God of War Review - Is It Worth Playing in 2022 and Beyond?

Updated:

29 Nov 2022

Kratos, his revenge against the gods of Olympus long forgotten, now lives as a man among the realms of the Norse Gods and monsters. He has to educate his kid how to persevere in this cruel and merciless world by example. Kratos is presented with an unexpected chance to control the wrath that has characterized him for so long as he takes on the role of mentor and protector to a son who is hungry to earn his respect. Confronting the shadowy legacy he may have left his kid, he seeks redemption. God of War contains a whole new environment with its own pantheon of animals, monsters, and gods, and it is situated in the wild woods, mountains, and kingdoms of Norse legend.

About God of War

The story of God of War pivots from one of mindless devastation and immaturity to one of personal growth and ultimate salvation. Kratos, the main character in the series, has matured into a more patient and reflective person. Kratos must control his own rage while also containing the otherworldly rage inside his young son, Atreus, on this trip. Seeing Kratos rein in his anger for the sake of his son, while simultaneously trying to guide Atreus away from the same road of danger, is an interesting contrast.

God of War Story

From the disgraced Spartan to a Norse God-killer, Kratos has come far in life

God of War is both a narrative about being a god and a story about being a man; about traveling between worlds, destroying mythological creatures, wielding power, and pushing the limits of what is possible. Kratos's overtly heartfelt desire to shield his kid from the harsh realities of manhood and power is a reminder of the importance of the latter. Kratos's language is often harsh and humorless, but Atreus balances this out with witty asides and charming insights that make Kratos's severe seriousness and inability to find humor in anything into a running comedy. Even though their chemistry changes many times during the game and their interactions include demon blood and magical artifacts, Kratos remains a cold, emotionally detached father attempting to awkwardly connect with his rejected son.

The setting of God of War is Midgard, the realm where the gods of Norse mythology and the Asgardian pantheon reside. Kratos left his home in Ancient Greece and settled far away, in the icy wilderness. Following his wife's death, Kratos and his son Atreus go to the realm of Jotunheim to scatter her remains there. The team faces several perils on their quest, including gods and creatures who refuse to sit idly by as they go through their territory.

God of War Gameplay

Kratos and Atreus taking on the world of Monsters and Gods!

God of War is an action-adventure video game. While the once-hilariously exaggerated fighting has been toned down, this is still a pretty brutal game, with players engaging in slow, grueling battles against anything from the frozen zombies to building-sized monsters. It's thrillingly violent; every blow really hurts, and most foes pose a real danger. It's possible to unleash a plethora of assaults with just your bare fists, a shield, and an ice-infused axe that, when thrown, thunks back into Kratos's palm. His son Atreus, who chokes back tears while shooting a deer in the game's opening sequence, improves his skills with the bow and becomes useful in battle over time.

In your downtime between battles, you travel the length and breadth of Midgard by foot and ship, seeking Norse-themed temples and ruins. The game's objective is to get the user to look about and take part in the environment by hiding treasure chests and mythical writings in areas that need brains over muscle to access. In these challenges, the axe is often put to other uses, such as freezing devices in place or being hurled to activate switches or destroy sigils. God of War's distinctive locations are just as rewarding to learn as burying the axe into a demon's skull, and the game's cadence of alternating between thinking and fighting makes it possible to lose hours of time to it.

God of War Combat

The gameplay in God of War is considerably more realistic and basic than in prior games, while it still makes use of a two-button assault system to give out mild and heavy blows. Kratos lacks the ability to leap and do other acrobatic maneuvers. Kratos's axe lob compensates for this by doing significant damage from a distance. A well-timed combination of his throws and melee assaults. Despite having no aerial attacks, the combination of heavy blows and hefty axe throws makes for a fun and easy combo system.

To add variety to your assault, you may order Atreus to fire his bow and arrows at your foe on command. With the push of a button, you may confidently order Atreus to fire, unless he is surrounded. When an adversary is being flung about, repeated bullets confuse them and prolong their dazed state.

All of your favorite nasty finishes from God of War are back, and this time they may be used in conjunction with a whole new grappling system. As you deliver damage to an enemy, the stun gauge that appears beneath their health bar fills up. When an enemy's health meter is full, they become vulnerable and easy to grasp and tear apart. When combined with Kratos's powerful axe swings, Atreus's arrows and Kratos's fist punches may cause significant stun damage. As you get access to more powers, you'll be able to charge your melee strikes and use more devastating finishers on your helpless foes.

God of War Quest/Mission System

The game's structure is quite similar to that of a recent Tomb Raider game, and it has exploration inside a linear progression that leads you through a beautifully realized fantasy world. There are a few optional tasks to do, a number of in-game challenges to accomplish, and a plethora of collectibles to find. There are easily over 50 hours of high-quality action here, and that doesn't even include the dozen or so optional bosses, which almost double the game's length.

However, this is a release that actively encourages you to play in your own style. Mini-puzzles can be found in almost every area, but if the constant release of endorphins from doing them doesn't interest you, you're free to go on without the rewards. Speaking of which, Kratos's armor and axe have multiple slots allowing you to adjust the character's traits, and even his powers, making this the first game in the series to allow for extensive customization.

God of War Graphics

A graphical masterpiece!

The PC version of God of War supports 4k resolution and unlocked framerates, DLSS and ultrawide monitors, and more granular options for customizing the game's visuals, such as increasing the texture resolution or boosting the appearance of shadows. The unlocked framerate is perhaps the most noticeable enhancement, as it allows for some really fluid scenes of Kratos smashing the Leviathan Axe into draugr and trolls.

If this is your first time playing or returning to God of War since it first released on PlayStation 4, the increased framerate is a welcome improvement given the game's focus on smooth animations and the flow state of crafting deadly combinations. Regardless of whether you want to crank up the visuals and framerate or not, God of War is still a highly visually appealing game.

God of War Developer

The 2018 release, like all the others in the main series, was created by Santa Monica Studio. The following installment, named Ragnarok, will likewise be directed by Santa Monica Studio. Santa Monica Studio is a video game company with headquarters in Los Angeles. Allan Becker established the firm in 1999 as a first-party studio for Sony Interactive Entertainment.

God of War Price

Sony's flagship action-adventure game God of War has finally arrived on PC, bringing with it all the spectacular cutscenes, fluid fighting, and stunning graphics that made the 2018 PlayStation 4 release so memorable. This installment refreshes the series by simplifying the gameplay and controls and incorporating a compelling Norse backdrop and mythology. There are no new features in this PC version compared to the console edition, but the enhanced visuals will make the most of your PC's capabilities. Visual customization is appreciated, but God of War remains plagued by stuttering frame rates despite the many improvements. Even so, Kratos' latest escapade is a meaty, action-packed game with plenty of RPG-style customization options, smooth gameplay, and interesting puzzles. At its reasonable price of $49.99, God of War is a must-have for every PC gamer's collection.

Final Verdict

When the long-awaited God of War finally arrived in 2018, it caused widespread disruption. Santa Monica Studios is the game's creator. Since the first God of War game was published for the PlayStation 2, the game's creators have become quite well-known. God of War is undoubtedly a masterpiece and deserving of the numerous Game Of The Year awards it has received. This is why I give God Of War 2018 a 10/10 rating. Let me know in the comments below if you think this rating gives the masterpiece justice.