God Of War PS4 Review: 8 Ups & 1 MINOR Down
Absolutely essential to gamers new and old.
With five years away from the spotlight and all but the merest glimmer of fan appreciation remaining, God of War has come screaming back into view, following a series of pitch-perfect, maturely framed trailers and gameplay demos.
Essentially seeing developers Sony Santa Monica revisit their most profitable character with many years of retrospection, the rebooted game follows an older, wiser Kratos as he's fled Sparta to settle down in Midgard i.e. trading Greek mythology for Norse. With a wife and child now under his belt, he vows to "live as a man", and it's here where Creative Director Cory Barlog has plenty to say as to how God of War as a franchise is regarded, alongside a wider comment on violence's appeal and placement in video game history.
Across both Uncharted 4 and Horizon Zero Dawn, Sony are amassing a brand identity that welcomes mature gamers, telling some of the most fascinating stories we gamers have ever seen. God of War is a bold, confident, almost perfectly-executed example of why video games can be one of the most impactful and resonate mediums of all, and though a slow start does scupper the pacing a tad, the rest is a game for the ages.