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It's a small novelty at the game's onset, but it's that same ethos that's applied to the entire game. But you should discover them yourself rather than have me spoil them.įrom the moment you click "New Game" on the main menu in "God of War," you're looking through the lens of the same camera that you'll see when the game's credits roll 40 to 60 hours later.Īfter you click "New Game," it zooms out and the tree you see above begins getting cut down by Kratos' axe.Īnd that's how the game starts. Atreus' growth throughout the game is a joy to watch.Īnd that's before we start talking about the game's other central characters, each of which is surprisingly fleshed out and integral to the story. He's awkward, just like so many pre-teen boys, and grumpy, and isolated, all on top of the fact that he's grieving the death of his mother. He's clearly trying to find himself while asserting his own maturity. He asks his father for reassurance often, overplays his own abilities, and is generally excited for adventure. He's also a realistic depiction of an adolescent boy. In this way, Atreus stands in for the player - impressed and excited rather than over it - while Kratos is putting on his usual stiff upper lip.
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He's fascinated by history, impressed by the amazing things he's seeing, and excited to talk about it all (much to the chagrin of his angry dad). That tone is delightfully contrasted by Atreus, who's excited to explore a world he's never seen before. He hates the Gods, expects nothing from life, and is always serious. He offers life lessons like, "If you never expect anything, you'll never be disappointed." Kratos, as he's known to be, is a relentless dour, embittered man. As the duo grieve the death of the family matriarch - Kratos' wife / Atreus' mother - they have to reckon with each other. The game's main characters, Kratos and Atreus, are entirely believable as a father-son duo. There are exceptions of course - Joel and Ellie from "The Last of Us" come to mind - but those are exceptions, not the rule. "God of War," unbelievably," nails it. Frankly speaking: Most games that make an attempt at sincerity fail. Video game characters attempting sincerity tends to not work out. The level of detail is what makes Midgard feel alive, despite it's clearly fantastical trappings.Įven the dwarf who runs the weapons shop is a meaningful character in "God of War." Really! Having now completed the game, there are loads of places I've never been - entire storylines I've never completed, or even begun. Up to and including when I finished the game, after over 50 hours of play time, I was still finding new areas.
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For instance: What's through this crack in the wall?! You better believe I found out.įor every new area I found, another half dozen paths teased me with as yet unexplored regions. Most likely, you'll find hours of your time being filled with entirely optional (yet fulfilling) exploration.
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You might find a hulking dragon being held captive, or a massive, abandoned fortress full of treasures (and traps). While exploring the vast expanse of Midgard, you're extremely likely to stumble on one of the dozens of mysteries hiding around every corner. Walking through an abandoned village of A-frame houses is one of the many examples of the game's storytelling through environment.Īs hinted at above, the world of "God of War" - the mythological Norse realm of Midgard - is rife with mystery. It's a somewhat dangerous quality for a game to have when you're playing it well past midnight in the middle of the week, but that's a testament to how much pure fun it is to play "God of War." What's that shiny thing in the distance? What's down that canal? How do I get to that treasure chest?! In the same way that 2017's incredible "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" was constantly pushing players to seek out a new adventure just over the horizon, "God of War" encourages players to keep going. Maybe that's "just one more" fight, or "just one more" objective you want to complete - I found myself constantly playing "God of War" past when I'd planned to stop. Whether Kratos is taking on groups of enemies, toppling massive mythological creatures, solving puzzles, or just exploring, the simple act of playing "God of War" is a delight.īest of all: "God of War" has that "just one more" quality shared by the best games. I don't mean that to sound reductive - the minute-to-minute gameplay of "God of War" is thoroughly enjoyable.
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Kratos doesn't care how big the enemy is, and neither should you.Īt its basest level, "God of War" is a fun game.
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