God of War's Next Saga Can Follow an Early-Game Norse Trend

While it's not clear exactly where the series is headed, it's safe to say that God of War will be pushing full-steam ahead for at least the next several years. Aside from the fact that the series is among PlayStation's flagship IPs, it has cleverly positioned itself to stay fresh and interesting via a quasi-anthology format and, potentially, a new protagonist.

Kratos may not be entirely out of the picture, but God of War Ragnarok's finale, coupled with the Valhalla DLC, indicates that he will be taking a step back from the action-hero, warrior role, pivoting more into a leadership position. This narrative direction not only makes sense for Kratos' personal journey, but also for the state of God of War's world: the Norse realms are in a much more stable state at the end of Ragnarok, and Kratos seems to be sticking to these realms, so keeping him in action may require some plot contrivances. With all this in mind, many have assumed that Atreus will be taking over as the protagonist. If this is the case, his solo game will need to start off with a bang.

God of War's Next Game Could Kick Off with a Bombastic Boss Fight

Early Spectacle Fights Are a God of War Tradition

God of War's Norse saga is filled with great boss fights, but perhaps its best encounters are a continuation of a common series archetype: the opening boss battle. Most of the God of War games kick off with a huge, visually complex showdown, but these are honed in a more story-focused direction for the Norse games; they are used both as an opportunity to set the tone for each story and to establish a menacing antagonist (Baldur in 2018's God of War, Thor in Ragnarok).

These inciting incidents serve multiple purposes, the most obvious being to introduce new threats and define their relationship with Kratos and Atreus. But they also set the stakes of the story. For example, God of War Ragnarok's first Thor fight is used to establish Thor as an obstacle that Kratos may actually have a difficult time overcoming. After so many years of Kratos slaying all manner of gods and monsters, this sort of narrative reframing is essential, and a wire-to-wire boss fight is a fun and efficient way to set the stage.

Atreus' God of War Game Could Greatly Benefit from a Big, Early Boss Fight

Atreus helming the next God of War comes with some challenges, and there will always be a risk of him living in Kratos' shadow. While there are several ways his potential solo game could combat this, an early encounter with an intimidating force could be among the best, not only because it would link Atreus to his own major nemesis, but also because it could reinforce how much he has grown as a combatant.

At the same time, an unsurpassable enemy in the vein of Baldur or Thor would keep Atreus' story tense and intriguing, as it would raise questions about him being ready to journey on his own. This would give him a relevant, meaningful internal challenge to overcome, represented by this external force.

Continuing the big starting boss tradition would also help if the next God of War visits a new mythology. This is plausible, as 2018's God of War confirmed the existence of other mythological pantheons, namely Egyptian, existing in the series' universe. If the franchise decides to take this route, then kicking the next game off with a huge boss fight would be a great way to introduce one or more new mythological figures, establishing their power, personality, and motivations through action.

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