Review: God of War

by Fonse Velasquez

Hello everyone! it's been a while since I've done a new game review... and I'm jumping back in with a big one: God of War from the developers over at Santa Monica Studios. Their newest entry into the franchise is a different tale this time around/ It is a much more personal story but still looks and feels like a God of War game. (Warning: minor spoilers)

This game takes place years after the events of the first trilogy, after Kratos has single handedly killed all of the Greek gods. He has made his way into Norse Mythology and as I mentioned above, this tale is much more personal. Kratos has settled down and now has a son named Atreus. He also had a wife named Faye who, as the game opens up, passes away. The story is much simpler than we are used to in a God of War game. Your wife’s final wishes were to be cremated and have her ashes taken to the highest peak to be spread. Sounds simple enough, right? That takes a hard turn very early on, and I don’t want to get into specifics other than that, mainly because the story is so well written and enjoyable you should check it out yourself.

Kratos has grown as a character. He is older and yes, wiser: not as quick to anger anymore and you see that multiple times. He has gained patience, a huge departure from the rage-induced man of past. His son is a very interesting character as well who has a really great development arch that was engaging and felt genuine. He accompanies you for the entire game and thankfully you don’t have defend or protect him in combat: the boy handles himself perfectly fine. Both characters have great voice acting as does the entire supporting cast, looking back I cannot think of one character that was useless or had no business being in the game. 

One of the biggest changes this time around is the third person view as opposed to static camera. It gives a whole new look at the world from behind Kratos and you feel closer to him. The entire game is shot from that perspective with a few zooms here and there, but you almost never leave Kratos’s side. It allows you to follow his journey and experience closer than ever.

The game itself is actually quite lengthy. I played it over my entire weekend, and let me tell you... I got some sideways looks from the wife about it but I could not put the thing down. The game was so enjoyable. Everything from the main story to the little side errands you can stumble upon (that’s right side, quests are in a God of War game alongside an open-ish map). They are handled really well, too. They showcase just how Kratos feels about doing this busy work (he doesn’t care for it) but sees it as a lesson to teach his son about the world.  Boat travel is the main way you get around. This is a great addition because it allows you to appreciate the time and care they put into this world. It is absolutely gorgeous to look at and the conversations between Kratos and Atreus are enjoyable to experience. 

So, it wouldn’t be a God of War game without some intense sequences and hard hitting combat. Kratos swaps his trademark blades for the Leviathan Axe. The change in combat still feels heavy and sounds amazing. The axe has a very Mjolnir feel as you can throw the axe and recall it back instantly. It is also used for all manner of puzzle solving in the game, too. The new camera angle helps with combat as well. It really pulls you into it.  Even though Kratos has mellowed out as a family man, you can still see that rage build up in combat and it is glorious. God of War also contains quite a few huge and intense action set pieces, each one more over the top than the next. If you are along time fan of the series, it is exactly what you would expect at this point and damn if it isn’t enjoyable to watch.

The game also has another twist which made it feel almost RPG-like. It has a crafting system alongside the upgrades on weapons. You can upgrade Kratos and Atreus look and appearance with actual stat upgrades which fill in a level meter. The enemies themselves also have levels which display next to the health bars and are colored differently depending on how much stronger or weaker you are. The combat is easy enough but develops the more you upgrade the axe, unlocking new moves and combos. The game is quite challenging. I played it on what would be considered hard mode and I got my ass beat many times over, especially some of the optional boss fights. However, unlike some games with annoying as hell fights, I never got mad (at least not for long) or wanted to quit each fight. They had a mechanic and once you learn how to adapt and win, there is a level of satisfaction that you actually accomplished something.

The game also packs in plenty to do in terms of side activities. There’s an arena area to compete to earn gear materials. There is also an entire realm that is basically trying to poison you slowly while you plunder it for other materials to your armor. The zone also re-spawns the chests to grab the loot, new traps and enemies every time you reenter it. My only real complaint about the game was the kill animations were the same for each enemy type. They only had one from the button prompt, which is fine really... and I am really digging for something negative... but there’s not much here. My final rating for this game is a 10/10. It was an amazing entry from start to finish and I 100% recommend this game to fans of the series or anyone looking to pick up a great single player experience. 

Final Rating:

10/10