Highlights
- God of War games could benefit from reintroducing Ascension's multiplayer mode to expand gameplay options while maintaining a cinematic focus.
- God of War's evolution from hack-and-slash to prestige gaming reflects the series' growth, making room for new modes like cooperative play.
- Introducing a different multiplayer style in God of War could offer novel experiences, tapping into its combat strengths and expanding Sony's multiplayer portfolio.
Modern God of War games exist within a successful single-player, story-driven framework, but they could be broadened to include a controversial feature from God of War: Ascension. Bringing back this divisive inclusion would allow the next God of War to keep its cinematic focus while offering more diverse gameplay options.
Though God of War is now thought of as a highly polished 'prestige gaming' title similar to something like The Last of Us, this wasn't always the case. In the days of the PS2 and PS3, the franchise was firmly tethered to hack-and-slash conventions, featuring a fixed camera angle, flashy, frenetic combat, over-the-top action set pieces, and a narrative that, while iconic and well-written, was characterized by a decidedly different tone. Nowhere is this difference in design philosophy more apparent than in 2013's God of War: Ascension, which featured a multiplayer mode that some fans considered unnecessary. It's true that Ascension followed the trend of hitching a multiplayer mode to a traditionally single-player franchise, and while this mode certainly isn't perfect, it has the potential to be iterated upon in a new God of War game, to great success.
Atreus' Journey in God of War Hopefully Won't Be Solo for Long
After everything that was set up during God of War Ragnarok, a solo game led by Atreus wouldn't be complete if someone didn't join him along the way.
Adding Multiplayer to the Next God of War
God of War's single-player story should still be central to the overall experience of the next game, but additional game modes shouldn't be ruled out. God of War: Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC proves how enjoyable an isolated and experimental game mode can be, and while another version of this roguelike spin-off might make a return, multiplayer could serve as another unique way to engage with God of War's gameplay systems.
God of War: Ascension's Multiplayer
Multiplayer in God of War: Ascension features fairly typical progression systems and modes. Players can select a class and unlock various pieces of gear and cosmetics by participating in PvP and PvE matches, including free-for-all battles, team deathmatches, and capture the flag. Revisiting or reworking these gameplay modes while implementing God of War's new Norse mythology elements and more methodical combat mechanics could make for a fun take on hack-and-slash multiplayer.
Modernizing God of War's Multiplayer
While a theoretical God of War multiplayer mode could just rehash Ascension's approach, it could also adopt a different style altogether, perhaps playing with the formula of a MOBA or hero shooter, letting players experiment with different character archetypes in competitive matches based around teamwork and synergy. Granted, this would require quite a bit of work for the developers, as balancing and fleshing out each character or class would be a potentially arduous endeavor, but it could pay off. Ultimately, this sort of multiplayer mode could play to God of War's strengths while being novel and exciting for even the most veteran players.
The gameplay of modern God of War could also be suited to cooperative play, with a horde or base defense mode seeming particularly fitting. Through this approach, God of War's combat would truly be pushed to its limits, pitting a small group of players against an overwhelming enemy force that gets more powerful and numerous with each wave. It could be a fresh take on something like Call of Duty's famous Zombies mode, focusing on mastery of melee combat rather than shooting mechanics.
The brutally difficult Valhalla DLC allows God of War's combat mechanics to shine by recontextualizing them, giving players different progression opportunities and stripping away other gameplay components like puzzle-solving. Multiplayer could achieve something similar by setting players in a competitive or cooperative environment, with either slight or transformative changes to the combat formula. Sony has been transparent about its desire to expand its multiplayer portfolio, and God of War could be part of this expansion.
