The Gods are pleased. Very pleased.
Kratos.
Hearing that name might lead to flashbacks to a tortured demi god murdering his own father to serve out his final act of vengeance. A man fueled by rage. 8 years ago, Kratos’ journey concluded with God of War 3 and off to hiding he went. Over the course of those years, he aged, matured and became a father. And now he is back in a new foreign land full of new gods. He’s back and at the absolute best he has ever been. God of War (2018) shakes out to be the best game on the PS4 and becomes an instant classic and an all-time great.
From the opening act, this reboot is at odds with its former self. How can a game known for having sex-based mini games evolve into one of the greatest gaming experiences the industry has ever seen? How can one of the most badass yet despicable characters become nuanced and mature? The franchise has always been known for over-the-top action, ridiculous and bloody violence, and the famous Blades of Chaos. Over the course of 7 games, Kratos fell into a routine of hack-and-slash fun, one that would eventually lead to his downfall as the world of gaming changed around him. God of War seeks to remain true to its roots, while separating itself in order to create a new era for the infamous Ghost of Sparta.
Like Father, Like Son
Following Kratos and his son Atreus, the player is taken on an adventure through Midgard and the various realms of Norse mythology to reach the peak of the highest mountain. Very much like Journey, the end goal is always in sight but the trip to get there is never easy. Following the father and son as they tussle with all sorts of enemies gives us a chance to watch characters mature as they progress through the 20-hour main story. Each character seen throughout has a definitive arc that expertly shows progression within the narrative.
Kratos is a much different version of himself then the one found in the 7 other entries in the series. Kratos had a wife and a son and shows signs of how his past has finally caught up with him. He is much more reserved, and full of emotions other than just anger. Kratos’ expressions are often subtle, but they expand his character to narrative brilliance. He paces back and forth in a nervous panic. He nearly sheds a tear. Christopher Judge gives a simple yet impactful performance that anchors the story and makes Kratos feel, for the first time, like a relatable character. Expert writing coupled with this performance makes Kratos into a nuanced character, one that for the first time feels fleshed out and more than just a murder machine. This increased maturity shows not only how the character has evolved, but also how the gaming industry as a whole has adapted as time has gone by.
Father and son sharing a moment, as they do plenty throughout
The father-son dynamic that drives the story is brilliantly displayed. Kratos begins as a father who is unsure of how to do things on his own. He’s a single dad who genuinely worries about his son and hopes to keep him from making the same mistakes he made himself in his early years. As a distant father, he isn’t even really sure how to interact with his son in the early stages of the game. Atreus holds his weight equally in the narrative. A boy without a mother and a father he views as not wanting him, the player sees his hesitance as well as his hope at his father’s acceptance as the world progresses. Some of the best writing is showcased in simple moments while Kratos rows a boat, as we get little stories that showcase the relationship growing between father and son as they journey together. The relationship blossoms, has its highs and lows, and leaves the player with incredible satisfaction when it all reaches its conclusion.
While getting this overarching narrative, it wouldn’t be a God of War game without the spectacle and over the top action the series is known for. Incredible boss fights are woven into the story in ways that make sense. Each enemy you face feels different for narrative purpose based on their importance in the grand scheme of things. The Norse gods you encounter each serve their part in the grand tale. The game manages to strike an incredible balance in scale, shifting from these heartfelt interactions between a father and son to moments of massive spectacle on the drop of a dime. The way the writing team manages to swap back and forth so effortlessly in ways that feel powerful is unrivaled in a narrative.
Becoming a God
Being a video game, there is much more than the narrative on display. At the core of God of War has always been hack-and-slash style gameplay that makes the player feel like a god as you destroy everything in your path. This reboot seeks to keep that feeling, but with even greater power and more variety to boot. The core weapons Kratos wields are his new Leviathan Axe and his trusty fists. Much like Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, Kratos has the ability to call the axe back into his hand. The ability to throw and recall the axe is one that creates a new depth within the combat. Runes can be attached to the axe as well, each coming with its own unique stats and type of attack.
Thanks to an impressive skill tree that leads to new abilities that change the way you play, combos are simple enough to execute and keep combat varied well into post game content. This all gives the combat an unprecedented amount of depth, allowing each player to tailor the way combat fells based upon preference. Combat is fast, fluid and full of variety. Adding in Atreus by your side is also a great accompaniment. He is extremely useful at stunning enemies and calling out threats that may be out of the players direct view. Combine this with having his own upgrades and new armor options, and you end up with a competent AI companion that serves as an excellent assist while not turning into a sponge for damage.
Just a glimpse at the impressive skill trees present in God of War
There is also great variety within the enemy types. Scattered across all areas of the map, the player encounters enemies ranging from the more frequent low-level Draugr to the massive Trolls and Ancients that serve as mini-bosses. One of the coolest aspects revolves around the Trolls. These massive, stone-toting enemies are found at various stages of the game. For as many as there are, each one has different attack patterns and different abilities, making each encounter feel completely different from the last. This variance in enemies is a thread throughout the game that allows it to remain fresh throughout.
Boss fights are back in glorious fashion as well. The first major one coming within the first hour of the game, they each play out differently. God of War never holds your hand, and unlike the more button-mashing style quick time fights found in the earlier entries, the boss battles put the player in environments with the tools to complete the objective without directly telling you how to take down the incredible foe that stands before you. The design team does a great job of giving the player the opportunity to figure things out as they go, without directly pointing a finger to the optimal way to do it. As a result, players can go about boss fights, or any other fight for that matter, in a way that they choose, while still reaching the same end goal. Each one has a weakness, but it is up to the player to find and exploit it on their own. All of this takes place while never diminishing the pure spectacle and massive scale of these fights.
Kratos admiring his colossal kill
The combat stays true to the DNA of the franchise, while still changing things up drastically and managing to deliver a tremendously fluid and deep array of abilities that make it one of the most satisfying in gaming.
Beauty in the details
God of War is stunning in its visual aspects. Running on PS4 Pro, even without a 4K display, the environments look better than any game on the platform. From snow-covered mountains to giant pools of lava, each environment visited features enough variety and beauty so that each one grabs your eyes in a different manner. The only minor negative is that due to the graphical fidelity being so high, the game runs at 30 FPS. The frame rate is locked and smooth, so this isn’t really an issue since the game is smooth throughout, no matter how much is occurring on screen.
One of the biggest aspects of God of War, from a technical standpoint, is that it has ZERO loading screens throughout the course of the game. Set up as a single take, the game never cuts away from the action unless the player dies. Flowing straight from heavy combat scenes into cinematics with no interruptions is a thing of beauty. Fast travel is done in a very clever way that takes place while the player is still actively engaged in the game. It’s obvious that the game is loading the assets for the next area, but the fact that the game remains centered on the main characters at all moments gives it a unique felling of attachment that has never really been felt in a title that has the usual cuts between action, much like films that are shot in a single take or made to look that way.
God of War is a breath-taking and beautiful experience.
There is an immense attention to detail to almost every aspect of God of War. Little things like the tracks left in the snow remaining well after they are left and mud caking up on Atreus shoes as you trudge through it. After throwing the axe away, it can still be heard clattering around in the distance long after it has left Kratos’ hand. As touched on before, the fact that each Troll has its own unique appearance and abilities. All of these small details stack up in a massive world and showcase just how much effort was put into crafting the experience for the player.
All the breathtaking visuals are surrounded by a score that captures the essence of the Norse world that surrounds it. From the throaty chants of the title track, the epic battle tracks that accompany the combat, to the soothing, almost angelic, sounds that surround the emotional moments, each track accents the situation expertly. A great score only adds to the atmosphere and emotional resonance that God of War manages to have more of then anyone else.
“Who you were before doesn’t matter.”
God of War is nothing short of a triumph for developer Santa Monica Studios. It is, quite simply put, one of the best experiences gaming has to offer. Showcasing meaningful, expertly written characters while telling an unforgettable father-son story through Norse mythology gives it one of the best narratives the medium has ever seen. Its deep and varied combat allow it to tailor around each player and create a rewarding experience, no matter how the player decided to approach things. Breath-taking visuals, an unrivaled attention to detail, and an incredible score only add to the experience.
God of War is a masterpiece, one that nails every aspect of its craft in ways that are unmatched by any before it. Every few years, players get a game that becomes one of the best ever and God of War is that game for 2018, one that the gaming world will still be talking about for years to come.
The Fan Men 