{"id":6653,"date":"2018-05-08T14:01:47","date_gmt":"2018-05-08T14:01:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nfornerds.com\/?page_id=6653"},"modified":"2018-05-08T14:35:51","modified_gmt":"2018-05-08T14:35:51","slug":"god-of-war","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nfornerds.com\/?page_id=6653","title":{"rendered":"God of War"},"content":{"rendered":"

You would have a hard time convincing people that the way Kratos goes about things in the previous God of War games resembles anything close to reasonable. But I got the feeling, we weren\u2019t meant to take him seriously and simply enjoy the cathartic violence. So, when this new God of War sauntered onto our screens with a new family and a more reserved attitude I was somewhat puzzled. You\u2019ve killed thousands of people, multiple Gods and every creature in Greek myth, but now you want to settle down in a log cabin and whittle? But hey, I\u2019m an open-minded guy, if God of War wants to change up the formula and give us a more wizened and enlightened Kratos, then I\u2019m game.\"Kratos<\/a><\/p>\n

(“Boy!”)<\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n

God of War is set several years after the events of God of War 3. Kratos, the dealer of deicide, the walking blender and killer of all things alive has decided that he is done with killing Gods. But one has to wonder if this was a moral decision or a practical one, given that he has decimated the Greek pantheon. Seeking to put his past behind him Kratos now resides in the realm of Midgard with his new family, his second and now deceased wife Faye and their son, Atreus. That may seem like a spoiler but literally the opening scene is Kratos cutting down a tree for her funeral pyre. After the funeral Kratos and Atreus set off to honour Faye\u2019s last request and scatter her ashes from the highest mountain in the nine realms. But as the two progress, events unfold that threaten both their quest and lives.<\/p>\n

What I liked most about the games\u2019 story was how organically it opened up. Beginning with a narrow focus on Kratos and Atreus\u2019 journey to scatter Faye\u2019s ashes and gradually widening it\u2019s scope the further you progress through the game. But at the same time, never losing the intimate nature of the journey\u2019s purpose.\"Kratos<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As I mentioned before, this instalment is set in Midgard, and unlike in previous God of War titles which were more linear, this one is an open-ish world. Unlike other open world games that boast a huge map with fuck all in them, God of War provides us with a world that actually feels epic in scale. I found myself spending more time exploring Midgard because I genuinely wanted to experience everything this world had to offer. What would be waiting for me in this cave, a monster to best, a valuable item or a puzzle to solve? Regardless of what awaited me I always proceeded because it meant I got to learn more about the world\u2019s lore and spend time with its characters.<\/p>\n

\"God<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just a new realm that we find ourselves experiencing, the gameplay is also new, having been completely retooled. Whereas the previous games featured a third-person, fixed camera, this latest instalment introduces a more intimate over-the-shoulder, third-person, free camera. I feel this is not simply a stylistic change, but a narrative one as well, the change in camera was necessary to reflect the change in character motivation. Kratos\u2019 motivation, much like the camera, is deeply personal, he is no longer driven by hate or revenge, but rather love and sorrow.<\/p>\n

The combat is also different, Kratos, having discarded his iconic chain blades, is now armed with the Leviathan axe. While you still have the classic light attack, heavy attack, dodge mechanics from the previous games, you can also hurl your axe at enemies and recall it to further fuck them up. Or you can hurl it at magic containers, to trigger explosions causing environmental damage to enemies.<\/p>\n

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