God of War Collection PS Vita Review: Back to the future

God of War is one of the the greatest, if not the greatest, action franchises of all-time. Although the game has been repackaged numerous times for the PlayStation 3, God of War Collection now brings the game and its first sequel – God of War 2 – to the PS Vita. Having only played God of War and God of War 3, this was a great opportunity for me to finally try out God of War 2.

The first two games in the franchise aren't changed at all. The only difference comes via the rear touchpad. It's a little wonky with its execution and sensitivity, but it's necessary as there's one less trigger/shoulder button on the Vita. It's used to lift gates, open chests and pull levers, but it's so sensitive that I sometimes found myself myself pulling something back up by accident after I purposely lowered it. Still, that's the only complaint I have.

Honestly, what could I possibly hate about God of War Collection on the Vita? It's the original two games that hold up surprisingly well and are still a joy to play to this day. If you own a Vita and somehow have never played either of these two games – like me never having played the second – then this is a great chance to experience the story of Kratos. I never played the HD remastered editions on the PlayStation 3, but if you purchase God of War Collection for the Vita, you get the PS3 version for free via cross-buy. Likewise, if you already own the game on PS3, you get the Vita version free, as long as it's a digital purchase.

It's hard for me to say the visuals look updated. The game definitely looks good on the small screen of the Vita, but that being said, it is an old game. It won't compare to the newest games coming out on Sony's handheld. Again, that doesn't mean the game doesn’t hold up. Like I said, it does. I didn't run into any framerate issues, and the hack-and-slash action is just as good as I remembered.

If you're a God of War fan that wants to replay the first two games, God of War Collection on the PS Vita is a great buy. It's Greek mythology, Kratos, genre-defining action, and some of the most memorable QTEs I've ever experienced. It's a portable version of the first two God of War games!!! How could anything be bad about this?!!! If you're burnt out on God of War or don't feel like playing it again, then this release isn't for you.

You can follow Senior Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. He likes talking sports, video games, movies, and the stupidity of celebrities. Email at LLiebl@GameZone.com