Kratos debuts on PS4 today with God of War III Remastered

By Danny Cowan Published July 14, 2015

Sony Santa Monica launched God of War III Remastered today, marking the popular action franchise’s first-ever appearance on the PlayStation 4.

God of War III Remastered upgrades the PS3 classic with 1080p, 60 frames-per-second presentation quality and a new photo mode that allows players to capture their favorite over-the-top moments in gory detail.

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Set in ancient Greece, God of War III finds series antihero Kratos on a quest for revenge against the Olympian gods, as is his wont, after being abandoned by the Titan Gaia. Gameplay progresses across a series of sweeping action scenes and platforming sequences bridged by combo-driven combat and brutal, quick time event enemy executions at the hands of Kratos, armed with his traditional swords on chains.

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Nearly every game in the God of War series has seen a remastered re-release at this point. God of War and its sequel hit the PlayStation 3 in 2009’s God of War Collection, and a PS Vita compilation later premiered in 2014.

A pair of prequel games originally released on the PSP – God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ghost of Sparta – were also remastered and launched for the PlayStation 3 in 2011’s God of War Origins Collection. Several compilations followed in the years afterward, including the Europe-exclusive God of War Trilogy and the series-spanning God of War Saga.

To commemorate the series’ 10-year anniversary, Sony has additionally partnered with creative production company iam8bit for a series of God of War-inspired movie posters from artists Jim Rugg, Doaly, and Nimit Malavia.

Last year Sony Santa Monica Studio head Cory Barlog admitted that they are indeed working on a brand new entry for the series, but that fans shouldn’t hold their breath until 2016 or 2017 at the earliest. Little is known about the next chapter other than that it will not be a prequel like God of War: Ascension.

God of War III Remastered is available exclusively via the PlayStation Network, and is priced at $40.

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God of War Ragnarok has much healthier things to say about parenting

As young creatives in entertainment industries get older and have children, more stories about reluctant but caring fathers are popping up in mainstream media. On the film and television side, movies like Logan and shows like The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan fit this mold. Sony has championed this kind of story on the video game front with 2013's The Last of Us and 2018's God of War, both stories about complicated dads forced to take care of a child (whether their real kid or a surrogate one). God of War Ragnarok, on the other hand, is more than just a "dad game," as it has a solid message that anyone can learn from to improve their personal relationships.
Instead of glorifying a parent-child relationship with some abusive and manipulative tendencies, God of War Ragnarok stresses how important it is to respect, listen to others, and give people space when they need it. Even if you aren't a dad, God of War Ragnarok still has a poignant message about communicating that anyone can take to heart.
This article contains light spoilers for God of War Ragnarok.
Communicating the problem
The typical dad narrative follows a set premise: A fierce warrior with a troubled past must learn to love something on his own. By the end of their journey, they've shared some tender moments with their child, whether they be blood-related or found, and decide they'll do whatever it takes to protect them. While these stories can be emotional and entertaining, they often have some unsavory undertones. These stories tend to herald characters who are overprotective of those they are close to, but justify it by showing that it comes from a place of love.
As a result, some of gaming's worst dads can be over-glorified. The Last of Us' Joel, for example, ends the game as a selfish man willing to deprive the world of a cure just because he doesn't want to lose another daughter. Still, he's remembered as a hero within the series and its fandom, with one of his most misguided lines being used to promote HBO's upcoming TV adaptation ("You have no idea what loss is."). These narratives still work on the whole; they just aren't shining examples of healthy relationships.
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Sony games have been getting more thoughtful about this. Joel suffers serious consequences for his terrible actions in The Last of Us Part II. On the flip side, God of War Ragnarok allows Kratos to improve as a person, critiquing his more ignorant actions and thematically offering lessons that anyone can learn from.
Although Kratos seemed to have a better relationship with his son by the end of God of War, we see that he's regressed back to being overprotective and restrictive to Atreus in Ragnarok. That behavior comes even as Atreus is getting older and trying to come to terms with his own identity. Throughout the game's opening, Atreus and Mimir constantly call out when he's not communicating, with Atreus going further and encouraging him to end Fimbulwinter.
Kratos makes it clear that all he cares about is Atreus' survival and spending as much time with him as possible before his prophesied death. He shocks Atreus by going out of his way to help his son free a trapped creature in an early side quest. Still, the first part of God of War Ragnarok highlights how Kratos ultimately struggles to communicate with Atreus, so his actions and comments feel spiteful and selfish, even when he wants to be helpful.

Kratos consistently pushes Atreus away at multiple points in the game, and so he goes on his own journeys. Kratos' failure is no longer because of inexperience; it's a communication issue. Throughout God of War Ragnarok, Kratos must learn that he can still be a guiding hand for Atreus but must also listen to his son and give him space when he needs it. Whether you're a parent or not, that's a good mindset to apply to any personal relationship.
In-game comms
The dangers of a lack of communication also reflect in other parts of the game. In the side-quest The Lost Treasure, Kratos encounters a father who died while searching for treasure on his own to prevent his son from being hurt. Upon further investigation, Kratos learns that the son also died because he tried doing the same thing with another treasure and didn't let them know. In an effort to protect each other, that father and son didn't communicate and suffered because of it. This otherwise insignificant side-quest thematically stands as a warning for how Kratos and Atreus' relationship could end up if they continue to be dysfunctional and not communicate.
Kratos and Atreus do hit a rough patch before things get better. Atreus ultimately defies Kratos on one of his adventures, meeting a character that he quickly begins to see as a more ideal father figure. He's kinder and more communicative -- though it becomes clear that his comments may have insidious ulterior motives. God of War Ragnarok demonstrates that relationships can't be constructive unless everyone is honest and open with each other.

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Every action game should take notes from God of War Ragnarok’s skill tree

Kratos looks at the Leviathan Axe.

Not every piece of God of War Ragnarok is a step up from its 2018 predecessor, but there's one area where it's an undeniable improvement: action. Like his last adventure, Kratos uses his heavy Leviathan Axe to chop up enemies and his Blades of Chaos to rain hellfire down. Both tools feel the same in the sequel but have been altered with the addition of elemental abilities that bring an extra set of moves and decisions to combat.

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These God of War Ragnarok settings made my playthrough much better

Kratos and Atreus sail on water in God of War Ragnarok.

There are a lot of reasons to be excited about God of War Ragnarok, which launches on PS4 and PS5 today. The action-adventure sequel is another high-quality first-party game for PlayStation owners, following up 2018’s hit God of War reboot with a bigger (though relatively equal) experience. Some fans may be eager to see Kratos' story continue, while others just might be itching to swing the ever-so-satisfying Leviathan Ax again.

What was I most excited to see and do when I booted it up? Open the settings menu.

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