God Of War 2018 Review - First time ever playing in 2026!

 

I have been on a bit of a run lately playing some older games that have been sitting on my bucket list for a while. It has been a lot of fun, and it has helped bolster my physical gaming catalogue (while I still can… thanks for nothing, PlayStation) into a nice little collection. So, I decided to dip my toe in again and finally play a game that I have been sitting on for a long time: God of War (2018).

My history with God of War is not a strong one. I played some of God of War III thanks to a friend playing it while I was over at their house, but other than that, I have been surprisingly well-hidden from this epic franchise. I did borrow God of War (2018) from a friend of mine when it first came out, but I only played a few hours back then because my Final Fantasy XIV obsession was in full swing and I lost my soul to it. Luckily, however, I did manage to stay pretty much completely spoiler-free from the story, so I really came into this game blind. And well, damn—I know why this game won Game of the Year. It is an incredible game.

I would say if you haven't played God of War (2018) yet, then do so with as few spoilers as possible. The game took me roughly 37 hours to beat, and that is with a lot of exploring, side challenges, and missions involved. I think you could probably beat it in around 20 hours if you are quick. I will also mention that I played this on the easiest difficulty (I played it during the peak heatwave in Europe, so screw getting hot and bothered), and while some of the side content was still challenging, it made for a very fun and enjoyable game. It also only cost me €15 to buy from my local video game store, which is unbelievable value for the kind of game you are getting. So yeah, if you are looking for a fun, week-long game to play that is easy to pick up and put down, then get on this game!

 

 

STORY
The story takes place after Kratos has basically wiped out all the gods in Greek mythology and moved to Midgard to try to live a somewhat normal life. It seems to have worked as well, due to him having found a wife whom he deeply loved, and they have a young teenage child together named Atreus. However, due to unknown circumstances, Kratos's wife passes away, leaving Kratos and Atreus having to build a life together. However Kratos and Atreus seems to have a somewhat strained relationship, due to Kratos always being out hunting instead of helping raise his son as well as being incredibly strict with him. This is also mixed with Kratos hiding the fact that he and his son are gods, wanting them to live normal mortal lives, as he sees being a god as more of a curse than a pleasure.

Kratos's wife seemed to have known that it would be difficult for Kratos and Atreus to bond without her help, so she tasked them with a mission to release her ashes on the highest mountain in all the realms. This takes them on an epic adventure where they learn not only about the dire state of Midgard but, more importantly, what it means to be a family while facing the demons of their past.
 

The story really carry the entire game. While the combat and exploration are fantastic (more on both later), the story of Kratos and Atreus as well as the realms and gods really grab you, pulling you into an unforgettable tale full of drama, laughter, and some big plot twists. All the while, it keeps its core message in place: this isn't a story of a grand adventure; this is a story about a father and son dealing with loss and learning what family is. I honestly loved every second of it, and even how they delivered it—giving us some incredibly powerful cutscenes in some moments, while also just sharing vital information while walking around or rowing to the next island.

While the main story is about Kratos and Atreus, the overarching story of the state of Midgard and what Odin is planning is mostly told through side missions, challenges, the characters you meet, and the scrolls and shrines you find while exploring the world. It is a really clever way to give you the idea that things are happening in the background while you are on your quest, and the inevitability that your quest will end up clashing with what seems to be Odin's ultimate goal. I really enjoyed that, and it made you feel like you are just one of the moving pieces in a big chess game, making the world feel alive and evolving.

Overall, the story alone shows why this game is so highly praised. I think it is one of the best stories in any game I have played. Maybe not the best I have ever played, but it really is one I won't ever forget. It makes you fall in love with Kratos and Atreus, as well as the other characters you meet on your journey (I will forever have a special place in my heart for Mimir, Brok, and Sindri), and you deeply care for them on both the emotional and physical paths they take to reach their goal. I just loved it.

 

GAMEPLAY
God of War (2018) relies on a more simplistic RPG mix with an action-adventure style of gameplay, very much like games such as Dragon Age: Inquisition or Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. On the RPG side of things, you level up your character using a skill tree that unlocks moves for each weapon you have at your disposal, as well as specific moves for Atreus. It is a simplistic method that I am actually a big fan of, as you can quickly see the progress you make during the game thanks to the new skills you use during combat.

You also have the possibility to craft and upgrade weapons and armour. Each piece of armour boosts your standard stats (such as health, runic, strength, luck, etc.) while also sometimes giving you special effects and slots where you can place enchantments. (These enchantments also provide special abilities, such as more axe damage or resistance to certain effects). While I did find this very cool, after 15 hours or so of gameplay, I quickly found myself crafting a full set of legendary armour that was so powerful I stuck with it for the rest of the game. I upgraded it to the max, meaning I just had no need to craft or upgrade anything else unless it was for my weapons.

You can also find special skills for your weapons that you attach to L1+R1, L1+R2, or L1+O which can provide devastating damage or massive stun attacks on enemies. After using them, you need to wait for the cooldown to finish before using them again (this can be mitigated if you increase your cooldown rate by crafting or upgrading armour, or by using enchantments). These attacks can also be upgraded with skill points and can completely change the tide of a fight when you are stuck in a tough situation.

For me, the combat is the perfect Devil May Cry style, where it is simplistic but looks incredibly flashy, allowing you to pull off big attacks with just a few button presses. I really love this, and I have to give extra credit to the animations (especially the takedowns), which felt really crunchy and heavy, making you feel every hit Kratos lands. The fighting feels aggressive and offensive, which completely matches the God of War style we love.

I will say the only downside is that the enemies felt a little repetitive by the end of the game, but to be honest, it wasn't enough to become a major problem. Overall, every encounter was bloody, slightly tactical, and a lot of fun.

 

 

EXPLORATION
With the majority of the game taking place in the main area of Midgard, the exploration was incredibly enjoyable. I often found myself sidetracking to see if I could find all the collectibles, and I got very into the realm tears that summon tough enemies. 

I also liked how the areas opened up more places to explore in a very clever, story-driven way. I won't get into it for fear of spoilers, but I often found myself coming back to areas I had previously discover to find it had drastically changed making it reveal more secrets for you to find. The game heavily rewards you for exploration, always offering multiple chests that can upgrade you or unlocks new areas in multiple way and it certainly helps that the locations are incredibly pretty and interesting to look around.

I really don't want to give away too much, but I normally hate backtracking to areas I have previously been to just to find something new. Yet, with God of War (2018), I found myself actually prioritising it over the main story, so I think that is extremely impressive.

 

 

VOICE ACTING 
Okay, I have to admit my bias: I am a massive Christopher Judge fan thanks to Stargate SG-1, so knowing he was Kratos in this game got me instantly excited. However, I think everyone can agree that this is one of the best voice-acting performances we have ever heard in a game. Both he and Sunny Suljic (as Atreus) turn this from an incredible game into a masterpiece. I have to praise how clever it was to have them act and perform their lines together through motion capture instead of separately in a recording booth. It made each interaction feel real and personal, making every scene feel special. Their performances are unbelievable; I completely lost sight of the actors and just saw Kratos and Atreus—and more importantly, I saw a father and son. This duo's performance is one I can't wait to see more of. Christopher Judge didn't just play Kratos; he became Kratos, and you really felt it.

The performances throughout this entire game are nothing short of breathtaking. Each actor played to such a high calibre that it really was an excellent showcase across the board. I especially want to give a special shoutout to Danielle Bisutti (the Witch in the Woods), Robert Craighead (Brok), and Alastair Duncan (Mimir) / Adam Harrington (Sindri), who were all an absolute delight whenever they were on screen and constantly stole the scene. Sindri and Brok, especially, were always a lot of fun to see.

 

WRITING
I think this might be in the top 5 scripts of any game. Writers Matt Sophos, Richard Zangrande Gaubert, and game director Cory Barlog managed to write a story about gods and turn it into a deeply relatable journey about the struggles of family and trying to rebuild broken relationships. They turned a franchise that was basically about killing gods in gruesome ways into a powerful and emotional tale that had me laughing, cheering, and shedding more than a few tears.

Video games being art is always an interesting topic, and one I think everyone has a different opinion on. For me personally, art is something that unlocks emotions in you or triggers a feeling while you experience it. I can't help but relate that to my time with God of War, especially as it reached its climax. The emotions felt raw, and the writing felt incredibly relatable for both Kratos and Atreus, and even at some points, the villains. God of War (2018) is art, and that is massively thanks to its incredible script. 

 

 

MUSIC
Bear McCreary really did a fantastic job with the soundtrack. Music can easily make or break a game, and for me, it is one of its most important features and boy, is the soundtrack great in God of War (2018). It goes from heavy, powerful, medieval-style tunes like "God of War" and "The Dragon" to the elegant, beautiful, and peaceful tunes of "The Healing" and "Memories of Mother." I really want to praise "Memories of Mother," as that song, with Eivør's humming, just hits you right in the soul. It really is special.

So yeah, just like everything else in this game, the music is incredible. I have listened to the soundtrack multiple times on my way to work now, and it always puts a massive smile on my face.

 

CONCLUSION

 I mean, for a game to win Game of the Year at the Game Awards when titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Marvel's Spider-Man were also up for contention really goes to show you how special this game is. It is a must-play, and one I really recommend you go into as spoiler-free as possible because it will completely blow you away. 

As mentioned at the start, this game took me roughly 37 hours to beat, but that really felt like no time at all because playing it was an absolute pleasure. I think I finished the game within 4 to 5 days, which is crazy for me, but I was just so invested in the journey of Kratos and Atreus that I needed to see what happened next. All I can say is that God of War Ragnarök is suddenly a lot higher on my playlist. I can't wait.

Me being the video game photographer I am, I took a ton of screenshots in this game (the photo mode is amazing!). Here is a link of all the screenshots I took and saved on the app I created SnapDex (you can see more of the app in my menu, it is free and can hold all your screenshots), please know that some of the screenshots CONTAINS SPOILERS so please only look at them if you are okay to be spoiled. Enjoy!

  https://snapdexapp.lovable.app/p/ec229ae3-90e7-4c97-9c5a-d22910389298

 Cuppa