Kratos escapes the Hydra in God of War | The Hydra battle takes place in the first level of God of War, but it was actually the last section to be completed. The developers took everything they’d learned in the course of making the game and applied it to one self-contained, epochal battle. The scope of the beast is deftly unveiled: first, you battle a single head snaking its way below deck. Then, as you maneuver your way across the ship, in the background you see still more heads snapping and lashing at the unfortunate sailors in their way. Each new head introduces a new wrinkle, such as when Kratos powers his way out of the Hydra’s jaws – one of the great visuals of the PS2 generation. The tension and difficulty build until Kratos finds himself facing off with the biggest head of all. As impressive as the graphics are, the discordant, chill-inducing sound of its roar is what makes this part of the battle so memorable. Well, that and the finality of impaling it mouth-first on a splintered mizzenmast. Good times. - Mitch Krpata Watch a Hydra battle in God of War (YouTube) |
