God of War - Playstation 4

God of War is the latest entry to the Sony exclusive Mythological game moving from the Gods of Greece to the Gods of Norse in the a reinvention of the franchise. After God of War Ascension mostly lukewarm response and the conclusion to the story in God of War 3. God of War is back with a soft reboot where Kratos is now in Midgard, has a new family, and with his son Atreus seeks to spread the ashes of his recently deceased wife on the highest peak in the realms. Does God of War truly live up to the hype or are the Gods dead? Pros: Graphics, are a free space for games nowadays but completely deserved as God of War is a great looking game. The Game nails the Norse aesthetics and Kratos and Atreus look great especially Kratos, who now sports a thick beard. The game has options on the PS4 Pro which I played it on, whether 4K at 30 or 1080p at an uncapped one the game looks gorgeous at either setting. The uncapped frame rate is inconsistent as it drops in the bigger areas but gets to 60 FPS in smaller areas, it became my favorite option to play on. All while having a one shot over the shoulder camera that never cuts away from beginning to the end, like the movie Birdman but this being a 20 hour game and not a two hour movie. Gone is the locked camera angles from previous God of War games. So whether on the Pro or regular PS4 God of War is one of the best looking games of the generation. The Story. The plot of God of War takes a different route Kratos isn’t here to take vengeance on the Norse Gods and kill everyone that plot concluded in God of War 3. Instead it tells a more personal story of Kratos spreading the ashes of his wife on top the highest point in all the realms. The Gods of Asgard meddle along the way and we have one the best told stories for God of War franchise, also a length one it’s about 20 hours long with 10 hours of side quests. The dynamic between Kratos and Atreus works throughout the game as we see Kratos get major character development from being this one dimensional angry guy at the Gods and anger at everyone to a more calmed and disciplined father trying to raise his son to be better than him. It was something that I didn’t expect from the story or necessarily wanted but it turned out to be great for the character of Kratos. Atreus the son of Kratos is likeable, he is the kid that hopes for the best out of everyone. The dynamic of Kratos and Boy is great my favorite is the boat stories they tell each other about Norse Mythology or previous God of War games. At some point in the story you get a talking head and he joins your party. There is so much of the story that’s great it’s my favorite out of all the God of War games. From making Kratos into a sympathetic character to the norse mythology transition to the Father and Son dynamic that works. God of War makes a new and unique story that is the best in the franchise. The Gameplay. has been revamped from the hack and slash to a third person action game. The first impressions where this looks like the Last of Us you got an old man and a child they ruined God of War! The gameplay is pretty fun it’s not the Last of Us it’s more of an action game now you have the Leviathan axe where you can chain combos and team up with atreus as he shoots arrows. The axe also functions like Mjolnir and can be thrown and called back to you which all can be used to chain combos. You have also you fists as a weapon and although Kratos is more calm he is still prone to Spartan Rage where his attacks are more amped up. All can be upgraded with the skill tree making for a fun and enjoyable gameplay. You can also get new armor and gear throughout your journey to midgard adding some more RPG elements. It isn’t going to win everyone over if you prefer the hack and slash combat this new third person might be a betrayal of the franchise. As this moves from the hack and slash to a third person action game. Despite the changes the combat it is an improvement and the changes were necessary as the combat started to grow stale by Ascension. The soundtrack: God of War has always had a good soundtrack but the old norse OST nails the atmosphere of the game and needs to be praised. No Microtransactions. Kind of sad that this has become a positive thing but since most triple A games have embraced microtransactions. I am happy to report that God of War has no season pass, no microtransactions, and no loot boxes. This could have easily been monetized with the game’s armors but it didn’t and instead of buying it you actually have to play for it. God of War is like the games back in the day what you see is what you get no paywalls, no broken at launch we will fix this later. Just a good old fashioned game and in 2018 that is saying something. It’s a linear single-player game. Yes people still want to play single-player games (cough EA cough) as God of War is a linear single player game. It is not a live service, an open world, or an mmo. It refreshing to see a traditional single-player game in the age of live service. As publishers say single-player games are dying God of War comes out and proves them wrong with it being a critical and financial success. God of War proving a big publisher like EA is a huge positive. Cons: Side Missions, feel like busy work and sometimes feel like they are added to pad the length of game. Boss Fights. Good for the most part but some boss fights are recycled. You fight the same troll four times in a row throughout your playthrough. That’s just laziness and it trying to pad out the game. The ending sucked. Not Mass Effect 3 levels of bad, however the game just ends and sets up for the next game God of War 2 or God of War V. There’s nothing real more to say about the ending it just short. It’s like opening an empty Christmas present. There is a “secret ending” that teases stuff coming in the next game but that doesn’t save the ending from being bad. Verdict: God of War is the best game to come out in 2018 for now. While not perfect the series still managed to achieve the impossible. To successfully change the franchise especially as beloved as this one. There was more things against God of War than for it. Yet Cory Barlog and his team at Sony Santa Monica managed to bring back the franchise from the brink. God of War is worth absolutely playing it is fantastic renaissance for the franchise after God of War Ascension. A Game of the Year contender. My favorite God of War game since God of War 2.

One of the best (if not the best) games of this console generation so far. This is a dark, mature action adventure game that will last around ~20-30 hour game (with no filler content) depending on how much you explore, and difficulty level you selected with emphasis on quality over quantity. The game has a very nice pacing/progression system that feels very natural. The game does not hand hold you, or set you to your own devices; rather gives you enough information to figure things out on your own Different from past God of War (GOW) games is that, this game is a over shoulder 3rd person view vs isometric view (camera with birds eye view panning in and out). The camera is very tight fixed, and behind kratos making it more grounded and personal. Entire game is pretty much one-shot (assuming you don't get any game over screen). The game has beautiful environment and the lighting is very impressive. It runs 1080p 30fps on PS4 (original or slim) 4k 30fps, and performance mode 1080 60fps (dips at times) on the PS4 Pro If you play on PS4 pro it's preferred you play at 30fps. The combat this time around is less combo based than past games, and more methodical as it's more about precision hits, quick turns*, and dodging; being aware of your surroundings due to the fixed over the shoulder view. So 60fps is not really necessary unless maybe you're playing on the hardest difficulty mode. * For quick turns there's a learning curve to keep form being disoriented during right corridors. Sound is amazing. Get your headset or home theater system ready because you're in for a treat as the game has really nice surround sound option. Does not support 3D audio in the PlayStation Platinum headset which is disapointing. Hope they add it in, in the future. Music typical for GOW games with drums, string instruments and orchestral vocals that really gets you pumped up There are some audio ques that help unlock hidden items so keep an ear out Interaction/dialogue with kratos and his son feel very real and not dialed in or exaggerated. very nice banter between the two and other characters as well -Story: As mentioned before, very mature yet dark. The story is more narrative driven and has more character development than past games where you're just full of rage and kill everything in sight. Each character has complex motivations in what they're set out to do Takes place in Norse mythology instead of Geek The main plot is that Kratos' wife has died and she wants her ashes spread from the highest mountain Kratos takes his son with him on this journey and through a bonding experience they both grow stronger as they reach their final destination. the journey isn't that simple as it seems as there are twist and turns along the way and enemies they have to face You do get some insight on how Kratos reach this land after GOW3, but it's sprinkled throughout instead of one long exposition Side quests brings out lore of the game and also way to upgrade your skill tree There are boat sections in the game where Kratos gives his son life lessons, conversely his son gives inside knowledge of the world he learned through observation/what he learned from his mother; which makes you more invested in the characters. -Gameplay The combat has a lot of layers/options to it. Instead of Quick Timed Events (QTE) there's a stun meter which which needs to be filled up for kratos make his signature final finishing moves on enemies. Feels very natural as you don't get a huge button prompt the middle of the screen I like how the core combat is mapped to the trigger buttons instead of the face buttons making combat feel more natural There's a skill tree that cater to how you want to play: defensive, offensive, focus on physical or magical attacks, range vs close combat, master a weapon over the other, etc You can upgrade weapons and armor by collecting materials Kratos' main weapon this time around is the leviathan axe (very similar to Thor's (Marvel movies/comics) weapon Mjolnir) instead of his chained blades of chaos. You can throw the axe and have it call back to you like a boomerang. You can swing and throw the axe at enemies and fun to master as you have to judge the timing of when the axe will return to you as without your axe you may only have your bare fists to do battle till it comes back There is some strategy involved especially in the higher difficulty settings. Some enemies are super effective against certain weapons/skills you have to be aware of Krato's son comes along with you on the journey and is able to help with by stunning/detract enemies with an arrow which you can control the activation. Overtime as he becomes more experienced in combat more options are available. He'll also yell out tips when needed** or jump onto enemies to slow them down. Also you can view his journals after you defeat an enemy to find out hidden weaknesses **Seeing the camera is so tight, he'll give you tips you are not able to see at times due to blind spots Armor and clothes can be crafted, purchased, or upgraded via dwarf blacksmiths in game . It changes krato's physical appearance in game. Some armor/clothing piece has slots for enchantments which effects stats Enemies attack you gorilla style as they can attack at anytime they want instead of gathering up in a circle and attacking one by one. Each enemy have different variety of skills, health, size, weakness and speed There are backtracking at times that builds on exploration. Also the environments sometimes change when going back making the location feel different yet the same. There's also hidden areas you cannot access until you get a particular item giving the game this somewhat of a metriod-mania style to it Through mini objectives like kills specific about of enemies to get exp rewards Side quest gives you glimpse of story narrative, exp gain and or material. It doesn't feel like fetch quests or something you have to do to directly upgrade your character . There's no fluff and the side quests does not feel tacked on as it feels necessary, yet optional You'll naturally stumble onto some side quests as the map only shows an overview of the land with a compass that points you to your main objective. Fast travel is limited, making exploration in the forefront. There's not too many side quests making it feel open and direct at the same time As of this review, this is best PS4 game in my opinion. Sets a new standard for video games

I’ve been playing Xbox for a long time now. All my friends have it and thats just the way its been. Ive owned all the Playstation models released so nothing against Sony or the PS. Ive also played and finished all the God of War of games and loved every minute of them. When I saw the new one with a slightly aged Kratos I was very interested...so much so I ordered a PS4 Pro just to play it. I set everything up tonight and popped the disc in. I have to say the opening scene alone was incredible! The visuals are jaw dropping and the audio in my theater room is some of the best Ive heard in a while. This was all excellent but I still didnt get to try this new game style something that was totally different than previous iterations of the game. I dont want to ruin anything but I played until I met someone willing to upgrade my Levithian Axe. All I could think about the entire time I played was how amazing this experience has been. The way the snow pushes out of the way when you or Atreus walks through it is mind blowing. The combat system so far has been very cool a welcome addition to the franchise in my opinion. Fast paced, but not as hectic hack and slash as previous games...It just feels more controlled and I love throwing the Axe! The story is very cool so far and Kratos has this maturity to him thats just awesome (dont worry hes still a beast!). Overall Id say purchasing a PS4 for this game alone was well worth it!! Dont hesitate to pick this one up and experience something completely out of this world! Update 4/23/18: So I spent the weekend playing this masterpiece! I was kind of happy were still thawing from a blizzard. I gotta say GoW actually gets better and better as you play. I know a lot of people miss the blades of kaos and the frantic hack and slash but I just love the combat in this game! As I got out of the woods and headed towards the mountain, Im just blown away by the scope of this game, i find myself looking up just to take in the whole “picture”. I still dont want to post any spoilers but the scenery and locations I’ve seen are incredible! The size of the creatures and landscapes is enormous, even the Godly Kratos is dwarfed in size by the things this game presents. I can truly say this is probably the best video game I’ve ever played.

This game is a game where everyone involved put their full creativity into it. This is a game every competitive gamer should experience. The bots are amazing and well coordinated to keep you challenged every minute of the game. It is non stop action and countless boss fights. What I love the most about this game is that it is challenging for even the most experienced gamer even on the easiest difficulty you will encounter a boss that will make it worth your bucks. I am currently playing this game on the hardest difficulty and currently seeing my buddies struggle with even the easiest difficulty. I am usually the gamer who passes single player games in 2-3 days. However, this game playing in the hardest difficulty, not rushing because it is such a great game, as well playing all the side missions can say this game is EPIC. Hours and HOURS of fun. Even in 1080p the game looks amazing. I have found absolutely no glitches while playing this game which is a plus in todays gaming standards. Combat system is one of the best out there. The story is actually quite intriguing but I will leave you guys to find out! I would buy this game twice just to support santa monica studios. That's how great this game is! For those giving bad reviews because of the codes Review the seller and not the game. My code worked as soon as I received it through EMAIL! I have always pre ordered on amazon and received all bonus pre orders as expected hard to take other people credible when they have issues with codes. Game is a must have ignore the code reviews.

After sinking over 70hrs in to the game, I can honestly and easily say it is one of my top 3 games of all time. I haven't been this surprised from a title in a long time. The world is absolutely stunning and original, with many different regions to travel with each having their own unique qualities. The story is absolutely riveting and I was totally immersed in the world of Kratos and Atreus from start to finish. The narrative is brilliantly written and interweaves Norse and Greek mythology throughout and makes you really care for the characters. The world is a desolate place, lacking in NPCs but the ones you do meet are very entertaining and very well written. The voice acting is superb. Now for the combat. I played on the 2nd hardest difficulty and had a challenge for most of the game which I really enjoyed. A problem many titles have is making the game too easy, once you've gained some strong gear and skills... Not the case with God of War. I had to restart the game on an easier difficulty after trying the hardest. The combat is fast, brutal and Kratos' attacks feel really powerful, and Atreus is useful as well and never feels like a burden. It's actually quite intricate in the skills and different attacks you can learn so there are many different ways you can approach combat. There is so much to do beyond the main storyline, which almost had me in tears in the finale. The side quests are all unique and I felt really invested in each one, while adding some lore and character development in them... Which I really appreciate. TLDR:Absolute must have for anyone that enjoys a single player narrative, with a gripping story, fast, brutal combat and a beautiful world. This is like 5x longer than any review I've ever written, but that's how strongly I feel for this game. It is an absolute must have.

First of all, excuse my english, please! I'm absolutely impressed with what they did to this game. Absolutely beautiful and breathtaking and the combat is more tactical. I mean, there is not a button telling you what, when and how to do something. Now you have to think how to attack or defend by yourself. And the way the story progresses OMG! There's a lot of surprises and there's a good variety of sidequest so we can go and explore if we want some more hours. I love it. I wasn't a GoW fan. I just had played God Of War 2. It was cool but it didn't made me want to play the others. Hack n Slash games bores me a lot but when I saw the changes they made in this one watching the previews, I said "Wow, I'll definitively buy it" and Wow just Wow! They made a wonderful job!

This will probably end up being my favorite game of 2018. If something else is better than this in 2018 then this was a really good year for video games. I won't go too deep in to the story because of easy things to spoil. You are Kratos, the Greek god of war...and last remaining Greek god. After the events of God of War 3 Kratos traveled to a new land, fell in love, took a new wife, and had a son. The game starts with your wife having just passed so you and your son decide to travel to the tallest peak in the land to spread her ashes. Then a stranger knocks on your door... The combat is pretty different from the original games. You now have a returning frost axe (think of a mix between Thor's axe, Jarnborn, and his hammer, Mjolnir) and can go between using it, its runic abilities, and your fists. Your son, Atreus, can also assist in combat. You can upgrade you and your son's abilities as well as equip new abilities and loot. You can also upgrade, craft, and discover new items as you go. The graphics are fantastic, especially on a PS4 Pro. The soundtrack is also amazing. So far this competes with Uncharted 4 and Horizon Zero Dawn for one of the best looking games I've played (including PC). The game is also open world, a first for the series, and also has side quests...another first! If you like God of War games give this a try or if you like action adventure games. If you have a Ps4 I think you should definitely at least rent this to see if its something you enjoy. I am about 40+ hours into the game and I still have stuff to do.

If you have a PS4 and have yet to play this game you are not getting the most out of your PS4. Though God of War is known for its gore and violence, this game takes a different spin on the serious with a much more mature Kratos and his son. The story is amazing, the graphics are next level, the combat is very fluid, and there are hours of mostly open-world gameplay. It's not an open world as games like Skyrim, but you have the freedom to finish quests when you want. I was very interested in this game when it first came out but did not have a PS4 at the time, so I just watched others play it. I thought that since I've already seen the story and gameplay that actually playing it wouldn't be very different, but I was very wrong. All I can say is 2-3 hours in this game seems like 30 minutes, and there are several hours of content. As for the delivery they made sure the game was wrapped in plastic to keep it in good condition. However, the bonus item I got was ALREADY expired. That was my only complaint. Highly recommend this game and if you don't have a PS4 buy one for this.