Highlights

The heart of the God of War games lies in the developing relationship between Kratos and his son Atreus

The heart of God of War: Ragnarok and its predecessor is the developing relationship between the Ghost of Sparta and his child, Atreus. It was a questionable narrative decision given Kratos’ tragic past, but Atreus shone from the opening scenes of the rebooted series. The chatter around the son’s’ future could suggest his story is far from over, and while a solo adventure would be a fresh change, the series and its creator are strong indicators that Atreus would get company.

God of War’s Norse Adventure is a Sociable One

Though Kratos takes center stage, his journey across Midgard and the rest of the Norse realms is far from lonely, with personalities following him to the end of the earth and beyond. Each one is unique and puts the Spartan in a different position, as spending time with Mimir he becomes a history student, whereas being with Atreus he has to be the protective father. It does such a good job showing different sides of the protagonist, despite his regular reluctance to speak freely.

Kratos is Little More than Mute, Atreus Loves to Chat

If God of War was a lonely affair, it would also be a very quiet one, as Kratos is far from chatty. It’s an essential part of his character, making it so rewarding when he does decide to offer insight, wisdom, or information. Surprisingly, his son is more of an open book, as Atreus spends most of the 2018 game asking questions, and the second game searching for answers. He’s a perfect contrast to Kratos, but the scenes away from his father are also compelling, and show that he’s more than ready to carry a story of his own.

Companions for Atreus in an Atreus-Centric Game

However, that doesn’t mean that someone else can’t have the same impact on him that he had on Kratos. Having a companion follow Atreus to wherever the developer decides to take him could be the catalyst for exploring sides of the character that are yet to be thought about, let alone explored in any depth. It’s more than possible that he’ll be given company if an Atreus-centric game ever comes to light, as it’s a formula that the studio knows can work wonders. If Santa Monica does decide to pivot to an Atreus-led adventure, it’s hard to imagine that he will spend much of it alone, as he’s always had the luxury of stalwart allies and menacing villains. Isolating him by not including a companion would be a waste of a good opportunity for great character development.

God of War Ragnarok is available now for PS4 and PS5.