Santa Monica Studio was stuck. Honestly, after God of War: Ascension in 2013, it felt like Kratos was done. The screaming, the constant rage, the button-mashing through Greek mythology—it was all getting a little thin. Players were tired. The God of War franchise needed a soul transplant. What Cory Barlog and his team eventually delivered in 2018 wasn't just a sequel; it was a total reconstruction of what a "mascot" character could be.
It worked.
The shift from fixed-camera hack-and-slash to an over-the-shoulder, "one-shot" cinematic experience changed everything. It took a one-dimensional avatar of vengeance and turned him into a grieving father. If you look at the sales figures, the 2018 reboot and its sequel, God of War Ragnarök, have moved over 38 million units combined. That isn't just luck. It's the result of a very specific, very risky pivot in design philosophy.
The God of War Evolution: From Rage to Responsibility
Early Kratos was basically a walking id. He killed because he was tricked, then he killed because he was angry, and then he killed because there was nothing else left to do. By the time he reached the end of God of War III, he had literally dismantled the world. The sun was gone. The seas were overflowing. The "theme" was nihilism.
But then 2018 happened.
The game opens with Kratos cutting down a tree. He's old. He's tired. He has a son, Atreus, who barely knows him. This is the God of War that people didn't know they wanted—a game about the baggage of the past. The Leviathan Axe replaced the Blades of Chaos (at least initially), and with it came a slower, more deliberate combat rhythm. Every swing had weight. Every hit felt like it cost Kratos effort. This wasn't just a mechanical change; it was a narrative one.
Why the Norse Setting Actually Saved the Series
Moving to Midgard wasn't just about swapping Zeus for Odin. It was about scale. Greek Kratos was a giant among ants. In the Norse realm, he's an immigrant. He’s a stranger in a land where the rules are different, and he’s trying to hide his nature.
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The developers at Santa Monica Studio, including lead writers like Matt Sophos and Richard Gaubert, leaned heavily into the concept of "breaking the cycle." In the original trilogy, destiny was an iron cage. In the Norse games, the central conflict is whether a person can actually change their nature. Can a monster become a man? Can a "God of War" become a god of something else?
- The World Serpent (Jörmungandr): A massive technical feat that showed the scale of the new engine.
- The Mimir Dynamics: Adding a "talking head" to Kratos' belt was a stroke of genius. It provided lore without forcing the player to read endless menus.
- The Relationship with Atreus: This is the core. The "BOY" memes were funny, but the actual arc—from distant commander to a father who can finally say "I love you"—is what kept people playing for 40+ hours.
Combat Mechanics and the "Feel" of the Axe
Let's talk about that axe. The Leviathan Axe is arguably the best-feeling weapon in the history of third-person action games. Why? It's the "thunk." When you throw the axe and recall it with the triangle button, the controller haptics and the sound design create a physical sensation of power.
Designers spent months just on the "return" animation. If it was too fast, it felt like a magnet. If it was too slow, it felt clunky. They found a sweet spot where the axe hits Kratos' palm with a slight stagger, making it feel like it has real mass. This is a massive departure from the "floaty" combat of the 2005 original.
Complexity Beneath the Surface
Don't let the "cinematic" tag fool you. The modern God of War games are incredibly deep RPGs. You have to manage:
- Runic attacks (heavy and light).
- Armor sets that prioritize specific stats like Cool-down or Strength.
- Skill trees that change how you parry and dodge.
- Atreus' arrow types (Sonic vs. Sigil).
If you play on "Give Me God of War" difficulty, the game stops being a brawler and starts being a tactical puzzle. You can't just mash. You have to manage crowd control and status effects like Frost and Burn. It's a level of depth that the older games, as fun as they were, simply didn't possess.
Addressing the "Walking Sim" Criticisms
Some old-school fans still complain. They miss the jump button (which was removed in 2018 and only sort of returned in Ragnarök via vertical traversal points). They miss the massive, screen-filling bosses like Chronos.
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They have a point, sort of.
The 2018 game was criticized for having a lack of boss variety—you fought a lot of trolls. But Ragnarök fixed that. The fight against Thor, the battle with Heimdall, and the sheer scale of the final assault on Asgard brought back that "epic" feel. The "no-cut" camera can sometimes make the world feel smaller because you never see the "big picture" from a distance, but the trade-off is intimacy. You are there in the mud with Kratos. You see every wrinkle, every scar, and every flicker of regret in his eyes.
The Cultural Impact of God of War Ragnarök
When Ragnarök launched, it sold 5.1 million copies in its first week. That’s the fastest-selling first-party title in PlayStation history. The reason it resonated wasn't just the graphics. It was the timing.
We live in an era of "prestige" gaming. Players want more than just a high score. They want a story that makes them feel something. The way Ragnarök handled themes of grief, prophecy, and the fear of losing a child mirrored the maturity of its audience. The kids who played the original God of War on PS2 in their bedrooms are now parents in their 30s and 40s. They grew up. Kratos grew up with them.
Valhalla: The DLC Nobody Expected
In late 2023, Santa Monica released the Valhalla DLC for free. It was a "roguelite" mode, which sounded weird on paper. But narratively, it was the perfect epilogue. It forced Kratos to literally walk through his past, confronting his Greek sins. Seeing the old throne room and hearing the classic music cues wasn't just fanservice; it was a way of reconciling the two halves of the franchise. It proved that the "new" Kratos hasn't forgotten the "old" Kratos—he’s just chosen to be better.
Technical Mastery: The "One-Shot" Camera
The "one-shot" camera is a technical nightmare for developers. Usually, games use cuts to hide loading screens or to skip time. In the modern God of War era, the camera never blinks. From the moment you press "Start" to the moment the credits roll, there is no loading screen (unless you die).
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This requires the game to "seamlessly" load assets in the background while you’re walking through narrow crevices or crawling through tunnels. It’s a trick, sure. But it’s a trick that maintains the immersion. You never feel like you’re playing a series of levels. You feel like you’re on a single, exhausting journey.
What’s Next for the Franchise?
The Norse saga is over. Santa Monica Studio has been very clear about that. So, where does the God of War go from here?
There are hints everywhere. We’ve seen references to Egyptian mythology (the eye of Horus), Japanese mythology, and even Celtic symbols. Kratos is now a "God of Hope," a protector. He isn't the hunter anymore.
Some rumors suggest a standalone Atreus game, focusing on his search for the remaining Giants. Others think we're heading to the sands of Egypt. Whatever happens, the template is set. The "theme" of the series has shifted from the destruction of gods to the responsibility of godhood.
Actionable Takeaways for Players and Fans
If you're looking to get the most out of the modern series, don't just rush the main story. The "side content" in these games isn't filler.
- Complete the "Favors": In Ragnarök, the side quests (Favors) provide the best character development for supporting cast members like Freya and Mimir.
- Master the Parry: Don't rely on the shield block. Learning the parry timing (L1 right before impact) is essential for high-level play.
- Explore the Craters: The Vanaheim Crater in Ragnarök is basically a third of a game hidden inside a side quest. Don't skip it.
- Listen to the Mimir Stories: If you’re rowing a boat or riding a sled, stop moving when Mimir starts talking. The dialogue will pause and resume, but the lore he provides is some of the best writing in the industry.
The God of War series is no longer just about seeing how many heads you can rip off. It’s a study in character growth, a technical marvel, and a blueprint for how to reboot a dying brand without losing its identity. Kratos is still a monster to some, but to the players, he’s finally become human.
To truly appreciate the transition, go back and play the first 20 minutes of the 2005 original, then immediately play the first 20 minutes of the 2018 game. The contrast is jarring, but the DNA—the sheer polished "crunchiness" of the gameplay—remains identical. That is how you sustain a legend for two decades.