As so much fuss is made about the graphical upgrades that next generation updates can bring to older games (although arguably in this case it is more of a re-touching than anything else) it is necessary to deal with these issues first, the salad in the kebab if you will, before turning one's attention to the meat on offer, two of the finest games available on the PS2.

The action is smooth at 60fps, anti-aliasing has been added and the resolution has been upped to current accepted standards (720p) for your HD widescreen needs. Some of the textures have been redone to cater for this and there appears to be some additional light sourcing, especially in the fire-based sections of the games, but don’t expect anything up there with the quality of Uncharted 2. It is also worth mentioning that the cut-scenes have not been re-mastered. In contrast to the new, clean look of the games they can appear smudged and bland, especially in the first God of War.

That is all you need to know. The only technical fault with this collection is due to the limitations of the PS3 controller rather than the original or enhanced software. At various stages throughout the two games you are required to hammer the R2 button rapidly to open doors. In some situations you need to do this in strict, timed conditions and, because of the curved, ‘spongy’ feel of the PS3 pad, this can be more troublesome that it used to be on the PS2. It doesn’t detract from the quality of the games, but it is an annoyance.

With that out of the way… God of War starts as it means to go on. This meat is shish, lean, refined and, give or take the optional chilli sauce (in the form of a punishing extra hard ‘God Mode’), it’s good for you. Within minutes of picking up the controller you are introduced to your first boss. If you don’t have your wits about you, you’ll die. It’s as simple as that. Whereas most other games in this genre take you through a lengthy tutorial process, God of War does not. You are introduced to attacking, blocking and evading and then you set about destroying the legions of monsters that are thrown at you in whichever way you see fit.

The series does three things exceptionally well: the combat is brutal, the use of Greek mythology as source material is fantastic and set pieces are epic.

The combat engine is satisfying both in its breadth and depth. As you progress you collect new weapons, magic attacks and red orbs that can be used to upgrade both of the former. As you gain new attacks you uncover the ability to put together combos of 200+ hits with ease. The larger the combo the larger the orb reward. The savagery of Kratos’ attacks is often so over the top that you’ll be astounded at how devastating two knives attached to long bits of chain can be. Top tip: don’t try and recreate this effect at home, it won’t end well.

Genre stalwarts may level a small complaint at the fighting mechanic at this stage. The block and frame-cancel abilities (that allow you to stop one set move and switch to another without breaking your combo) are more limited than comparable games such as Devil May Cry 3 or Ninja Gaiden 2 but, once you learn to live with the way Kratos structures his attacks and blocks, the combo potential can be just as ridiculous as any other 3D brawler. The same tactic will not work against every enemy and this adds welcome variety to the brutal killing.

It is worth mentioning that there are improvements in the combat engine for God of War II as it brings some additional features to the table that are best experienced first-hand. Kratos is given Pegasus, a fiery steed, which opens up an arial combat section and you are given access to a wider variety of weapons, should you become bored of the Blades of Athena.

At a later stage in the second game you gain an item that, with proper timing, allows impact blocking and instant countering. It is similar to the Royal Guard stance from DMC3 and breaks up the flow up attacking, blocking and dodging nicely. Kratos's moves list was also updated for the second game with different magic attacks that fit with the story of the second game.

One thing that doesn’t change is the QTE sections in the series. At pivotal moments in fights against larger or harder foes a giant circle pops up above the head of a weakened enemy. This allows Kratos to initiate a series of devastating and choreographed attacks outside the scope of normal combat. They are so fast-paced, dramatic and gory that instead of distancing the player from the action they draw you in even further.

The beasts that you run around murdering are drawn from a cast of some of the finest mythological creatures of all time. Gods, titans, snake haired medusas, minotaurs, centaurs and men all feature in a struggle for supremacy that, although not entirely in line with Greek literature, re-writes the tales of old so that an original character blends seamlessly into their world, destroying everything in his path.

In a similar fashion, the set-pieces Kratos encounters on his journey use history and legacy to their advantage. The art direction and asset-resource management in the series was some of the best seen on the PS2. The sheer scale of the creatures, environments and number of enemies on screen at given points retains all the impressiveness it established on the older hardware. The story of Kratos is surprisingly interesting and it has been woven into the locations he visits so well that nothing seems out of place. From the depths of Hades to the highest mountain in all of Greece, almost every section in both titles has a stand-out, memorable moment to recommend it.

Some additional game mechanics present in the second game, including flying and some improved wall-scaling abilities, help to vary and improve travel respectively. There are some light puzzle elements that help to break up the flow of the action and there are hidden items, some far easier to locate than others, that encourage exploration. Each adventure should last approximately ten hours, but during those ten hours there is no back-tracking. The level structure is linear by design and the benefits of this are obvious. Players would be hard pressed to get bored of slicing enemies up in style.

The bonus content from the second game is also included on the disc and should not be opened until both campaigns are completed. It contains horrific plot spoilers.

God of War and its sequel were two of the best games on the PS2. Nothing has changed since then. They exist now as an example of streamlined, entertaining and challenging games. For the price (of either the Asian or American version – the game won’t be released in the UK as a standalone product at this time) it is almost impossible not to recommend this collection to fans of Kratos or to newcomers to the series. If God of War III can maintain the level of quality on display here then gamers are in for a treat in March. Until then, play this collection.

N.B. There is also added trophy support in both games if that is of interest.