Highlights
- God of War Ragnarok concludes Kratos' story arc and sets up Atreus for his own spin-off, as he embarks on a quest to find his remaining kin.
- Playing as Atreus offers a different combat experience with his bow, but a spin-off should expand his offensive options for more enjoyable gameplay.
- Atreus' growing powers should be showcased gradually in his own game, allowing players to witness his development and explore his full capabilities.
God of War Ragnarok concluded Kratos' time within Norse Mythology, satisfyingly tying up the protagonist's story arc and leaving his future uncertain. His son, Atreus, finds himself setting out on his own quest after Ragnarok's climax, as he vows to find any of his remaining kin, the giants. This setting seems primed to give Atreus his own God of War spin-off, as he finally breaks out from under his father's shadow and goes on his own quest. Should this spin-off materialize though, it's important that developer Santa Monica Studio gets the pacing right by slowly introducing players to Atreus' offensive options.
While Kratos' character arc saw the battle-hardened veteran go on a journey of self-discovery from which he emerged as a caring and devoted father, Atreus was busy discovering his own identity throughout God of War and, more prevalently, its sequel Ragnarok. Players got to know the young god of mischief much more intimately throughout Ragnarok, even getting to play as him through several segments in which Kratos was absent. In a combat-focused game, playing as Atreus presented gamers with a very different experience compared to his visceral, unforgiving father. In a spin-off in which he is the protagonist, though, this would feel much less jarring.
An Atreus-centered God of War Spinoff Can Showcase Atreus' Growing Powers
Despite its overwhelming critical and commercial success, there were some that felt that Ragnarok's pacing was a little awkward, in part due to the switching back and forth between Kratos and Atreus segments. Kratos, a man at the absolute height of his powers, has access to a plethora of brutal attacking options to quickly dispatch his enemies, ensuring that all of his combat segments are exciting and varied for players. In contrast, Atreus uses only a bow for both short and long-ranged attacks, and while he does gain access to more moves as the game develops, his combat segments are never quite as fun due to the distinct lack of options when compared to his father.
Atreus is clearly extremely adept with his bow, proving to be a precise and relentless shot, but his melee skills definitely need some enhancement. While it served its purpose in Ragnarok, using a bow as a makeshift melee weapon won't cut it if Atreus gets his own game. He will need to familiarize himself with more traditional weapons. That doesn't necessarily mean he should have to use the same weapons as Kratos, but his arsenal must substantially grow alongside his godly powers.
Santa Monica Studios may be tempted to give Atreus a full suite of powers early into his own adventure, to ensure players feel that they have the necessary variety they have come to expect from the franchise's combat. While this would have its merits, it would be far less rewarding than watching his powers grow at a more natural rate over the course of the game. Players have already been given a glimpse of Atreus' capabilities during God of War Ragnarok, where it's learned that he can shapeshift, and the limits of his powers are as yet undiscovered.
Whether Atreus will get his own spin-off remains to be seen. Kratos will return, for sure, but Santa Monica Studios has put enough stock into Atreus' character that a God of War spin-off feels like the natural thing to do. Should it come to fruition, allowing players the chance to see his powers develop as the game progresses will undoubtedly showcase Atreus' full capabilities like never before.
God of War Ragnarok is available for PS4 and PS5.
