 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
God of War
- PlayStation 2
- Price: $44.95
- Genre: Action/Adventure
Common Sense Media says
Excellent game is dark, violent, and for adults.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is an extremely violent game (cut scenes show severed and exploding heads, spears thrust through enemy throats, and buckets of blood). There are topless goddesses and an implied group sex scene. Also, the game centers around a complicated protagonist, a ruthless Spartan warrior haunted by his past actions.
What's it about?
In GOD OF WAR, players control Kratos, a warrior and commander of one of the most feared platoons of the Spartan army. He pledges allegiance to Ares, but is double-crossed -- and he vows to make Ares pay for the countless people he's killed in the god's name. Top-notch combat features dozens of special fighting moves and inventive magic skills allow players to turn enemies to stone with the power of the Gorgon or throw Zeus' lightening bolts. Puzzles require some inventive thinking, asking players to assess the environment for clues and solutions, and the platform elements require good timing and jumping skills to navigate creative settings like the Cliffs of Madness and the depths of Hades.
Is it any good?
Based on the library of Greek mythology, Sony's action platformer takes a really great idea and stretches it to its limits -- both in terms of high-quality gaming and stomach-turning violence. The result is a beautiful, compelling game that is, sadly, too graphic for even the most mature teens.
The game's creativity serves a dark, amoral hero who lives in a world of explosive gore and relentless brutality. The game shows no restraint when it comes to violence. Additionally, Kratos's total disregard for the innocents that share his world is very hard to accept, even though the game goes to great lengths to explain the reasons for his brutality. Add to that a casual sexual encounter with a pair of women and you have a game that's wholly inappropriate for kids.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether Kratos's ends justify his vicious means. Do you agree with him, or is there something troubling about this view? He kills innocent people; is this ever an acceptable thing to do?
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AGE
Second best game so far of this year. Teens should be able to handle it.
The only thing stopping God of War from being the game of the year so far is the perfection that is Resident Evil 4. The combo-heavy gameplay moves far beyond the hack and slash tedium of most action titles, the magic is varied without being needlessly complex, and your abilities improve based on your skill. The puzzles are excellent; even the typically cliched crate puzzles are different enough to be interesting.
Now, on to the content. Yes, God of War features blood, gore, dismemberment, nudity, sex, and the slaughter of innocent bystanders. However, none of this is extreme or gratuitous; it all serves to explain Kratos' character. He is an animalistic hedonist, gone almost insane from the stress of battle, the pain of loss, and the desire for Aries' downfall. While they may not be able to understand the subtleties of Kratos' personality, most teens should be able to handle this game.
Overall, God of War is a beautifully violent story told perfectly, and filled with some of the best gameplay I've seen in a long time. It will likely be the PS2's best game of 2005.
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Kid, 12 years old
November 24, 2010
AGE
awsome game is extremely rated m
Awsome! Extremely gory and explicit but language was not that bad.
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AGE
Really Fun but really annoying
why can't you kill the dragon
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Kid, 12 years old
January 16, 2011
AGE
gives playstation a bad name
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AGE
a beautiful, bloody game thats harder than u think.
This is a mature game, for mature people. If you're not mature, skip this game, because it has it all. Brutal killings, sexual acts, mythological beings, good plot, deep character, it has everything. Parents constantly complain violent video games are what are driving kids to violence. Doing this is an excuse for bad parenting. Teach your kid some good morals, then buy them this game.
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AGE
God of War
Super fun game and perfectly dark. I'm a huge fan of mythological video games.
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AGE
My brother has played this game and I can't say that I know anything about it but, it just sounds disgusting.
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AGE
This game is not for anyone under 14. It is incredibly brutal with an unrealistic amount of blood. God of War also contains lots of boobies and an optional sex scene. Kratos wants to rid himself of his past sins, however he will brutally slaughter anyone/thing in his way.
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AGE
A great, violent game.
I'd reccomend this for older teens and maybe mid teens if not for the sexual part. Definitly for adults and 17 year olds.
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| Platforms: | PlayStation 2 |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Release date: | March 22, 2005 |
| Price: | $44.95 |
| ESRB rating: | M |
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