Perhaps one of the most notable franchises of the Sony game catalogue and in the game industry overall, the God of War franchise needs no introduction. Set in the mythological world and known for its bloody, gory and furious combat system and a quite charismatic character in the likes of Kratos, both God of War (2005) and God of War II (2007) became instant classics.

With the third chapter being only a few months away, not only did Sony think that it would a great idea to re-release them as a compilation but, also, offer them as a completely revamped experience. Although the hardcore Kratos fans will be delighted at the final product, new audiences, who by now have already seen footage of God of War 3, will have a chance to experience how it all began.

If you have played God of War I and II back in the glory days of the PS2, you should know that it’s very similar to what you’ve experienced a few years back so I won’t go much into details. However, there’s one little thing I should mention. The fact that both games now run at sixty frames per second will give you the impression that Kratos is much more responsive and smoother in terms of movement compared to the Kratos of the PS2 generation. Per consequent, combat will also feel much faster as well. It’s crazy how a “simple” framerate bump can change a game.

Framerate is one thing but the improved visuals are certainly what stand out the most in God of War Collection. We’re not talking about a simple PS2 to PS3 port. Both games have undergone a complete makeover from the textures to character animations.They aren’t Uncharted 2-like quality graphics but the final result is quite stunning. However, there’s a little-tiny-minor problem with this compilation: the video cut-scenes aren’t in high definition. It’s becomes even more noticeable when you’ll be switching from the video to the actual gameplay. There are a few scenes powered with the in-game engine so they actually look a bit better but the video sequences have that grainy look from the PS2. I mean, it’s not terrible considering the work put into making both games look very nice. I could easily name you some games that were released this year that can’t even compare to what is being presented here. Trust me when I say that you won’t have any problems overlooking the sub-par cinematics.

I’m actually happier that the gameplay mechanics weren’t affected or tamed by the remasterization process. Looking fantastic is one thing but it could have also been a disaster. I’m just glad that both the looks and the playability made it through.

Now, if you never played or have no idea of what God of War is, here’s your chance to experience it in a whole new way. You control Kratos, a ruthless warrior that becomes a god servant after making a pact with Ares. Being tricked and betrayed by him, he embarks on a bloody quest for revenge. It’s difficult for me to go on because I don’t want to spoil it for you, early God of War adopter, but this great compilation will certainly give you enough enjoyment and of course, get you prepared for what’s coming in March 2010.

It’s hard to pass on God of War Collection, even if you already own the PS2 versions. Just the fact that they were re-mastered for high definition should be a big enough reason to get them (I mean how many versions of Street Fighter II do you own?) but the addition of Trophies makes it even more appealing. The compilation also comes with the same bonus content and videos that were featured in the PS2 versions. Expect the same level of video quality as the cut-scenes however.

Finally, a voucher that will allow you to download the God of War 3 demo from E3 2009 is also included but you shouldn’t buy it for that reason alone. See it as a great little extra gift…that will certainly make you wish March was now.

Conclusion

I don’t want to sound like a broken record but when you see a great compilation like this one, you can’t say it enough. If you are looking for a great package deal in terms of length, great price and quality, there’s no way you should pass on this one. Now, if you never, EVER, heard or played any game from this mythic franchise, then you must add this compilation to your game collection.