One of the things that makes God of War so good is the way it builds on its past. It isn't really a reboot but a sequel that evolves on the previous games in the series. Throughout the game we are reminded of Kratos' past it adds depth to his character, intrigue to his future, and tension to his relationships. In terms of visuals this is the best looking game I have seen. The story telling is among the best in any game, although the plot itself is a bit on the simple side. It is also the longest God of War game and nearly all of that time is well spent. There are a few weak areas that hold the game back though. While combat is good the movement through the game world is very limited and linear. The amount of free motion and interactivity is very limited for a modern game and I often found it confining. The game is among the best I have played in many areas and does only a few things poorly but its has just enough flaws to hold me back from giving it the top score.

Gameplay 8.5/10 - While I grew to love the combat by the end of the game I found it sluggish at first. At the start Kratos has very few abilities and his movements are quite slow. Thankfully as the game progresses more and more abilities are unlocked and the variety of combat becomes very good. All the abilities that are unlocked seamlessly work together to improve the combat experience, There are multiple difficulty options that can be changed at any time so you can set your pace if you want to focus on the story or the challenge. There are a lot of puzzles throughout the game and while I did find some of them to be a chore most were fun and there was enough variety to keep things interesting. Menu systems are a bit confusing at first, there are lots of options and upgrading gear is a bit counter intuitive. My biggest complaint with gameplay is that it is very confining. The areas you move through are mostly narrow paths. For a modern game it seemed extremely limited. Kratos cannot swim and almost all motion throughout the world is scripted.

Story/Progression 9.5/10 - The story telling is amazing. The dialog between the characters flows seamlessly throughout the entire experience without interruption or repetition. It really does feel like playing a movie. Last gen The Last of Us raised the standard of story telling in games and this gen God of War has taken it to the next level. The story nearly perfectly blends into the gameplay without ever feeling forced or unnatural and is paced very well. My only problem with the story is that the conclusion was a bit broken up and anti-climatic. Over all though, it is some of the best story telling any game.

World 8/10 - The world is beautiful and full of deep lore. Everything you encounter has meaning and thought put into it. It is a unique take on Norse Mythology and it brilliantly compliments the other games in the series. The world itself is a joy to experience but in term of interactivity it is quite limited. While the game appears large and open it is really just a lot of narrow pathways. Unlike games like the Witcher 3 or Horzion: Zero Dawn, there are many places you cannot go. It is not an open world or even open area. It is a beautifully decorated web of pathways. The world building is amazing but for a modern game I expect more freedom.

Characters 10/10 - Kratos has always been iconic but it the past he was kind of basic. This game transforms him from a mascot into a truly believable, deep and fleshed out character. What is so brilliant is that it does so without sacrificing who he was. His past defines his present in a natural way. He carries guilt in a subtle way and he is full of emotional conflict. He is a strong character but he has vulnerability. There are few better game characters. Atreus is a also very well developed and the relationship between the two works very well. While the cast is quite small compared to a game like the WItcher, the side characters are still well written and felt believable.

Visual Design 10/10 - The visuals speak for themselves, even without the PS4 Pro the game looks incredible. The level of detail is just amazing. Not only is it technically beautiful but artistically as well. Every area is designed with care. Each location has unique visual elements. The models, effects, and animations compliment each other to look even better than the cut scenes in past games. I have been waiting a long time for in gameplay to have cinematic appeal and God of War delivers that.

Sound Design 10/10 - Everything in the game sounds good but the voice acting is the standout, there is constant dialog throughout the game and I never once got sick of it because it is all so well delivered. Each character is perfectly captured by their voice. The soundtrack itself is also great and has its own style without ever being distracting. Sound effects were very satisfying in pretty much every area.

One of the things that makes God of War so good is the way it builds on its past. It isn't really a reboot but a sequel that evolves on the previous games in the series. Throughout the game we are reminded of Kratos' past it adds depth to his character, intrigue to his future, and tension to his relationships. In terms of visuals this is the best looking game I have seen. The story telling is among the best in any game, although the plot itself is a bit on the simple side. It is also the longest God of War game and nearly all of that time is well spent. There are a few weak areas that hold the game back though. While combat is good the movement through the game world is very limited and linear. The amount of free motion and interactivity is very limited for a modern game and I often found it confining. The game is among the best I have played in many areas and does only a few things poorly but its has just enough flaws to hold me back from giving it the top score. Gameplay 8.5/10 - While I grew to love the combat by the end of the game I found it sluggish at first. At the start Kratos has very few abilities and his movements are quite slow. Thankfully as the game progresses more and more abilities are unlocked and the variety of combat becomes very good. All the abilities that are unlocked seamlessly work together to improve the combat experience, There are multiple difficulty options that can be changed at any time so you can set your pace if you want to focus on the story or the challenge. There are a lot of puzzles throughout the game and while I did find some of them to be a chore most were fun and there was enough variety to keep things interesting. Menu systems are a bit confusing at first, there are lots of options and upgrading gear is a bit counter intuitive. My biggest complaint with gameplay is that it is very confining. The areas you move through are mostly narrow paths. For a modern game it seemed extremely limited. Kratos cannot swim and almost all motion throughout the world is scripted. Story/Progression 9.5/10 - The story telling is amazing. The dialog between the characters flows seamlessly throughout the entire experience without interruption or repetition. It really does feel like playing a movie. Last gen The Last of Us raised the standard of story telling in games and this gen God of War has taken it to the next level. The story nearly perfectly blends into the gameplay without ever feeling forced or unnatural and is paced very well. My only problem with the story is that the conclusion was a bit broken up and anti-climatic. Over all though, it is some of the best story telling any game. World 8/10 - The world is beautiful and full of deep lore. Everything you encounter has meaning and thought put into it. It is a unique take on Norse Mythology and it brilliantly compliments the other games in the series. The world itself is a joy to experience but in term of interactivity it is quite limited. While the game appears large and open it is really just a lot of narrow pathways. Unlike games like the Witcher 3 or Horzion: Zero Dawn, there are many places you cannot go. It is not an open world or even open area. It is a beautifully decorated web of pathways. The world building is amazing but for a modern game I expect more freedom. Characters 10/10 - Kratos has always been iconic but it the past he was kind of basic. This game transforms him from a mascot into a truly believable, deep and fleshed out character. What is so brilliant is that it does so without sacrificing who he was. His past defines his present in a natural way. He carries guilt in a subtle way and he is full of emotional conflict. He is a strong character but he has vulnerability. There are few better game characters. Atreus is a also very well developed and the relationship between the two works very well. While the cast is quite small compared to a game like the WItcher, the side characters are still well written and felt believable. Visual Design 10/10 - The visuals speak for themselves, even without the PS4 Pro the game looks incredible. The level of detail is just amazing. Not only is it technically beautiful but artistically as well. Every area is designed with care. Each location has unique visual elements. The models, effects, and animations compliment each other to look even better than the cut scenes in past games. I have been waiting a long time for in gameplay to have cinematic appeal and God of War delivers that. Sound Design 10/10 - Everything in the game sounds good but the voice acting is the standout, there is constant dialog throughout the game and I never once got sick of it because it is all so well delivered. Each character is perfectly captured by their voice. The soundtrack itself is also great and has its own style without ever being distracting. Sound effects were very satisfying in pretty much every area.