SCI FI PI

PSP
Rated M

Okay okay. You've heard of Kratos, the rather angry Spartan who's been kicking ancient ass for a while now for the Playstation people, both in terms of on-screen action and real world sales. His move to the PSP gives you a chance to slaughter fearsome enemies on the bus, on the train or, really creepily, waiting at the vet's. The chains in the title refers to both to Kratos' sexy flaming killing implements, and the fact that he's been sent by the Gods to wreak havoc on earth (and in the underworld) by removing all manner of ornery beastie. Hilarity ensues.





This prequel to the God of War story takes you back to when Kratos was a servant of Olympus, serving out permanent justice, old-school style. If you're a hard core Kratos fan, the PSP version is a blessing and a curse. First up, the small screen stands up okay for the action, so no worries there, but the gameplay isn't that taxing for the thumb champ, being shorter in length and a little stripped down from its epic predecessors.





The story and environments, however, are worth a 'stroll' through, and for newbies to the world of Kratos, this is a giant plus; you don't have to worry about being stuck on the same level for three months as you try to get your hand-eye coordination up to speed.





The PSP's screen really does, however, allow for some nice graphics to shine. It's a fun game to look at, with a mix of atmosphere, slaughter and magic. That said, it's predominantly combat-based. So if you want the hack'n'slash brimming to the eyeballs, look no further. For others, it may be too much of a gory thing - but if you don't like a bit of claret, why are you buying this in the first place?





A good soundtrack helps the atmosphere built by the visuals, adding suspense and providing an adrenalin rush when things get stupendous. All in all, this is massive slaughter on a micro scale, and as you can imagine, lots of fun.