GOD OF WAR

IN ADDITION TO BEING A BEST-SELLING PS2 GAME, GOD OF WAR IS ALSO REMEMBERED FOR ITS ENVIRONMENT-ORIENTATED SCORE, ADAPTING TO PLAYER MOVEMENTS IN A FASHION RARELY SEEN IN GAMES AT THE TIME. COMPOSER GERARD K MARINO CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY

- WORDS BY LIAM HEITMANN-RYCE-LEMERCIER

Historical action series God Of War has been immersing players in the ancient realms of Greek mythology for 20 years now, in the process becoming one of the highest-rated franchises in modern gaming. The rich, character-driven narratives of each entry have long been a hallmark of the series.

Reflecting this story-driven approach is the series’ uniquely cinematic music. The first God Of War title was applauded for an adaptive score which organically followed the actions of the player, adding to the deep sense of immersion provided by the game's acclaimed level design.

Meanwhile, the influx of historical action epics across the mid-2000s – think Troy, Gladiator and Kingdom Of Heaven – led to a natural cross-pollination between the film and videogame industries. This impact was felt during the production of God Of War, as veteran composer Gerard K Marino reflects today. “Hans Zimmer's Gladiator score, Holst's Mars, The Bringer Of War and Queen's Flash Gordon scores were ultimately given to us as style guide points,” he says of the game's initial development.

The game's director David Jaffe, Gerard recalls, "Wanted to try some kind of absolutely disturbing, non-melodic primordial soup of a score.” BAFTA-nominated composer Ron Fish, best known for the Batman: Arkham games beyond his work on