The God of War series is known for many things, and one of them is its protagonist. Kratos is truly iconic, with the Ghost of Sparta being the playable character of every game since the franchise first appeared on PlayStation platforms. With over a decade of memorable moments, from the destruction of Olympus to his attempts at change in the 2018 Reboot, players have been on a journey with Kratos for some time now. However, Santa Monica should consider taking the risk on having Kratos pass the torch soon — and there is no better choice for a new God of War protagonist than Atreus.
With some excellent fan art recently showing what Atreus could look like as an adult, it is hard not to be excited about the possibility of a game led by Kratos’ son. Aside from new gameplay opportunities, as Atreus could boast a more refined fighting style than his rugged father, players could experience a story centered on a different kind of character. More sensitive and open with his feelings than his God-killing dad, Atreus could provide some fresh storytelling opportunities. Lastly, with a new trilogy should come a new mythology, allowing the series to reinvent itself once again.
With God of War’s much-discussed mural hinting at a dark fate for Kratos, it seems likely that the hero will fall during or after the events of Ragnarok. Whether it is by the hands of Thor or Odin, Kratos finally dying seems like something that is destined to happen. When it does, Atreus should take over in his place. Following a time jump, a version of Atreus that is either a teenager or in his early twenties could become the playable character of a new God of War spinoff.
With the Ragnarok event considered “the end of all things” in Norse Mythology, it makes sense that Ragnarok’s occurrence would mark the end of games centered on this collection of gods. With God of War 2018’s sequel likely exploring the Nine Realms further, and a potential third game making for a proper trilogy, Santa Monica will surely explore Norse mythology to its fullest. After the trilogy has concluded, moving on makes sense. Much like with what happened to the Greek pantheon in God of War 3, the Norse gods will likely be eradicated after Ragnarok. With Asgard in ruins and Kratos joining his wife in the afterlife, Atreus leaving Midgard behind makes sense.
Depicting a coming-of-age tale with a young adult version of Atreus, seeing Atreus journey to a new land and explore a world he does not know could prove incredibly interesting. In this scenario, there seems to be no better mythology to pull from than Ancient Egypt. With God of War 2018 almost being set in Egypt, Santa Monica clearly has some ideas for what they would do with that setting. With so many unique gods, from the dual-wielding God of the Underworld Osiris, to the dog-like God of the Dead Anubis, Atreus could take part in some truly unforgettable boss battles.
Much like how Kratos is a fish out of water throughout God of War 2018, the same type of situation could be seen with Atreus. Players could see him coming into his own at the start of the trilogy, with a slow burn like the latest God of War game showing that he is not in conflict with the Egyptian gods initially. With his Loki powers becoming stronger in each game, Atreus’ moveset could grow with him.
Flashbacks could see Atreus thinking back to his time with Kratos, like Ellie thought back to her time with Joel in The Last of Us 2, keeping an emotional connection alive for longtime fans to still see Kratos from time to time. Though ultimately these would be Atreus’ games, proving that the God of War IP can live on without the usual tortured protagonist.
While the climax of an Egyptian God of War trilogy would surely be a spectacular boss battle between the falcon-headed Sun god Ra and a fully powered Loki, the abilities of Atreus would make the lead-up to that fight just as entertaining. For starters, the character’s current bow and arrow would be extremely fun to wield inside a God of War game. If the bow mechanics are as tight as they are in the Horizon series, for example, using Atreus’ iconic weapon in-game could be a major change of pace for the series. Allowing for boss fights with ranged enemies as well as the ability for new magic arrows to be introduced, a solid base for the character’s moveset already exists.
With so much potential seen with the bow, there is a solid case to make Atreus playable sooner rather than later. However, a fully grown version of the character that is playable for the entirety of a God of War trilogy is going to need more than just a ranged option. Fortunately, the Egyptian mythology provides a solid base for a new weapon type. A scepter or staff could be given to Atreus, shooting blasts of magic while also being used as a melee weapon.
Beyond this, the Leviathan axe could serve as a carryover weapon that is shared between the Norse setting and the hypothetical Egyptian one. A hand-me-down item that brings a wave of nostalgia for both Atreus and the players, wielding the axe could bring about the same feelings that using the Blades of Chaos did in the last God of War game.
Finally, the best way to make Atreus fun to play is to make him everything Kratos is not. Like the fight with Baldur at the end of the most recent God of War title, Atreus is leaping around and doing flips over the villain’s head. Making him more agile would be a great way to diversify his God of War games from what has come before. Fast hits and a focus on dodging would be great to see, with both able to be easily enhanced by his powers. Letting him teleport short distances could make for some excellent combos, while Atreus disguising himself as foes and making copies of himself like Marvel’s Loki would add another layer to combat. Light stealth mechanics in God of War would also work well and be entirely new, and such features fit Loki’s character perfectly.
Atreus has the potential to introduce more diverse gameplay to God of War, and a fresh setting could make the most of his Loki-inspired powers. While moving away from Kratos would be a major change of pace for the God of War franchise, and would certainly be a risk on the part of Santa Monica, it is one worth taking. The past and the present of God of War has relied on Kratos, with the character serving as a bridge between the two most extensive and influential mythologies of all time. The future should rely on Atreus, with a focus on the character allowing for an original story to be told, within a mythology that is still ripe for exploration.
The God of War: Ragnarok sequel is slated for a 2021 release on PS5.
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