Summary
God of Warwas suitably revered long before Kratos made the journey to Midgard. It’s a franchise that effortlessly stood alongside the likes ofDevil May CryandBayonettaas one of the best hack-and-slash series on the market. Its gameplay was fast and fluid, the setting was compelling, and the progression system was always willing players to do better with each new combat encounter. The most significant drawback was the one-dimensional main character it presented.
Kratos was a busy bundle of pent-up anger and rarely offered any kind of character nuance during his time in Greece. The move to Norse mythology inGod of WarandGod of War Ragnarokworked wonders, offering players their biggest glimpse of who he is, and the growth he has shown. However, he’s still no friend of the gods, and as the franchise looks to the future, making friends instead of enemies with the powerful people he meets could offer a fresh perspective and an unexpected direction for the story.
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God of War’s Future is Unwritten
Though rumors are aplenty abouta possible Atreus-centric experience on the horizon, the reality is that the series' future is as yet unclear as Sony Santa Monica regroups after two exceptional offerings. The Norse saga did well to breathe new life into Kratos while still adhering to his gruff, guarded nature, and the stories that he was at the center of are easily the most memorable in the franchise. Now that the tale that spanned across the nine realms is complete,God of Waronce again has the luxury of reinvention, or stopping entirely as the Sony first-party developer looks to other opportunities.
AGod of WarTV series is in production for Amazon Prime, which is likely the next time fans will see Kratos, but in the gaming space his tale doesn’t have to end, and neither does the input of the gods. Presenting human-esque portrayals of the personalities on Olympus, the Aesir, or the Vanir is something the series truly excels at and is one of the strengths that carries over from the (now underappreciated) Greece-set games.
Befriending the Gods in God of War is Fun, but Fleeting
An essential part of Kratos' personality is his hostility towards any of the gods, regardless of their mythology. He is generally warm towards Freya until he learns who she is, and he has slain plenty before the 2018 game even took place. His lack of trust and hesitation to receive help are reliant on this unwillingness to be friendly to gods, but there are spots in the two Norse games where he is more accepting of their kind.Freya and Kratosmake strides to patch up their conflict after the death of Baldur, and Atreus' time with Angrboda and Thor is more time with major players of the Norse realms.
The problem is that these segments are too short-lived, and while they stand out for a while, players always know they are coming to an end. If a futureGod of Wargame was to have the protagonist (whoever that may be) be accompanied by someone with a godly presence, it could amplify those moments greatly, and offer a whole new twist on the franchise once again.
Instead of slaying celestial beings, it would show series growth to have them feature as the unwavering good guys for a change, changingGod of War’s identityfrom a moody, rage-filled epic to a lighter, more hopeful affair. The franchise is one of the best in gaming, but to stay at the top it needs to continue to evolve and subvert expectations, and siding with the gods could be a viable narrative option.
God of War Ragnarokis available for PS4 and PS5.
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