Developer: Santa Monica Studios
Publisher: Sony interactive Entertainment
Reviewed on: PC
Also available on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Release: 14th January 2022
Rating: MA15+
Price: $74.95
Devastating combat, awesome combos while constantly yelling boy is just a fun time really, truly the ultimate dad simulator.
God Of War (2018) is the newest instalment to the God Of War franchise which started way back in 2005 on the PS2 with another instalment expected to be released this year. This title is the 8th instalment so far and the first not revolving around Greek mythology. After almost 4 years this beautiful gem has finally been released on PC. I have been wanting to play this for years and finally it has come!
The Plot
A number of years after Kratos defeated the Greek gods of Olympia Kratos now resides in the realm of Midgar, a region of ancient Scandinavia with his son Atreus, more commonly known as BOY!!! The mother of Atreus and wife of Kratos named Faye has passed away so the game begins with her funeral and cremation. This is turn grants the father son duo with a quest to travel to the mountain to scatter her ashes. But very shortly after trouble beings to rumble in Midgar which forces Kratos to unleash his power. Along the way meeting amazing and hilarious makes the journey a very interesting one to say the least.
The World
God Of War 2018 is set in Midgar a region of ancient Scandinavia, so the game is rich in Nordic folklore and mythology. The world is brimming with interesting sights that make you want to stop and behold, from large mountains to large statues depicting Nordic gods like Thor to blissful forests. As you traverse the world you discover more and more interesting and scary enemies. I am in love with this world and setting which drives me to play it further. The world gives off the impression of a big open world so there is always something to see and discover, but be sure to explore a lot so you don’t miss some great lore and hidden items to help you on your journey.
The Gameplay
Very much in character for the franchise the gameplay is primarily puzzles and combat. The puzzles aren’t to difficult but can trick you up a little bit. Some of them are optional but I do strongly suggest you finish a puzzle when you find them as they typically lead to a chest which would contain items to greatly help you. The combat for lack of a better word, insanely fun. Each hit feels impactful and satisfying followed up by devastating combos, skills and perfectly timed blocks combined with throwing your axe and using your fists and shield adds another fighting style to incorporate into your playstyle. A benefit to using fists as it fills up a secondary meter that allows you to execute an enemy. While in every battle Atreus assists you which is actually really helpful. As you level his skills he becomes more and more helpful. But to begin with he will use his bow for standard attacks while allowing you to command him to attack the target you're looking at which can cause an interrupt, very handy when fighting the witches as they constantly teleport when you're trying to hit them.
My Thoughts
It has been quite some time since I played a God Of War title as I shifted to just PC gaming, personally I enjoy it more than console these days, but that leaves me at the mercy of many devs hoping and waiting for PC ports of exclusives. I have not been disappointed to say the least. I am just gonna say it is a perfect port. I have had zero issues at all aside from a few FPS drops is loading zones for massive areas. The standard controls are simple and great, the combat is extremely well made and the puzzles are simple enough for an idiot like me to not have too much trouble with. Over the years I have played a number of PC ports like, FF7 Remake, Days Gone, Horizon Zero Dawn, Heavy Rain etc, for the most part they are good but generally have some issue that stands out massively and makes the experience a little worse, but so far in my playthrough I am left satisfied and eagerly wanting to continue to play it. As we progress with game development the games should just get better, we have seen especially in the last few years that isn’t always the case, looking at you battlefield 2042, this is refreshing to not be disappointed with a game/port. One thing I want to point out is how when a cutscene finishes the gameplay just starts, no loading screen to ruin immersion or anything like that. The flow of this makes it a much more enjoying and immersive experience. The lore is delivered in a fun way as well, not a unique or new way but fun. Atreus will read runes to tell you what they mean, and you find these cupboards and when opened they tell you a story from the Nordic mythology, a method which I am a big fan of.
This is a buy without a shadow of a doubt, I am loving my time in it and the port has been done right which makes me so happy. The game is incredible filled with amazing things and an abundance of detail. Favourite thing has to be the giant tortoise, he was so nice.
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