Few action games play exactly like the latest God of War due to it's close-up third person camera, a choice that lends itself to the game's cinematic qualities but heavily contrasts with the majority of action games. However, the niche PlayStation 2 title God Hand did something similar  with its camera over a decade beforehand, making it somewhat of a predecessor to God of War.

When it came to action hack-and-slash games of the mid-2000s, games were divided under one of two columns. There were the Devil May Cry copy-cats and the God of War-alikes. It should be noted that God of War was a very different series when it first came out in 2005 than what it is today. It was more brutally violent, and the power-fantasy element of it was more upfront. It had very little (if any) RPG elements and, much like its direct competitors, it too placed its camera further away from the main character so that players could keep track of all the action going on in the battleground. However, the 2006 game developed by Clover Studios God Hand was an entirely different beast altogether.

Related: God of War: Best Things To Do After Beating The Game

In stark contrast to the way  stylish action games had been designed up until that point, God Hand put its camera right up behind the main character's back. Even more extreme was that it implemented tank controls in combination with this camera. This means the right analog stick was dedicated to the player's evasion options, and the only way for the player to look around was to turn their character with the left analog stick. This action kept the player completely stationary the whole time. In other words, players could not side-strafe, and they could only move forwards or backwards. As a result, moving around the world of God Hand feels stiff and cumbersome. This may sound like a terrible way of designing an action game focused on dispatching multiple enemies at once. In actuality, God Hand is one of the most exciting and unique action experiences one could imagine, even if it takes some time (and maybe a couple YouTube videos) to acclimate to the game's movement and controls. This is mainly due to the game's satisfying evasion mechanics, move variety, and absolutely dehumanizing level of challenge that actually changes depending on how well the player is performing.

Positioning and Evasion: Which Is More Important?

When it comes to God Hand, the game only gets fun once the player learns that positioning takes precedence over evasion. Even in other behind-the-back action games like God of War (2018), the player still has access to some lateral movement options that help with defense. Kratos can dash, roll, and even has a parry when those first two options seem inefficient. On the other hand, God Hand has very few options in comparison. Its best evasion tool, the backdash (performed by holding back on the right stick) is the safest option in the game, but it also sacrifices the player's offensive capability.

If players really want to do damage they need to be up close and personal since, unlike other action games, the main character's only weapons are his stubby fists and feet. God Hand players do have some other evasive maneuvers: the duck and the side dash (also executed using the right stick), but they are risky enough that they should only be used when necessary. Instead, what keeps the player from getting beaten like a drum is their ability to position themselves in a way that allows them to use their moveset for crowd control purposes. That way, enemies don't even have the opportunity to surround the player and stomp them into hamburger meat.

The Moveset: How To Control Crowds

However, there is another challenge associated with this, and it all has to do with the game's moveset. Unlike other action games, in God Hand the player's move set is fully customizable. Players have a set amount of move slots which they can fill any way they desire using the dozens and dozens of moves purchased at the in-game shop. These moves are wildly varied in damage, speed and special traits so players are encouraged to choose them carefully while still picking moves that they think are cool. It's the ultimate balance between self-expression and practical gameplay decisions.

Related: God of War Has ALWAYS Been About Hope, Not Hate

Still, its the few unchangeable moves in the player's arsenal that really make a difference. There are certain contextual attacks which the game neglects to tell the player about that can only happen while an enemy is juggled. These attacks are the most effective crowd control options. The jumping roundhouse kick (performed by pressing forward and triangle on a juggled opponent) is especially effective, as it launches the enemy in the opposite direction from the player, knocking down any other enemies in their path. Moves like these are what allow players to manipulate crowds in God Hand. There are other, more bombastic options like the roulette wheel (which doubles as a lock-on system) that can help, but learning the few different juggle moves in conjunction with positioning goes a long way into getting enemies off the main character's back and into the hospital. There is much more that could be said about God Hand's moveset and combat mechanics, and for that a gameplay guide is highly suggested. In fact, new players will basically need one, because God Hand pulls zero punches when it comes to difficulty.

God Hand Makes Dark Souls Look Like Animal Crossing

God Hand is possibly the most difficult action game ever devised, and that's saying something considering the genre itself has its origins in appealing to the masochistic. Health items are extremely rare, and in a game where getting hit with massive damage isn't exactly an oddity, it can be a trial just reaching the end of a level. Players could play on easy, and if they're new then easy might be the way to go. There's already enough challenge in learning how to play God Hand itself, and its not like easy mode removes all of the challenge thanks to a completely unique difficulty system.

Unlike many other Japanese action games at the time, God Hand lacks any style system which rates the player's performance. Instead, there is the fluid difficulty system indicated by the half-moon bar in the bottom left. Depending on how well players are performing, meaning how much damage they are taking and dealing out, the bar will either increase or decrease. Once filled, the bar goes up a level. There are four levels in total: one, two, three and DIE. With each level of difficulty, the enemies get harder. They do more damage, they're behavior changes and the player will be made to suffer unless they can compete. On easy mode, this bar never goes above level two, and on hard it never goes below DIE. Normal is the only difficulty where players can really get a sense for how powerful they are in the world of God Hand.

Until God of War (2018) came out, few games ever looked anything like God Hand. That close-in camera may be a simple change, but it means everything when it comes to action games. The player's viewpoint is restricted heavily, and the way they must play the game changes as a result. The difference between the two, however, is that even on lighter difficulties, God Hand doesn't coddle the player. It doesn't have God of War's attack indicator, the closest thing to a quick turnaround is pressing the roulette wheel button, and just as players think they're getting a hang of things, it switches difficulty levels on the fly and reminds them that to really be worthy of the God Hand, they must play like a god.

Next: Black Myth: Wukong's One-Shot Camera Was Inspired By God Of War