What an absolute rush. This is history's most iconic look at how far a couple hundred million dollars can take you in the gaming biz, thus far. I've yet to see cinematic glory like this anywhere else, in any creative medium. The mocap, the direction, the facial rigging, the performances, the camera work. This is clearly the product of a bunch of industry-leading geniuses, at the absolute peak of their game, doing a sultry lil dance together for 5 years. I was nailed to the screen for the entire 30 or so hours it took me to complete the story. As with God of War 2018, I loved the puzzles, the narrative and the combat all in equal measure.

Where it really fell apart for me, unfortunately, was in the post-game. Perhaps it's unfair to criticize a game over an experience I had when I was already technically "finished" with it, but the game clearly wants you to do this stuff so here we are.

Revisiting realms to collect things you've missed is a chore at the best of times, and a total piss-off at the worst of them. The compass and the map function with the exact same flaws as the first game, which is mind-boggling given how much time they had to improve on this sort of thing. The lack of spawn points, the crippled fast travel system, it's all so aggravating. And those final optional bosses? Get outta town with this garbage, SSM. The challenge is remarkably unfair, and it'll boil your blood.