Strikingly detailed, the outstanding game God of War makes you long for exploring its elaborate world. Even though there has been a lot of changes since previous parts of this franchise, God of War’s system of combat is still amongst undisputed leaders on the market.
The job, done by Sony Santa Monica on Kratos, the lead character of the game, is truly amazing. Surely one of the greatest protagonists in the history of video games, Kratos, is portrayed as having an inner conflict. The amount of deaths and suffering he caused is enormous, and now he is striving to have a normal quiet life. The plot of the story itself is gloomy – it starts with the funeral of Faye, the wife of Kratos. Together with Atreus, their son, they depart to honor the last wish of Faye and scatter her ashes at the highest peak of the nine realms. The cinematography of this internal struggle of Kratos is astounding. He is not a simple, ruthless, savage antihero, but a deep, complex protagonist.
Although slower in a plot development that its predecessors, the story of God of War is definitely worth to be waited for. You really should give it the time it needs to unfold, even if it may be difficult for some. However, the story itself wouldn’t be so impressive if its visuals weren’t so stunning. Both cut-scenes and gameplay have an extraordinary detail level; what is more, there is almost no difference between the two.
The shift to Norse mythology allowed the introduction of many amazing creatures that are as beautifully designed as pleasant to observe. The use of different color schemes is also characteristic of Kratos and Atreus traveling across different realms.
The absence of loading screens is another superb feature of the game.
The way the team of the creators put it into practice is simply fantastic, as they perfectly hid those scenes by smartly structuring the levels and creating smooth and fluid transitions.
The combat system in God of War is high-class. Once you master controls, which may seem quite complex at first, you will take real pleasure from it. Due to the introduction of the brand-new perspective – the game features an over-the-shoulder camera – the action feels closer than it has been before. Both light attacks and heavy ones are available, and you can also use a shield. Atreus is also helpful during the fights. With his bow and arrows, he assists Kratos during the battle.
The possibility to unlock extra armor and further upgrade your gear is another great additional feature. A player should consider all the aspects and accurately choose what to upgrade, as stats aplenty: strength, defense, vitality, luck, runic, and cooldown. All of them can be altered by equipping different gear. The key to success is to find the best blend of them that will suit your style of playing.
It has already been said that the combat component in God of War is stunning, but there is one significant downside. Boss fights in this part of the series are slightly disappointing – they are neither as frequent nor have the same impact as in the previous parts of the franchise. The fact that God of War is the first part of the upcoming trilogy results in the lack of a grandiose ending. However, instead, it offers numerous clues concerning the future sequel. On top of that, you are going to have to wait for the ending, as the game is quite lengthy – up to fifty hours of gameplay with the ability to return to missed missions and side quests after the completion of the campaign.
Final Verdict
Still, boss fights may not be the strongest suit of the game, and, for various reasons, the ending is not as satisfying as one could have hoped. However, there are still countless reasons to give God of War a go. The sequel setting up is promising, and this part of the series is, without a doubt, the best one.
