God Of War Reviews Are Coming In And It’s A Dad & Son Adventure No One Thought They Wanted

Past God of War games have not done well to paint the protagonist Kratos as anything more than the very embodiment of rage and vengeance. This has caused reviewers from various publications to have varying opinions about the character and the franchise, as a whole. With the new God of War for the PlayStation 4, however, the reviews released so far have been painting a much more paternal picture.

As GameSpot notes, all God of War games, save for the latest one, have stuck very close to the original GOW formula. They were pure Hack N’ Slash games with bits of story and puzzle-solving thrown in for good measure.

This is why the reboot has been such a jarring shift for fans who might have played every single game starting with the original PS2 title. The most apparent change that will immediately jump out at players, which practically every single reviewer has remarked on, is how much Kratos has sobered up now that he’s a father.

Everything, from the story, to their interactions, to even the combat is structured around the relationship that the once bloodthirsty Spartan has with Atreus, his son. He can still Hulk out, of course, but in a much more subdued manner than ever before.

The review by The Verge also touches on the matter of redemption for Kratos, which many who actually care about plot and narrative might appreciate. With all the lives that the protagonist has taken, many of which were unnecessary and brutal, his current situation in the Norse setting actually gives hope that perhaps he can make up for what he has done in the past.

As for the actual gameplay, story, features, and pacing, the reviews so far have been solid. It’s not perfect by any means, but at its core, it’s still the spectacular action game with awe-inspiring set pieces that the franchise has become known for.