=====God of War Walkthrough
==FAQ written by Aklite
-This guide contains no spoilers.
==================================
Table of contents
==================================
I.  Introduction
a. Intro
b. Version History
II.  Weapons/magic
III. Combat strategies
a.  Combos and tactics
b.  Strategies
IV. Walkthrough
a. The Ship to Athens
b. The Gates of Athens
c. Athens Town Square
d. Roofs of Athens
e. Athens Town Square
f. The Temple of the Oracle
g. The Sewers of Athens
h. The Desert of Lost Souls
i. Pandora's Temple
j. The Rings of Pandora
k. The Challenge of Atlas
l. The Rings of Pandora
m. The Challenge of Poseidon
n. The Rings of Pandora
o. The Challenge of Hades
p. The Rings of Pandora
q. The Cliffs of Madness
r. The Architects Tomb
s. The Path to Hades
t. The Temple of the Oracle
u. Mount Olympus
V.    Glitches
VI.   Credits
VII.  Legal
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I.  Introduction
=======================================================================
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A.  Intro
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God of War in an awesome game, seducing right from the start.  It's a
short game, but the replay value is excellent, and it is still really
fun to play over, especially on God Mode.  I wrote this FAQ while
playing the game on Hard mode, so the strategies should work on the
lesser difficulties.  I beat the game twice, once on hard, and once on
God mode.  The game is extremely fun to play on hard mode the first
time, because it really adds the action, and makes strategy necessary
for winning the game.
Due to my inactivity on the guide I am going to take out e-mail for
now.  I have been very busy lately and the last round of updates took
over a year to get into the guide.  All tactics and information I have
to offer are in the guide.
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B.  Version History
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2.3 (03/02/08): Added in additional information submitted by e-mails.
E-mail taken out.
2.2: (02/17/07): Added in additional information submitted by e-mails.
2.1: (08/15/06): After an eternity finally went through and added in a
bunch of the information and credits I have been getting from e-mails
over time.
2.0: (06/23/05): Went through the walkthrough and added and fixed a
couple things to make the last version of the FAQ, with the exception
of small additions or corrections overtime.
1.9 (06/22/05): Walkthrough complete.
1.8 (06/21/05): Continued the walkthrough up until the save point once
you come to the Temple of the Oracle for the second time.  Added a
credits section with some credits, and more glitches.
1.7 (06/20/05): Continued the walkthrough up until the save point after
the architects tomb.  Added a glitches section at the end with a couple
glitches.
1.6 (06/19/05): Continued the walkthrough up until the save point after
you get the green necklace.
1.5 (06/18/05): Continued the walkthrough up until after you emerge
from the Rings of Pandora to the upper levels of the temple.
1.4 (06/17/05): Continued the walkthrough up until the next save point
after the door you go through in the hall with all the fireballs.
1.3 (06/16/05): Combat strategies section completed, and walkthrough
continued up until the next save point after the Challenge of Poseidon.
1.2 (06/15/05): Continued the walkthrough up until the save point after
you put the shields in the door after the Challenge of Atlas.
1.1 (06/14/05): Worked on the combat strategies section, and continued
the walkthrough up until suicide bluff after the event with the oracle.
1.0 (06/13/05): First version of the FAQ.  Made general format,
including table of contents, weapons/magic section, combat
strategies section, version history, legal disclaimer, and the
walkthrough up until the Athens Town Square.
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II.  Weapons/Magic
=======================================================================
Blades of Chaos:  These are the main weapons of the game, and are what
you should level up first.  Their first level is very cheap, and they
are weapons, which you should use for the whole game, even though you
get a more powerful weapon later on (I will describe that later).  You
can learn all kinds of new moves for these weapons, and each level adds
power in addition to a move.  The best idea is to level this up to
level 5 first thing (this is the only weapon that goes to level 5, each
other one is only level 3, but it is more than worth it).
Poseidon's rage:  This weapon is best to fully level up second.  I
personally think it is better than the armies of Hades, because it can,
on some occasions, do more damage than the Army of Hades, and when
leveled up to the second level, you can use the rage of Poseidon, which
does extensive damage to all surrounding opponents.  This is cheap to
level up to full.  For the second phase of the last boss, the full
level of this weapon helps a lot.
Medusa's gaze:  This magic is fantastic, and helps a ton.  It will
freeze your opponents right where they are.  Personally I never leveled
this up until last, because level 1 is sufficient and still works
effectively for the later levels.  You can level this up if you want,
but there really is not too much point because leveling up the other
magic's and weapons makes it less necessary to use this.
Zeus fury:  A long-range lightning attack.  This is the only ranged
weapon in the game, and is the cheapest to level up.  This weapon uses
little mana, and is really good to pick some enemies out of a fight
before engaging them with your main weapons.
Blade of Artemis:  This is powerful, but utterly useless.  It is
ridiculously expensive to level up, and I never used this in the game.
I only used the blades of chaos.  These are the only 2 weapons in the
game.  The blades of chaos are much better because you can learn new
and better moves for them (you still have all the L1 moves with the
blade, which are very powerful, but slow).  The blade of artemis is
better for some parts of the game than the blades of Chaos, but I just
figure the blades are better overall, so that is all I use.
Army of Hades:  Some people consider this the best magic, and I would
too if it used less energy.  You can only use it twice on a full bar,
but it is an amazing attack.  Many different spirits come out, and run
a muck about your enemies, bashing into them, highly damaging and
killing them.  It does not last too long sometimes, and can only be
used twice, but it is extremely powerful.  When you get level 5 blades
of chaos, you get unlimited energy for rage of gods, so use your
blades, but use army of Hades twice for free.
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III.    Combat strategies
=======================================================================
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A.  Combos and tactics
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-Basic moves you have
Square:  Light attack
Triangle:  Heavy attack
Circle:  Grab (for some enemies)
X:  Jump
R1:  Rush (level 3) and Rush and jab (level 4)
L1:  Block
R3 stick:  Dodge-roll
Grab options
While grabbing, you can do any of the following
Triangle:  Snap them in half.  This is awesome to do, but you don't get
any orbs.
Square:  Throw them.  Extremely useful for damaging all surrounding
opponents.
Tapping circle:  Throwing them to the ground and stabbing them 4 times.
If they are stronger, you will beat some orbs out of them before
stabbing them.  If you stab them to death, and in the end, have 10
consecutive hits, then you get a Ruthless kill bonus (+10 experience).
So make sure you have 6 consecutive hits before you stab one, or if
they are stronger, at least 3.
-Combos
Level 1
-Hold triangle:  Ascension- when next to an enemy, this tactic will
shoot your enemy into the air.
-Tap circle:  Orion's Harpoon- This tactic allows you to grab your
enemy out of the air when they are shot up and slam them back to the
ground.  Use this with Ascension.  You can tap circle until they are
dead to keep yanking and shooting them.
-L1:  Hades reverse (block)- Blocks certain attacks.
-Square-square-triangle:  Plume of Prometheus- you use 2 heavy attacks,
and them slam your blades of chaos on the ground.  Extremely useful for
large groups of enemies
Level 2
-Hold L1+X:  Apollo's ascension- when used, you launch an enemy into
the air with you.
-Hold L1+X (while in the air): Apollo's offensive- keep holding L1, and
tap X to bat the enemy down, whip them with your blades of chaos, and
continue the pattern till they fall to the ground.  Extremely useful
for gaining consecutive hits for bonus experience.
-R1:  Hermes Rush- you dash at your opponents.
-R1 (while in air)- Hermes stomp- you stomp enemies that are on the
ground while you are in the air.
Level 3
-Hold L1+square:  Cyclone of Chaos- you spin around with your blades of
chaos to hit every enemy around you.  It is not that powerful, but you
can gain mad consecutive hits if in a large group of enemies.
-Hold L1+square (while in the air): Cyclone of Chaos- If you spin while
in the air and keep tapping square, you are able to fall to the ground
much slower, while performing this attack very rapidly.
-Triangle (x3): Spirit of Hercules- this attack starts with a heavy
attack, then a follow-up, then a powerful slam to the ground.  This is
a better alternative to plume of Prometheus, but it is not nearly as
fast, so you will be using both moves throughout the game.
-Triangle-triangle-square: Valor of Hercules- the end result of this
attack is the same one that you get when you hit square consecutively.
Your blades whip out to the sides for a horizontal sweep.  So, in
short, this is a faster version of that attack, and the only difference
from the spirit of Hercules is the ending attack.
-Square or Triangle of R1: Hades revenge- hit any of these buttons for
an attack after you block your opponents attack.
Level 4
-Hold L1+triangle: Rising Helios- Kratos will flip around forward,
resulting in multiple hits to a single enemy or a small group of
enemies, ending with a slam to the ground.
-Hold L1+triangle (air): Falling Helios- used while in the air.
-R1 (x3): Hermes Fury- an addition to the dash attack.  Kratos will
rush at his opponent, but will also jab them with the blades.
-Right analog stick + X: Achilles Flip- Used after evading an attack to
attack an opponent.
Level 5
-Hold L1+circle: Lance of the Furies- Hold circle, and you will slam
the ground with massive area effect and damage.
-Hold L1+circle (air): Lance of the Furies- This is the better thing to
do, since while charging it, you will not be sitting in the middle of
the ground vulnerable to attack.  Do this to easily perform the attack,
-Square, then hold square: Might of Hercules- After tapping square then
holding it, you will perform a series of powerful attacks.
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B.  Strategies
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-Hit and Run Strategy
This is an excellent strategy, but it only works for big enemies.  Once
you master this strategy it is extremely helpful, and you can take down
some huge enemies without even getting hit.  Make sure it is not the
huge enemies with the spike balls they shoot at you, as this strategy
will not work with them; they have ranged attacks.  Alright, so when
you come across a huge melee enemy, stay back from them, and use plume
of Prometheus.  It should push them back some.  Move back when your
light attacks for the combo start to hit the big enemies.  This really
only works for Cyclops's.  Use this strategy till the enemy is down.
The area of effect is pretty big, so if there are 2 enemies, get them
next to each other, and you can use it on them both.  Sometimes it
takes awhile to kill the enemies, but it is safe and effective.
-Hit and Dodge strategy
A method of the hit and run strategy for large groups of small enemies.
Basically, what you do is use plume of Prometheus on a set of enemies,
dodge roll through the middle or other side, and use it again.  Then
dodge roll again and use, and repeat.
-Grab and throw strategy
Not really a strategy so much as a tactic.  In an attack group, grab an
enemy you can and throw them at the other enemies.  This really is just
a simple move, but it is the most effective move you have.  If the
enemies are unable to throw until you get the circle above their heads,
then focus on one enemy until he has the circle, then throw him.  Try
to get in the middle of an whole group of enemies so the 360 whip-
around will get as many enemies as you can, because it does MASSIVE
damage, especially to the one that is targeted.
That's it for now.  If you have any more strategies, please e-mail me
and let me know.
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IV.  Walkthrough
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For the game, I want to offer one small piece of advice: NEVER IGNORE
OR RUN PAST ENEMIES!!  Besides the fact that you will loose a lot of
health if they follow you, you desperately need the experience for
leveling up, or you will be screwed by the end of the game.
-I wrote this FAQ as a played the game in hard mode.  Most strategies
that work in hard mode will work in normal mode, but there are still a
few things that are different.  However, the way this FAQ is written
will not affect the way the game is played on normal.  I did not
mention how long it takes to kill certain enemies or anything like
that, so nothing will seem strange.
-If you want to prepare to play the game on God Mode, my absolute best
advice is to play the game for the FIRST time on Hard mode.  I did
this, and although it took a while and was difficult on Hard mode, God
mode was a breeze for me, except for the boss before you get Army of
Hades, which was about it.  All you have to do from going to hard mode
to God mode is dodge and block a little bit more, and fight a little
more aggressively.  Ares was not too much harder, and I defeated each
form quicker than I did on hard mode.  By playing on hard mode the
first time, you must use a lot more strategy than in the lesser
difficulties.  If you play for the first time on normal, you will not
need to use nearly as much strategy, and can win most battles with
simply any moves and without blocking very much.  When you play the
higher difficulties, you try this same technique and it will not work.
So the best idea is to play on hard so you develop this technique of
playing right when you play the game.
-At the same time, this FAQ is useful when playing on God mode.  I
played and beat God Mode, and there is not much difference between hard
mode and God mode, except the bosses.  You take a little more damage,
the enemies take longer to defeat, but that is about it.  Orbs are the
same, puzzles are the same, health upgrades are the same, just about
everything else is the same.
* indicates a boss battle
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A.  Ship to Athens
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The game starts with a fight against a bunch of weak enemies.  This is
not too difficult: you can just win with your regular attacks.  If you
ever do have trouble, though, use square, square, triangle (plume of
Prometheus)if your opponents are in a horde, and use triangle for heavy
attacks against single enemies.  A really good strategy is to grab them
(circle) and throw them (square).  It will target a certain enemy, but
you will fling them around 360 degrees, so you can nail a bunch of
other enemies near you also.  This is probably the best way to win with
the most health.  The point of this fight is basically to get used to
the controls and method of gameplay.
After the fight, you are able to open a hatch.  Open it to drop down
into the ship.  You can open the chest with health orbs if you need it.
As you progress through this hallway, you may want to break open the
barrels and the bunk beds to get extra orbs.  Once you get to the end,
you come into a boss battle.
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*Hydra spawn; Difficulty:  5/20
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This boss is not too hard, because hitting it will sometimes give you
health orbs.  Block whenever the hydra backs up, because it is about to
strike at you.  After it does this, you can either do a heavy attack
(triangle) or square, square, triangle.  Either one will work fine.
Anyway, just attack after blocking each attack, but only after
blocking, because you do not want to risk being hit while in the
process of attacking.  After wearing it down to about 2/3 health, you
get a prompt to press circle.  Do it, and then follow the on-screen
button prompts.  After hitting about 4 prompts, the boss is defeated
and you get a bunch of red and green orbs.
Proceed across the beams to the other side.  If you slip, just press X
to get back on.  Once on the other side, break open the barrels for
some extra orbs.  Continue off to the left, and talk to the prisoner on
the left side if you want.  It is probably a good idea.  After that,
head up the stairs and open the chest of red orbs up there.  Continue
on and attack the wood barricade.  Open the door ahead of you to come
into an area with a bunch of people running around on the outside of
the ship.
Attack the harpies.  Light attacks will do fine here, because they are
pretty weak.  Whenever there is a clump of harpies, however, you may
want to use square, square, triangle.  If you get low on health, grab
the villagers.  Kratos will stab them a few times and kill them.
Killing them this way will give you 3 health orbs.  If you kill them
regularly, they only give one.  After fighting a while, there will be
another hydra spawn.
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*Hydra spawn; Difficulty:  7/20
----------------------------------
Use the same tactics as you did last time; block when he does his
rotating attack, and when he lunges at you.  If he grabs you between
his teeth, that is fine, because as long as you tap circle quickly and
get out of his attack, you will grab him and slam him to the ground,
resulting in massive damage.  Just repetitive heavy attacks are the way
to go here.  In addition to slamming him to the ground, he will not
take too long to defeat.
After the fight, head to the right side, and open the 2 doors for some
chests with red orbs.  After that, jump down into the hole that the
boss popped out of.  Go forward, climb the rope, and fight a few more
enemies.  Head across the beam, and when you get to where it meets with
2 others, you probably want to head off to the right beam first to grab
some red orbs, then head back and take the left beam.  Once you come
onto the platform at the end, there is a save altar and a chest with
health orbs.  Walk forward to see a short cut-scene.  After this, hop
down and find the crate on the right hand side.
This can be tough.  What you have to do is get the crate to the end
without getting it broken by the archers arrows.  The archers attack
with 2 waves of arrows.  What you need to do is wait until right before
the first archers arrow wave hits the wall, and then start moving
right.  Only move right enough that you can kick the crate forward.
Once there, immediately hold X, and hold it until right before the
archers arrows are going to hit the box, then let go.  Continue kicking
the box, but do not go near it when archers arrows are heading towards
you.  The box will get destroyed if you let this happen too often.
Stay away from the box until right before the second wave of arrows
gets shot, then run to the box, and kick it (make sure you are far
enough away from the box that the second wave arrows do not hit the box
or you).  Run back right before the first wave of archers arrows is
shot again, then return right before the second wave is shot.  When you
reach the next wall, continue the pattern until you reach the end.  If
the box gets destroyed, just try it again.  Practice a few times, and
you will get it.  Once the crate is at the end, jump on it, and climb
the ropes.  Kill the archers (a very easy way is jump up on one of the
side ledges, grab one, fling it with the square button, and if it
targets the other end, you can get all 6 archers with one attack).
Open the chest with health orbs, and enter the doorway.
Continue and you will reach a door that you can hear women behind.
Turn around and climb the ladder, and then climb the rope.  The best
way to kill any enemies while on the rope is to grab them and throw
them down.  Other attacks take too long.  If there is a line of
enemies, though, you can use triangle, which is easier.  Other than
that, just grab those above and beside you, and use square for those
below you.  If they are attacking you while on your side, use square on
them to get them off guard, and then immediately move over and grab
them.  If you grab them in their upper-body, you can knock orbs out of
them by tapping circle.  You can also use X to ascend or move to the
side faster if need be.  You will reach a ledge with a second rope.
Ascend that to reach the stern.
Kill the couple of enemies that are up here, and walk across the beam
to the side to get some red orbs.  Go back and slide down the rope.
Once at the bottom, smash open all 3 wooden barricades.  The left chest
contains red orbs, and the right chest contains a Gorgon Eye@.  Walk
forward through the doorway for a cut scene.  After the scene, you get
the magic Poseidon's rage.  Head out the door, and use the save altar
to the right if you want to.  Grab either of the chests if you need
them, and head up the ladder for a cut scene.  After that, you enter a
battle with 2 hydra spawns.
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*Hydra spawns; Difficulty:  8/20
----------------------------------
These are not too hard.  Focus on one at a time.  Use just heavy
attacks, as with the last hydra spawn, and block whenever necessary.
Once one is at one-third health, it will collapse off to the side.
Climb the crates to the top, and jump onto the white circular platform
to pin it to the deck, and get a bunch of red and green orbs.  Be quick
about it, though, because they will get back up soon.  Repeat with the
last one, and after that is done, climb the net in the middle to fight
the hydra.
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*Hydra; Difficulty:  12/20
----------------------------------
The hydra has 3 attacks.  2 are easy to dodge or block, and the last
one can be tough.  First, he will do a really loud roar which will push
you off the ledge, but that is blockable somehow. Second, he will do a
brief roar and then slam his teeth into the front of the platform.
This is your queue to attack him.  Use only light attacks, because they
will get the most damage out of him, because if you do not pause while
attacking, you can attack continuously for a while.  His third attack,
he will ease back, and then slam his whole head onto the platform.
This is hard to dodge if you do not see it coming, so learn to see it
coming (remember, he will not roar or anything, just ease back and slam
up almost instantly), move to the back of the platform.  To make it in
time, you may need to use the Right stick to roll out of the way.  This
is the only place you are safe from it.  To make it in time, you may
need to use the Right stick to roll out of the way.  If you need to,
you can hop onto the rope.  Now, back to attack strategy.  In order for
him to slam his teeth onto the front of the platform, you must attack
him first while he is in one of his other phases.  The best time to do
this is right after he is done roaring.  It seems that if you completed
the light attack combo on him (where Kratos whips out his blades, doing
a sweep on both sides) that the hydra has a better chance of repeating
the phase where he sinks his teeth into the platform.  However, as the
fight goes on, this chance seems to lessen.  If you do not start
beating it out of him with him squealing, then he is about to slam his
head onto the platform, so watch out.  Actually, I think whether or not
he repeats this phase is dependent on how far you are from him while
attacking.  If you are close, you will start continuously attacking
him.  If you see him backing up without roaring, though, get to the
back of the platform.  The roar is not very damaging, it will just
knock you off.  You can just climb back up.  Anyway, once you get him
down to a little over half health, he will collapse on either side.
Use circle to grab him with your blades, tap circle to bring him toward
the post in the center, and Kratos will slam him against it to break it
some.  Repeat once to snap the post.  Do the cycle one more time, and
he will dangle about.  Circle will appear above his head, so hit it, do
the one button combo, then sit back and watch the sweet FMV.
After the fight, you hear some guy yelling for help.  Jump into the
hydra's mouth, and continue to find the captain.  After the cut-scene,
you get the key.  After that, you need to head back to that door where
you heard the women.  After exiting the hydra, head up the crates on
the right side, jump onto the platform, open the crates for health and
a gorgon eye, and slide down the rope.  From there, save if you need
to, and just head forward, following the same path you did before to
get to the captains door.  On your way, you will encounter a few
archers.  After defeating them, which should not be too hard, head back
up the net, through the doorway and to the captain's door.
After unlocking the door, walk in, head down the hallway, and open the
door at the end for a cut-scene.  After that, you are in your room.
You can jump on the bed and enter a button and joystick combo which, if
done correctly, will break the vase and result in a bunch of red orbs.
Anyway, after that, head down the hall, save if you need to, and
continue on to a chest of blue orbs and a chest of green orbs.  You can
break the bags through this hall if you want for some extra orbs.
Climb the ladder to exit the ship.
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B.  The Gates of Athens
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Head to the front of the ship and talk to Athena if you want, and then
head off the ship to the right.  Defeat the enemies here using the
square square triangle combo as necessary, and block when need be.
It's real easy to see their attacks coming, and you can block them
easy, so take it slow if you have trouble.  Just watch out for when you
hit them to the ground.  If they get back up quickly, they may do a
spinning attack which gives less time to block than the other attack.
So be ready for that.  Once one of them has a circle above them, grab
and throw them into the others for some massive damage to all of them.
This is a golden strategy which makes fighting so much easier,
especially when the huge clumps of enemies come along.  Fight until one
gets a circle, then throw them into the clump.  Sometimes, the others
get circles, too, so throw them too.  Use this strategy till the end of
the game, its an excellent one.  Defeat these enemies, then continue on
to the next set of enemies.
Note:  If you got all the orbs that I mentioned, including the vase and
breaking all barrels and environment objects, you will have enough to
level up your blades of chaos.  I highly recommend leveling up these
until their full level, but it's your choice.  I will start mentioning
strategies with enemies using new moves that are gotten when you level
these up first.  If you choose to do this, I will make notes whenever
you can get another level.  You will have rage of the gods.  One word
of advice for this: Save.  Save till you ABSOULTELY need it because it
takes forever to charge.
Only 3 enemies for this set.  Should not be too hard.  Fight like you
did the last set, then head left.  There is a hole in the wall, which I
suggest you take.  Head into the doorway at the top and you will fight
a few enemies.  Use regular strategies to defeat them, and then head
forward and open the chest for a phoenix feather.  Head out the right,
grab the health orbs if you need it, and then head over the crates and
back up to where you entered the hole in the wall.  Take the elevator
to the left.
Head right and get the chest if you need it, which you will not if you
got the feather.  You are now introduced to the minotaur.  These
enemies take a while to kill.  Hit them, back up, then attack again.
Do not get up close to them.  The best attacks to use are regular heavy
attacks for single minotaurs, and if there are 2 or more, use the
square square triangle combo.  When the circle appears above the head,
you can either press it and hit circle rapidly to kill them for health,
or you can kill them normally for experience.  After you defeat one,
another one comes.  After that one is defeated, grab the chest for
magic and continue right and take the next elevator.
Head forward, watch the cut-scene, and now you get to fight a Cyclops.
When he starts spinning his big spike ball, run in circles around him,
but stay near him while doing this, in order to dodge it.  After that,
heavy-attack him.  When he spins his ball again, repeat.  When the
circle appears, hit it to enter the button combo and defeat him.  After
that one, 2 more will appear, so defeat them too, but watch out for the
one you are not attacking.  However, if you were quick about killing
the one after the first one before the third one came into the picture,
he should be about dead.  Finish him, then kill the last one.
Head forward into the doorway, grabbing the changing chest if you need
either health or magic.  Continue into the room with stacked boxes.
Destroy the wooden crates below the one right in front of you, and the
one in the upper left, and then head to the lower left and jump on that
crate.  Jump to the upper right platform, then jump onto the one to the
right of there to find a hole in the wall with a magic chest and a
gorgon eye.  Head back and jump on the platform in front.  Open the
chest for experience, and head up the ladder.  Strafe along the side to
the left, and just keep walking right off the edge until you land on
the platform.  Head to the left and grab the net and climb, then jump
to the platform to the left (not by the opening) and jump again to the
left to find a chest with experience.  Head back to the right and enter
the opening in the wall.  Head to the right and watch the cut-scene.
Grab the chest if you need it.
----------------------------------
*Medusa; Difficulty:  10/20
----------------------------------
She is not too hard.  You can block every attack except the gaze.  When
she uses the gaze, dodge-roll around like crazy to avoid it.  Use heavy
attacks to defeat her.  You can also use the square square triangle
attack to cut her gaze short, or to get her on the ground.  She will
often attack right after you attack her, so be ready to defend.  If you
can, try using the Plume of Prometheus move on her in sequence if you
can get her on the ground to keep her down.  If done right, you can
continually attack her while she is helpless.  Careful if she turns you
to stone, because if she hits you, its game over.  This will get
especially annoying later in the game when you have groups of Gorgons,
or a gorgon with enemies, of groups of gargons with groups of enemies,
or anything to do with gorgons, its gonna suck.  Anyway, health is not
too big a deal, because if you get low, you will be beating health orbs
out of her.  Just block when necessary, use heavy attacks, dodge-roll
the gaze, and when she gets the circle above her head, hit it and do
the couple of joystick rotations and you win.  Congratulations.  You
get Medusa's gaze.  This is so helpful, especially for winning
experience.  Let me give a brief description of how to get experience
with it.
-Breaking an enemy while they are frozen:  15 exp "crushed"
-Freezing an enemy in the air:  30 exp (they fall to the ground,
shatter, and are "ruined")
Defeat the minotaurs.  Use medusa's gaze when they are lined up, and
you can freeze both of them at once, saving energy.  Smash them with
square square triangle, or heavy attacks (either one will break them
just doing it once.  Beware, though, because later in the game, stone
forms can require a ton of beating to break before they return to
normal).  You get plenty of experience here, too.
After the fight, head through the doorway, defeat a couple enemies, and
head up the ladder.  Hit the lever to turn the arrow forward.  Shoot it
to break the wood door. Hit the lever again to shoot the arrow to
the left side, a crack in the wall, revealing a chest with a phoenix
feather.  Head back to the lever, hit it twice, and shoot again to the
right, another wall, revealing 2 chests with experience.
Grab the chest of health here if you need it.  Then head forward.
There is a ladder.  While not required, you should really do this.  Go
to the left, down, defeat the few enemies there, open the chest for a
gorgon eye, and open the gate for quick access back to the second
floor.  After that, return to the top and take the first ladder you saw
to the right.  At the top are a few enemies you need to defeat, and
then there is a ladder to the left.  Climb up the wall here, but don't
go too far.  Go until that wooden thing on the side ends, and then
crawl on the wall onto the area above it.  Drop down here, and jump
onto the roof to the left below you.  From here, jump forward, down
into the area with the experience you revealed with the crossbow.  A
double jump is necessary to get here, so make sure to do that.  After
grabbing those chests, jump down from there and head back to the gate
that you opened when you headed left.  Head back up there, then up the
other ladder and back to where you were climbing on the wall before.
Head to the very top so you can easily jump to the right.  Hold the
right stick to the right until he dangles, and then hit X to jump to
the next wall.  You can double-jump if you want, but it is not
necessary.  After jumping to the other side and continuing on, you will
see 2 enemies on the right side of another gap.  They will jump onto
your side, so be careful.  If they are below you, just use light
attacks until they fall off.  Hop onto the next part of the wall, and
continue to the right where you will encounter even more enemies.
There are a lot, so stay low so you have the opportunity to grab them.
If they are to your side, you can beat orbs out of them, but that is
also helpful, because slamming them on the wall will sometimes knock
other nearby opponents off.  Continue to the right, and hop another
gap, and once on the other side, you will encounter even more enemies.
You need to move down for this part of the wall, so I suggest light
attacks.  If you can get next to an enemy without getting hit, try to
grab him and throw him down onto other enemies.
Once at the bottom, move left alongside the building.  I encountered an
enemy here because it fell off the wall and landed here, so if there is
any enemies here, be sure to defeat them.  Don't fall.  Get behind the
giant statue and tap R2.  It will fall and collapse, and his head will
provide a boost to a ladder at the bottom.  Grab the chest on the left
side of the ledge before jumping off.  After that, you need to get down
(get onto the ladder, because it won't let you fall off otherwise).
Once you get down, head to the left side, and jump on the head of the
statue to reach the ladder.
After climbing, you have to fight 2 gorgons (weaker versions of
Medusa).  Don't bother using medusa's gaze on them; it has no effect.
What you need to do is use a variety of square-square-triangle and
normal heavy attacks.  Use the first combo when they are together, and
you are further away, and use the second when you are closer and only
dealing with one.  You have to defeat 2 now, but they are much weaker,
but be sure to block plenty.  Their attacks give plenty of warning,
because they usually throw their arms up and back up before attacking.
The gaze is no problem to avoid, you just have to use the right stick
to dodge-roll.  It doesn't matter how much you are in the gaze, as long
as you are dodge rolling, you will not be frozen.  After defeating
these 2, grab the chest on the left (you could get this during the
battle if you want, but I don't suggest it because they take awhile to
open, and plus at the end it is possible you will not have full health
for the next set of enemies), and then head up the ladder ahead of the
first one you came up.
Up here, you start with 2 minotaurs.  Use Medusa's gaze on them, but be
sure you are as far away as possible; you do not want it to be
interrupted.  Try backing to the back right corner, and using it right
when you get there.  You can probably freeze them both at once, and
then just use square square triangle to finish them both.  After these
2, you need to fight another gorgon and another minotaur.  This one is
not too hard; just get the minotaur between you and the gorgon when the
gorgon is using her gaze, and the minotaur will be frozen by her gaze.
Use square-square-triangle to finish the minotaur, and then go after
the gorgon.  If that does not work for you, then just focus regular
attacks on the gorgon, and then freeze and break the minotaur with the
gaze.  After this, attack the two pillars on the left side until a
platform is revealed for them both, and then climb up.
You fight a bunch of legionnaires here.  You can try to go to the lower
right, onto the raised platform and use the gaze when they are all
clumped, but it is tough to do, because you are constantly being
bombarded.  If that does not work, just use regular strategy, between
blocking, square-square-triangle combo, and heavy attacks.  Then once
one gets a circle, grab and throw as usual.  After these enemies are
done, head to the right and use the crossbow.  Then hop onto the rope.
Right when you jump on, more enemies pop up on that platform.  Right
then, hop down and take care of them.  Then get back on the rope.  For
every enemy in reach use only the square attack (quick jab) on them
until they fall off.  If an enemy is out of range, and only one, then
use the triangle move.  Be aware, however, the quick-jab range is
further than you might think.  If enemies are closing on both sides, be
quick and quick jab on both sides, alternating back and forth.  It
takes practice, but basically you need to be tapping square while
moving the analog stick left and right.  Once you master that, use that
and only that strategy when enemies close in from both sides.  Progress
down the rope.  Health is not a huge issue, because each enemy you
quick-jab attack off will give you health if you are low.  If an enemy
grabs you, don't use your thumb to rock the joystick; just take your
whole right hand and run it left and right on the stick.  Once you
reach the end, hop down short of the ladder to save time.  Get the
chest if you need it, and come back toward the screen to see a wood
door getting beaten at.  From here, head left and raise the familiar-
looking door.  Raise the door and run back, aim the crossbow at the
door, and fire away.  Don't leave once you break down the door,
however.  Stay and use the crossbow, fire as fast as you can to get rid
of the advancing minotaurs.
Save if you want, and then head forward into where the wooden door was
and descend the ladder.  Head back toward the screen, and when you get
to the end of the hall, you will notice you are on the other side of
the gate that you saw in the courtyard previously.  Head forward onto
the bridge (you can break the pots here if you want for some orbs) for
a cut-scene.  After the scene, head forward to get a first glance of
Ares.
Take the path to the right first.  Save here if you want, and continue
down the path to the end with a gate.  The only reason you came here is
to grab that chest off to the right with a gorgon eye.  Head back down
the path you took, and then take the left path back at the connection
to the bridge.  After going down it a little bit, you will see a bunch
of debris fall into your path.  Head to the left side, break the crates
for orbs if you want, and head through the doorway.  It closes, and now
you are trapped.  I suggest fighting the enemies here until they won't
give you orbs anymore, and then try freezing one on the switch in the
back that opens the door.  Careful with these enemies, they have
unblockable attacks.  Just freeze them, because there is a chest here
with energy that will reset after you use it.  Head to the back and
freeze them.  Now you have to be quick in breaking them when frozen,
because they take a lot of damage to break, and they may unfreeze.  The
best way to break them is only heavy attacks.  No combos, just hit
triangle repeatedly.  3 heavy attacks breaks them.  The key to beating
these enemies it distance.  They move and attack so slow, but if they
hit you, it hurts.   So use square-square-triangle from distance, and
use heavy attacks only when they are on the ground.  After they stop
giving orbs, lure one back to where the button is, and start freezing
him when he is in front of the button, and get him to freeze on the
button.  Once he is on the button and frozen, RUN.  You need to be
quick to get to the door before he unfreezes.
Note: If not now, you should really soon have enough orbs to upgrade
your blades of chaos to the third level.  This level is wonderful,
because you have a great new combo called spirit of Hercules.  This is
a much better alternative to square-square-triangle (plume of
Prometheus), but it is slower.  You will still be using the previous
combo.  Anyway, spirit of Hercules is used by tapping triangle till you
rise up and slam your blades down in a powerful slam.  It consists of
starting with a heavy attack, then a follow-up heavy attack, and
finally a slam.  I will be using this move in future strategies for
enemies.
After heading through the door, grab the chest if you need it and
proceed forward.  There are eyes and feathers and orbs in some of these
houses, which you get into by attacking the door, but I will state
which
ones.  The second house on the left has a chest with orbs.  Grab them,
and head forward, and you will see an archer.  Get rid of him, then
move forward more to see a Gorgon and more archers.  Kill the gorgon
first, then grab the archers and throw them.  After you defeat the
archers, that house ahead of you on the corner with the second level
has a chest with some red orbs in it.  Also, the house to the left of
where the Gorgon was, there is a house with a chest with a feather.
Finally, head forward and to the right there is a chest on top of that
building on the right of the corner.  Jump on the building from the
back, and open the chest for a gorgon eye.  Your health meter should
now be increased.  Now, continue around the corner to find another
archer.  To the right of him in the house is a chest with orbs.  You
will then encounter some more of those enemies you encountered back in
the trap.  Use the spirit of Hercules (tap triangle) to defeat them
quickly, and keep them on the ground.  Be ready dodge if they get ready
to attack, however.  In this area, there are 2 houses on the left side
where the road starts to curve back right with a feather and an eye.
After grabbing these, kill the gorgon first and then kill the archers
around here.  When you reach the barricade, the second to last house on
the left hand side has some orbs.  The one right behind it has more
orbs.  There is another house across from it with more.  After that, go
to the side of that house to find a crate.  Jump onto it, and then jump
onto the top of the house.  Break the door and grab the chest with more
red orbs.  That crate is destroyable, so be careful.  After getting all
those chests, break the barricades ahead of you.
Double-jump onto the rope in front of you.  Then swing a little bit,
just back and then forward again should do.  Once you go forward, let
go and jump onto the next rope.  From here, move up the rope and jump
off while pushing the stick to the upper left.  Grab the orbs, and then
hop down to the right.  Follow the curve, and then ascend the first
stairs.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
C.    Athens Town Square
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
After ascending the first stairs, head to the left and break the wooden
door to reveal a chest with red orbs in it.  Go to the right of there
and break that door for some orbs.  Ascend the second set, and head
right and break the wooden door on the right side to find a chest with
some more red orbs.  Now head to the top, and you get to fight with
some of those huge guys you fought where you knocked the statue over.
This fight is not that bad.  You can get health by grabbing the
villagers and getting 3 orbs.  I do not think that the villagers ever
run out, they just keep coming.  I could be wrong, however, because I
never used a ton of villagers for health, and there are a lot of them.
Anyway, use spirit of Hercules like crazy here.  If you cannot get
close enough, then just use the plume of Prometheus.  That will push
him back each time you use it.  Sometimes, just doing that end on end
will let you win without getting hit or without difficulty.  When the
circle appears, hit it to yank his eyes out with your blades and get a
bunch of orbs.  There will be more than one after you defeat the first
one, so be ready to dodge-roll when you get ganged up on.  Yank our
their eyes 3 times to defeat them with a brutal kill (+20 experience
orbs).
After they are defeated, take the ledge to the left of the stairwell
you came up on to find a chest with red orbs and a door you can break
for orbs.  After that, go just to the left of the top of the stairs,
and break the door there to find a chest with more red orbs.  Slightly
ahead on the left side is another chest with red orbs.  Now you can
head through the doorway in the upper left.
Walk through and you will see a women panic and run.  Move forward into
a room with a shiny floor and pictures on the walls.  Break the cracked
one on the right side of the wall right in front of you for a chest
with a gorgon eye.  Break another one on the left wall for some orbs.
Finally, there is one on the right wall you can break for a alternating
chest.  Take either one if you need it, but I suggest the magic if you
are low on both, because another health chest is not far, and there are
no enemies between here and there.  Continue up the stairs and through
the hallway till you reach a balcony.  Take the health if you want,
then head right and break the wooden door.  There is a crack in the top
wall on the right side which when attacked, reveals a chest with red
orbs.  There is another alternating chest on the balcony on the right,
but you should not need either one because of the 2 chests you just got
not too long ago.  So head back out the door you came in and head to
the left.  Jump across, then head in to the right for a cut-scene.
After it, head up the stairs and head out onto the balcony in front of
you.  After she falls off, save if you want, and jump onto the ledge to
the left to open a chest with a feather, and then jump off the balcony
and get the key.
After you grab the key, head back in the doorway to the left, and when
you come to the shiny room, you will have to fight some enemies.  You
have new enemies here.  Well, they're really not new, they are old
enemies with shields.  To get rid of their shields, use Plume of