God of War for the PlayStation 4 is more than a game. It is truly one of the most immersive experiences that I have personally enjoyed in the last two years. The evolution of games and narrative seems to have reached a pinnacle with this incredible journey. If you love Greek or Norse mythology as much as I do, you are in for what very well could be the best story to be based on those vastly rich traditions. 

The central storyline of the game deals with Kratos and his son, Atreus, embarking on an epic quest to scatter his wife’s ashes at the ‘highest peak in all the realms’. Obviously this turns out to be way more complicated than it sounds. The journey sees them mixing with a host of very interesting and genuinely entertaining characters. We have lesser-known Nordic gods, such as Baldur, the son of Odin, and the goddess, Frigg (who plays a central role in the game as well). Even the sons of Thor, Modi (no, it’s not the man in Delhi!) and Magni, make strong appearances. Our allies include the dwarf blacksmiths, Brok and Sindri. Mimir, the wise — a disembodied talking head — also plays an important and informative role in the game.

The gameplay is intensely fluid

Make no mistake, this is as much a ‘hack and slasher’ as the other titles in this violent series of games. However, what elevates God of War is the fact that all the fighting and killing feels very resonant and interlinked to the writing. Every mission and quest is deeply rewarding and enjoyable at the same time. 

The creators have evidently timed the production and release of this game in an era where Scandinavian mythology and places such as Jotunheim and Asgard are imbedded in popular culture, thanks to Marvel’s rendition of Thor as well as references to Valhalla in the film, Mad Max: Fury Road. Thus, we are aware of Valkyries when we fight them and well versed in the workings of the ‘bifrost’ when we encounter it. A game like this could only be successful and resonant at this junction of time where we know our gods and we know our stories. The rich tradition of the Norse gods is tapped into to build an honestly richer world. We learn more about the great giants such as the World Serpent, creatures that preceded the gods much like the Titans ruled before the Greek gods when Kratos was battling them in his younger days. Now he is a father, burdened with the responsibility of a child and the gravitas of a weary warrior who has shed enough blood, even for his immortal lifetime. 

The gameplay itself is intensely fluid. Basic attacks, movements and weapons become very intuitive very fast. As the game moves forward, one dives into the world of micro-transactions that involve in-game purchases (all virtual, no real money) for weapons, upgrades and deadlier attack combinations. This is one game where I feel it is crucial to maximise this area. It is surely important to have the strongest weapons and attacks by the time you finish the central story and move on to the seemingly harder side quests and missions. I am not a gamer that loves micro-transactions and upgrades, so this was a little bit of a barrier to enjoyment for me initially; however, once you do get past the purchases and the time spent that make your armour and attacks stronger, you will be the happier for it. 

From the creative desk

When Cory Barlog, creative director on God of War for Sony Santa Monica, started on the game, it coincided with the birth of his son, Helo, which made him re-examine himself. He has told The Guardian: “I had this idea that I didn’t want to have kids until my career was at the right point, until we have a house, until we have savings of at least this much.... None of that came true. It just happened,” he says. “You can’t plan these things. Kratos also thinks he knows what he wants, but he’s not really sure how to do it. It’s a great concept, the character who doesn’t really know how to deal with something. This is somebody who could take down a mountain-sized beast, but a conversation with his son is a challenge that he just can’t overcome. Something we take for granted is, for him, Herculean.”

Every battle is incredibly challenging

As far as weapons go, Kratos starts with the Leviathan Axe, a powerfully heavy weapon that can be compared to Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. Yes it does indeed magically return to your grasp on command. As the story progresses, the trademark ‘Blades of Chaos’ also return to the arsenal, lighter and quicker. Having both these very unique weapons at your disposal really makes in-game combat very engaging. 

Another fantastic addition to the gameplay is the combat support provided by your ‘boy’, Atreus. He shoots a variety of arrows on command and combines with his father, Kratos, in some highly satisfying combat combinations. 

The main antagonist of the story is Baldur, who is cursed with the lack of any sensation, no pleasure and no pain. Fighting a god that feels no pain is intense and strangely cathartic. We also have a variety of epic boss fights with crystallised fire-breathing dragons, legendary Ice Kings, Trolls (so many trolls) and Witch-like shamanic reapers. I haven’t ever died in simple minion combat as many times as I have in this game. Rest assured every battle is incredibly challenging and it gets continuously harder. 

God of War is nuanced, heartbreaking, beautiful and cathartic. However it is also brutal. This is a mix that is so hard to achieve, but so potently evident in this game. This is the best RPG game of all time — there I said it!

Play after God of War...

Hellblade — Senua’s Sacrifice: A dark mythological adventure that follows a young warrior suffering from psychosis. It won at the 2018 BAFTA Games Awards.

Bayonetta 2: Bayonetta is an icy-hearted, stylish heroine whose job is to save the world from destruction by mythical beasts. 

For Honor: Choose from three warring factions — the knights, the samurai and the vikings, and then fight everyone else! 

Nischay Parekh is a songwriter and musician from Calcutta. He is also one half of the pop duo, Parekh & Singh. Author picture: Naman Saraiya