God Of War: 8 Weirdest Enemies (And What They Represent)
From Hel to high water, you'll face plenty of strange beasts...
God of War has one of the most beautifully rendered gaming worlds there on the market. From the glittering waters of the Lake of the Nine to the perilous peaks of the highest mountain, in just Midgard alone players are faced with expansive, detailed scenery that truly makes it feel like we're living in a carefully-written tale of Norse mythology.
And whilst glorious landscapes and gruff heroes are all part and parcel of a grand story, it wouldn't be anything without the terrifying monsters that lie in wait around the edges.
Picked straight from old legends, the undead hoards and giant scaly creatures that cross Kratos's path are some of the most interesting parts of the game, both good for practising combo moves on and brushing up on your old world knowledge of Norse beasties.
But what do they actually represent? We have the scribblings of Atreus in his journal, but there's thousands of years of interpretations to work through to understand how the developers settled on these portrayals of a mythic past.
Taking historical leanings and artistic license hand in hand then, looking deeper at the enemies of God of War reveals they're more than simple axe-fodder...
8. Nightmares
These horrible floating eyes with extended tentacles, whilst simple, are some of the weirdest-looking creatures you'll encounter playing God of War. Written in the bestiary as being reminiscent of the 'Mare' in Old Norse folklore, the origin of the creature is of a malicious entity that sits on the chests of people as they sleep, inducing bad dreams and fitful rest in the process.
Since they can possess enemies around them and make them far stronger and more resilient to damage, that legend seems to have been distilled into a monster that makes the terrifying attacking hoards even harder to deal with, as if in a nightmare themselves. Floating dreamlike through the battlefield and pretty easy to take out, the Nightmare's fragility seems reminiscent of their power being rooted in manipulating the minds of others - as what's a nightmare in reality when you're not asleep?
Instead of squatting on a chest, these tentacled abominations wrap themselves around aggressive foes, taking the key idea of the Mare and spinning it into a supportive force for bad guys. The giant eye is also important - perhaps representative of being able to see into the minds of its enemies to become a personalised horror when attacking.
They're are also reminiscent of beholders from Dungeons & Dragons lore, a spell-casting, floating sphere defined by its one central eye. A nice little nod to the fantasy title that defined much of what we see in broader gaming now.