Game

GOD OF WAR Platform: PS4

With its over-the-top violence and adult themes this beloved franchise defined the hack-and-slash genre on the PlayStation 2 (PS2) and PS3.

Lead character Kratos had an almost endearing hit-first, think-later approach that saw him go on a revenge-fuelled killing spree through the pantheon of Greek gods, including his father, Zeus.

With little ground left to cover in terms of character and story, it was clear a sequel would need to do something special.

Despite sharing a name with the first game in the series this newest instalment isn’t a remake. Instead it’s set more than a decade after God of War III, and Kratos is older, wearier and a father.

The story starts on a sombre note as his son’s mother has just died. Her final wish was for her ashes to be scattered from the highest peak in the realm. This is the catalyst for an epic journey that will see a boy become a man and a warrior become a father.

The world of the game is incredibly well realised. The changes to the combat system add a layer of depth not seen in any previous God of War game and the writing and story are so well crafted and paced it’s almost impossible to put down the controller.

This is hands-down the best game available for PS4 at the moment and will easily go down in history as a shining example of how to expertly craft a single-player story and combat-driven experience.