A truly modern game in every conceivable way
MORE and more often, we are seeing a paradigm shift in gaming towards the gritty and almost-believable. Video games are becoming distorted mirrors of reality, veering further away from the whimsical and the farcical, adjectives that were once the status quo of video gaming.
Perhaps the burgeoning mass-appeal of video games in the past decade has caused developers to look past their once-narrow horizons, towards an aesthetic somewhat more in line with what one might expect from a high-budget TV show or movie.
The latest God of War game seems to exemplify this changing dynamic in video games.
Once known as a franchise that encompassed everything from gaming’s golden years - gratuitous violence, absurd storylines anchored in Greek mythology and a decidedly juvenile take on intimate relations - the latest God of War takes a bold stab at reimagining one of the most iconic figures in gaming history. Kratos, the perrenial lone wolf and the one-dimensional stalwart of Sony’s long-running hack ‘n’ slash God of War series, now has a companion. Not just any companion, but his own son, Atreus.
The two companions begin their in-game relationship as acquaintances, that age-old chestnut of a frayed relationship between father and son. Never one for complexity in character, our new Kratos is multi-faceted, displaying the whole gamut of emotion as his journey takes him through fulfilling his late wife’s dying wishes, and ultimately towards forging a bond with his son.
The relationship between Kratos and Atreus in God of War is heart-wrenchingly honest and a surprisingly tender take from a developer certainly not famed for their portrayals of human connection.
While the developers of God of War have broached new territory with their character arcs and plot, what remains of the franchise’s past is the ever-satisfying combat that has defined the series. There is a definite weight to each and every of Kratos’ movements, lending a visceral and exhilerating attitude to every encounter in the game.
Graphically, God of War is a triumph in every category. The gorgeous set pieces, the awe-inspiring sense of scale and the breathtaking lighting that seems to dance playfully off every plane, this truly is a modern game in every conceivable way.