The original God of War was the first “M” rated game I purchased for myself back in 2005. I loved almost everything about it: the combat, the visceral nature of the finishing moves, and the scale of the world around Kratos. The series cranked the sex and violence over the course of the next two major installments to the point I could no longer find value in the series. When Sony announced a new God of War, I was pretty skeptical of the series’ ability to reform itself. I was wrong.
Kratos, now a man truly haunted by the actions of his long life, bears little more than a passing resemblance to the raging inferno I knew him to be. Time has turned his inexhaustible rage into an equally deep hatred of all the gods, including himself. We join a Kratos that has spent the long gap since his last adventure running to the frigid northern realms, where he has settled himself and his new family into an isolated, “normal” existence. His wife has recently passed on, leaving Kratos and his son Atreus to fulfill her final wish of scattering her ashes at the highest peak in all the realms.
Kratos is far from a totally changed man, however, despite this newfound domesticity. Kratos struggles to form anything resembling a functional relationship with his son. Atreus harbors some resentment toward his distant father. The growth of both characters as individuals and as a family is executed well, and the writing is compelling. Atreus’ childish tendencies and occasional petulance grate on Kratos, but the god more often than not manages to suppress his anger and instead pass on a new nugget of fatherly wisdom. Some of the best dialogue in the game occurs when father and son are on a boat, sharing stories as they row from place to place.
The supporting cast deserves mention as well, for the minor characters Kratos and Atreus find in their travels all contribute to the fleshing out of the wonderful world around them. They can be a bit one-note, as most of them serve as some manner of comic relief, but a protagonist as serious as Kratos has become needs a foil or three. No previous God of War game has had a supporting cast this solidly written (I suspect because of Kratos’ tendency to murder them on sight).
The narrative structure itself seems determined to subvert the expectations of veteran God of War players. Previous entries saw Kratos begin his journeys in the heat of battle, but here Kratos is quiet and reserved as he goes about fulfilling his duties. This time the first boss fight is not a grandiose finale to a fiery beginning, but an almost unwelcome intrusion that serves to tell Kratos he cannot continue to lead the isolated live he desires. As Kratos progresses through his journey to the Mountain he is not the same aggressor of games past, instead only fighting those that seek to interfere with his journey through the realms.
The world Kratos and Atreus journey through is tremendously beautiful and mystical. God of War is easily one of the most visually impressive games on the PlayStation 4. The snow engine is particularly impressive with how it reacts to movement. After finishing the game, I wanted to continue to explore all the places I could just to see what picturesque surroundings I could find.
But for all the talk of narrative and setting, the proof of a God of War game is in the combat. Kratos’ new Leviathan Axe handles much differently than his old Blades of Chaos, and anyone looking to approach combat in the same way as older installments is in for a rude awakening. The combat is more focused than its predecessors to the point it feels downright stiff at first blush. The new, closer, camera makes it much harder to see enemies behind Kratos and his crowd control abilities are almost nonexistent. Spinning madly like a homicidal blender has been replaced with dodge rolls, deliberate strikes, and a very satisfying axe throw mechanic.
Those who press on, however, will find themselves rewarded with a wide array of moves and magical abilities that can accommodate virtually any playstyle. New skills are unlocked and upgraded by spending experience points. Experience points are given to the player in abundance thanks to a system of “labors” built around rewarding certain combat actions and kill counts. By the end of the game, Kratos feels truly powerful again in a way noticeably absent during the opening chapters of the adventure.
This ascent back to godly might is successful on several levels. By journey’s end the stakes have risen, and the stage has been set for a continuation. I knew going in God of War was not going to be a standalone story, but I found that the portion of the story told wrapped up in satisfying fashion. The inevitable cliffhanger did not take the form I expected it to, and I am excited to see where this reborn franchise goes next.
Score: 5/5
No game is truly perfect, but I have no qualms about recommending God of War to anyone with the means to play it. This is one of the defining games of 2018 so far, and deserves at least a couple of hours of your time.
