God of War Sons of Sparta review: This series' metroidvania prequel is serviceable, but shines like a red orb on PlayStation Portal

God of War Sons of Sparta offers a fresh take on the iconic action franchise that won't be everyone's cup of tea. On top of representing a significant – and undoubtedly scaled-down – departure for the beloved series, it also suffers from a slow start. That said, Sons of Sparta comes into its own a few hours in, delivering a compelling prequel story supported by a solid metroidvania structure. It also "clicks" on the PlayStation Portal, looking and playing like a game that was made for the portable device.

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  Fantastic storytelling supported by compelling characters

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  Deep combat with evolving mechanics

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  Engaging metroidvania structure

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  Feels scaled-down compared to previous series' entries

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  Can underwhelm when played on large display

If you're a God of War fan, you've likely noticed Sony's iconic, deity-destroying action series has been dominating the spotlight as of late. Following an ...