy racing the best of what Ford has had to offer over the past 40 years. The main disappointment, other than the car sounds, is that there’s no online support.

- Reviewed by Squadron Leader Nick Hogan

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