I’ve been waiting for this game ever since its announcement last year. It was released on April 20th and truly lives up to its title. The gods really come out to play in this remodelled version of the game, and as a seasoned God of War fan I was interested to see what would be different about this version now that it involves Kratos and his son Atreus.
I have the PlayStation Pro, so I already knew the wide-screen game play would give a smoother finish than the one you get from an original PlayStation. But even so, what I experienced was phenomenal.
The storyline is a good one, and to me takes its inspiration from Tomb Raider and Uncharted. Kratos and his son have to take part in a bloody and unforgiving journey to the top of a mountain so as to scatter their mother’s/wife’s ashes there so as to complete one of her dying wishes.
Right off the tip I noticed the graphical difference in the game design. Kratos hasn’t changed much to look at, but the attention to his detail is impeccable. The team at Santa Monica studios have really worked hard over the years, and it has paid off. They might even be showing off a bit, but I’m not complaining, because their creations are superb. For example, the Ogres and the Revenants who you face periodically throughout the game are new to the franchise. They seem a little scary to fight when you first come across them, but there is beauty is in this artwork.
The gameplay in this version has altered. There are a few button changes and a new range of weapons at the disposal of Kratos. The Leviathan Axe and Guardian Shield are available from the beginning of the game. Than as you progress, the God of War fans will welcome the familiar return of the Blades of Chaos, which he uses to slay the stronger monsters. As for Atreus, he keeps the Talon Bow with which he distracts monsters from his father. But as the games goes on and his confidence grows, he engages in hand-to-hand combat with a blade given to him by his deceased mother to help him defeat the creatures and prove his worth to his father. The whole idea of upgrading your weapons, armour and health gauge, is still present.
I haven’t quite finished the game as it was only released a few days ago, but from what I have gathered so far, it’s definitely one of the best action-packed fighting games I’ve played so far this year. I would recommend those who haven’t played it yet to purchase the latest God of War to experience it themselves. It ticks all the right boxes as it has blood, action-adventure combat, intense puzzles and amazing cinematics at the cut off scenes. These are all things needed for an enchanting game. I can’t really envision anything knocking this off my top three games of the year, so, let the reign of the Gods of Olympus continue.
