God of War 4 Review for PlayStation 4

Whether you are a first-time gamer or a lifelong devotee, GOD OF WAR 4 is the game you need to be playing. Santa Monica Studios has created a hefty following for the previous three God of War games, but this fourth installment blows away the sum of its predecessors.

Kratos, aka The Ghost of Sparta, is once again primed and ready to slay grueling armies of enemies. Unlike the previous installments, GOD OF WAR 4 is so much more than a bloodbath of godly proportions. Kratos no longer travels alone—his young son, Atreus, is now his battle partner throughout this epic journey. We have only ever seen Kratos plow through enemies with no regard for anything, but this is transformed with the addition of Atreus—a welcomed layer of complexity to a spectacular narrative.

Our journey begins in Midgard. We must reach the summit of the highest mountain to scatter the ashes of Atreus’ deceased mother. Do not be deceived by the simplicity of the plot, for it is anything but. Pay special attention in following the narrative and expect anything but the ordinary. GOD OF WAR 4 bends the mythology of Norse gods and ancient lore into a storyline that is as mythological as it is original.

The visuals are spectacular. Vivid hues drape the folkloric landscape and the character details are beautifully specific. I give special praise to the voice actors, who are perfectly in sync and incredibly compelling.

As Kratos gets stronger, so will his enemies. Different enemies are impervious to certain kinds of attacks, so always be on the lookout to expand your arsenal of warfare. This forth installment now provides the opportunity to craft armor, allowing you to really experience customizing an unstoppable warrior. When you complete the main storyline, the game is far from over. Explore the different realms as you gain access to them to collect region-specific items to make better armor. Complete favors for the dueling dwarfs, free dragons, and defeat imprisoned valkyries. The trials in the fire realm of Muspelheim and the maze of cursed mist in Niflheim award excellent upgrades and rare enchantments. These challenges will agonizingly test your patience, but the rewards reaped are undeniably worth it.

Cinematic cutscenes walk a fine line of overkill, but GOD OF WAR 4 has crafted an engaging narrative that stands out above its contemporaries. The cinematic moments are un-skippable and I’m thoroughly okay with that because they are interactive. These scenes never take us out of the story, but rather incorporate playable actions to move the story forward.

Naturally I have to find something that I hope to see improved for the next series installment. The action function is necessary for basically everything, but is quite finicky and demands you to be in a very specific spot in order to work, resulting in frustrations opening chests, climbing on things, and interacting with your surroundings.

If you need a gaming experience to have you hooked for life, get your hands on GOD OF WAR 4—you’ll never let go.

Rating: 10/10

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