God Of War

God Of War is an absolute masterpiece and easily my game of the year for 2018. Everything about this game is breathtaking and beautiful. From the visuals to the fighting mechanics and let’s not forget a narrative that is so deeply rooted in the bonds of family. All of these elements tied together makes for a gaming experience I’ll never forget. 

God Of War was developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the eighth installment in the God of War series and the sequel to 2010's God of War III. 

Unlike previous games, which were loosely based on Greek mythology, this game is loosely based on Norse mythology. The main protagonists are Kratos, the former Greek God of War, and his young son Atreus. Following the death of Kratos' second wife and Atreus' mother, they journey to fulfill her promise and spread her ashes at the highest peak of the nine realms and throughout their journey Kratos attempts to keeps his troubled past a secret from Atreus, who is unaware of his divine nature. 

Not many stories have me as enthralled as this game did. There are many twists and surprises that made my jaw drop. You can see that inspiration has been taken from games that have set the standard for narrative driven games such as the Uncharted series and The Last of Us. 

The gameplay is extremely rewarding. Kratos’ main weapon is a magical battle ax called the Leviathan Axe which you can hurl with ease at enemies and other targets. With the push of a button, Kratos is able to recall the ax and when it lands back in his hand the controller vibrates as if you have just caught it. Never have I experienced such a satisfying gameplay mechanic. And even after throwing the ax for the millionth time it still felt so gratifying when it returned to my hand. Using the Leviathan Axe to cut down enemies was always a flawless and fun experience with a lot of choice being placed on the player as to how they wanted to deal with the combat. Stay back and attack from a distance by throwing the ax or run in for some close quarters action. Strategy becomes even more important during boss battles when curtain attacks fail to cause any damage. 

Visually, God Of War is so pretty to look at. The environment looks so realistic and the motion capture used to create the characters is unbelievable. It makes me want to go out and buy a PS4 Pro and a 4K TV just so I can truly experience its full beauty. 

God Of War is hands down my game of the year for 2018 and I don’t think anything else will beat it out. If you don’t have a PS4 buy one for this game. If you have a PS4 and have slept on God Of War, what are you doing with your life? Go out, buy the game and play it. I promise it’ll be the best decision you ever make. 

5/5

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