God of War Review
Developed by: SIE Santa Monica Studio
Published by: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Available on: PS4
Reviewed by: Joseph Yaden
Following the so-so reception of God of War: Ascension and an arguably stale, formulaic series, God of War needed to be taken in a new direction. Developer Santa Monica Studio did exactly that, creating a more mature, modern take on Kratos’ adventures, while still staying true to the heart of the series. This new entry, simply titled God of War acts as a continuation of the old games, but feels like a reboot, making this an interesting experience.
The departure from Greek mythology brings us to a different setting and to a land of Nordic gods, instead. Given the events of the previous games, it makes sense why the series had to go in this direction. This is still the same Kratos from the previous games, but he is now older and has distanced himself from those events.
Stylistically, this is an evolution in presentation, as well. Instead of having a zoomed-out camera like Diablo, where the characters are small and sometimes hard to see, the camera is tight and close behind Kratos, almost like a third person shooter. Impressively, the entire game is one long continuous camera shot. In other words, there are no cuts and everything we see follows Kratos, closely. The decision to include an over-the-shoulder view and one long continuous camera shot seems like it was a deliberate attempt to get the player to stick with Kratos on his journey; to understand and empathize with him. This is a much needed tonal shift, because it helps with character development.
Likewise, the shift in tone is largely exemplified by the inclusion of Kratos’ son, Atreus. In older God of War games, Kratos acted alone, but in this new iteration, the inclusion of another character accompanying him throughout the entire journey gives Kratos context and makes him a more likeable character. Let’s face it, Kratos has always felt like an archaic meathead, whose entire dialogue was delivered in screams. This one-dimensional character worked well for the mid-2000s, but now in 2018, a more sophisticated, relatable Kratos is introduced and it’s refreshing.
My first thought when I found out about Atreus was that this was going to feel like a long Resident Evil 4-style escort mission. Not only was I proven wrong, but Atreus is one of the best AI companions I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing alongside. Thankfully, he is invincible, so there is no worry of having to protect him. In fact, Atreus acts of his own volition, attacking enemies and acting as a distraction so Kratos can easily land hits on his enemies. Aside from combat, he also assists with pointing out where enemies are, giving the player more spatial awareness. This is especially useful because of the close over-the-shoulder camera that sometimes makes it difficult to see all enemies in the area.
Atreus is important because he can do things Kratos cannot. For example, he can read certain texts that help solve puzzles that advance the story. Most importantly, though, Atreus is in some ways, a method of understanding Kratos. When Kratos makes decisions that seem brash, or if he acts like an old grump, Atreus is there to ask why or make light of a situation. He compliments Kratos in such a way that doesn’t feel annoying or silly. Yes, he is a kid, but many of his points or ideas are valid and he helps the audience understand Kratos in an interesting way. On the other hand, Atreus is still learning and that’s where Kratos comes in. There is a dynamic where both characters bounce off one another and it breaks up the action-heavy sections to make it more varied. It would have been easy to just have Kratos talk to himself to create exposition, but Santa Monica Studio went above and beyond and made a believable relationship between father and son.
If all of this has made it seem like God of War is now a walking-simulator that only focuses on story…well, that couldn’t be further from the truth. This is still a violent action game, with combat at its core. Story and characters aren’t the only things to receive a massive overhaul, with combat feeling better than it ever has. Battles now feel like an art and less like a button mash-y arcade-style PS2 game. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there is a clear sophisticated system in place here, giving a deep and enriching way to play. The most technical feature is the implementation of parrying. That alone forces the player to focus on timing and enemy patterns. A well-executed parry can help the player defeat an otherwise pesky enemy.
Probably the most exciting addition to combat is the new Leviathan Axe. What I love about this weapon is that it has so much weight to it, making each blow feel satisfying and powerful. The cool thing about it is that the axe can be thrown and will stick into whatever surface it meets. Then, by pressing the triangle button, the axe will come flying back into Kratos’ hand. Apparently, the developers spent a significant amount of time perfecting this mechanic and it shows. The controller vibrates at different speeds depending on what’s in the way as the axe comes back to Kratos. I can’t remember a more satisfying feeling, at least in recent memory. Something about the weight of the axe bolting through enemies and finally returning to your hand is special.
Along with the complex combat mechanics comes a (maybe too) complex upgrade and skill system. Like many contemporary games, there are a slew of options for armor and perks to apply to Kratos and Atreus. It seems like Santa Monica Studio took a page out of Horizon: Zero Dawn’s book, especially with the skill tree. Upon completion of objectives, the player is rewarded with XP that can be spent on skills. Some of these are familiar like more powerful attacks or the ability to break an enemy’s guard. Atreus’ skills can be upgraded as well, and it’s a good idea to do so because a more powerful Atreus means a more successful Kratos.
While the skill tree is familiar and generally uncluttered, the upgrade system can be overwhelming. Even towards the end of my playthrough, I felt like I was misunderstanding how to properly use the upgrade system simply because the menus are a bit cumbersome and there are a lot of options. Armor pieces can be crafted and upgraded, but there are a lot of stats to account for when making that decision. On top of that, there are perks that can be added to different articles of clothing, helping you adhere to your playstyle better. Beyond that, there are different perks that can be added to your weapons that can also be upgraded. Plus, upgrades to perks for Kratos and Atreus. If all that sounds overwhelming and hard to understand, it is. All of these systems work, but I wish it was implemented in a way that wasn’t so intimidating and cluttered. Still, once I got the hang of it, it was fun to see these upgrades in action.
Because of all the combat options, fighting enemies always feels varied. Whether it be murdering enemies while in Spartan’s Rage mode, which is carried over from previous games, or using the different abilities combined with the assistance from Atreus, this game never feels repetitive.
It’s hard to talk about this game without mentioning the world. My goodness, is it beautiful! I was running the game a standard PS4 and I still gawked at how stunning it looks. The variation in environments like snowy areas, broken-down ruins, forests, and lakes make it hard to get bored while playing. Not only are the areas gorgeous, but they are dynamic like parts of the Uncharted series. Walking through snow creates tracks, while some areas have huge set pieces that fall apart and crumble around you. It’s an incredible world full of lots to see and do. My only complaint is that there were occasional framerate drops, but none bad enough to break the game. However, playing this did get me that much closer to buying a PS4 Pro.
Tying everything together is an intriguing story with interesting characters. While the motivation for Kratos and Atreus is simple, it doesn’t make the story any less engaging. In fact, there were moments where I rushed to get through the gameplay just so I could get to the next interaction between the characters. As someone who generally isn’t enticed by a game’s story, it says a lot about this one. The writing is smart and believable, especially between Kratos and Atreus. There are other characters that act as comic relief, like the blacksmiths that perform the upgrades. Lines like, “What can I get ya, you little fart?” when one of the characters speaks to Atreus made me chuckle. This is something I did not expect to do in a game about killing gods. The cast of characters all balance one another and round out an otherwise dark and gloomy tone.
Throughout the journey is an incredible score written by composer, Bear McCreary. Fitting the style of the game, McCreary used Nordic string instruments to bring everything together. There are also some powerful vocalists that make the emotional moments much more impactful. This soundtrack should not go overlooked because it’s an important aspect that improves the game.
God of War is the reimagining of a stale, uninteresting character in a new, sophisticated world. No longer do I roll my eyes when I hear the name Kratos. The believable writing had me engaged with the story, and the combat feels just complex enough to be satisfying. Despite a few overly complicated menus and infrequent dips in framerate, God of War is nothing short of a masterpiece. As someone who is not wild about past God of War games, it means a lot to have so many good things to say about this one.
Rating: Lovely
This game is a glorious expression of game design and is important for most players to experience.
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