Just replayed this in preparation for Ragnarok. As a fan of the franchise who grew up with all the games on release date (admittedly at an age I shouldn't have), I've always had mixed feelings about GOW 2018.
I know objectively this is the best game in the franchise, the best Kratos, the best story however as a fan it took me a while to adjust to this new style. Funnily enough, that is the big theme of this game. Moving on from the past, and accepting the future. When I first picked this game up, I kinda felt betrayed as a fan.
The gameplay was slow and stiff. For some reason they put an over the shoulder camera in an action game. There was no mention of Kratos' past, almost as if Sony/Santa Monica didn't care about that and wanted us to forget to appeal to new fans... And then THAT moment came. I wouldn't spoil it, but if you know THAT moment, it changed my whole perspective of this game. In fact, it made me realize that this game was made for the fans more than anyone else. I started to accept what they were trying to do with Kratos' character and his story. I finally understood the changes in gameplay and started to love it. This was the writer's masterful way of telling the fans they want to do something new with God of War, but to do that the fans need to move on from the past and accept the new future. This was a message only the fans of the previous games would have felt the full extent of while playing this game. Genius.
After replaying this I have accepted that this is definitely my favourite game in the franchise and I look forward to the Sequel.
I know objectively this is the best game in the franchise, the best Kratos, the best story however as a fan it took me a while to adjust to this new style. Funnily enough, that is the big theme of this game. Moving on from the past, and accepting the future. When I first picked this game up, I kinda felt betrayed as a fan.
The gameplay was slow and stiff. For some reason they put an over the shoulder camera in an action game. There was no mention of Kratos' past, almost as if Sony/Santa Monica didn't care about that and wanted us to forget to appeal to new fans... And then THAT moment came. I wouldn't spoil it, but if you know THAT moment, it changed my whole perspective of this game. In fact, it made me realize that this game was made for the fans more than anyone else. I started to accept what they were trying to do with Kratos' character and his story. I finally understood the changes in gameplay and started to love it. This was the writer's masterful way of telling the fans they want to do something new with God of War, but to do that the fans need to move on from the past and accept the new future. This was a message only the fans of the previous games would have felt the full extent of while playing this game. Genius.
After replaying this I have accepted that this is definitely my favourite game in the franchise and I look forward to the Sequel.