God of War has become an increasingly interesting franchise to watch, for a number of reasons. There are the vast lore elements and lovable characters, which help make it enticing and ripe for speculation, but its precedent for radical reinvention is arguably its most fascinating quality. As God of War moves into its next chapter, audiences will be watching to see how its gameplay and narrative continue to evolve.
The flames of speculation were stoked by recent statements from Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb, who claims that God of War will be revisiting its original Greek setting via a side-story of sorts. According to Grubb, this upcoming game will be akin to a half-sequel, serving as a stopgap between Ragnarok and the next flagship release. Assuming, for the sake of discussion, that these claims are accurate, Santa Monica Studio could be looking at a cornucopia of potential, not just for the Greece-based game itself, but for the future of the God of War franchise as a whole.
God of War: Ragnarok's Special Dark Odyssey Skin is a Reminder of a Feature That's Overdue a Comeback
The Dark Odyssey skin that was recently added to God of War: Ragnarok harkens back to an iconic GoW feature that desperately needs to return.
God of War Returning To Greece Would Have Two Huge Benefits
Kratos Could Solidify His Transformation In God of War 2018, Ragnarok
The original God of War games saw Kratos assuming the role of a vengeful, ruthless creature: his motivations were certainly understandable, but the destruction he left in his wake made him morally ambiguous. Less interesting than the ethical arguments for or against his actions is the psychological impact that said actions had on the character leading into 2018's God of War, which saw him attempting to run from his past, wracked with guilt. His journey of self-betterment deepened in God of War Ragnarok, where he accepted his past deeds and took steps to forgive himself. Finally, the Valhalla DLC had Kratos synthesize his growth, learning from his past and ultimately moving forward.
If Kratos were to revisit his homeland, perhaps it could be as a savior rather than a wrecking ball. This would be a satisfying and logical way to continue his personal journey, as he could apply the lessons he learned over the course of the previous two games, earning himself a bit of extra redemption in the process. But if Kratos were to simply decimate the remaining Greek gods (of which there are only a few), it would undermine much of the psychological work he accomplished in recent entries, while being less interesting, since he would basically just be repeating history.
Another Greek God of War Could Be a Way To Introduce a New Set of Gods
If the most narratively satisfying justification for Kratos' return to Greece is to protect it from an outside threat, then such a threat needs to be established. This would be an elegant way to introduce one of the non-Greek, non-Norse pantheons that the series has alluded to up until this point: perhaps one or several Egyptian or Babylonian gods could spark a war with the weakened Greek pantheon, prompting Kratos to come along as an unlikely ally. This would not only serve as a way for the character to realign himself with the interests of his home country, but also as a way to tee up the series' next saga.
It's worth restating that nothing about this possible Greek God of War game has been confirmed. While Jeff Grubb has a fairly strong track record, not all of his claims have turned out to be true, and as is always the case with leaks and rumors, a grain of salt is recommended. But if this rumor is indeed accurate, then the Greek God of War side story could be a great turn for the franchise, making for a solid standalone game and even better sequels down the road.
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
