The PSP was never supposed to handle Kratos. Honestly, back in 2008, seeing those scale-defying hydras and crumbling Greek architecture on a handheld felt like some kind of dark magic. Even now, if you’re firing up an emulator or dusting off the old hardware, the God of War Chains of Olympus PSP walkthrough experience remains surprisingly brutal. It isn't just about mashing the Square button until your thumb goes numb. It's about navigating that weirdly specific era of Sony game design where fixed camera angles and QTEs (Quick Time Events) determined if you lived or spent the next ten minutes staring at a loading screen.
Kratos is cranky. He's serving the gods, and they are, as usual, being absolute nightmares. Morpheus has covered the world in black fog, Helios is missing, and you’re stuck doing the celestial dirty work.
Getting Started: The Attic Siege and That First Boss
Most people mess up the very first encounter. You're in Attica. Persian soldiers are everywhere. You might think you can just swing the Blades of Chaos wildly, but the game introduces the block mechanic early for a reason. Use it.
The Basilisk is the first real wall. It’s huge, it breathes fire, and it’s surprisingly fast for a giant lizard. When it snaps at you, roll. Don't jump. Jumping in this game is often a death sentence because you lose your lateral mobility. When the Basilisk retreats to the walls, you have to use the ballista. It's a classic GoW trope. Line it up, fire, and then get ready for the QTE. If you miss the button prompts here, you're just wasting health.
Why the Persian King is a Skill Check
The Persian King boss fight is where the God of War Chains of Olympus PSP walkthrough gets serious. He’s slow, but his Efreet magic—that giant fire spirit he summons—will wreck your health bar if you're greedy.
- The Strategy: Hit him twice, then dodge away.
- The Reward: You get the Efreet magic yourself. This is arguably the most important spell in the game for crowd control.
- Pro Tip: Don't spend all your Red Orbs on the Blades of Chaos immediately. Leveling up the Efreet to level two early on makes the upcoming fog sections significantly easier.
Navigating the City of Marathon and the Temple of Helios
Marathon is annoying. There’s no other way to put it. The fog is thick, and the death knights are aggressive. This is where the game tries to teach you about light-based puzzles. You’ll find a torch; keep it lit. If you step into the darkness, the shadows eat you. It’s a simple mechanic, but it’s easy to get frustrated when you’re trying to find the Red Orb chests hidden in the corners.
Once you hit the Temple of Helios, the scale kicks up. You’ve got the Sun Chariot, those massive steeds, and a lot of vertical climbing.
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The statues of Eos and the light beam puzzles are the "pacing" sections. You’ll need to pull levers and reflect beams using the Sun Shield. The Sun Shield is your best friend. It’s not just for puzzles; it’s a parry tool. If you tap the L button right before an attack hits, you’ll deflect it and can counter with a massive shockwave. Mastering this timing is the difference between a frustrating playthrough and feeling like a literal god.
Finding the Hidden Eyes and Feathers
You can’t finish a proper God of War Chains of Olympus PSP walkthrough without talking about upgrades. Gorgon Eyes (for health) and Phoenix Feathers (for magic) are tucked away in chests that are almost always just off-camera.
Don't just walk forward. Every time the camera shifts, backtrack a few steps. Developers loved hiding chests behind the "front" of the camera. If you haven't maxed out your health by the time you reach the Caves of Olympus, you’re going to have a rough time with the fire guards.
The Gauntlet of Zeus: Game Changer
Halfway through the game, you find the Gauntlet of Zeus. This thing is a beast. It’s a heavy weapon that breaks shields and deals massive localized damage.
A lot of players stick to the Blades because they’re iconic, but the Gauntlet is objectively better for single-target DPS. When you’re fighting the armored Cyclops or the shield-bearing skeletons, the Blades just bounce off. The Gauntlet smashes right through.
Comboing for Red Orbs
If you want to max out every weapon, you need Red Orbs. The best way to get them isn't just killing enemies; it's high combos.
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- Use the Blades of Chaos for high hit counts on weak enemies.
- Use the "Cyclone of Chaos" (L + Square) to hit multiple enemies at once.
- Switch to the Gauntlet for the finishing blow to get that "Brutal Kill" bonus.
The Fields of Elysium and the Persephone Betrayal
The final act of the game is emotionally heavy for a PSP title. Kratos finds his daughter, Calliope. There’s a mini-game here that actually requires you to "push" her away to regain your power. It’s a gut-punch.
Then comes Persephone.
This is one of the hardest boss fights in the entire GoW franchise, handheld or otherwise. She flies, she throws projectiles, and she has a devastating ground slam.
Beating Persephone: Phase by Phase
Phase One: She’s on the ground. Use the Gauntlet of Zeus. Do not bother with the Blades here. Her recovery time is too fast. Hit her, dodge her dash, and wait for the rocks she throws. You can actually parry those rocks back at her using the Sun Shield.
Phase Two: She goes to the pillars. This becomes a game of tennis. She fires green energy balls at you. You have to time your parry to send them back. Each successful hit brings her closer to the ground.
The Final QTE: When she’s dazed, you have to stand in the circle of light and use the Sun Shield. The button prompts are fast. If you fail, she regains a chunk of health and you have to do the "tennis" phase all over again.
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Actionable Insights for Your Playthrough
If you want to breeze through this without breaking your PSP (or your controller), keep these specific tactics in mind.
First, prioritize the Sun Shield parry. Many players forget it exists and just try to dodge everything. The parry provides i-frames (invincibility frames) and opens up high-damage windows that dodging just doesn't offer.
Second, save your magic for the Sirens. They are the most dangerous common enemy because their scream stuns you. As soon as you see a Siren, pop the Efreet magic to knock them down before they can lock you into a stun loop.
Third, don't ignore the vases. It sounds silly, but breaking every single piece of pottery in the Temple of Helios provides just enough extra Red Orbs to get that final Blade upgrade before the Persephone fight. That extra reach on the Blades makes the final QTE sequence much more forgiving.
Finally, remember that the "Hard" and "God" modes change enemy AI, not just health pools. Enemies will attack simultaneously rather than waiting their turn. If you’re playing on higher difficulties, the Gauntlet of Zeus's "Olympic Strike" (charging the attack) becomes your primary tool for keeping enemies at a distance.
Stick to the Gauntlet for bosses, use the Blades for groups, and never stop moving. The game is short—usually about 5 to 6 hours—so every upgrade counts. Get those Gorgon Eyes early, keep your shield up, and you'll make it through the Underworld in one piece.