Game: "God of War: Chains of Olympus"

Developer/publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment/Ready at Dawn Studios

Console: PlayStation Portable

Genre: Action adventure

Number of players: One

Rated: Mature, for nudity, sexual content, blood and gore, intense violence

The premise: Ready at Dawn Studios burst onto the scene in 2006 with "Daxter," a PSP take on the PS2's "Jak" series, starring everyone's favorite Ottsel sidekick. Now Ready at Dawn takes an early adventure of Kratos set during his servitude to the Gods. This game takes place before "God of War I."

Game play: The mechanics almost mirror the PS2 controller, with the exception of the second analog stick and its two additional shoulder buttons. The difference is that instead of using the second analog stick to dodge, you have to push both shoulder buttons.

The good/bad: The graphics are a little choppy and the action includes the camera pulling back, making it hard to tell what's going on. It's strange trying to fight when your character is tiny.

Do yourself a favor and put on the headphones when you're playing the game. You are in for a treat.

Having to make precise movements with the PSP analog nub is nerve-wracking. There are points in the game where a better control interface would be a great help.

Who would have thought one of the best games to come out for the PlayStation 2 can be played while going home on the bus?

Tips: While you can block almost everything, remember that you can't block everything.

Smash and destroy everything in sight to reveal experience orbs.

Level up your items evenly. Don't focus only on one item or you will miss out on the myriad of abilities available to you in the game.

My take: From the choppy graphics to the less-than-perfect fighting system, this game needs some work. You will find yourself stuck in certain areas, unsure of what to do. This grinds the high energy of the series to a halt.

During certain loading times, the music will pop and stop. Not having a second analog stick makes the dodge and rolling that was so helpful during the PlayStation 2 versions all but useless.

Despite its flaws, this is a very solid portable game that pulls you in from the very start. If you have a PSP, this game is worth getting.

Jeffrey Davis, of Honolulu, is a video-game enthusiast.