Characters
God of War brings his themes of family and redemption through the entire cast of characters. All those whose paths cross with Kratos and Atreus have proven to be burdened by their own demons. This plants their actions firmly in the gray and provides depth to their motivations.
Baldur is a funny villain whose tragic backstory made me sympathize with him. And Freya worked as an emotional center for Kratos and Atreus. But she too holds her own mysterious past, which has important ramifications later in the story.
Game
God of War brings its visceral action all the way to your face in a modified camera perspective that swaps scope for intimacy. The core of the combat is based on the light and heavy attack formula of the previous games.
However, Leviathan Ax has more customizable moves that make him feel like your own personal tool of destruction. The weapon can be used for both bone-munching melee assaults and piercing ranged attacks. And its heavy physics gives every swing and throw a satisfying sense of momentum. This is especially true when they are chained together in a devastating combo.
The layout of the game’s levels is also impressive. They remain largely linear but are connected by a central lake area. I spent hours circumnavigating this lake, trying to engage with all it had to offer. It is gratifying to fulfill the final wishes of the undead sailors, and to close the tears of the realm by defeating the mighty enemies that climb upon them presents a solid challenge. The side missions and collectibles in this game take on an addicting checklist formula.
Indeed, of God of War world building takes full advantage of the Norse mythology on which it is based. In particular, the anecdotal way in which Mimir presents his tales of the myth as he paddles around the lake brings a lot of character and history to this rich world. In fact, the writing is so captivating that I often waited for the story to end before docking my boat at its destination.
Start a new Thread