Reviewed on PlayStation 4
When Kratos completed his vengeance upon Zeus and sacrificed his life to spread hope to the mankind, we assumed it to be the end of this tragic anti-hero who, consumed by anger and violence, sought revenge upon the entire Greek pantheon. As it turns out, his journey was far from over. Kratos along with the God of War series make a triumphant return in God of War (2018), as the Sony Santa Monica Studio redefines not only the next chapter of Kratos’ story, but also the level of complex narrative, entertaining gameplay, and long-lasting artistic value a single-player game can achieve.
A Reimagination
It has been 5 years since the last title in the series, God of War: Ascension. In comparison to its predecessors, Ascension received a more mixed receptions as critics pointed out that the previously successful God of War formula–gores and guts–has become too repetitive and monotonous by this point, while the only innovation of the game, multiplayer, seems out of place to a God of War game. These signs all convinced the Santa Monica Studio that the sequel must depart from the previous entries: in the word of Cory Barlog, the director of God of War, a “reimagination” of the series.
In God of War, we see a much older Kratos who settled down in the world of Norse Mythology after the events of God of War III. In place of Sparta, Mount Olympus, Greek Pantheon, and Temples made of marbles are dwarves, giants, valkyries, Norse gods, and the majesty of the bleak Norse landscapes.
Aside from the change in story and setting, God of War embraces a significantly reshaped gameplay. Unlike the earlier games, God of War uses a third-person camera that follows behind Kratos instead of a fixed camera. Interestingly, the third-person camera never cuts throughout the entire game, further immersing the player into the beautifully constructed world. The iconic weapons of Kratos, the Blades of Chaos, are also replaced by the Leviathan Axe and a shield at the beginning of the game. The new God of War also incorporates elements of RPG games such as weapon upgrades and armors customization.
Yet, in the root, God of War (2018) still feels familiar. The brutality shown by Kratos to his foes, epic boss fight, seamless combat actions, and artifacts left from Kratos’ earlier journeys in Greece all remind us that this game, in essence, is still the God of War game that we know and love.
Father and Son
While God of War continues the story of Kratos in previous titles, the connection is relatively loose as Kratos explores a world far from home. We find at the beginning of the game that Kratos has lived in the Norse world for years, remarried, and had a new son named Atreus. Kratos is calmer as he actively attempts to control his temper, hide his past, and become a good father. As apathetic as he can be sometimes, Kratos in God of War (2018) finally feels like a character with humanly characteristics as he no longer expresses all his feelings such as frustration, sadness, or bewilderment solely through anger and violence.
The story of God of War begins after the tragic death of Kratos’ wife, Faye, as Kratos and Atreus travel in the Norse world to fulfill Faye’s final wish: spread her ashes on top of the highest mountain. As much as it is about the gods of the Norse realm, the game is about the dynamic paternal relationship between Kratos and Atreus. Atreus displays many qualities of a growing youth–rebelliousness, unguarded trust, and a strong desire to assert his masculinity–while Kratos struggles to become a caring father that sets a good example.
Kratos: Mind your tongue, boy! Until our journey is complete, one of us must remain focused! Do not mistake my silence for lack of grief.
Conversations like this are not uncommon in real life. We are all too used to the silence and inattentiveness of our fathers that often make us unable to understand them. The lack of presence of paternal figure in the family almost renders them invisible to us. Before the journey, Kratos and Atreus rarely have truthful conversations, but the companionship of father and son across the harsh and dangerous Norse world slowly transforms the relationship.
Kratos: We will fight it.
Atreus: Why?
Kratos: Because you are afraid of it.
In this growing relationship, Kratos trains Atreus to be a god with strength and wisdom, while Atreus trains Kratos to be a human with compassion and kindness.
It is not a heart-wrenching or beautiful narrative of God of War that makes its story unique. Rather, the human dimensions shown by Kratos and Atreus in this unique father and son relationship create an exceptional story. Many of us can relate to this story of father and son as well as elements of the story: mistrust, conflict, and warmth. In fact, the game director Cory Barlog drew great inspiration from his personal relation with his father to build on the story of God of War.
That is not to say, however, that the God of War tells a perfect story. Several character transitions of Atreus seem odd and unexplained; the side quests that Kratos can take on also seem to contradict the apathetic nature of Kratos. Yet, the well-designed overarching story mostly cover up these minor inconsistencies, and the overall storytelling of God of War is top-notch.
Familiar yet Evolving Gameplay
The companionship extends from story to gameplay.
Welcome to Valhalla
Replayability
Verdict
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