Summary
God of War Ragnarokexpanded on the expectations laid out by its 2018 predecessor in a number of ways. It repeated the same tone, gameplay fundamentals, and setting, but it also added new combat mechanics, massive open areas, and several new characters who will hopefully get moretime to shine in futureGod of Warentries. One of the most significant new features, however, was the collection of missions where the player took control of Atreus. Letting players alternate between Kratos and Atreus throughout the game was a great decision, but one that shouldn’t be repeated in its successor.
The Atreus segments ofGod of War Ragnarokintroduced plenty of value to the game; since Kratos didn’t get much of a combat overhaul, just some new skills and one new weapon, the addition of combat encounters that were focused more on ranged and magic attacks kept the gameplay from feeling repetitive. More importantly, these sections fleshed out Atreus as a character, letting him have his own experiences and adventures apart from his father. This has led many to believe that thenextGod of Warwill star Atreusrather than Kratos. As Kratos grows older and moves away from a life of violence, this change would certainly make sense.
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The Next God of War Should Give Atreus Room to Breathe
After putting players in the shoes of Atreus inRagnarok, it’s highly likely that he will return as a playable character in the next game, but he should be the one and only playable character, not share the spotlight. There are ways that the nextGod of Warcould repeat historywith Atreus, and it would certainly be a risky move, but there are several reasons why making him the star of the next game is the way to go.
One of the most obvious reasons why a total shift to Atreus as the sole protagonist makes sense is a logistical one; Atreus and Kratos part ways at the end ofRagnarok, so their paths aren’t likely to cross any time soon. Aside from the physical distance between the two, there are also maturity and life stage differences, as it seems that Kratos is effectively headed toward retirement at the end ofRagnarok. ModernGod of Warhas focused on themesof peaceful mentorship and nonviolence, so it would feel forced if Kratos was to be featured as a major playable character again, as this would likely involve combat.
It’s possible thatGod of War Ragnarok’s sequel could feature yet another playable character such as Angrboda or even Sindri, but this could also be a mistake. While these are beloved and interesting characters, they should not be jostling with Atreus for the spotlight. Atreus needs to fully step out of the shadow of Kratos and his other mentors and become an independent character.
Keeping Atreus as the only playable character could have a positive impact on gameplay as well. The nextGod of Warcould end the trendof Kratos receiving a new weapon in every game by keeping Kratos out of the action entirely. Then, the series could build a new collection of legendary weapons, gear, and combat mechanics centered around Atreus.
The main idea is this: Atreus represents the future, not just withinGod of War’s story as the son of Kratos, but for the franchise as a whole. Atreus contains a world of both storytelling and gameplay potential, but this potential can’t be realized if players are switching between him and another playable character. For Atreus to grow, he needs to be the main focus of the story and of the gameplay moving forward.
God of War Ragnarokis available now for PS4 and PS5.
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