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God of War II goes Greatest Hits
It's a scientific fact that $20 is a magical price point for console games. It's the price at which our judgment of what's worth buying and what's not begins to blur and we falter, letting our baser instincts hold sway. "Why do you own Kinetica?" a friend will ask incredulously, before a look silences him and he understands all to well: It was $20.Well here's a $20 purchase you can be proud of: God of War II has just attained "Greatest Hits" status, meaning that if you haven't purchased it yet you have an errand to run on your way home from work. Trust us, you'll be glad you picked it up ... unlike some $20 purchases. (We're looking at you, Fugitive Hunter.)
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2007: God of War II
QTE. Quick Time Events. It stands proud as one of the most annoying video game design clichés in use today. You might remember them from games like Resident Evil 4 and the original God of War, described by game developers as a device that makes you feel like you're playing a cutscene, as opposed to watching it. It was so cool when we first saw it -- but when every single game ever decided to add QTE, it became less ... welcome.So, how did God of War II trick us into having so much fun with its QTE-riddled cinematics? Probably because the game remembered exactly what made these sequences fun. There was the all-important feeling of empowerment from these moment, where every button pressed felt like it had consequence. When we cracked Theseus' head open by slamming it into a door over and over again, we felt the same blood thirst that Kratos must have undeniably felt. We weren't pressing buttons simply because the game told us to. Rather, we pressed buttons because it intrinsically made so much sense. We were one with Kratos. RARGH! Some may argue that God of War II doesn't innovate enough to warrant any GOTY accolades. Hey, it's not like the first one really broke new ground either. (And that didn't stop the original from winning GOTY.) Instead, God of War II so finely executes what has already been done before. Giant boss battles are nothing new to video games, but those found here are exceptionally well placed (and paced!) throughout the game. Even the first level's backdrop is a giant animated statue that you ultimately go sword-to-face with. Each battle is filled with a ferocity, a viciousness that reminds you that these are very powerful gods and demons you're fighting.God of War II shows that the PS2 is still capable of producing wonderful gaming experiences. It highlights the true value of excellent design over pure technology, and offers so much of that all-important commodity we seek from games: fun. %Gallery-1588% Extreme fever! ->
God of War's Cory Barlog leaving SCEA
1UP reports that Cory Barlog shall not pass his SCEA Santa Monica colleagues in the hallway anymore, as he's decided to leave the studio in order to pursue other opportunities, none of which are likely to involve James Lipton. The game director most notably took the reins of the Grecian testosterone epic, God of War II, from David Jaffe (who also recently departed SCEA to form his own studio) and ultimately oversaw one of this year's finest PS2 games.According to a Sony spokesperson, the publisher is grateful for Barlog's "work and creative vision for the critically acclaimed God of War franchise", but is also confident that the remaining team will successfully churn out "epic content with God of War: Chains of Olympus for the PSP and God of War III for PS3." Yes, that's the same God of War III which remains officially unannounced but completely expected. Try not to muck it up, Mr. Barlog's replacement!
Adgadget: Goat of war
Looking back at the decapitated goat scandal that was Sony's press event for God of War II, which hit British tabloids and gaming news last month, the freshly slaughtered skin may have been the least offensive part.If you frequented any gaming sites in the last few weeks, chances are you saw more pixilated pictures of flesh than you would have in a commercial for Girls Gone Wild. Unfortunately, not all the skin was of the girl variety – most of the pixilated flesh belonged to a freshly slaughtered goat that made an appearance at an event held in Greece to promote the recent launch of the game God of War II. Among the festivities back in March, guests were challenged invited to win a PS3 by reaching into what looked like the most pathetic pit of snakes and eat a traditional Greek dish fashioned after goat intestines while topless women paraded around the joint. The goat had been purchased from a butcher prior to the event and though a spokesperson claimed the goat had not been slaughtered for the event, many were left skeptical considering goats aren't typically decapitated in such a manner. A video of the event surfaced, complete with commentary and cliché flame graphics.
Sony explains God of War's dead goat antics
"Slaughter: Horror at Sony's depraved promotion stunt with decapitated goat" is the sort of headline that sells newspapers -- the UK's Daily Mail in particular(NSFW). Starting with an evocative first word and ending with outright animal cruelty, it's a snappy summation of an event that was probably rife with sexual debauchery, devil worship and inappropriate hobnobbery! And that isn't even a word! Indeed, how could other papers even compete with their silly "facts" and less sensational headlines like "Promotion: Butcher-obtained goat displayed in dramatization while journalists drink soup from china bowls!" Well, we suppose that one is a little bit on the long side.Then again, so is the story revolving around Sony's European God of War II event. It seems somewhere between the Daily Mail's spin and the Official PlayStation Magazine's (now recalled) retelling of the Greek-themed costume party, things... goat a little out of hand. Sony's senior director of corporate communications, Dave Karakker, told Joystiq that the reporter responsible for the OPSM article didn't even bother to attend the event. The basis of his article was the invitational pamphlet, "which employed a degree of hyperbole in order to encourage attendance."Furthermore, the infamous goat was thoroughly dead upon arrival. It was procured from a qualified butcher, was returned after the event and was never allowed to be touched by journalists (no kidding around). The goat was filled with "a meat soup, made to a traditional Greek recipe and served to attendees in china bowls direct from the caterers," leaving claims of "offal" as someone likely mishearing a complaint about the actual taste of the dish. No soup came directly from the goat. "We recognise that the use of a dead goat was in poor taste and fell below the high standards of conduct we set ourselves. We are conducting an enquiry to establish the circumstances behind the event in order to ensure this does not happen again. We also apologise to anyone offended by the article in the OPSM (subscription copies were sent out ahead of street date)." It was undeniably tacky, but hardly the "Phil Harrison bites the head off a chimp and mows down the audience using a Tommy Gun" debacle you may have envisioned before. (They're saving that one for The Getaway 3.)
IslandofRhodes.org hides God of War 2' 'HD Mode' and countdown
We admit it. We were disappointed to learn there wasn't an announcement attached to the super-secret God of War-themed IslandofRhodes.org viral site we first spotted last month. Turns out, first impressions can be deceiving. Through beating the site's puzzles, dedicated gamers (like the ones at GameFAQs) can find out how to enable the ditched-at-the-last-minute "HD mode" on God of War 2. Note: "this is NOT 720p. Its actually 480p with FULL SIZE buffers, in other words 640*448 resolution." We're not really sure what "full size buffers" are either, but a brief test using a PS3 and an HD monitor didn't provide a very noticeable increase (except in page tearing). If you want to test for yourself, follow the instructions pasted after the break. Also hidden at the site was yet another countdown! This one is set to go off in just over eleven days time. What's going to happen then? We imagine it'll be something besides a developer commentary site and the little sliver above seems to hint at a phrase beginning with "G." Gout of War, anybody?[Thanks, Wreckhart & ranova; via Kotaku]
God of War's IslandofRhodes.org is developer commentary site
Following weeks of speculation IslandofRhodes.org is revealed as a site full of developer commentary about God of War 2. A little bit of fan service that was supposed to activate last night at midnight, but then the clock reset itself for another two days -- this morning, the site is working. Speculation about the website surfaced following a video on YouTube where somebody accumulated a high enough combo count to reveal the mysterious URL. At the time, we were unaware if the video was a hoax, but after speaking with a representative from Sony were told the site is real -- but that's all they were willing to say.So, it's not an announcement for God of War 3. Don't worry, we're sure that'll come around soon enough. The site does have some neat commentary with Cory Barlog, director of GoW, about the Colossus scene (like it was originally even longer) and other developers. Remember, in a world without the intertubes, to even learn about the site you had to reach an insane combo count, so this was originally meant as fan service. If you've played God of War 2 and are interested in some of the technical background information go check it out.
Today's spoilerest game video: God of War 2 ending
If you're the sort who reads the last page of a book before its beginning, bask in the various recordings of the God of War 2 ending that have found their way to YouTube. We picked the extra-long seven-minute cut; witness several missteps by Kratos in addition to the finale.Need we say "spoiler alert?" Watch the video after the break.
God of War 3 dependent on you buying God of War 2!
We're not going to go over the angle that God of War may make an appearance on the PSP sometime in the future. That's great and all, but we'd really rather see a PlayStation 3 adventure involving Kratos and some pretty intense fighting. If you want a God of War 3, it seems David Jaffe and company will respond to sales and reception of the second game.Cory Barlog, game director for GoW2, had this to say about the production of the third title: "...it's really early; it's not like, "Yes, we're going forward." It's more like, "If this goes well on the second one, what would we do on the third one?" It will really be dependent on sales and fan response to GoW II." Sweet. We hope that the team doesn't have a lot of trouble working with the PS3 -- we'd like them to do the best they can and they wouldn't settle for anything less, would they? So, guys, buy God of War 2! It'll be awesome and we'll get a third. What's to lose, except $50 or so?[fixed spelling errors... lovely how people try so hard to find something to yell at.]
God of War 2 dev responds to public outcry
Remember that God of War 2 dev who thought the Wii's appeal was a novelty and wore off quickly? Well, he's posted a response to all who found his earlier claims to be too hard to digest. He goes on to say "First let me say I am not so quickly judging and writing off the wii..I am just saying what I played was not doing it for me. I think it is a good system...I just did not get bowled over with a sense of "Oh my god this is the future." He also goes on to say a few things in regards to the social appeal of the system, stating "When friends come over though...I will be playing the wii a whole lot more...cause it is fun in a social situation...like freaking Guitar Hero. I played the hell out of the first one for a week or so...but then it kind of wore off for me...I still played it, just not as much. Of course when I have people over it becomes fun again. So to me..right now...the wii is a great social machine...but when I want to sit around and get sucked into a game for a lengthy session I am not gonna be playing the wii." Again, has this guy heard of Twilight Princess? We sank 50 hours into the game before our final confrontation with the game's boss and found the experience to be one of the most immersive of our entire life.
God of War dev thinks Wii gets boring quickly
As a director for the upcoming Sony game God of War 2, Cory Barlog is no stranger to the game's industry. He knows the ins and outs, and (we imagine) has a large love for the medium. We'll tell you what he doesn't love though: his newly-acquired Wii. Upon getting the gift and opening it, Cory contributes "It was fun...but the wow factor wore off fairly quick."He goes on to talk a bit about the game he wanted to play most (how that wasn't Twilight Princess, we'll never know), saying "The one game I wanted to play, Trauma Center, was definitely a bit of a let down. The wiimote was woefully inaccurate and sapped the fun of the game. The Wii sports golf and bowling was cool...the boxing is freaking terrible though. In the end I hope to see some cool games come out of it, though it has me worried that the whole 'what new thing can you do with the controller' fad will wear off after awhile and I will have left is a much slimmer wireless gamecube." We can't say we share his opinions, but what about you guys? Do you think the system is headed where he sees it going?
God of War II dev bets against the game, must lease Maserati Quattroporte if wrong
God of War II developer Eric Williams is urging you not to buy his game -- until after April 1. During one of his most loopy moments in the development cycle, Williams was baited into a wager, betting that God of War II would not sell 500,000 copies by April 1 (it releases March 13). Losing means leasing a Maserati Quattroporte and becoming lunch chauffeur for a year. According to LeaseTrader, a 49-month Quattroporte lease would be rated at $1,695 a month (a 12-month lease would run higher). "I might have to blow my entire savings on this bet, NOT COOL AT ALL," laments Williams.The cynic in us wonders if this is merely a perverse marketing stunt: buy our game, make a developer suffer. Even if it's not, there are easily a half-million PS2 owners anxiously awaiting God of War II's release. Consider that similarly worded 'epic' Gears of War managed to sell one million units in two weeks; and Xbox 360's user base is a mere notch on the yardstick used to measure PS2's base. Factor in that PlayStation 3 has yet to replace PS2 as most owners' go-to console, and Mr. Williams, the (soon-to-be) poor fool, has made an awfully careless bet. Think the rest of the development team will hold him to it?[Thanks, Yoon]
God of War II 'not' in HD on PS3, just 480p
IGN's God of War II review is so ahead of its time that it (admittedly) fails to provide feedback on two key features of the retail edition of the game -- neither of which apparently would affect the review's overall score (9.7/10). The first is simply a bonus disc bloated with fanboy fluff (behind-the-scenes doc, etc.). The second, and more significant, is that God of War II will run in 720p (HD) resolution when played on PlayStation 3. The question for PS3 owners with HD displays, who are still holding onto their PS2s, becomes: is now the time I trade rumble for a sharper image? (PS2 owners wondering if this is the reason to upgrade to PS3 should know that it's not.)Update: Doh, IGN got mixed up: "we've gotten word from an SCEA representative that the game will support 480p on the PlayStation 3 but not 720p. Our error was due to crossed information and we're sorry for the confusion." So when does Sony announce PS3 is packing its own 'Ana' chip? We want upscaling![Thanks, jonathan]%Gallery-1588%
God of War 2 videos are hack-a-licious
Showing that she isn't done yet, the PS2 shines in these videos for God of War II, expected to release in March. The first God of War was one of the most thrilling and action packed titles in memory, an amazing game in presentation and execution. After watching these videos of the demo for God of War II, which looks to bring us more of the same gameplay and fantastic boss battles, it reminds us why the PS2 was last generation's winner -- this game looks amazing! The first video sets the scene and introduces another larger than life boss for Kratos to take down. The continuation of the video can be found after the break. God of War II is expected to release March 13 and it looks like fans of the original game are in for a treat with this sequel.
God of War II nears completion
Sleep deprived and rambling a bit, God of War II director Cory Barlog updates us on the status of Sony's sequel. Yesterday, Barlog blogged, "it is safe to say that all of the primary work for God of War 2 has been completed." What's left is the final QA testing, suggesting that Kratos is on schedule for his projected March return -- what's being billed as PlayStation 2's swan song.Barlog also spends a few words defending God of War II's quick weapon-switch, which has apparently been targeted by Devil May Cry faithful. "Some call it stealing; I call it realizing when something works," argues Barlog. Hey, if it ain't patented, trademarked, or copyrighted, it's fair game.
God of War 2 demo soon
God of War 2 director Cory Barlog, using gentler language than tends his predecessor David Jaffe, has revealed that the game demo is nearly complete. "We are going to be breaking off the demo code pretty soon and tuning the final tuning pass on the demo level so that is pretty damn exciting. It means that those of you who emailed earlier about the demo will soon be holding your sweet copy of the God of War 2 Demo," Barlog wrote on his blog Wednesday.Barlog failed to cite an exact release date or means of distribution for the demo, which will feature a single level. By his own declaration, the entire game will be finished 60 days from now, suggesting a late-March to early-April release window for God of War 2. Our guess: demo in February. Will a version land on PlayStation 3's PlayStation Store?[Via 1UP]
David Jaffe despises action/adventure, Kratos cries
God of War director David Jaffe recently posted on his blog and 1up.com covered the important points for us. An interesting pair of quotes are where Jaffe says "I find myself enjoying single player action adventure games more than I have since I was a kid," but also says that after designing an action/adventure game with an epic story he has "lost interest in the genre of single player action/adventure games." He likes playin' 'em, but doesn't like makin' 'em. He doesn't want to tell stories with his games anymore?Jaffe believes, apparently, that most games today don't really feed on the raw emotions that a game could, and should, evoke from the player. What, then, will Project HL be? If he doesn't want to make a story, what could it be? A very hard, annoying puzzle game that makes us cry because it's so ridiculous? What about God of War 2, or God of War 3? Will the story taper off and the third try to evoke raw emotions from us with nothing other than blood and mayhem? This may worry some, but as 1up.com concluded, it does appear he is suffering from burnout due to rough development schedules. Buck up, Jaffe! We believe in you.
Watch the entire God of War 2 E3 demo; get frustrated
GameVideos has a direct feed of the entire E3 God of War 2 demo being played through. Problem is, it's like watching your friends playing a video game; thankfully, the physical limitations of reality preclude us from reaching into the video and showing this nubcake how it's done. But if we could, dear reader, rest comfortable knowing it would take us far shorter than the twenty-four brutality-soaked minutes seen here.So, while you're exercising self control, sit back and drink in the beautiful scenery. Yup, this is the PS2 looking its finest, folks. For the SAT prep students in the house, God of War II:PS2::Resident Evil 4:Gamecube. Don't believe us? The entire video is embedded after the break, or download the enormous 430Mb .mov (or .wmv) file for filing away, right next to those Kratos-cosplay videos you've been hoarding. For shame!See also:PS2 impressions: God of War 2God of War 2 GDC video leaked onlineSony confirms God of War 2 worldwide Q1 2007
Hands-on with God of War II
IGN got an early hands-on preview of God of War II, and they're lovin' what Sony's Santa Monica studio has come up with so far.Without revealing too much of the sequel's plot, our hairless hero now sports some new magical attacks and context-sensitive finishing moves. Needless to say, prominent Greek mythological figures will also be showing up to keep Kratos company, and there will certainly be a lot of flashy slashing-first-ask-questions-later kind of action to fill the hours.For more spoilers on "an early section of the sequel," simply follow the image link above or Read link below, where you can find a few more details on the new power-up system and annoying enemy combatants (otherwise known as smarter fodder for your sharper blades). A practical explanation goes into the reasons for keeping things on the PS2 rather than the PS3, and hopefully less frustrating puzzles are revealed as well. More will likely be revealed at Sony's big E3 press conference today.See also: New God of War 2 director speaks God of War's Jaffe inspired by Britney vs. Christina God of War 2 GDC video leaked online
Warhawk, MotorStorm, & other bootleg GDC PS3 videos
So, are you tired of bootleg stills from the upcoming PS3 titles featured at GDC? (Or bootleg videos from current-gen titles like God of War 2?) Well, it looks like you're in luck, as we've got a few fuzzy PS3 videos from Phil Harrison's speech, courtesy of the embargo-ignorin' folks at Multiplayer.it.What we have above is a clip from the developer demo of Warhawk for the PS3. A voiceover describes the "ambient warfare" to be used in the air-combat simulation game, as well as the innovative mix of "Cell-based software rendering with RSX-based hardware rendering" to produce the graphics. For all you coders out there, it was also interesting to note that the programs running on the Cell's SPUs were not written in low-level assembly (easing development, but possibly degrading performance).While we wait until E3, when a playable version of Warhawk was promised to be delivered, here are a few more PS3 videos from GDC that you might find interesting (with a few unfortunately quite incomplete): Streamed video of MotorStorm GDC footage, also with a voiceover. Streamed speeded-up video clips (no audio) of Warhawk, Getaway 3, Lair, the Havoc physics demo from Heavenly Sword, the bullet-ridden car model demo, and even that video concerning Rachet & Clank. Streamed (basically) audio-only video from Resistance: Fall of Man. [Thanks, Reaktorleak89, Fan, & Da'Cheez; via PS3 Fanboy & QJ.net]See also: MotorStorm, Resistance and more: pictures from Sony's GDC keynote God of War 2 GDC video leaked online Multiplayer.it's report on Phil Harrison's GDC keynote (in Italian)
