2018’s God of War saw many changes to the formula of the franchise, but one of the most significant additions was the addition of a companion character in the form of Kratos’ son, Atreus. Players witnessed the journey of a father and son go from two people who didn’t know each other to sharing a strong and loving bond. With a God of War: Ragnarok teaser already shown to the fans, a developer from Santa Monica has teased that we may get to see the journey from Atreus’ perspective.
Beyond that initial teaser trailer, Sony Santa Monica has been very quiet on the God of War: Ragnarok front. The title of the game alludes to the fact that Atreus and Kratos witness the Norse armageddon and go head to head with beings from Norse mythology. Most notable would be the All-Father Odin and Thor, after the God of Thunder’s appearance at the previous game’s end.
Kratos will be the one leading the next game as well, but there have been questions regarding how much more Atreus will be involved in the gameplay. Concept artist from Santa Monica Samuel Matthews spoke about this during their recent appearance on the God of War podcast and teased the possibility of Atreus being playable.
A clip on Instagram of the podcast shows Matthew telling the audience how The Last of Us significantly influenced 2018’s God of War and how the team is now looking at The Last of Us 2 for more inspiration. He made special note of the split perspective between Ellie and Abby and how the team may be thinking of doing something similar with Kratos and Atreus. Matthews said that making Atreus a playable character comes with its own set of challenges, but the gameplay and story potentials it opens up may be too good for Santa Monica to pass up.
Based on the amount of importance given to Atreus in the previous game, especially the end sequence, it makes sense for Santa Monica to explore his emerging godhood in the next game. It will also help to reinforce the role that Atreus plays in Ragnarok. As we know now, Faye, Kratos’ wife and Atreus’ mother wanted to name Atreus Loki, the God of Mischief in Norse Mythology. In the Norse mythos, Loki plays a big role in bringing around the end of Asgard and Odin’s downfall. All this could become very cinematic if viewed from Atreus’ perspective.
Atreus could offer new gameplay and a wider variety of mechanics. While Kratos is the brawns of the duo, Atreus could be developed as a ranged character, dealing with foes using his bow and magical abilities. Santa Monica could also give his equipment a more in-depth upgrade path, much like how players could fit multiple runes and perform various combos using the shield, bare hands, Blades of Chaos and the Leviathan Axe.
We’re hoping we see more of God of War: Ragnarok in the upcoming E3 and maybe even get a release date.
About God of War: Ragnarok
Set after the events of 2018’s God of War, God of War: Ragnarok is the next chapter in the story. A teaser trailer has been announced for the game, but not much else. The title suggests that we are going to witness the fall of the Norse pantheon of gods, as Ragnarok is the death of everything in Norse mythology. Kratos and Atreus will be making a return and facing off against several of the Norse gods as they fight to create a place for themselves within the world.
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