Try telling a painter that video games are works of art, and they'll likely laugh in your face.

Try telling a diehard gamer that video games are works of art, and they too will likely laugh in your face.

The painter may question whether video games are made with the same creative, soulful expression that motivates their work. To them, video games may seem no more artistic than a Web site.

The diehard gamer, on the other hand, does not for a second dispute the artistic value of video games. They know that good games combine the engrossing narratives of novels, the intricate design of comic books and the dialogue, sound effects and score of big-budget films.

As a sequel of sorts to last week's game review, this edition of “Citizen Gamer” will use “God of War II” as the groundwork for arguing the artistic merits of video games.

Although it represents the video game gold standard more than a typical release, “God of War II” nonetheless offers a glimpse of the medium's potential as an art form. And it was even made for a system that has ostensibly become outdated within the past six months.

“God of War II,” while liberal in its fidelity to the truth of Ancient Greek history, is nonetheless a tale worthy of inclusion in the collections of classic Greek storytellers like Hesiod and Homer. Having usurped the throne of Ares at the end of “God of War,” Kratos begins the sequel by using his divinity to destroy even more lives and cities than his predecessor.

The gods of Olympus strip Kratos of his power and send him into the Earthen arms of Gaia, who offers Kratos an opportunity to kill Zeus by finding the Sisters of Fate and turning the clock back to the moment the thunder god betrayed him.

The gamer is then introduced to Theseus, Euryale and an assortment of famous Ancient Greeks that puts “Clash of the Titans” to shame. In fact, Henry Hamlin, who played Perseus in the 1978 film, lends his voice to “God of War II” as part of a cast that also includes Michael Clarke Duncan (and his unmistakable rumble) in the role of Atlas.

Several scenes in the game are captured by crane shots that sweep over Kratos' environments like the cameras in films directed by Martin Scorcese or Peter Jackson.

The astonishing level of detail visible in every character can be attributed to the thousands of sketches game designers completed before even beginning to develop the game on the computer screen.

The effort involved in scoring “God of War II” rivals that of most films as well. Orchestras in London and Prague were commissioned specifically for their skilled horn and string sections, respectively, while the latter's roaring choir accentuates the drama at key scenes in the game.

Movies are best described as a meta-art whose value lies in the use it makes of other arts, namely music, visual design and narrative. Video games incorporate these same elements, in addition to the distinctly filmic arts of acting and cinematography.

Just as a director must weigh the presence of each component during production, so too do game developers decide how prominently each figures into their project. Here, the makers of “God of War II” achieve a balance that positions the game as the best work of art to ever play on a PS2.

Staff writer David Wilcox reviews video games for The Citizen. He can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net