G-pinions

Tchaikovsky's violin concerto is playing in the background. We will soon find out how Kratos mixes with the serenade of a dead man.

If the question is ever asked, "Why do video games need a story?" you should point your inquisitive friend to the sublime God of War series. This may be the best example of video games working on the same level as the high art found in other mediums. The characters have real emotions, real motivations, and have a purpose beyond merely filling up space in a video game. The story, though one filled with hate and vengeance that would make Martin Scorsese blush, has a sense of pacing that even skilled authors struggle to match. Plus, there is a reason for its existence other than an excuse to shed more blood. The graphics themselves are jaw-dropping on a technical level and breathtaking in their sheer beauty. The score is able to subtlety move the player to quiet desperation and then, with a quickening of tempo and a crash from the percussion section, remind players of the anger and grief welling inside. And finally, the reason why this game is a perfect example of high art in video games, the controls and gameplay are refined to perfection. One can close their eyes and feel the rhythm of battle just like a cellist may vibrate slightly with each C plucked. This is the game the industry has been building towards.

I played through the entirety of God of War 2 during two glorious days last week. I could feel something special taking place from the moment I picked up the controller, but I almost took the experience for granted. The original God of War was so amazing I actually expected a nearly flawless sequel. The perfect combination of technical prowess and artistic beauty was merely some other game to be dissected and probed. Another game to find faults with. The sometimes obtuse puzzles or a silly animation glitch was cause for ridicule. As I neared the end, surviving an epic battle with the Sisters of Fate, I realized what I was experiencing. I realized how perfect the last ten hours have been, how they made every previous adventure seem trite by comparison. I realized that I wanted nothing more than to exact my revenge on Zeus. While at the same time, I wanted the game to go on forever. I had finally dropped my critical gloves and allowed myself to enter this experience.

God of War 2 has no peer. It is the most riveting, complete experience of last generation. While other games are content with mere levels, GoW2 gives you an entire civilization to roam. Where other stories offer a quick breather between battles, GoW2 takes full advantage of the medium. Tearing through Olympia with the fury of an angry rhinoceros would still be a compelling experience. But this story is much deeper. It is about trying to destroy an immortal. A being that has lived without equal for hundreds of years. It is the powerful message that no person, no matter how invincible they may seem, is immune to the arrows of a hero scorned. It is a warning to anyone who thinks they are untouchable while they sit on their throne. If Kratos can go after the God of Gods and survive, no one should get too comfortable in their own lives.

A few years ago I had not yet grasped the importance of story in video games. Cut scenes were excuses for me to get food from the kitchen or, if I was already full, a chance to slam on the Start button. Although every other aspect of gaming has grown through the years, story has taken a back seat for some reason. People have been content with alien invasion tales and teenage love triangles. They have accepted poorly translated dialog and two dimensional characters cut from the back of a cereal box. God of War 2 proves that a compelling story is as important as graphics and sound. It is the segment of a game that urges you forward and will stay in your cerebrum years down the road. GoW2 is able to combine vast environments, towering enemies and a reason why you should care in the first place. It's not only fun to kick Perseus' ass, but it's immensely rewarding to desecrate his corpse afterwards because of what a little rat he was.

I could write an entire paper about the motivations behind Kratos' rage, but I will condense his tale to a mere paragraph. Kratos does not realize he is the star of a video game noir. He will never be happy. There is only one way this trilogy can end: Kratos falling in battle, not quite able to overcome the overwhelming number of selfish and despicable beings in the world. He is a doomed figure. His goal is to right the many wrongs of the world, but that is an impossible order. With each fallen tyrant a new one will spring up. It is a dark message and one that can only lead to depression and death. But Kratos is an interesting figure because of his predetermined fate. To watch a man struggle against immortals only to be brought down by his inflated sense of duty is a fascinating look at the human mind. Given the proper motivation, one can destroy the very makers of fate if they desire. But fate is a human idea. Kratos will never be able to change what drives him.

God of War II is the best game on the most impressive system of all time. It combines every element of gaming into a masterpiece that raises the bar higher than most developers can even see. It may be years before another video game as complete as God of War 2 is created.