From the opening menu you are taken on a journey that you will never forget. At times you feel as if you are playing through a movie. It’s a feeling I haven’t had since playing the Last of Us from last generation. There’s an amazing story told here, and if you know anything about Norse Mythology you’re in for a special treat.
The game is a soft reboot to the God of War franchise. You can run straight through the story of this game, or explore secret areas and uncover more about the world that often feels foreign to even Kratos. Fortunately, past titles are not forgotten here as Kratos has the scars and history as evidence while attempting to pass his ways on to Atreus. Storytelling is accomplished with precision and you are always learning something new about the world, past events, characters, villains, and the enemies around you.
Gameplay finally brought something new to the franchise (though I wish the buttons were mapped slightly different). Kratos’ axe, the Leviathan, reminds me of Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, which is almost a character in itself. I dare say it’s the best weapon the franchise has seen and you’ll have endless fun wielding it in combat. As a nice homage, there are even weapons later in the game from previous titles in the series.
Atreus meanwhile, is an accomplished A.I. counterpart and thankfully not the type of character you need to constantly protect. He can take care of himself and can always lend a helping hand when needed. As you would expect, boss battles are epic and demonstrated on a scale that displays how powerful Kratos has become.
This is hands down the best-looking game on the PS4. While it may not be native 4k as many pointed out at launch…I do not care. And while linear at times, the worlds built by Santa Monica studios are marvelous. Each time the scenery changed, I found myself simply smiling at what was being presented. Santa Monica did their research with Norse Mythology while changing a few story elements around to fit the story.
The ending will leave your jaw dropping and begging for more content. As with many movies nowadays, make sure to watch the end of the credits role for a clue into what may happen next in the story. This game cannot be missed and there is something for everyone. It is easily one of the best games of 2018 and even the generation.
[…] given the success of prior PC ports, it’s certainly no surprise. One of PlayStation’s most beloved titles releases on PC on January 14, […]