PlayStation are absolutely spoiling players with their exclusives and the iconic exclusives just keep coming. By now everyone would have seen the many 10/10s and perfect review scores that God of War has effortlessly collected since its release and though I do not feel this is a flawless and perfect game, I completely agree that once again PlayStation have delivered a true game and genre changing game experience that can only be found on their console. The decision to take such an iconic system and not just reboot it for a new console family and gaming generation was brave, but the result of which is an evolution of a character and gaming style that quite simply blew my mind with its magnificence.
Within seconds of firing this game up and sitting on the main menu you can feel that there is a very different tone to this series. The menu music alone sets the mood to kick things off to make sure the days of battling the Greek Gods is now a distant memory. The sublime way that Kratos is both introduced to a new audience and reintroduced to long time fans of the series in the opening thirty seconds is delightfully done with Kratos simply cutting down a tree with the help of some player interaction. The first two minutes of this opening manages to do so many things for such a simple sequence as we get a full up close look at a now much older man is now and just the hint that all his previous labours have taken a heavy toll on him, it is quite the first look at Kratos.
Which takes me to the very obvious first reaction to this game which is just how visually beautiful it is. The detail on the character models is exquisite just as all the different locations and environments the game conjures up are right up there as the most stunning looking game on a console right now. Sitting next to Horizon Zero Dawn as a title that shows the true power of the PS4 Pro and especially the PlayStation 4 itself, God of War is always breath taking which makes the soon to be added photo mode another reason to play through this game just to take pause to make a good hundred or more screenshots. Having the camera move behind Kratos for the first time rather than the almost overhead viewpoint of the previous games was a genius move and Kratos is a true mountain of a man that earlier games in the series never really had the chance to showcase.
The main reason of course is because Kratos is often fighting monsters and gods that are bigger than him, making him look more human size but now with the repositioning of the camera you can really appreciate just how imposing he is. The best way to really describe this is seeing a WWE superstar on TV and to then go to a live event to see them in person and suddenly realising their true size. To highlight that he is a now much older man, his beard has truly become a godlike thing all by itself. Even the holder clip that Kratos wears on his back to hold the might Leviathan Axe is shaped in the very same Omega symbol that can be seen in all the God of War game cover art, a rather lovely little touch there. The further you progress into the story and game world, the more the visuals just impress and amaze not that this series was ever ugly per say, but now rejuvenated for a new generation and this more action game style just benefits from the incredible engine used for God of War.
The re-positioning of the camera also gives the combat a refreshingly new feel yet keeping the high impact visceral nature to the fighting, but now it has a very personal feel to it as the action is now very much up close and personal. This brings me to the new main weapon for Kratos who has put aside his Chaos Blades and is now wielding the powerful Leviathan Axe. Utilising light and heavy attacks using the right bumper and trigger buttons, the Leviathan Axe is a brutal weapon as Kratos cuts through enemies large and small but it also has a wonderful party trick that has been completely lifted from Thor’s hammer in that you can throw the axe at enemies and with a quick tap of the triangle button will call the axe back to your hand which is not only a very cool visual thing but adds a fun aspect to the combat as it can also do damage on the return trip to enemies should they be in the way. By levelling up the axe it becomes more powerful and new moves, much like the previous games, can be unlocked with XP earned from fighting and completing labours and quest objectives as well as new runes. I really love the combat in this game and calling the axe back to my hand after I have thrown it to pin a far off enemy to a wall is never gets old.
The story of course is a huge factor this time around as the motives of Kratos have now shifted dramatically from his desire for revenge against pretty much everyone in front of him and just as the new camera position adds to the combat; it also brings a new level to the story telling in cut-scenes. The reason the game opens with Kratos cutting down a tree is revealed in a very somber opening ten minutes that leads into the prologue tutorial toe the game. We are quickly introduced to the young boy Atreus who turns out to be the son of Kratos and both are collecting wood to build a pire as the player learns that the boys mother and original bearer of the Leviathan axe, has passed away. The story is focused on completing the final wishes of the mother who wants her ashes scattered on the highest mountain, a task that will prove to be the greatest of all challenges for Kratos.
Atreus is an interesting character to be added to the mix as he both can help in combat thanks to his bow but more so in terms of getting to know Kratos far better as the father son dynamic plays out throughout the story. Kratos who is now voiced by the actor Christopher Judge who most will recognise as the character T’ealc from Stargate SG1 show, really brings this new older and more thoughtful version of Kratos to life. Still very angry but often distant, Kratos is clearly seen battling his grief over the loss of Laufey his wife and dealing or trying to deal with Atreus, a boy who he has had a very distant relationship with for his childhood but now having to confront his son and build a new relationship with against the dangers of the world and their journey ahead.
I came to really appreciate the freedom the game offers along side having to complete the main story campaign, the game will also provide side activity with passive tasks that will run all the way through the game to give players things to do. Whilst it is not a true open world as a lot of areas are locked off until certain progress has been made in the main storyline, the game will encourage you to explore the large areas you come to such as the Lake of the Nine. This also helps as the new crafting system as exploring will often help in collecting the money and materials needed to both craft and then upgrade new armour for Kratos with more designs opening up from visiting new locations and story progress. Bringing God of War into the more modern action adventure game style but retaining so much of what made the series so iconic has made this a true evolution of not just the series itself but of the action adventure genre as well.
Moving the whole series from the Greek Gods to the Norse Mythology is an instant payoff for players as it allows Kratos the chance to reflect on his past life whilst trying to have a new one away from that level of violence and fighting but the Norse Mythology is used astoundingly well bringing in new monsters like ogres, trolls and mighty beasts but also in using the lore so brilliantly for the story itself. If the only Norse mythology players knows come from the MARVEL cinematic universe with Loki as Thor’s half brother then this will come as a big surprise for many as it sticks to the authentic origins to create this amazing world. I really loved how Atreus acts as the journal writer as he can understand languages far better than Kratos and so all the lore and information gathered is held within the boy’s journal along with his own comments making it a worthwhile thing to pause and read through it. Seeing the two worlds collide of Kratos from Sparta and the Norse mythology has an immediate impact for the series which opens up the possibility of DLC and sequels which going from this game alone, could provide some truly amazing gaming experiences.
I do have some complaints however and though these are fairly minor niggles, they still did annoy me somewhat. The dialogue at times can feel a little too…modern, especially with Atreus who comes across as a whiney teenage at time to the point where he will even respond with “what ever” when he is annoyed with Kratos. It was also very clear that the character of Brok the dwarf blacksmith, is modelled after Yondu from Guardians of the Galaxy, sounding like a Texas redneck constantly using modern language and swearing which feels out of place at times slightly breaking the experience. Overall the game is very solid with very little bugs but there are times when Atreus who spends the time following Kratos might be no where near you when about to start climbing and will suddenly appear from no where to piggy back with Kratos. It should be said that since release this game has had several minor title updates to address various bugs and at one point there was a new update every day for three days.
God of War is just another shining jewel in the PlayStation collection of exclusives. It successfully brings the series to the modern generation of gamers but does so whilst evolving the series into something very special and refreshing for old and new fans of Kratos. Other than those personal niggles above, this is another example of the people behind PlayStation taking their time to deliver an incredible gaming experience that can only be found on PlayStation. The wait was worth it for this game and it both rewarded me with its story and challenged my skill with the gameplay and fighting and it just leaves me wanting more of both. The story is genuinely majestic and deep with fantastically written and designed characters that are complimented by the fun gameplay and amazing visuals and musical score.
God of War is a must have title for any PlayStation fan and for fans of this series. Whilst some may feel it has changed too much from the original game, it had to change to be relevant for 2018 and the way it has evolved into something special is a testament to the brilliant team over at Sony Santa Monica Studio for delivering this series to a new audience in a thrilling and satisfying new way.
Kratos is back and I for one look forward to seeing how this series will continue.
