What You Need to Know before Buying God of War for The Ps4

Sony's Santa Monica Studio reinvented the hack-and-slash genre with the original God of War for the PlayStation 2 in 2005, a hyperkinetic action experience set in a heavily-modified version of Greek mythology. Naturally, a franchise followed, stretching across the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 for a total of six main releases. But by 2013's God of War: Ascension, excitement over the series had stalled. Sony has given anti-hero Krato five long years to rest and recuperate. And in 2018, a new game — also titled, simply, God of War — is set to debut. Here's what you need to know before buying it, whether you're a God of War vet or you're brand new to the franchise. Fall from Greece "Where must we go?" "To a realm beyond your own." To date, all of the God of War games have been set in mythological Greece — or rather, a land vaguely inspired by it. But for Kratos' new adventure, Sony Santa Monica has finally left the ancient civilization behind. They've brought the series to a fantastic version of Scandinavia inspired by Norse legend, snowy mountain peaks, Viking-inspired architecture, and all the rest. It remains to be seen whether this move translates into a substantially different gaming experience. But one thing's for certain: Kratos looks cooler than ever thanks to that big bushy beard and killer new armor. Thank god he managed to avoid the dad bod! Blood is thicker Spoiler warning! In the very first game, it's revealed that Kratos, in a fit of Ares-induced bloodlust, slaughters his own family. The tragedy of this moment haunts the character, propelling his vengeance. So it was a bit of a surprise when the game's announcement trailer revealed that Kratos would have a new family this time around. And at least one of them is actually still breathing! The legendary Spartan warrior, now living in a Norse setting, will be accompanied by his son Atreus throughout the new journey. Kratos will be teaching his kid new skills, alongside hard truths about mortality. Atreus himself will assist the player during exploration and combat as an integral part of the experience. The identity of Atreus' mother, meanwhile, has intentionally been kept under wraps. Trailers suggest that she's no longer with Kratos and their son, but only time will tell the truth. "We're taking her ashes to the highest peak in the realm." "Ashes?" "It was her last wish." Just like the first game, family will be central to the themes and motivations of God of War. But this time, Kratos' kin may have a say in the matter themselves. A more complex Kratos "Power, this weapon, any weapon, comes from here. But only when tempered by this." Kratos was originally defined by a single emotion: rage. But this time around, the developers want to bring a more diverse emotional palette to the Spartan. Now that he's raising a son, Kratos will have gained a new perspective on both life and himself. Scenes revealed in trailers show Kratos expressing empathy and patience with his boy, even if he's still teaching him about the fine line between life and death. Kratos is still a hardened warrior, but one tempered by time and fatherhood. Don't worry: This is still a combat-heavy game and Kratos will be fighting plenty. In fact, if anything, Kratos' newfound depth raises the possibility of more questions: Can anyone that angry really ever change? There are a lot of directions Sony could take this in, and that in itself has injected the series with fresh blood. God of War grew up The older God of War games expressed a testosterone-fueled fantasy, in which the main character killed with abandon and occasionally got down and dirty with the ladies. Despite the darker themes involved, the stories were often straightforward and simple. They were, at the end of the day, games intended for teenagers and young men. But it's been over ten years since the release of the original game, and Sony made the wise decision to change the tone of the new game. It'll be a more mature experience to match its own audience and the industry as a whole. How dramatic it'll turn out remains to be seen. At the end of the day, Kratos will still be chopping enemies in half … … but we doubt there will be any naughty bits this time around. Single-player-centric The new God of War looks to be huge in every respect, while also being incredibly detailed, right down to the individual hairs in Kratos' beard. To make sure every element, big and small, would be as high-quality as possible, it looks like Sony Santa Monica has cut multiplayer out of the game altogether. And before you ask: while the game hasn't gone open-world, it still boasts plenty of extra stuff to do when you need a break from Kratos' main journey. Sure, there's probably somebody out there who really loved that hack-and-slash competitive mode of God of War: Ascension. Well, that person can keep playing that game. Probably by himself. "Where is everybody? Why did everyone leave?" You be the judge This time around, Kratos will be voiced and motion captured by Christopher Judge, who'll be taking over the role from Terrence C. Carson who had voiced Kratos in earlier games. Judge spent an incredible ten years on the science-fiction series Stargate: SG-1 as the alien Teal'c , so any fan of that show will recognize Kratos' new booming voice. "See?" "Smiley." "Friendly." "You're gonna have to work on that a little bit." God of War will mark his highest-profile role since the show ended in 2007. Based on the trailers released so far, Judge will bring a layered complexity to the warrior that balances both his blood-drenched guilt and his budding, if fragile, humanity. It seems likely that Kratos as a character will be challenged in profound ways throughout his latest adventure, and it'll be exciting to see what Judge can bring to these intense moments. "I had hoped to spare you." "You are welcome to surprise me." Thanks for watching! Click the SVG icon to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Plus check out all this cool stuff we know you'll love, too!