Kratos reigns supreme!! God of War review!!

Developer(s): SIE Santa Monica Studio
Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform(s): PlayStation 4
Release: April 20, 2018
Genre(s): Action-adventure
Mode(s): Single-player

J1 fans, the gaming gods smile down upon us! They have delivered a sequel just as worthy as wielding Mjolnir. God of War has been hyped up since its epic reveal at E3 2016 and, as a fan and fellow player, this latest entry in Santa Monica Studios’ flagship series does not disappoint. The game is set years after Kratos defeated the Olympian Gods. During that time, he has traveled north to Scandinavia, settled down and has become a father again, leaving his past life behind. However, Kratos learns that he cannot escape his past. The Nordic Gods now threaten to drive him and his son Atreus from their land. The Spartan warrior must once again battle the gods to protect his family.

As Santa Monica Studios has already shown in many preview videos, this new entry is departing from the template set by the previous titles. The camera is fixed over Kratos’ right shoulder to bring players closer to the action. He no longer has his famed chain blades, but Kratos is a warrior and his Leviathan axe is just as proficient. Striking enemies with light and heavy attacks isn’t the only thing, Leviathan can be thrown to attack distant enemies and freeze them in place for follow up attacks with Kratos using his bare fists. What makes Leviathan more versatile is Kratos can pull of a Thor and call his weapon with a raise of his hand. This adds variety to combat since throwing the axe strikes enemies both on the throw and retrieval. Unlike before, Kratos is not venturing alone. His son Atreus joins him in battle, inflicting light damage on enemies with his bow and arrow. As the story progresses, Atreus will gain experience to better assist his father in battle. Atreus can jump on top of enemies to distract them, leaving them open to receive Kratos’ attacks. Another example is that Atreus will soon learn to fire more powerful shots from his bow, such as lightning arrows, to stun or damage enemies even more. Kratos strike animation matches his heavy-handed style when using a single bladed weapon. It should be noted that he has used single bladed weapons before in his past adventures, such as the Blade of Artemis and Blade of Olympus.

In the new God of War, weapons and armor can be upgraded and purchased via experience points earned and/or material found throughout the land. Leviathan can gain new powers with magic runes placed into the axe head, and its striking power is enhanced with upgrades to its handle. Kratos and Atreus can purchase new clothing to increase their defense and offense. These upgrades cost materials and silver coins that are gathered during their adventure, which can be attained from defeated foes or removed from chests scattered about. Exploration is another way of collecting materials and serves as a general portion of the game. Another returning aesthetic is puzzle solving. Kratos will encounter chests that are magically sealed by runes. He must use his axe to strike stones or bells bearing the runes to unlock the chest. God of War boasts superb graphics. The landscape is near to the real thing with trees that splinter when struck, rocks that shatter from powerful impacts and impressive water effects when the World Serpent is encountered. Attention to detail has been paid. Everything looks alive as if you were standing in the forest right alongside Kratos and Atreus.

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Now for years, Kratos has been known as a raging killing machine with a massive inferiority complex, incredible strength and a real short temper. This was his M.O. for the past decade. However, there are more layers to Kratos. We get a glimpse of his humanity in “God of War: Ascension” when Orkos, the oath keeper, begs Kratos to give him an honorable death, which Kratos initially refuses until Orkos continues to beg until Kratos, unwillingly, answers the man’s prayer. This small glimpse into Kratos’ heart showed that he is capable of being more than a god-killing savage. Kratos is older and has settled down over the years that followed his murdering of the Olympian Gods. We see a totally different side of the character as he nurtures his son Atreus into becoming a warrior. A difficult task for a man who has never been fathered. But Kratos does his best to raise his son right. The game is full of emotion. From the start, we see Kratos gently caress a tree bearing a hand print with a solemn expression. He cuts the tree down and takes it back home where it used for his wife’s funeral pyre. Then, with a grim expression, he takes his wife’s body which is wrapped in cloth and carries her one last time to the pyre to send her on her final journey. Immediately, you feel for Kratos who has been beaten down for years. The emotions felt at the funeral help fuel that he is regaining his humanity after so much time without it. He is to the point of being able to tell Atreus stories while paddling along in a canoe and even expresses sarcasm.

The music of God of War has always been an orchestral phenomenon that is as big and expressive as the games themselves. The Norse inspired music for God of War keeps this tradition going. Featuring Nordic stringed instruments, such as the nyckelharpa and hurdy gurdy, folk percussion, low orchestral instruments, Icelandic choir, deep male vocals, and powerful female vocals (in particular Faroese singer Eivør Pálsdóttir), the soundtrack brings out the authenticity for the game’s setting.

God of War is one of the best games released for the Playstation 4 and rightfully so. It brings new combat mechanics and storyline to the series while retaining the core elements that made the series entertaining. Kratos is still a vicious fighter albeit his more docile behavior as he struggles with fatherhood and finding his humanity. This new entry in Santa Monica Studios’ action series may have moved away from the formula set by past titles, but all the elements are still there to keep long time fans engrossed as they follow the former God of War on his latest adventure.