The Santa Monica Studio saga has given us colossal deliveries in its almost 20-year history. From the first release on PS2 to the most recent on PS5 y PS4the Adventures of Kratos Against the gods of any mythology they offer us epic battles full of blood. However, everything changed with the arrival of God of War in 2018.
A new journey, a complete change of perspective for a battle-worn anti-hero who takes refuge in calm Midgard… or so he thought. The jewel in the crown of the Sony developer is available through PlayStation Plus Extra and Premiumboth to play on PS5 and PS4 and enjoy it as only the Ghost of Sparta knows how.
Yeah, Kratos has hidden from any evil and seeks peace with his wife Faye with whom he has a son, Atreus. The real challenge for the Spartan begins when his wife dies and he must take care of the boy, which is a daunting task for which he is not prepared. For his part, the young man is determined to prove his worth with every step they take, so the friction between constant protection and youthful oblivion will cause sparks to fly.
Some of the most tense moments are lived with the conversations between father and son, but there is nothing more spectacular in God of War than wild encounters against enemies. Kratos is an animal, a beast that breaks free using his new ax to kill anyone in his way, even a strange visitor that appears after a few hours of play. His fight is one of the most remembered in the entire history of video games.
A radical change
With a main trilogy and up to three spin-offs behind it, God of War he felt how his formula was wearing off little by little. In an attempt to completely reinvigorate the series, Santa Monica Studio took the initiative, led by Cory Barlog, to offer a new perspective to the world around Kratos. Accustomed to fixed shots and a very aggressive approach to gameplay, the 2018 work deviated to a large extent from that equation.
The shoulder-mounted, third-person camera took over for Kratos, and that change had a ripple effect on everything else. The studio opted for a sequence shot throughout the game, which is a technical feat that kept us present at all times for each scene. The sequences are more intimate, add intensity and are experienced from another point of view as we get closer to the characters.
Obviously, we no longer have the Blades of Chaos that Ares “gifted” to Kratos, since they represent the past of violence that has surrounded the former general of Sparta. The Leviathan ax stands out as his main offensive resource and is a very powerful one that deals cold damage, while at the same time being able to return to its owner regardless of the distance that separates them.
In this way we can decapitate, cut off and destroy creatures from Norse mythology without any qualms, executing unique abilities on the character. Atreus is a fundamental support with his arrows and invocations of the local fauna so that they can help us, although the key that makes the difference is the outfit we are wearing.
God of War added an RPG touch by including armor and different elements that enhance Kratos’s statistics. A skill tree waters the possibilities when choosing our way of facing violent encounters, although there is much more to do in the distant lands of Midgard.
A dangerous open world
Kratos and Atreus’ task is as simple as carrying Faye’s ashes to the highest mountain in the Nine Realms, but it’s much easier said than done. Obstacles of all kinds, even of a divine nature, will stand in the way of the couple who will become a trio thanks to the appearance of Mimir. The being with greater wisdom of the designs controlled by Odin will enrich us with many stories that have happened throughout the centuries.
The secondary missions are also the daily bread, since we can deviate without any problem from the main path to meet the needs of ghosts, kill gigantic dragons or get very juicy treasures. God of War has a beautiful open worldwith a unique visual style and that pushes a PS4 to the limit, although you should keep in mind that playing on PS5 you will enjoy a good 60FPS so that everything achieves greater fluidity.
If you want to get the most out of the title, more than 50 hours of gameplay await you to clean the map from top to bottom. Of course, pay close attention to the New Game + mode where you will find all the enchantments, armor, talismans, resources and previous abilities. The challenge will be even greater with tougher enemies and you can skip the cinematics to throw yourself into the thick of combat.
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