Aware of Greeks Bearing Gifts

God of War (PS2; $49.99; Rated M for Blood, Gore, Violence, Nudity, Language, and Sexual Themes; www.us.playstation.com)

(four and a half stars)

Videogames, they’re not just for kids anymore. For this truism, look no further than Sony’s own “God of War.” Without question, the target demographic for this testosterone-laden game is nowhere near the latest Mario offering from Nintendo.

Simply put, this is a 100% man’s game, a game that puts hair on your chest- younger audiences need read no further.

“GOW’s” protagonist is the tortured warrior named “Kratos,” an ex-Spartan whose humanity hangs by a thread and who is out to kill the God of War, Ares. The game takes place in a flashback three weeks prior to Kratos hurling himself off a cliff to certain death, as seen in the opening sequence.

Players will behead harpies, plow through armies of the undead, scale to the tops of shipwrecked vessels, uncover treasure, and skewer the multiple heads of the monstrous Hydra- and that’s only in the first level! The anti-hero will encounter every memorable mythic creature from Greek mythology- from Medusa, to the Cyclops, to Minotaurs.

It makes “Clash of the Titans” look like a cheesy stop-motion animated film- oh wait…

“Action” doesn’t begin to describe the level of intensity found throughout “GOW.” Though players can, and will, kill just about everything that crosses their path, this is no mere hack-n-slash game. The ability to change special moves and combinations in mid-move allows players to execute staggering attacks, while having the flexibility to adapt on the fly to accommodate the waves of attacking aggressors.

The gorgeous backgrounds, detailed enemies, and blazing particle effects don’t have the slightest bit of slow-down regardless of how much action is going on at once. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought this was an Xbox game from the way it looks and plays.

And yet with all of this action and violence, the gore in this game all feels appropriate. The same can not be said, however, for the gratuitous bare breasts and behinds scattered throughout- and that goes double for the off-camera sex Kratos can have, in minigame form, to increases his stamina.

Over-the-top? Sure is. Like Kratos, the developers don’t pull any punches, and for the right crowd, that means a fully satisfying experience.