Parents' Guide to

God of War: Origins Collection

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Two of the PSP's most violent games come to PlayStation 3.

Game PlayStation 3 2011
God of War: Origins Collection Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • God of War: Origins Collection Game: Screenshot #1
  • God of War: Origins Collection Game: Screenshot #2
  • God of War: Origins Collection Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Cheesewhiz
Cheesewhiz Adult
February 27, 2013
age 18+

Gory fun with good gameplay but not for kids

This is one game (ok it's technically 2 games) you don't want to play around your kid, parents, or girlfriend. Excessive violence and nudity with a sex minigame in both of the 2 games. But that doesn't mean it's not a fun game. With solid gameplay and impressive graphics (for 2 psp games imported onto the PS3) it also has a surprisingly good story behind all the gore. Chains of Olympus tells events that happened right before the original GoW and Ghost of Sparta adds in filler for between GoW and GoW II. While not essential to play, they add a lot to the series and are still really fun. Most times I don't agree with Commons Sense media's reviews in regards to positive role models but they were right on in this case. Kratos is an anti-hero who kills anyone or anything in his way. The only possible positve message here is in Ghost of Sparta where he risks his life to save his brother from the god of death Thanatos.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
illusiondk
illusiondk Adult
January 26, 2012
age 14+

good games, stop being so mad

Great games

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

With the creation of the GOD OF WAR: ORIGINS COLLECTION, all five games in Sony's popular and extremely violent fantasy action game franchise are now available to be played on PlayStation 3. This pack combines Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta, a pair of games originally released only for PlayStation Portable that tell prequel stories featuring franchise protagonist Kratos, an angry Spartan who feels as though the gods of Olympus have cheated and betrayed him. Chains of Olympus details his exploits during his service to the gods, while Ghost of Sparta chronicles his quest to redeem himself for having failed his brother when he was a child. Both games deliver bloody combat mixed with the occasional puzzle and epic boss battle. A feature-length bonus video puts the directors of all five games together in the same room to discuss the franchise's design, meaning, and evolution.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (5):

Both of this collection's constituent games are considered among the best ever released for PlayStation Portable, and with good reason. Despite the system's smallish screen and limited controls, they felt much like the games players were used to playing in their living rooms. They featured top-notch writing and voice acting, memorably epic battles, and familiar but original elements in the form of new magic and weapons. It bears mentioning that, like all God of War games, their bloody, gory action is suitable only for adult audiences.

Both games have been remastered for high-definition televisions, but don't let that fool you into thinking they look as good as God of War III or even either of the first two games made for PlayStation 2. Jagged edges have been smoothed, but no details have been added. Consequently, there's little reason for those who've already played these games on PSP to pay for them again here. However, adult gamers who have long followed Kratos' tale and don't own PSPs may well enjoy learning what the bald Spartan was up to in his earlier years.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in games. Can extreme violence ever be morally justified in entertainment? Can it legitimately enhance a story or an interactive experience? Do you see a difference between acts of violence carried out against fantastical creatures and humans?

  • Families can also discuss sexuality in games. How do you think girl gamers feel about the way women are typically depicted in games? How about boy gamers? What sort of female characters would you like to see more of in games?

Game Details

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