Developer Sony Santa Monica is back with a completely different Kratos in “God of War 4.” He now looks old, though still brutal, and is a father to a kid named Atreus. Above all, the upcoming game shifts away from the classic Greek mythology setting that the franchise was known for.
“God of War 4” brings players in a strange setting wrapped in Norse mythology. The storyline, in particular, is a complete shift from the franchise, which had the main protagonist wielding the titular Blade of Chaos. Interestingly, the developers of the forthcoming title just revealed the concept art that helped established the central core of the title.
The concept art that jumpstarted it all
According to the official site of Sony’s console PlayStation, the developers unveiled a very interesting story about how a certain artwork changed the course of the series entirely. It basically helped the studio set the tone they always wanted for the forthcoming game. The artwork was courtesy of Jose Peña, who, ironically, was not given enough attention by the developers at the get-go. This was due to the company looking for a different direction that time. Regardless, it did not stop Peña from doing what he loved. Eventually, he helped the team established the main core of the title.
Peña basically sat down with the game's director Cory Barlog who, during that time, was immediately hooked by the artist’s art.
At first, Peña never expected for such opportunity to be bestowed upon him. He did not even have the slightest idea that the concept art he made has was the fuel needed to jumpstart the new title. He eventually received a call from Barlog, informing him about their new planned direction.
Barlog fell in love with the art
Barlog can still remember the very moment he fell in love with the concept art for “God of War 4.” He revealed that it captured “exactly” what he and the team were looking for.
It offered a stellar grounding connected to all known historical illustrations. “This artwork truly became the beacon and lit the path for us,” Barlog exclaimed. He even iterated that everything they have done in the new installment was “referred back” to Peña’s piece.
“God of War 4” is set to hit the shelves sometime in 2018, though no exact date has really been unveiled. It will be PlayStation 4 game only, with a promise of a brand new gameplay experience. Barlog mentioned previously that the thing players will love the most about the title is its combat system.
