When Kratos realized what happened and renounced service to Ares, an oracle cursed him with nightmares, binding his family's burnt ashes to his skin, giving Kratos the moniker 'Ghost of Sparta.' Ares tricked Kratos, however, causing the Spartan to kill his wife and daughter without knowing it. He swore allegiance to Ares if the god would give him the power to win, so Ares bestowed on Kratos the fiery Blades of Chaos, chains that burned into his arms. In the past, Kratos led armies in conquest but nearly lost a battle. Over the course of the game, flashbacks reveal why Kratos suffers nightmares. For his final quest, the goddess Athena tasks Kratos with killing Ares, the Greek God of War.
The game focuses on Kratos, a Spartan warrior who completes 10 years of service to the Olympian gods of Greek mythology if they rid him of his nightmares. The original God of War launched on Mafor the PS2.
