God of War: Sons of Sparta Review – Kratos Before the Chaos

God of War: Sons of Sparta Review

Kratos’ saga has spanned over two decades, solidifying the God of War as an industry icon. From his PlayStation 2 debut, where vengeance fuels his every action, to the Norse adventures that explore a more sombre, personal tale, each chapter has deepened his character, allowing players to grow alongside him. Sons of Sparta is set prior to these adventures, focusing on Kratos as a young boy learning what it means to be a Spartan alongside his brother Deimos. Stepping away from previous titles, will this retro Metroidvania capture the essence of the franchise, or will it lose the fury, tragedy, and mythic weight that forged Kratos into a legend?

Narrated by T.C. Carson and framed as a story Kratos tells his daughter, Calliope, the game takes you back to when the Ghost of Sparta was just a child. Set in a military conditioning camp, you learn that a friend has failed to return from a field mission. Together, you set out on a rescue mission that quickly proves to be far bigger than first expected. The relationship between the two brothers is central to the experience. Kratos, the elder of the two, strives to be the ideal Spartan, following ideals and showing reverence for the Gods. Deimos, however, pushes boundaries and questions authority, creating an intriguing dynamic as the pair challenge and test one another.

A New Take

It’s refreshing to see Kratos portrayed in this way, as it adds further context to his eventual transformation. Mega Cat Studios infuses the story into the gameplay so that each task you undertake feels purposeful. Where the narrative can often get lost in games of this ilk, Sons of Sparta keeps the plot at the forefront through periodically delivered story beats woven between stretches of gameplay. This ensures the tale continues to evolve while keeping players actively engaged.

You traverse a large, interconnected world, gaining new abilities that allow you to venture deeper into the labyrinth. Each new skill enhances your capabilities, opening up fresh ways to navigate the environment and dispatch your foes. The world beckons discovery, with numerous branching paths leading to hidden secrets, challenge rooms and rewarding you with valuable items. While it adheres to genre conventions, its well-crafted level design ensures that each area is a pleasure to uncover.

Items can be used to improve your gear, adding stat boosts and special attacks to help you gain the advantage on the battlefield. This comes in the form of a skill tree, allowing you to personalise which aspects you wish to upgrade to suit your playstyle. After a slow start, the game improves upon gaining multiple items and abilities, expanding both your combat options and traversal potential.

Prepped for Battle

Throughout the world, you will encounter puzzles and some platforming, but mainly creatures that you must slay. Equipped with a spear and shield, you can attack enemies with your melee strikes, which you can upgrade to vary your output. Each enemy you encounter has a different attack pattern that you must read and counter. Surprisingly, many of these are identical to their counterparts in other games in the franchise. This helps to add familiarity with battles, further anchoring the notion of playing as a young Kratos.

Defensive manoeuvres are equally important, requiring you to dodge through attacks, block flurries and parry strikes. The latter of these feels great to execute, slowing down the action and opening a window for a devastating counter. Combining these elements will build the stun meter, which leads to a kill animation, rewarding you with plenty of points. Historically, these have delivered brutal final blows; however, here they feel lacklustre, missing the brutality synonymous with the series.

Further depth is added through the colour indicators that inform you of the type of incoming attacks. Different colours inform you on whether to block, parry, or avoid at all costs. Some enemies even glow to suggest whether to use spirit or magic attacks. While there’s a lot to remember, the variety of elements combine to deliver a strong combat system that requires precision, awareness, and adaptability.

A Towering Threat

Bosses are challenging, adhering to a traditional multi-stage format that demands both deliberation and quick reactions. Each encounter feels imposing, unleashing a flurry of attacks that you must evade while carefully planning your own assault. Although difficult, these segments are among the best in the game, testing your platforming and combat skills in a tense dance to the death.

Mega Cat Studios opts for a retro aesthetic, drawing inspiration from PlayStation 1-era adventures. While the love and admiration for the franchise is evident in every locale and densely detailed environment, the muddy colour palette and lack of the series’ signature flair hinder immersion. Despite the smooth animation and a lovely, era-authentic soundtrack, the game can feel a little flat, lacking the inventive visual design that would help it carve out its own identity.

God of War: Sons of Sparta is a well-designed, albeit conventional, Metroidvania. Combat encounters are enthralling, especially as the game progresses and enemies unleash varied attacks that demand specific methods of evasion. New abilities expand your offensive arsenal, adding further layers to each encounter. While the platforming and puzzles benefit from tight, thoughtful design, the art direction is competent but uninspiring. Although a strong outing for Kratos, this entry doesn’t quite reach the mythic heights of the series.

***A PlayStation 5 code provided by the publishers for review***