"God Of War," the latest entry in the series of the same name, will be hitting shelves in mid-April. At the 2014 Playstation Experience Santa Monica Studio's creative director, Cory Barlog, hinted that the new "God of War" would be a reboot to the series. Concept art released in April of 2016 showcased Kratos in a land of Norse mythology, and at the 2016 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), a gameplay demo confirmed this change in setting. After this reveal, Barlog described the new game in greater detail, this time calling it a reimagining of the entire series rather than a reboot.

E3 2017 revealed more gameplay elements and new characters in Kratos's journey. Since then, the internet has been full of theories and fan art for the new game. Santa Monica Studio confirmed the April release date in a tweet on January 23, while also revealing a story trailer and more pre-order information.

What we know

"God of War" has moved past its Greek mythology origins, taking place after Kratos's battle with his father Zeus and the destruction of Mount Olympus. Changing up his fighting style, Kratos leaves behind his famous double-chained blades in favor of the magical Leviathan Axe, a folding shield, and good old fashion fists.

Kratos isn’t alone this time around.

After traveling to what fans think to be Norway, he settles down with his son Atreus. He takes it upon himself to bring the Mother's ashes to the highest peak in the realm, according to her last wishes. The Norse gods and monsters know about Kratos's dark past, and many are hostile towards him and his son.

Changing the game

The new game seems to have an experience system and a skill tree that will influence how Kratos and Atreus fight together.

Atreus's central ability will be to support Kratos with his bow from the sidelines, but he will also be assisting his father by exploring, reading runes, and puzzle solving. Concerns over Atreus's role in gameplay were addressed last September and described the boy’s importance in and out of combat. Rather than being an annoying sidekick, he'll be a helpful companion controlled by the camera and a single button.

"God of War" will feature a third-person over-the-shoulder free camera following Kratos rather than the zoomed out cinematic camera angles used in previous games. Levels will be open but not open-world, allowing the player freedom to explore, find collectibles, and gather items for the new crafting system. There won't be any decisions to make, and the story will be the same for everyone, but Barlog promises 25 to 35 hours of gameplay; much more content compared to the previous installments, which average at around 10 hours. Fans have had mixed feelings about the new approach Santa Monica Studio is taking, however, the trailers have been well received so far.
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