The moment developer Sony Santa Monica unveiled “God of War 4,” fans and gamers alike were in shock. They were surprised to see Kratos donning a beard while having to look after a kid as he is a father already. But apart from all of these, the most noticeable one is his choice of weapon: an axe.
In the previous three titles, the main protagonist of “God of War 4” was known to wield the Blades of Athena/Chaos. The titular chain-swords made the character lethal, using it to whip, hack and even twirl his way to monsters. With the fourth installment, however, he will be shifting to an axe.
Reason behind a shift on Kratos’ signature weapon in “God of War 4”
Many were wondering why the developers chose to remove Kratos’ titular chain-swords. After all, it grew to be part of him; it is as if he cannot be called Kratos if he does not wield it. Interestingly, game director Cory Barlog revealed that there is a reason as to why they chose such decision in the first place.
Barlog admitted that way before “God of War 4” was conceptualized, he and his team have already played on the idea of the main character using a different kind of weapon. In fact, they tested with several things for the sole purpose of giving the protagonist something different and new. The game director said that they aimed to “create an identity.” The Blades of Athena/Chaos, in particular, represent the dark time in the life of the game’s main character.
Apart from being a literal weapon, it is his “scarlet letter.” It works as a symbol that reminds him of his ugly past, one that he tries so hard to bury.
Axe symbolizes redemption and moving forward
Clearly, the axe Kratos is wielding in “God of War 4” resembles something far greater than the chaos blades. It represents the guy’s redemption and a chance to move forward with life, most especially now that he is a father.
It should be noted that he received the blades from the gods of Olympus in what can be called an unhealthy relationship between him and Ares. If the blades represented years of deceit and, well, killings, the axe should somehow be about having a fresh start.
Of course, the axe also has its own magic to share in the world of “God of War 4.” Technically, Kratos will not just be using it to hack and slash enemies; he can also command it to stick anywhere he wants to and call it whenever he likes. It is like the weapon has its own life, though the character is really the one who controls it.
