Last year, God of War Ragnarok hit shelves and digital storefronts worldwide. One of the game's more surprising aspects was that it had gamers take control of Kratos' son, Atreus, for significant portions of the runtime. This has led some to speculate that Atreus could be the new lead for the God of War franchise. Unfortunately, he has one significant disadvantage over Kratos in the games.
Atreus was first introduced to the franchise as the new son of series protagonist Kratos in the 2018 game, simply titled God of War. The game revealed that a significant amount of time had passed since the events of God of War 3. What made Kratos interesting was that he had significantly changed since the events of the third game but was still harboring a great deal of rage that he desperately tried to keep under control. This is an aspect that Atreus lacks, putting him at a huge disadvantage in terms of how interesting he might be as a lead character.
Kratos’ Violent Nature in the God of War Games
There is an argument to be made that Kratos is the true villain of the God of War franchise. The character is a ball of pure rage who exacts revenge on all those who have wronged him, regardless of what it costs. Throughout the first six games, the character killed his own family, destroyed cities, and even caused something of a Greek apocalypse at the end of the third game. This, in turn, is what made the character so unique in the video game medium and made his eventual return all the more interesting.
By the time the 2018 game takes place, it's clear that Kratos has learned to keep much of his rage in check. However, it is made very clear that his old nature is boiling just beneath the surface. For example, it doesn't take much for Kratos to decide to fight Baldur in one of God of War's memorable boss battles. However, he does try to keep it at bay in order to be a better role model for his son.
God of War Ragnarok, in turn, develops Kratos further by making his primary struggle about conflict and his desire to avoid it. He no longer wishes to be an instrument of war but keeps finding himself the most capable one of leading the charge against Odin's schemes. Unfortunately, Atreus lacks this kind of backstory and conflict, which gives him something of a disadvantage as a lead character.
Atreus' Good Nature in the God of War Games
The Norse games made a few things clear about Kratos' son. Atreus' best trait in God of War Ragnarok was his empathy and a general desire to befriend everyone. At the same time, he's arguably a bit on the naive side which leads to bigger issues and conflicts throughout the game. However, it is also clear that the character is fundamentally a good person who wants to do the right thing, even if he doesn't necessarily know what the right thing actually is.
This was further driven home when players took control of him, showing Atreus' best moments in God of War Ragnarok. These sections saw the character make friends with the Aesir and try to find a way to avoid war. These scenes, while clever in their own right, lacked the same punch as his father's more dramatic moments throughout the games. While none of this makes him a bad character, it does make him less conflicted and compelling than Kratos.
Currently, it's impossible to say what direction the God of War franchise will take. Santa Monica Studio recently started hiring for an unannounced title and there is no way to know if it will be another sequel or a new IP. If the game is a new God of War sequel that follows Atreus, however, it will have a big challenge to overcome.
God of War: Ragnarok is available now for PS4 and PS5.
