,, It's been many, many years since Kratos exacted bloody vengeance on the Gods of Olympus for tricking him into murdering his own family, and he's changed in quite a dramatic way.
When we catch up with him in 2018's God of War, SIE Santa Monica Studio's simultaneous continuation and reset of the beloved PlayStation series, the Spartan warrior has left Ancient Greece behind and is now living a new life with another family in the Norse realm of gods and monsters.
But it's not just the Norse mythology setting that sets the new God of War apart from previous entries in the series — its action-focused gameplay has been completely deconstructed and reimagined, offering a new over-the-shoulder camera perspective and an axe-based combat system that keeps Kratos mostly grounded.
He's also got a companion along for his latest adventure, with his young son Atreus providing backup with his trusty bow and knife during combat, while also deciphering Norse text and helping out with puzzles.
Alas, this father-and-son relationship is a complicated one, with Kratos' secrets about his true nature (as well as Atreus' looming godhood) keeping the two at odds with each other for the majority of their adventure.
And when you really break it down, this iteration of God of War is all about a god learning to be a human and a human learning to be a god.
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The new God of War isn't just the best game in the series to date because of its redesigned combat system, updated camera, epic scope and incredible visuals. Like its characters, it reaches such incredible new heights because of the inclusion of something that none of the previous titles in the series really had much of — heart.
This version of Kratos finally feels like a fully-developed character — one that's less of a one-dimensional rage monster and more of a deep, thoughtful soul who's still harboring a lot of pain and anguish.
With Atreus by his side, the game gives you constant hope that Kratos will eventually leave behind the baggage that still haunts him (and we mean that literally — Kratos is visited by ghosts from his past on more than one occasion).
Though it was once hate and anger that fueled Kratos' desire to fight, he now fights out of love, which is a huge departure in tone for the series — and ultimately transforms it into something more powerful, poignant and unforgettable. ''
(Text from https://www.techradar.com)