God of War 4 Has Almost as Much Discovery as Action
Creative Director of God of War 4, Cory Barlog, recently appeared on the PlayStation podcast to discuss new details for the game. Notable aspects of the interview mention the use of Runes, hidden paths/quest lines, and the character of the gods themselves.
In case anyone has ever seen God of War 4 devs tweeting with runes, that’s Elder Futhark, the base language of the game. According to Barlog, translating the runes of this language can lead to learning other languages. And learning the language opens up differents paths for Kratos. With the help of Atreus, Kratos can eventually unlock all hidden areas in the game.
Furthermore, if I’m understanding the podcast correctly, magic is based on the Elder Futhark language. Spoken incantations and the player making contact with certain elements leads to certain outcomes. The language also functions as an in-game mechanic where Kratos translates an item held by Atreus; in so doing, he collects pieces of memory. Sounds like an in-game achievement. Thus, learning different languages in God of War 4 leaders to different abilities. And yes, there are different languages. According to devs, other races would have a different set of runes, but each one is a derivative of Elder Futhark. Therefore, you will be connecting the runes like pieces to a puzzle.
Speaking of races, Barlog went on to talk about the different types of deities. Aesir, being the Norse gods we have come to know, are very different from the gods Kratos has come to know in previous games. You discover this in the game, alongside Kratos. As Barlog puts it, the Greek gods were more “bastard politicians” who were manicured and like to manipulate. Contrarily, Norse gods are more “down to earth. The Aesir, specifically, are very “hedonistic” and very active. Meanwhile, Vanir gods are a fusion of nature and magic and constantly at war with the Aesir. In between are the Giants who, are Barlog puts it, are the “masons” who create all the wonders of the world. It sounds like we may see all three in the game.
What are your thoughts on these new details for God of War 4? Are you looking forward to discovering the gods and languages of Norse mythology? Let us know in the comments below.