Hands-on: 'Hero Of Sparta II' (iPhone)

Greek mythology has long served as a deep well of inspiration for various entertainment media to draw from. This is especially true today with the Clash Of The Titans remake proving a box office hit and God Of War III making waves in the PS3 software chart. Based on the success of Sony's Herculean offering, more games centred around this body of legends are inevitable, so it comes as no surprise that Gameloft is revisiting its popular Hero Of Sparta series.

The original Hero Of Sparta was an entertaining take on the subject matter, casting players as the hero Argos (not to be confused with the High Street store) as he battles his way across legendary locations such as Atlantis and the Underworld. The sequel tells the story of the character's homecoming, though his return to Sparta doesn't pan out quite the way he would have hoped. Hades, the god of the dead, has stricken the city with a terrible curse and it's up to King Argos to take him down.

Although greatly overused, the term 'God Of War clone' is apt in this instance. Hero Of Sparta II comprises everything from the Sony series' undead gladiators to its quick-time events, but that doesn't mean it's short on innovation. Like Gameloft's previous iPhone effort N.O.V.A., the game is up there with the best-looking titles on the App Store. Furthermore, it's a significant improvement on its forebear, with a greater resolution, larger sprites and more fluid animation.

Like all vintage hack-'n-slash fare, the action is fluid and the arsenal is a joy to wield. Argos carves up his foes with a selection of melee weapons - including a meaty sword and a set of blades on ropes - and rains down all hell with special items such as the Meteor Crown. Each weapon is upgradable, so the more you play, the more powerful you will become.

As all good sequels should, Hero Of Sparta II builds on almost every aspect of its predecessor. Some of the changes are subtle tweaks, while others are complete overhauls. The game remains firmly rooted in the action genre, though the platforming aspects have been padded out this time around. While the previous game offered an automatic jump mechanic, the sequel puts you at the helm and even requires you to glide using a pair of wings. This variety of gameplay looks to be a recurrent feature intended to provide a welcome change of pace from the all-out carnage as well as an extra dimension.

Combat has also undergone something of a revolution. Tapping the action button sees Argos perform a regular attack, while holding it down sees him unleash a magic attack. Dragging the button up or down lets you lash out in either direction, allowing for a greater range to offensive manoeuvres. No game of this manner would be complete without grisly takedowns, and the gore fanatics won't go away empty-handed here. Once you have drained a foe's health, a skull icon appears above them. Tapping this will see Argos deliver a brutal fatality. Larger opponents such as minotaurs require quick-time events to dispatch, and these are equally blood-soaked.

As Gameloft informed DS, the game plays out over 12 stages and takes around five hours to complete on the lower difficult settings. Additionally, an unlockable hard mode and an arena-based survival minigame are sure to provide some extra longevity.

There is currently no word on whether the game will receive the HD treatment and be ported to the iPad, although it's a safe bet given that enhanced versions of the studio's other flagship titles have been released for the platform.

Hero Of Sparta II takes all of its cues from God Of War, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It emulates most of the series' best qualities well and throws in a few ideas of its own for good measure. In this regard, it's shaping up to be an entertaining hack-'n-slash fest and an infinitely better game than the original. A release date for the title is yet to be announced, but Gameloft ensures us that its arrival on the App Store is imminent. Expect this one to climb to Olympian heights in the downloads chart when it's released.