I much prefer God of War clones that iterate on the same formula. The basic formula is okay and has some potential, but here it's rough around the edges with plenty of pointless mechanics. I think, what distinguished this from other action games of the time was the interactivity: almost every action is a minor QTE, even the most regular activities. This makes you feel involved even when most of the game is scripted scenes and boring platforming. I think this technique works well in small doses, but building an entire game from it is excessive for this genre. With a lackluster story and bland environments it becomes too obvious too quickly that beneath all the mini games is a primitive, repetitive and clunky gameplay. Not to mention the always grandiose tone of the game with a drum-infused soundtrack and a constant bombardment with huge set-pieces is not for everyone. I, for one, got exhausted within a couple of hours. Any action game needs some down time. But God of War is a 24/7 giant limb chopping bonanza.