As our favorite hero Kratos returns (or is it re-returns?) in this epic re-release of God of War I & II, PlayStation fans are left feeling very satisfied knowing they could once again play through the God of War series with more fun than ever before (at least until the imminent release of God of War III). Yes, we all know that God of War III is scheduled for release this upcoming March, but we are here to discuss the re-release of the first two installments in the God of War series. Often hailed as two of the best game releases on the PlayStation to date, the God of War series serves as the epitome for all things gaming – it’s filled with action, adventure, violence and gore, compelling boss fights, and an ancient story that wraps the characters around your heart. The most notable difference here is that the both God of War I & II have been re-released with stunning HD quality. Yes, those same two games we’ve known to love are now enhanced for our blu-ray viewing pleasure. Let’s just hope that God of War III lives up to the hype, as we are sure it will, but there are definitely some big shoes to fill here.

Even though the first two God of War games have been out for several years now, they most definitely still hold their own when it comes to an action-packed adventure video game. Even compared to recent releases today, God of War I & II are still right up their with them. Especially after being remastered for use with the PlayStation 3′s HD technology, this series will most definitely give you a good run for it’s money. Even more so, the God of War I & II bundled is priced at a mere $40, well worth the investment for any God of War fan. For any of you out there that haven’t played any God of War games, this would be a great way to pick up the fun and help you transition right into God of War III upon its release.

The games’ storyline is filled with ancient mysticism of Greek Gods & Goddesses, and the hack-and-slash fighting performed by Kratos is nothing but enjoyable. Even for those that have played these titles before, these remastered versions are truly enhanced in several aspects. Aside from the High-Definition graphics being its strongest selling point, the gameplay intensity has also been dramatically improved as a result. With clearer weapons, moves and foes, Kratos feels more alive than ever before. Not to mention that loading times have been dramatically decreased, overall adding to the value of these two games. On probably the only down note of the entire game experience, the cut scenes were completely left alone from the original release, and were not touched up one bit. Yes we definitely understand the expense of remastering cut scenes, and their less importance over the gameplay itself, but it would have been nice to see Sony at least do a few minor touches to them instead of completely leaving them alone.

The re-release of the God of War titles was definitely a strong move for Sony, as the God of War series are one of their strongest franchises to date. God of War III is right around the corner, and from the previews we have seen, it will definitely live up to it’s destiny. If any of you have checked out the demo, you can tell that the graphics in God of War III are even a notch above the remastered version of God of War I & II. Not to knock the re-released titles, but God of War III will take the crown upon its release. For any PSP owners out there, make sure you check out God of War: Chains of Olympus, one of the best video games ever created for the PSP. The action, adventure and hack-and-slash fighting in the God of War series, coupled with a mystic storyline of epic proportions will truly enthrall the gamer on ever level. This is one video game where it is really hard to put down your controller – the boss fights are probably the best we’ve seen on any games to date, very comparable to those of Ninja Gaiden.

In conclusion, God of War I & II have scored high across the board from all video game analysts and critics. The reviews continue to rave about the ever-so improved graphical engine, and Sony’s ability to truly engross the gamer into the game. With the imminent release of God of War III a few months down the line, it’s clear that Sony will continue to advertisie and promote the God of War series as one if it’s strongest, if not most heralded video game franchise. For any gamers out there who haven’t checked out the God of War franchise, this bundle is a definite must-buy especially at $40. Playing these two titles will definitely make you want to reserve God of War III, and if you got a PSP, definitely pick up Chains of Olympus for a mere $20. The God of War series has helped further define hack-and-slash type games, as this series is nothing but mundane. As you will explore magical ancient worlds, filled with mystical creatures and beasts, God of War will provide a good (and fun) challenge for almost any gamer on any level.