The God of War series was remembered by the players for its cruelty, epic battles with mythical monsters, and the confrontation between gods and people. The protagonist Kratos was more of an anti-hero for whom the massacre was a way of life. Perhaps if the game developers continued in this vein, critics would have a new opportunity to voice their dissatisfaction with the new release. But in 2018 an updated game with a new ideology was released, allowing gamers to plunge into the world of Scandinavian myths and legends for about 40 hours of gameplay, everyone who doubted said all together – wow!
The game’s plot revolves around Kratos and his son Atreus. Having lost his wife, with whom he became an exemplary family man, Kratos decides to fulfill her last request and bring her ashes to the highest mountain. Of course, he takes his inexperienced son with him on the journey. As the game progresses, Atreus turns into a good helper who is not afraid to directly engage in a fight, strangling with a bowstring or piercing ferocious ogres and werewolves with arrows. The guy shows good puzzle-solving skills and can damage the enemy in battle with the acquisition of new magic skills.
Thus, the relationship between father and son comes to the fore in the fourth God of War, which creates a more calm and intimate atmosphere than in previous parts of the game, which could easily be called slashers. But this leitmotif does not make the game less exciting – cute scenes of revealing paternal care are immediately replaced by resistance to demons, monsters, and other mythical creatures.
The story of the game is being told on behalf of Atreus, who has his own diary with ways to destroy enemy creatures. The main storyline, during which Kratos and Atreus will get closer and visit many Scandinavian worlds, can be completed faster if not distracted by upgrades, collecting items, and additional missions. As for the tactics of warfare and weapons, here, the players have enough place to roam. Kratos’ main weapon is the Leviathan ax, while his son is very good with a bow. Besides, with experience, characters learn new techniques, improve armor and weapons, and use talismans and potions. To knock down opponents, you can use a regular and powerful attack, do somersaults, defend yourself with a shield, and activate the rage mode and use special enhanced attacks. In addition, the son of Kratos very often helps his father, if not by direct participation, then by distracting attention to himself.
God of War looks very fresh thanks to the fact that the action takes place in a large-scale and snow-covered world of the Vikings. The story is presented as a road trip from one point to another where the heroes pass through many iconic places inhabited by folklore characters. Their purpose can be intuitively understood; very often, those characters whom the father and son meet on the way should not be exterminated because they help the plot unfold. In the game, hostility does not always reign: sometimes funny situations and unexpectedly useful meetings occur. The game has several logically connected locations to each other, in which many side activities and puzzles are hidden, which reveal secret perks and bonuses. It is sometimes impossible to get into the closed places of Midgard without obtaining a skill or item that allows you to go further.
The directorial work of the game deserves special appraisal – the journey of Kratos and Atreus was filmed in one take, without editing cuts. For the best effect of presence, the developers used a camera close to the hero. This idea was not to everyone’s liking as this positioning does not give a good view of the battlefield, and you have to run back a distance to understand where the enemy is. If we talk about the design of God of War, then many critics point out that this game is one of the most beautiful adventure games in gaming history. Landscapes and northern nature, along with the main characters and other creatures’ appearance, are ideally thought out and drawn. In the game, you will also hear the atmospheric sounds of female choral singing. Audio accompaniment perfectly complements the game without distracting players with its sharpness.
Fans of previous releases of God of War could watch as the young and ferocious Kratos got involved in trouble, often doing rash acts. But in the 2018 game, he matured, and as it turned out, the players also turned out to be ready for a more family-friendly Kratos. The latter nevertheless will not disappoint with his ability to conduct spectacular battles. An atmospheric game world, a well-designed combat system, exciting puzzles, opportunities for priming heroes, and the general message of the game have already made God of War a cult game. Why don’t you see for yourself?
