God of War II surpasses the visuals of just about every other game available on the PS2. While there are a few noticeable clipping errors, as well as some other goofs, the entire package makes up for them. As with the original, the sense of scale is epic. There is no shortage of giant mythical beasts to fight, and the game takes no time throwing them at you. The intro finds you facing down a colossus the size of most skyscrapers…
Levels also use a number of nice visual tricks to help make things pop, including lighting effects, reflective surfaces, and even a few haze and fog effects. There are also a number of stylistic, in-game camera angles that, once again, help to push the immense scale.
All of the in-game voicework is well acted, including minor characters whose lines mainly consist of begging for their lives. As for music, the only complaint I had was that, unlike the first game, Sony didn’t send the soundtrack alongside the game. Yeah, I know, cry me a river…
Before going any further, it is probably best to note that God of War II earns its Mature rating. The language isn’t all that bad, but there are a number of gory, brutal death scenes, as well as topless (and sometimes naked) women. The "special" mini-game from the original also makes a return, though it is a tad bit harder to find.