God Of War (2018) Review – The Godly Crossover We All Needed

As a huge fan of God of War, 2018 was a great year. Kratos was making his big return on the PlayStation 4, this time facing off against the Norse Gods. There was no doubt a clash of epic proportions was to commence, and we were not disappointed. It was exciting to see what was to come, knowing so much had changed since we last saw the Spartan God of War. Let’s fire up the 2018 Game of the Year and relish in its godly glory.

Introduction – A Mature Take On A Legendary Character

I want to start out by saying that my boy Kratos really took a turn for the better in God Of War (2018). “Norse Kratos,” as he’s been dubbed, is a calmer, more sensitive version of the once brutal god-slayer. While this absolutely helps drive an amazing story and build excellent character development, it also just gives you a good feeling watching Kratos be both a good Father and a badass warrior.

On top of that, you fight freaking Norse Gods and other races as Kratos. What more could you want from possibly the best exclusive franchise Sony has to offer? Packing a brand new axe, the trusty blades of chaos, and some unlikely allies, take on the Nine Realms as the new family-man version of Kratos!

The Story – A Dad And His Boy On A Grand Adventure

This continuation of the God of War series also throws a new take on Kratos’s hatred of all gods. After getting remarried and losing his wife to natural causes, Kratos, along with his son Atreus, task themselves with the goal of taking her ashes to the top of a mountain. Little did they know this task would set them on a journey that pits them against some Aesir Gods of Norse mythology. In an effort to hide his past from his son, Kratos tries to stick to non-confrontational methods, but his destiny as a slayer of Gods can’t seem to leave him alone.

Confronted by a son of Odin, allied with his ex wife, and even jumped by the son’s of Thor, Kratos is up against a whole new level of power in Midgard. With the help of his son and the enemies of the Aesir, Kratos finds his way through some of the nine realms, and eventually makes it to spread his late wife’s ashes in her home realm of Jotunheim. Though the task is unrelated to the Aesir, Kratos can’t keep out of their gaze, as this past reputation catches up to him.

By the end of what is a very long and detailed story you come to know Kratos and his new life a lot better. Still haunted by his violent past, Kratos strives to live up to his wives wishes and be a good father. While his inevitable “job” of making sure the gods of any realm can’t take advantage of the people who worship them seems to stick with him no matter where he goes, you can tell he truly tried to move on from his past. The story creates a new love for the iconic character, and leaves the rest of the story open for an epic follow-up!

Gameplay – Awesome New Skills, Same Epic Combat

God Of War took Kratos and somehow managed to make him better all around. Not just his new personality, but his combat style and effectiveness got an upgrade as well. With access to new Nordic weaponry and magic, as well as the old school Spartan Rage, Kratos becomes a whole new force to be reckoned with. As if he wasn’t already strong enough.

This new God Of War doesn’t just evolve the main character either. They also implement a more focused and linear playstyle. Although they stay true to the epic hack-and-slash style Kratos is known for, its in a whole new way. Sticking with the inspiration of Norse mythology and its deep lore, God Of War (2018) is more story-driven than ever. It almost feels like you are in a movie while you are playing with detailed cut-scenes when needed, and intense action around every corner. Essentially, its the same idea as the original GoW games, with a more mature twist.

Graphics and Sounds – True Beauty Throughout The Realms

A true spectacle to behold, God Of War was Game of the Year for a reason. The visuals and sound found within this title are as epic as the action. It is, without a doubt, something any real gamer must experience. Whether you’re a fan of game art, or an intense challenge, God of War delivers exceptionally on all levels.

Travel from realm to realm with the mystical Bifrost, delve into the depths of Elvish temples, and traverse the landscapes of Midgard’s harsh environments. The beauty to behold in this game is coupled with intense and emotional music make for an gaming experience that is almost unmatched. The character designs are amongst some of the best I have ever seen. The attention to detail even in minor sounds and creatures of the open world is mesmerizing. In reality, every aspect of this title is mind-blowing the visuals and game sounds are just a cherry on top.

Replay Value – New Game+, Plus A Whole Lot More

The story alone is enough to make this one of the best games of all time. Add in the epic post game content and a handful of awesome extras and you got, well… 2018’s GOTY. New game plus was not immediately available, but that didn’t stop this game from being playable for many hours after beating the initial story. With plenty of hidden items to find and quests to complete you can be sucked into this game for hundreds of hours overall. I know I was.

A few noteworthy post game activities that I thoroughly enjoyed were searching for GoW’s version of the Infinity Gauntlet from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and hunting down the Valkyrie. Amongst many other things these two stood out most as I am a fan of alt-universe easter eggs and extremely hard boss battles. The “Infinity Gauntlet” wielded by Kratos? Are you freaking kidding me!? Oh, and the Valkyrie Queen, Sigrun, is in my opinion the hardest in-game boss fight of all-time. I literally had to try over 50 times to finally get a win, and thats after spending hours hunting down the Valkyrie warriors leading up to Sigrun.

Conclusion – One Of The Greatest Games Ever Made

After all these years and an equally great sequel, 2018’s God Of War is hands down a GOAT of gaming history. There is no doubt that God of War as a whole is one of the best series ever, but this epic return and upgrade of the series stands out amongst the best games of all time. I’m a massive Kratos fan and even bigger PlayStation fan, so I may be biased in my thinking, but most of the internet agrees as well.

The 2018 Game of the Year, God of War gets a 10 out of 10 and two thumbs all the way up. This title is nearly perfect on all levels. In all of my time as a gamer (nearly 30 years), I’ve stumbled across some of the most epic adventures and intense challenges ever. No title more worthy of a perfect score comes to mind as quickly as God Of War. A new take on who Kratos truly is, gorgeous realms and environments, and endless action make this game a complete masterpiece.

God Of War is an epic action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was release on April 20th, 2018 and receive that year’s Game of the Year award.