No one is quite sure what's next after God of War Ragnarok, but there are a lot of exciting possibilities. God of War Ragnarok's ending is satisfying and complete, but it leaves open a few doors to intriguing narrative premises, like Kratos becoming the new Norse God of War in place of Tyr, and Atreus leaving on his own solo adventure, likely with Angrboda in tow.
God of War Ragnarok, and especially the Valhalla DLC, strongly suggest that Kratos will assume a leadership role within the Norse pantheon, rather than being on the front lines, so to speak. It's a position that he is not totally unfamiliar with, as he once served as the Greek God of War, but his relationship with his Norse compatriots, not to mention his more mature, pacifistic outlook, could mean that he will be less of a warrior and more of a general or, in more modern, western terms, a Secretary of Defense. The point is, Atreus is now the one on a solo adventure, surrounded by unusual threats, which would make him a more logical fit for the protagonist of the next game. This would be interesting, but it could also mean some narrative reshuffling, like a time skip, making him a full adult.
Sunny Suljic, the actor who plays Atreus, is already nineteen at the time of writing, making him notably older than Atreus in Ragnarok, which could also prompt a time skip.
A Time Skip Could Benefit the Next God of War Game, But at a Cost
Playing as an adult version of Atreus could make for a more compelling story in some ways. Setting aside the practical issue of Suljic's real-world age, God of War has already produced two stories with Atreus as a child. God of War Ragnarok was certainly more of a coming of age story for the character, but this may make it all the more worthwhile to show him in or around his early twenties in his solo game: players could see how much he has grown and developed as a young man and god.
Jumping ahead a few years could also serve to flesh out this theoretical God of War's gameplay from the get-go. If Atreus already has some years of solo experience under his belt by the time the game begins, then Santa Monica Studios could provide players with an already fleshed-out combat sandbox, at least in comparison to what was offered in Ragnarok, where the Atreus sections often felt overly similar to the Kratos ones. But any gameplay advantages as a result of such a time skip would likely be trumped by the narrative drawbacks.
A Time Skip Could Mean Missing Out On Key Character Development for Atreus
With Atreus, Santa Monica Studios has a valuable opportunity: it can follow a character from childhood into adulthood, covering his formative years. This is something that God of War was never able to do with Kratos, who is already an adult in the first entry. Atreus has already been through quite a lot, but embarking on this adventure away from his father and homeland is arguably his biggest leap yet, and audiences should be there to observe it directly.
Then there's the matter of his relationship with Angrboda. In Norse mythology, Loki and Angrboda have a romantic relationship, and this is hinted at in Ragnarok, where there is a young-love, butterflies-in-the-stomach sort of dynamic between the two. If they are traveling together, regardless of whether they actually end up as a couple, they will form a more significant bond. It would be a major missed opportunity to speed past these early months and years of this relationship, especially after God of War already jumped past the relationship between Kratos and Laufey.
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
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
