Shadow of the Colossus

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The games that shaped a generation: PS2

Sony's big boy on the block won out in sheer volume of titles, but the best still shone through

Words: GamesRadar US

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4. God of War
SCEA Santa Monica | SCEA | 2005

A tempestuous anti-hero commits serial acts of delicious and utterly relentless violence against a mythical backdrop inspired by fantasy spectacular Clash of the Titans

What made it so great?
The stupidly satisfying combat makes this epic tale of bloodshed and mythical beast-beating a legendary piece of PS2 history. Even the first moment you swing Kratos' devastating Blades of Chaos is an empowering experience, but leveling-up delivers ever more layers of brutality and, by the time you reach the end of your quest, its impossible not to be entirely consumed by the sadistic thrill of combo-based carnage.

Yet somehow God of War's massacres never collapse into a button-mashing mess - the flux of battle is more viscerally rewarding when performed with a degree of control. After playing God of War, other third-person action adventure games' combat feels flaccid in comparison. It's not just a gameplay element; it's a genuine gift from the gods.

Get ready to play
God of War jumps into the action straight from the get-go and within minutes of the intro movie you'll be bathing your blades in blood in one of the loudest and largest monster boss battles you're likely to see this side of Mount Olympus.

Been there, done that?
God of War deals in fantasy violence, so it kind of softens the blow. Rockstar's Manhunt, on the other hand, specializes in gruesome violence of a more real and graphic nature. But if you're a fan of violent games, it really should be in your collection.