“There’s a real desire among the powers that be at Sony that innovation is important. I’m just not that kind of designer. I don’t care about innovation, I care about entertainment.” — God of War designer David Jaffe from a Gamespot feature.

It seems like a crazy idea, doesn’t it? Stifling innovation, working on perfecting old ideas instead of introducing new ones. Where’s the growth? How will new players be sucked in? Won’t someone think of the children!? I’m not going to worry about all that today. The best games are rarely ones that break down walls, scream long forgotten chants and make you rethink everything you thought you knew. The best games - like Jaffe’s own God of War - simply make you remember why you play video game in the first place.

It’s bloody, sadistic and teaches vengeance over love, but it’s eminently satisfying. Kratos, his skin forever bleached for sins he committed, seeks to destroy the god who ruined his life. The story is an easily digestible version of classic Greek tragedies with the unrelenting, blood-splattering violence that populate the nightmares of every politician who seeks to ban these soulless games from our store shelves.

When the layers of blood dry and and blow away, you are left with a game that exemplifies all that is right with this medium. A tactile action game with bone-jarring moves at your fingertips, a random assortment of puzzles for those much needed cool-down periods and a story so pure and untethered, it all but forces players to find out the satisfying conclusion. If it introduced one new gameplay mechanic, I would be shocked, but it’s all the stronger for it.

Have you achieved the status of God of War yet? You’ve proven your might, but test your knowledge right here.

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