As the wait for the next God of War game stretches on, many have speculated that Atreus will replace Kratos as the series' lead. This assumption stems from the ending of God of War Ragnarok, which sees Atreus setting off on his own adventure to find the rest of the Giants while Kratos hangs back in the Norse realms, ostensibly taking Tyr's place as the God of War.
There are a number of benefits to such a radical creative choice, not the least of which being the potential for new, exciting narrative threads. Unlike Kratos, Atreus is at the very start of his life: he has suffered trauma and had his share of adventure already, certainly, but he still has much to learn. Falling in love, living on his own, and making hard decisions without the guidance and assistance of his father are just some of the experiences waiting for the young god, and this means more room to grow when compared to Kratos. Of course, there's also the gameplay side of the equation, as the next God of War could offer a radical mechanical departure with Atreus at the helm. Despite these promising factors, though, making Atreus the new face of the series is still risky.
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Another common assumption among God of War fans is that Kratos and Atreus will travel to other pantheons in upcoming entries. There's obviously a precedent for this, as Kratos' Norse realm transplant worked out surprisingly well, and with the games gesturing toward other mythologies, like those of Ancient Egypt and Ireland, the move to these new lands seems more plausible than ever.
But a big reason why the pivot to "Norway" worked so well in God of War 2018 is because Kratos remained a constant. His personality may have softened slightly since his last canon appearance, but the heart of his characterization was still intact: his inclusion is why the series is still "God of War" in spite of its myriad changes. If Kratos were to effectively sit out future trips to distinct, unique mythological pantheons, the franchise would be at risk of losing its identity. It would be akin to an anthology series or a spin-off rather than the fiery and epic tale that audiences have become familiar with.
It may seem relatively trivial, but the very title of the franchise is a direct reference to Kratos, a symbol of his importance within the series' DNA.
God of War Could Have Its Cake and Eat It Too
It seems reasonable to think that Atreus will be playable in subsequent God of War games, and the natural evolution from Ragnarok may be to make him the star of the show, as it were. But this doesn't mean that he needs to completely usurp his father as the series' lead: Atreus could be at the center of a spin-off series, possibly one that features less predictable departures from the God of War formula.
Such a strategy could allow God of War to explore new pantheons and narrative concepts without making irreversible changes, like killing or retiring Kratos. These Atreus-centric games could be like the Persona to God of War's Shin Megami Tensei, or the Dirge of Cerberus to God of War's Final Fantasy 7. In this way, God of War could hold on to its identity as Kratos' franchise while still moving forward with fresh ideas and stories based around Atreus.
God of War Ragnarok
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- November 9, 2022
- ESRB
- M For Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Santa Monica Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
WHERE TO PLAY
Embark on an epic and heartfelt journey as Kratos and Atreus struggle with holding on and letting go
From Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018). Fimbulwinter is well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms.
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Franchise
- God of War
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- PC Release Date
- September 19, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- November 9, 2022
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
