Key Takeaways
1. David Jaffe critiques the new God of War: Sons of Sparta for its uninspired portrayal of a young Kratos, arguing he doesn’t resemble the beloved character fans know.
2. Jaffe expresses disappointment that the game, a metroidvania style title, was released and states he won’t return to it after just one hour of gameplay.
3. He questions the need for a “generic kid version” of Kratos and notes the game lacks the violence and bloodshed typical of the series.
4. Jaffe feels the character development in the 2018 reboot and Ragnarök strayed too far from Kratos’ original essence, with too much focus on storytelling disrupting gameplay.
5. Despite his critiques, he acknowledges that Sons of Sparta is “not a bad game,” but questions its $30 price tag compared to other titles offering better production quality.
Since his last involvement with a God of War title in 2008, creator David Jaffe hasn’t held back in critiquing the series. However, his recent remarks on the new God of War: Sons of Sparta might be his harshest yet. In a YouTube video, he expresses his disapproval of the uninspired depiction of a young Kratos, claiming he looks very little like the cherished character fans know.
Shadows of Critique
Confirming rumors about the metroidvania PS5 game, Sons of Sparta was unexpectedly released during the latest State of Play event. Nevertheless, Jaffe wishes that this 2D action platformer had remained unreleased. After just an hour of gameplay, he states plainly that he is “never going back to it.”
The God of War spin-off takes players back to ancient Greece, detailing the training of a young Kratos. Despite this, Jaffe wonders if any fans truly desired to see a “generic kid version” of the hero. He also notes that the game fails to capture the violence and bloodshed for which the series is well-known.
A Shift in Character
Jaffe has also expressed discontent regarding Kratos’ character development in the 2018 God of War reboot and its sequel, Ragnarök. Players witnessed a transformation into a calmer, fatherly figure. Even with impressive sales figures, the game designer and director believes that the writers strayed too far from the original character’s essence.
One major point of debate raised in the video is the excessive focus on storytelling. The dialogue often disrupts the more action-oriented exploration and combat sections. While Jaffe finds the narrative lacking in excitement, he concedes that it could improve as the game progresses.
Not All Bad
Despite a lengthy list of grievances, at one moment, the franchise’s originator admits that God of War: Sons of Sparta is “not a bad game.” Still, he questions whether the $30 price tag is justified, suggesting that other side-scrolling games, like Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, offer better production quality.
In reality, a number of God of War enthusiasts are welcoming this new version of Kratos. Sons of Sparta has received a decent, if not outstanding, user rating of 7.5 on Metacritic. Yet, some players argue that it doesn’t differentiate itself enough in the crowded metroidvania landscape.
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