More Games Need to Be as Brave as God of War

Change is hard. In life, in society, in gaming; in anything and everything, adjusting to change is difficult. Change can be beneficial, and even necessary in some cases, but that doesn’t make it easier. God of War’s transition from over-the-top hack and slash to a more grounded, emotional action game is looking to be a prime example of this.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed previous God of War games for what they are. Like the Greek legends that inspired the series, God of War was a hyperviolent bloodbath, overflowing with action, killing, and sex. It’s wonderfully gratuitous and, through its gameplay, had an undeniable impact on the action/hack-and-slash genre. But after six games of wanton Greek god slaying, the formula started to feel dated. Don’t get me wrong, I still think God of War is a fantastic and important series. It’s just that the action genre has certainly evolved beyond the strong fundamentals that Santa Monica Studios established.

As fun as he is, this Kratos doesn’t really fit the “fatherhood” theme of the newest title.

Even so, changing a series as well-known as God of War is a risky move. It’s even more risky when you consider that the upcoming God of War is almost the polar opposite of its predecessors in every single way. I can’t speak to the success of these changes, as review copies haven’t gone out at time of writing, but I think whether the game succeeds or fails, it’s important to acknowledge how courageous Santa Monica Studios and Playstation are to be willing to make such a change. This type of creative risk-taking should be encouraged in the industry, especially when we’re talking about franchises that are becoming stagnant.

If you had told me five years ago that the next God of War would follow Kratos and his son as they grow close to one another by fighting Norse gods, well I simply wouldn’t have believed you. Fatherhood? Genuine emotional growth? These are things that I wouldn’t typically associate with previous God of War titles, or with the majority of hack-and-slash series for that matter. Can you picture Devil May Cry’s Dante trying to create a meaningful relationship with series regulars Trish or Lady? Could you see Ninja Gaiden’s Ryu Hayabusa trying to bond with his never-seen niece? Probably not, because gameplay and spectacle are the strengths of the hack-and-slash genre. It’s the same as expecting a fighting game to focus on a meaningful story instead of its gameplay. These expectations are what make God of War’s changes so commendable, as they’ve given a stalling series new life.

This Kratos may not be as outwardly aggressive, but that may not be a bad thing.

The best thing about God of War embracing change is that, should the game succeed, it will make this sort of “reboot” far more feasible. There’s nothing wrong with straight-up action games (I love quite a lot of them), but there are plenty of franchises on life-support that could use a makeover. I’d actually love to see Ryu Hayabusa (properly) embrace the demons of his murderous past, especially if it means we get a new Ninja Gaiden. How about another Metal Gear Rising that goes into Raiden’s struggle to integrate into a “normal” life as a cyborg after becoming addicted to the thrill of battle? These are off the top of my head, so they aren’t necessarily great, but my point stands. Action games are full of characters that are ripe for additional characterization, and that exploring these characters can be a feasible choice.

Should all action games follow God of War’s example? No. Games like Devil May Cry and Bayonetta relish in their goofy style, which consistently works wonders for them. We don’t even know how successful God of War will be, so it’s hard to really predict where the genre will go. The point is that God of War is willing to be the first one in the water, if you will. No matter what happens, God of War was brave enough to take the first step, which deserves to be commended.