E3 2016: God of War

            Welcome back to my look at the games presented at E3 and holy crap!  After six years we finally an official look at the first honest to God continuation to the God of War series, (the prequels don’t count).  And the footage we have of it so far looks….

….well.  Allow me to use this highly inappropriate yet perfect metaphoric image from South Park to express my feelings on this.

            In all seriousness though, this is really cool.  The God of War series is, in my mind, a modern classic hack and slash series and not one that should have faded into obscurity the way it seemed to for a while.  What is so interesting about this gameplay footage is how much we can infer from it as it tells us so much and so little.  The aesthetics, for example, confirm the rumors that the game is in fact based around Norse Mythology with its obviously Nordic inspired setting, icy tundra environments, and a troll actually namedropping Valhalla during a fight featured in the footage.  Graphics-wise the game looks absolutely beautiful with the footage taking full advantage of the PS4’s capabilities as well as modern graphics technology.  Granted you have to take the graphics end with a grain of salt, given the game industry’s reputation with these things and simply because this is E3, but what we have on display here is some of the most graphically impressive stuff I’ve seen presented at the expo so far.

            As to how the game plays, it’s next to impossible to tell because I didn’t actually have a controller in my hand, but it seems to be taking the franchise in a different direction.  The various blades attached to Kratos’ in previous entries to the series are gone and seemed to have been replaced with a battle axe that clearly has some magical properties but beyond that it’s hard to tell.  The life bar appears to be gone as is any kind of apparent mana bar which is an unfortunate compromise for the time we live in but a manageable one all the same.  For reasons that I cannot comprehend, however, the game still seems to include quick time finishers; something that has always been a thing with the God of War franchise but has always been something that can unnecessarily complicate an otherwise by-the-numbers kill.

            On the story end it’s a little hard to tell just what is going here.  It clearly takes place several years after the end of the third game, with Kratos having survived impaling himself with the Sword of Olympus, (although considering all the other crap he has somehow survived that shouldn’t have come as a big surprise), and left the Greek setting and went north and apparently started another family.  He seems to have a loving if stern relationship with his new son and seems intent on teaching him what it means to be a survivor and a warrior; harsh with him when necessary but still patient with him and seems to understand that he is still a boy and I am very interested in seeing how this relationship plays out over the game.  Beyond that, however, there really isn’t anything that we can infer about the game’s story. 

            All in all, this gameplay demo has me really excited.  I’m excited to see Kratos’ story continue.  I’m excited at the prospect of killing new monsters.  I’m excited to see a new gameplay style in this new game.  I’m salivating at the prospect of battling Norse Gods.  But most of all, I am so glad that the God of War series is back in full force and I cannot wait to get my hands on this game whenever it comes out.

            So until next time, please follow the site, like the Facebook page and follow me on twitter and….

“Carry we who die in battle

Over Land and Sea.

Across the Rainbow Bridge to Valhalla

Odin’s waiting for me!”