When God of War ventured into its Norse saga, a lot of things changed. The series adopted a new camera perspective that put gamers closer to the action. Kratos is still the star of the show, but he is joined by his son Atreus who must make his own mistakes as he grows up and accepts the responsibility that comes with his strength. From 2018's God of War to God of War Ragnarok, gamers witness Atreus mature and change, which makes for some satisfying character development. This is something that Red Dead Redemption 3 could parrot, allowing players to see a beloved character develop over time.
There already is a perfect character to play the role -- Jack Marston, who is introduced in Red Dead Redemption. Players learn more about him in the prequel, Red Dead Redemption 2. A third game could closely follow Jack's development as he chooses whether to follow in his father's footsteps or walk his own path.
Atreus' Maturation in the God of War Norse Saga
Atreus is the son of Kratos and Laufey the giantess. In 2018's God of War, Kratos and Atreus go on a journey to rest Laufey's ashes at the highest point of the Nine Realms. As one might expect, the adventure is far from straightforward, and along the way, they run into danger from several sources. Though Kratos often wishes to go the peaceful route, once Atreus discovers that he is a descendant of the gods, he quickly grows drunk with power. Fortunately, Kratos is around to lend Atreus the advice he needs, as Kratos has let his hubris lead him to many mistakes already.
In God of War Ragnarok, Atreus is a bit older, and with that his personality has changed. He is far more willing to defy his father, though he does not do so for the sake of being rebellious. Rather, he is old enough to develop his own ideas and even reject his father's instructions. Atreus' maturation is highlighted in Kratos' dialogue, as he no longer calls Atreus "boy." By allowing players to see Atreus grow up and form his own ideas and beliefs about the world, the character gains far more depth, and players can better understand why Atreus makes some of the risky choices he does.
How Jack Can Emulate Atreus' Growth in the God of War Norse Saga
Jack is the son of John Marston and Abigail Marston, and his story is quite tragic. He spends his early years with the Van der Linde gang where he is exposed to a few traumatic events, though he also receives love from characters like Arthur Morgan. Red Dead Redemption's epilogue features Jack Marston as a seasoned gunslinger looking not much different from his father. He realizes that he has become the very outlaw he never wanted to be, but his future is not set in stone yet. Red Dead Redemption 3 could continue Jack Marston's story, giving fans closure regarding his story and what path he chooses for his life.
God of War's Norse saga offers a good framework for illustrating the growth of a character over multiple games. This is something the Red Dead Redemption has experimented with as well, as gamers witness characters change over the events of RDR and its prequel. Red Dead Redemption 3 could take this further with Jack Marston, whose story feels like it is far from finished.
God of War Ragnarok is available now on PS4 and PS5.
