2018's God of War by Santa Monica Studio is undoubtedly one of the best soft reboots of all time. When it was announced, fans of the franchise were alarmed by its changes, thinking it would not be the God of War title they all knew and loved. When it released, however, all doubts got thrown out the window.
The game itself is nothing short of phenomenal. It has incredible, immersive gameplay, a well-rounded story, and the game's attention to detail is intricate and sharp. It even has a ton of easter eggs fans can discover and be in awe with to boot.
10 Everything Is Different "Boy"
When the game got released in 2018, the first thing everybody noticed was how different the game was. It is a soft reboot, after all. Everyone noticed this, everyone acknowledged it. Amazingly, even the game itself acknowledged it.
During the boat ride back to their home, Atreus remarks how everything "feels different," referring to the atmosphere of the forest. Kratos then replies, "Everything is different, boy. Try not to dwell on it."Â Kratos' acknowledgment refers to both the change of atmosphere and the shift of the game's style itself.
9 The Troll Under The Bridge
God of War is an amazing game. It's almost a perfect game. Almost. One of the flaws many have acknowledged regarding the game is its lack of diversity when it comes to bosses. Be that as it may, the moment the players first encountered the first troll boss in the game, it was a memorable one. Kratos has always battled towering opponents, but to see it play out from the third-perspective is a different experience altogether.
During a prior gameplay trailer, the troll was supposed to attack Kratos and Atreus on the bridge where they spot the magical deer. Instead, the game changed it and placed the troll further down the level. Atreus remarks on this change, saying he thought a troll hiding the bridge was going to attack them.
8 Charlie
Atreus, Kratos' son, is one of the franchise's most welcome addition. As well-known as the name is now, in the gaming community anyway, there was a time when nobody knew what the boy's name was going to be.
This lead to many speculations and rumor-mongering. At one point, there were even reports that the boy's name would be "Charlie," which Cory Barlog, the game director, found laughable. To reference this, the studio behind the game decided to name one character in the game "Charlie." When Atreus speaks this out loud, Kratos remarks, "What is that name?" mirroring Cory Barlog's reaction to the name.
7 Dark Souls Easter Egg
When crafting this spectacular game, the creators behind the game noted a couple of other well-known and beloved titles that they used as inspiration. One of these games is the critically acclaimed, incredibly challenging game by FromSoftware Games called Dark Souls.
To honor the game in their own way, Santa Monica Studios put a very well-placed easter egg nodding the Dark Souls franchise in the form of a crystal loot lizard. This, of course, is a reference to Dark Souls' very own crystal lizards. Both are very nimble, require speed to catch, and provide a sizable loot once killed.
6 Marvel Easter Eggs
The new God of War game and the Marvel Cinematic Universe both heavily feature Norse mythology, but their similarities begin and end there. The game actually references the highly successful movie franchise a number of times, perhaps as a way of honoring the franchise, praising it, or simply acknowledging their minute similarities.
The way Kratos tells Atreus how different everything is is reminiscent of how James Rhodes nodded the casting change at the beginning of Iron Man 2. After Kratos and Atreus defeat the troll duo boss fight, Atreus calls them "puny trolls" the same way Hulk called Loki a "puny god" at the end of 2012's Avengers. On top of these, there's also a reference to the Infinity Gauntlet in the game, an item called Shattered Gauntlet of Ages, along with six enchantments that are nods to the six infinity stones.
5 You've Got A Friend In Me
Perhaps one of the most obscure, or far-removed from the franchise easter egg found in the game is the nod to Carole King's 1971 song, You've Got a Friend In Me. As Kratos and Atreus are heading up a tower on their way to the peak of a giant's hammer, they encounter a puzzle they must solve that involves the four seasons.
Atreus then comments that he knows the answer to the puzzle because his mother used to sing a song to him that reminds him of the puzzle. Mimir then says that he knows the song and just after singing the first word, which is "winter," Kratos tells him to keep quiet. The song Mimir is about to sing, and Atreus is referring to, is You've Got a Friend In Me. The line from the song is also the answer to the puzzle.
4 The Boat Captain
Long time fans of the franchise will know about the tragedy of a boat captain who has had the misfortune of coming across Kratos on several occasions. In the first God of War game, Kratos encounters a boat captain who he throws, or allows to drop, inside the belly of a hydra after claiming the key that he was wearing as a necklace. Later in the game, the same boat captain returns in a scene and Kratos kicks him down towards the underworld. This boat captain has made recurring appearances or mentions in the next God of War titles, including the 2018 soft reboot.
The boat captain's key treasure is an obvious reference to the aforementioned boat captain. A letter details someone who personally knows him, even mentions the time his journey towards the belly of a hydra.
3 The Cycle Ends Here
The game's final boss battle is the perfect thrilling climax to this incredible roller coaster of a game. The battle sees the father and son duo of Kratos and Atreus go against the mother and son uneasy alliance of Baldur and Freya.
During the final moments of this battle, Baldur snaps and attempts his mother, whom he blames for his supposed curse. As Freya was about to accept her fate, Kratos intervenes and grabs Baldur by the neck. Before ending his life, Kratos says, "The cycle ends here." This is the exact same line Zeus tells Kratos when he defeats him for the first time, referencing the tendency of gods to commit patricide and matricide.
2 "Loki" Easter Egg
Santa Monica Studios' God of War is filled with a plethora of references, secrets, nods to other titles, and easter eggs. However, out of the many the game community has managed to stumble upon, there's no other easter egg that garnered as much backing as hunting as the "Loki" easter egg, which is considered by many to be the final one that people found.
Cory Barlog himself, the game director of God of War, acknowledged the easter egg when it was finally found. After scouring the game's massive world, the player must only look towards Kratos and Atreus' home to find this easter egg. At each of the four corners of the family's home, there is an etched rune that when translated into English spell out "LOKI," Atreus' Jotnar name.
1 The God Of Thunder
The ending of God of War has been universally praised to the heavens. It was emotional, it was surprising, it was perfect. There is, however, a secret ending to the game not that many people know about. All the players have to do is to get back home and get some well-deserved rest right after the credits roll.
As both Kratos and Atreus drift to sleep, they are seemingly awoken by a loud thunderous roar from the heavens. Assuming they are under attack, they head outside only to be met face-to-face with the god of thunder himself. This turned out to be nothing more than just a dream, though. Or rather, a premonition of the future. A glimpse of what the next game will entail, perhaps.