Kratos is back, in portable form
Any fears I had about this game being pared down were unwarranted. Yes, the developers had to cut a few corners to fit the PSP, but its still God of War through and through. On the PSP. To a fan of the series, nothing more needs to be said; don't think, just buy. The graphics are top-notch and look great on the small screen, easily the best looking PSP game to date. My previous complaint about the backgrounds looking slightly plain are unfounded. I don't know if it was just the demo version or what, but the full game has great backgrounds that give the same sense of scope and believability as its big brothers on the PS2. The sound is equally amazing, and with headphones on, you get completely sucked into the world. And the gameplay is just as gory and brutal as you could hope. The atmosphere that is created with all three of these makes you feel like such a frickin badass that it easily holds your interest the whole way through, even if the story this time is a little less interesting.
Being a prequel, this game feels more like "the further adventures of Kratos" than anything else. Which isn't a bad thing, but the story doesn't really get interesting until pretty much the end of the game, where we finally get to the part that focuses on Kratos' daughter. Without saying too much, it is good to get some more background and insight into Kratos' tortured soul and really makes you feel sorry for him. At the end, you totally understand the Ghost of Sparta's rage and it makes you want to kick some ass every time you play him.
Taken on its own, this is easily the most fun you've ever had on the PSP. It's only when compared to its console counterparts that you start to see the thin cracks and compromises that were made. While the combat itself is satisfying, the controls and progression are slightly off. The tiny nub of a joystick on the PSP simply cannot compare to a real analog stick and at first, it is awkward having to hold both shoulder buttons in order to execute a barrel roll. Once you get used to it however, it works well, becoming automatic and second nature. Overall, Ready at Dawn did a surprisingly good job of mapping everything to the PSP's controls and squeezing in as much of the PS2 game's play mechanics as they possibly could. Progressing through the game is possibly the weakest link in the chain (sorry, couldn't resist). Chains of Olympus is even more linear than the first two adventures and the puzzle elements are extremely easy. I only got stuck once for more than 20 seconds. Also, there are way, WAY more instances of being blocked off in a chamber by red force fields and being made to clear the room of enemies before you are able to proceed. Again, not necessarily a crippling flaw, it just makes the progression seem a bit forced and controlled. On the plus side, the second weapon that you eventually get not only has a useful purpose this time around, but its actually really fun to use! In fact, there are certain enemies, especially in the Challenge of Hades, that are more easily dealt with using this additional weapon.
The only other negative things would be length and difficulty. Unless I was careless, I didn't really die all that often. No doubt my experience with the first two God of War games helped with this, but it still felt easier. I finished the game in just over 7 hrs on Hero (Medium) difficulty and got all the hidden chests (which btw, are much less hidden this time around). I may go back and try to complete the game again on God Mode and finish the Challenge of Hades, but it probably won't take me much longer than that.
In summary, if you compare Chains of Olympus to the first outings, it comes off a bit like God of War Lite in a couple aspects. Which, make no mistake, still isn't bad at all. However, if you take it for what it is on the PSP, you will see it for what it really is; the most bloody, engrossing, and downright fun 7 hrs you'll ever spend with a portable game system. If you at all enjoyed Kratos' antics in the past, you should need no more convincing.
