It’s an insult to say Santa Monica Studios’ “God of War” is just a great game. Simply put, it’s one of the greatest video games of this generation, and I hope with all my might it doesn’t get made into a film. I’ve had bad luck with those recently.
“God of War” is the eighth installment in the God of War series, but in many ways it feels like the first installment of something completely new. While the previous games were based solely on ancient Greek mythology, Zeus and Co. take a backseat here.
Instead, the game focuses on Norse mythology, which is a surprisingly great way to gauge how well you payed attention to the “Thor” trilogy.
Make no mistake though, these characters are nothing like their Marvel counterparts. I can guarantee Thor won’t be cracking any jokes, and Loki unfortunately won’t be as beautiful as Tom Hiddleston.
The story follows Kratos, or “The Ghost of Sparta,” as he and his son Atreus embark on their first real journey together. We last saw Kratos in “God of War III,” when his fate was unknown and the Greek world was completely destroyed. Many years have passed since then, and he has definitely not aged well.
Because it’s a “God of War” game, it’s evident that Kratos will still be fighting gods. Lots of gods. And while there are noticeably less than in prior entries, each fight packs an incredible punch and sense of scale.
Many franchise fans voiced concerns that the game would become less violent, more catered to a younger audience. Without spoiling anything, they were wrong. This game is still not for the squeamish or faint of heart.
Another popular concern arose after seeing Kratos’s new weapon. Gone are his double-chained blades, the Blades of Chaos. In their place is the Leviathan Axe, an axe that can be hurled at enemies and then recalled to your hand, exactly like Thor’s hammer Mjolnir.
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I spent about 10 minutes throwing my axe at a tree, because it was just so fun to summon back. I then questioned why I wasted 10 minutes, but the damage was done.
The perspective has changed from a zoomed out, fixed camera to an over-the-shoulder free camera, and I appreciate the change. This change allows us to become really familiar with Kratos’s character and motivations, something that never really occurred in the other seven games for me.
Fantastic story and gameplay aside, the game is a technical masterpiece. With the exception of startup loading screens, “God of War” is one continuous, fluid shot, with no camera cuts. To let that really sink in, it’s a 20-30 hour game with no loading screens at all. The downside of course is there is less time to check your phone.
My one gripe with the game is not really with the game itself. “God of War” is so graphically intensive that often I couldn’t really hear the dialogue over the jet engine erupting from my Playstation. But it’s OK, I’ve now learned to accept that subtitles exist for a reason.
For those unfamiliar with the franchise, this is still a great place to start. While there are many references to past games, the adventure stands on its own.
And for those who played prior games and might be currently sitting on the fence — don’t fret. Kratos is waiting.
Max Rothenberg can be reached at [email protected]