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There’s something in the water in Santa Ana, California or the developers at Ready at Dawn Studios must work with some sort of esoteric magical force. It’s the only explanation for how much the team on God of War: Chains of Olympus managed to get out of the little PSP. This third outing with Kratos (which is actually a prequel to the first title) is doing its best to keep up with its console brothers, and it just so happens that it’s the best looking PSP game released yet.

God-in-Training

Like its predecessors, Chains of Olympus opens with a flash and a bang as Kratos begins knee-deep in combat with the Persian military during an invasion of the city of Attica. This first level will allow you to gain familiarity with the controls, which are a bit different now that the series is on a handheld. With only a single analog stick, dodging is now accomplished by holding both shoulder buttons and pressing the analog nub in the direction you want to dodge. Other than that, everything else is exactly as you remember it, which is an achievement in and of itself. It’s tough to name a console-to-PSP game that has made the transition so well, but Chains of Olympus does it wonderfully.

On his adventure, Kratos will visit set piece after set piece that continually puts the last one to shame. From the battle-torn streets of Attica to the amazing backdrop of Tartarus, each level is more grandiose than the last with stunning scope and size. What’s even more impressive is that many of the environmental backdrops also serve as puzzle components so that each part of a stage fits like a puzzle piece into the entire layout. For a development team’s first stab at the God of War franchise, the creative direction in the game deserves some serious praise. Everything about the series has been nailed perfectly, including the trademark quick-time event mini-games to defeat some of the bigger enemies.

Little Screen, Big Game

Along with the high-quality visuals and rock solid gameplay is the soundtrack, which crescendos with familiar God of War riffs to punctuate the brutality of the action. While it sounds great on its own, hook the PSP up to some headphones (or your TV, if you’ve got one of the fancy new slim PSPs) and the epic factor goes through the roof. Even the sound effects are thick and satisfying, giving Kratos a powerful weight.

If there are any flaws with God of War: Chains of Olympus, they surface simply because the game looks so good. Pure and simple, the PSP is being pushed hard, and because of this there is some screen tearing and frame rate stuttering when things on screen get very hectic or chaotic. It’s not often, but it shows up enough to be noticeable. The other element that some people might have trouble with is the puzzle design. Some of them are so maddeningly difficult to solve and some of the hints are so obscure and unhelpful that you’ll want to smash your own face on Kratos’ chain blades. Ultimately, a lot of the thinking challenges would have been better served with more distinct visual cues to help the player visualize a solution. Still, completing the puzzles gives a nice feeling of accomplishment when you’re able to see how they connect to other parts of the level.

God of the PSP

The PSP hasn’t yet seen a game with this much polish, this much visual punch, or this much bloody satisfaction. Everything feels meaty, be it the clash of weapon on flesh or the substantial amount of gameplay depth and environmental design. Not only is Chains of Olympus a worthy addition to the God of War franchise, it also stands on its own as a triple-A title in the PSP library.

Review by: Justin Fassino