One of the strangest changes made in 2018's God of War was the way the new version of Kratos with a huge new beard and indications of aging having taxed his body. So, naturally some fans of the original title have started looking for how to get the original God of Wars' Kratos back into the new game and live out the power fantasy as it was on the PS2 and PS3.
A new video by modder Speclizer shows what the latest God of War could have looked like, if the series hadn't gone through with the overhaul of Kratos' original look. Though, the look can be uncanny at times for those who have become familiar with the new version of Kratos and his hearty beard and dad bod.
The mod itself turns the old man Kratos into his form from the original God of War design by removing the new beard and stripping him of his armor to emulate the original design. It doesn't quite age down the character's wrinkled skin or brighten the faded ash and tattoos that cover his skin, though his clean shaven face does look quite a bit younger with only the small difference. However, while the return of the old look is interesting to see alongside Atreus and the other new characters introduced in the latest title, it's fairly clear that players were never meant to see under his armor.
One thing that really stands out about this modded recreation of the original God of War's Kratos is the fact that his body doesn't quite keep its proportions without the armor that the character consistently wears throughout the latest title. It's mostly in the right arm and shoulder, as well as his back, where the model was likely designed with the armor that would be surrounding it in mind. However, the work done to get his chin to hit the same hard angles from the original is spot on, really bridging the gap between the two drastically different designs of the character.
Considering that the original God of War trilogy was successful enough with this version of Kratos for Santa Monica Studio to start this new era of the series, there are clearly players that are attached to this design. Thankfully, that's what modders like Speclizer are here for, with the ability to wind back the clock and see these characters in their original glory. So, even if there are a few blemishes on the model, it's still a sight worth checking out.
God of War is available now for PS4.
