God Of War
Kratos is back and bigger than ever before in the eighth outing of the God of War series.
The game’s already been universally lauded, with many stating its narrative and gameplay are second to none.
It’s hard to dispute this – but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Loosely, Kratos finds himself in the Norse world this time, as opposed to the Greek mythology that dominated the series before. Along with a young son, Atreus, Kratos is mourning the loss of his wife, Atreus’ mother and facing a quest to return her ashes to the highest peaks of the nine realms.
However, while it looks initially like the reluctant father / son duo are hoping to be left to mourn, a stranger appears – and Kratos’ past threatens to overwhelm him.
God Of War’s strength in this latest iteration comes from the way the pieces have been pulled together.
Over years of creation, director Cory Barlog has reimagined and revamped the franchise, giving it a heft that is an evolution of its prior hack and slash ethos.
The biggest change is the loss of Kratos’ twin swirling blades that he’d previously used, the Blades of Chaos. Replaced with an axe, that appears to have elements of Thor’s Mjolnir, Kratos has moved with the times.
Light and heavy attacks are still there, with the rage-metre to be filled as well. Combat is easy, and also taxing with hordes of enemies, but the bluster and violence that has been the norm is still thankfully there.
There’s much that harkens back to what Kratos was and also much that lets you see what it is now.
Granted, the sidekick kid can get a little irritating, but to see the two of them working together in combat and side-by-side is a nice touch. Though the repetitive dialogue from Atreus during fighting may occasionally make you wish you could silence him a little more often.
Ultimately, God of War is all about the journey this time around – and it’s one that’s easily worth taking in its latest outing. This is the kind of game which screams out for Game Of The Year – and while accolades are easily bandied around, this one is well deserved.
Rating: R13 Violence & offensive language.
GAMEGUIDE rating:
