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God of War Ragnarok, the sequel to the phenomenal God of War (2018) that kept fans waiting for a long time, was finally released around a month back.
Although God of War Ragnarok lost the crown of Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2022 to FromSoftware's open-world magnum opus, Elden Ring, in no way, shape, or form did it fail to surpass the expectations fans had from a sequel to one of the best action-adventure games of the eighth console generation.
While the sequel is built on the foundations laid down by the previous title, Santa Monica Studio did introduce a host of new features and gameplay additions, as well as minor quality of life changes to the experience. Both the storytelling and gameplay of God of War Ragnarok feels like a step-up from the 2018 original, with noticeable improvements made to the combat system as well as narrative delivery.
One of the most surprising new additions to the game has to be the playable Atreus sections. God of War Ragnarok features a handful of moments where players take control of Kratos' teenage son as he tries to forge his own path. These sections, although relatively short, feel like a set-up for an Atreus led God of War spin-off, or perhaps a full-fledged sequel, here's how.
Note: The article contains spoilers for God of War Ragnarok.
While the Atreus sections in God of War Ragnarok were relatively short, they gave fans an insight into what a spin-off or sequel led by the character might feel like
Atreus is easily the most important character in the new God of War games, besides the titular Spartan himself. Ever since Santa Monica Studios introduced fans to Kratos' son and made him a vital part of gameplay and the story of the Norse saga, fans have been wondering what an Atreus-led God of War spin-off would look and play like.
While God of War Ragnarok is very much about Kratos and a phenomenal closure to the Ghost of Sparta's Norse journey, it is also the story of his son, Atreus, who is known to his Jotun kin as "Loki," the Norse god of mischief.
Although Atreus is not portrayed as the infamous trickster god, who ends up bringing Ragnarok to Odin and the Aesir's doorsteps in Norse mythology, he still retains a few of the attributes associated with "Loki".
One of Loki's well-known abilities is shapeshifting, much like the All-Father himself. While Atreus cannot shapeshift into anyone at his will, he is shown to able to transform into the mythical bear "Bjorn," as well as into a wolf. Although Atreus' bear transformations are scripted, players have control over his wolf transformation, which acts as his rage form (L3+R3) during gameplay.
The gameplay sections with Atreus are in stark contrast to that of Kratos. Where the Ghost of Sparta has access to multiple weapons, from his iconic Blades of Chaos to the Leviathan Axe as well as the newly added Draupnir Spear, Atreus only has his bow and runic summons at his disposal. Playing as Atreus feels very methodical, since he is mostly geared towards ranged combat, rather than close-quarter fisticuffs.
It seems Santa Monica Studio just wanted to give players a hint at what a full-fledged game with Atreus as the primary protagonist will feel like, without overwhelming them with an intricate combat system.
Much like how God of War (2018) laid down the foundations for God of War Ragnarok in terms of Kratos' story and gameplay elements, the Atreus sections in the sequel feel like a testing ground for the developers for a future Atreus-led title.
The ending of God of War Ragnarok also cemented the idea of a Atreus led sequel or spin-off for the future of the God of War franchise.
While the series is primarily known for Kratos and his god-killing ventures, it can be a breath of fresh air for fans to finally get to experience the series from the perspective of a different character. And who better to portray the lead in a God of War spin-off than Kratos' own son, "Boy," aka Atreus.
