God of War Collection: PS Vita Review

God of War Collection: PS Vita Review

Platform: PS Vita
Released by Santa Monica

Kratos returns in this portable port-over of the God Of War's first two outings.

Simplicity is the key to this release as you take over control of Kratos and release seven shades of hell against those who've slighted you on your quest for vengeance.

It's a pretty standard transition to the small screen, with the same controls you'd have used on the PS2 or the PS3 HD remaster which came out in 2009 and sees you using the sticks and buttons to take Kratos into combat and to defeat all around him, as well as collecting orbs and power ups as you go. The back rear pad can be used here and there as well, so the PS Vita controls are all aligned with this.

It's pleasing to report that the quality of the cut scenes and the visuals haven't suffered too much in this downgrade to the PS Vita format and the visuals look as well as could be expected with the OLED screen. That sounds like damning it with faint praise, but it's not; as God Of War works on an almost cinematic scale at times with the big screen giving size and scope. Inevitably the transition to a smaller screen would mean the loss of that but the port has done as much as it can to ensure the loss is minimised; occasionally, the cut scenes do look murky but they last briefly and you're back into the action.

Touch screening means swapping Kratos' weapons around, so you need to be a little ambidextrous at times, but it's good to see some concessions have been made to the tech available. The QTE moments are still within as well, but are easier to operate than before.

The game's certainly playable enough in its portable form and will offer plenty of amusement to those willing to get stuck in for the long haul.

The God Of War series is an iconic one and the portable take on it is certainly one to embraced. Wreaking vengeance and mixing it up old Gods style has never been so easier and so much fun.

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