So what if it plays almost the same (and costs nearly as much) as its set-top God of War cousins? Greek mythology-tinged handheld odyssey Chains of Olympus, starring perpetually infuriated, red-striped warrior Kratos, doesn't just channel the same irresistible rage and blood-drenched mayhem series loyalists are well-accustomed to; Chains of Olympus is PSP's first killer app, even if a general lack of competition makes that a somewhat dubious honor.
At passing glance, the tale -- battle skeleton warriors, medusae and minotaurs to restore sun god Helios to the sky -- appears identical to preceding God of War installments (e.g. twirling twin chain-mounted blades slaughter enemies; basilisk battles in crumbling cities; token button-mashing mini-games). But here, everything's condensed. Rather than a sprawling epic, you get a short, highly refined one. Instead of a vast arsenal of weapons and magic, a smaller selection lets you cut through competitors faster. Puzzle-solving is present -- you'll still have to flip switches, swim through underground lakes and tug the odd statue to get ahead -- but more infrequent. Stage designs now put greater focus on bloodshed than brainpower, adding to the briskness (6-7 hours) with which you can complete the entire episode.
From sexually tinged mini-games to grand-scale boss fights, shockingly brutal finishing sequences and melodramatic voice-overs, it's the same shamelessly ultra-violent routine you already know and love. However, the transformation to pocket-ready format has resulted in an organic extension of the core franchise that remixes, rather than revolutionizes, key elements like stage and enemy design. Less legendary effort, more incremental gain, who's complaining though? It's still hard to argue with perfection.
