What I've Been Playing #5

Hey there, Gamers and Game Makers!

​This week, I'm going to talk a little bit about what I've been playing lately and that has mostly been God of War.

When I started God of War, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect given that the game is going in a new direction. It didn't take long for the game to win me over. In fact the first introduction to the combat left me with a real sense of satisfaction. Being able to throw your axe and summon it back. A simple game mechanic that just feels so good and even makes you feel that bit more powerful.

The combat can be quite difficult at times but not in the sense of just being overpowered for the sake of making things difficult for you but more so you lost a battle because you weren't prepared for it. You need to pay attention to the armor you wear as well as your weapon upgrades. The first time I went up against one of the Valkyrie, I was killed in less than a minute. Simply because I thought I could go in brute force and defeat her that way. I had to carefully choose my armor and enchantments before facing her again and even with me at my best, it was a long difficult battle.

The games open world at first felt small to me but the game is much larger than it appears at first with a great many locations and quests hidden throughout the world. The attention to detail in the world building and lore to support it is particularly great. It's well worth your while exploring the world at a slower pace rather than rushing through the story as you'll pick up on much more of the games lore but you'll also find more upgrades to better aid you on the main story.

For me, what truly makes the new God of War great is its story telling and character development. The relationship we see build throughout the game between Kratos and Atreus is one of the best I've seen since the Last of Us with Joel and Ellie. There were moments when I both loved and hated what I saw in Atreus and times when I felt for Kratos. A God who for most of his existence has been defined by his rage now has to face the death of his wife, raising his son and trying to find a better way. One that breaks the cycle of violence and vengeance. Not so he can be a better God but, so he can be a better father.

While I have finished the main story of the game which I found to be a wonderful experience, I'm far from finished with the game. There are more quests and many more secrets to uncover and I intend to find as many as i can.

Until next time!