Highlights
- God of War's revival went beyond simply continuing the original franchise, with reimagined combat, a more personal story scale, and a more intimate presentation.
- While God of War Ragnarok concludes the Norse saga, there are still unresolved story threads and potential for the next game to explore new locations and pantheons.
- The next God of War title needs to make significant changes, embracing a new style of presentation and potentially exploring destinations like Egypt, Japan, or Celtic lands for a stylistic shift.
God of War received more than just a reboot. When creatives in any medium set out to revive a franchise, the goal is most often to recapture what made the original great and to give fans more of what they love. God of War's revival, on the other hand, set out to be much more than just more of the original franchise. Santa Monica Studio reimagined every piece of the experience. Combat is more methodical, the scale of the story is much more personal, and the presentation was adjusted to make the experience more intimate. God of War and its sequel God of War Ragnarok are unique from the original franchise, and whatever comes next needs to do the same.
Long before the game was even released, it was confirmed that God of War Ragnarok is the end of the Norse saga. The game ends on a somewhat conclusive note, with Kratos surviving his death which he saw in a prophecy, and learning that he may come to be revered. Atreus patches things up with his father and becomes more independent, setting out to search for the other remaining giants. While the main conflicts of the Norse saga are resolved, there are still many questions about characters like Sindri and Tyr. While there are still remaining story threads, the next game could certainly move elsewhere.
The Next God of War Needs To Switch Things Up Again
The next God of War title needs to change things up in the same way that God of War (2018) did. While the next title will almost certainly see Kratos or Atreus taking on a different pantheon of gods, the changes need to go deeper than this. When the series was rebooted it received sweeping stylistic changes and a new combat system. While it might be unfeasible to redesign the series yet again from the ground up, a new style of presentation should be embraced. God of War's one-shot camera style is iconic, but diverting from this could be one way to make things fresh again.
The God of War: Fallen God comics suggest that Kratos' next destination could be Egypt. Setting the game in Egypt could present the developers with a ton of really cool opportunities. The camera could be placed further back to show more of the vast desert and sprawling open areas associated with it. The scale of the Egyptian desert would also lend to cinematic shots quite well. Egypt, due to its location, was a hub for cultural exchange, especially with the Greeks. Because of this status, sending Kratos there could allow him to face foes from various mythologies and even figures that survived the original trilogy.
Where Else Could God of War Go Next?
An Egyptian setting could prove to be an awkward fit, however. Interviews have suggested that God of War (2018) was almost set in Egypt. This was decided against because of the convoluted nature of the mythology which saw real, living pharaohs as divine. This setting could force the developers to tie in too many real-world historical elements. A tapestry seen in the game shows Tyr surrounded by the symbols of Egyptian, Celtic, and Shinto mythologies, so Kratos traveling to Japan or Celtic lands could be just as likely. All of these destinations would allow for a big stylistic shift for the developers.
Wherever Kratos goes next, Santa Monica will have to work hard to make sure that it integrates the mythological weapons and ideas of that location into the gameplay as well as it did in its 2018 reboot. What's most important is that the studio takes time to re-imagine what the series can be again. God of War (2018) and Ragnarok were successful in part because they took fans off guard and humanized Kratos, and the next God of War must dare to be just as big of a departure for the series.
God of War is available now on PC and PS4.
