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God of War new info: Hidden questlines, magic, importance of runes in the game etc.

G

GIANKRATOS

Member
New info from this podcast with game director Cory Barlog (inerview starts at 7:40):

https://secure.cdn.us.playstation.com/god-of-war/audio/GOW_podcast_v2.mp3

Hidden questlines, languages in the game - 14:33

Elder Futhark is the base language of the game, but every realm in the game has its own, and for certain realms will be possible to learn their entire language. Translating something back might help to open parts of the game and reveal hidden questlines.
Click to expand...

Magic and items - 11:00; 23:09

Magic in the game all involves words, spoken incantations and runes; a earth magic is mentioned for example that involves touching the ground to use parts of something (maybe parts of dead enemies? Parts of the enviroments like rocks and roots/vines?). An item is also mentioned that you can access that Kratos can open for the kid to get pieces of story and recall stories his mother told to him.
Click to expand...

Runes and puzzles - 8:07; 20:27

In the game, runes connects the characters to the magic of the world (tattoing a rune on a person, like Atreus, will embue the person with a power) but are also there to create the sense of a barrier between the player/Kratos and the world. Kratos will need the help of Atreus to translate the runes. Some puzzles will involve reading runes and translating them to make a decision.
Click to expand...

Differences between greek gods and norse gods - 24:50; 26:40

Nordic gods are vastly different from the greek gods. Balrog compares the greek gods to politicians living in marble palaces that likes to manipulate people into doing things, while he describes the norse gods (Æsir, Vanir and Giants) as more "down to earth". The Æsir are living every moments to its fullest, always ready to "party", fight and drink. The Vanir are living in armony with nature, always seeking balance and are the keepers of magic. The Giants are like "artists" that creates fantastic creations and the ones that are eventually victimized by a never ending war between the other two races.
Click to expand...

I took what i thought was new and i hope i didn't forget anything :p Listen to the whole podcast, is very interesting!

Also, 3 new concepts art:

amzc8cf.png


Ztz9SEE.png


Lu8iEac.png
 
V

vivekTO

Member
where did you find these concept art?? I thought they have revealed total of 6 only!!
will listen to it later.
 
N

Nightengale

Member
Listened to this earlier.

It's more a bucket of interesting nuggets about the game rather than any major details about how things will play out, but it's super interesting to hear how they've basically contextualized the lore and logic of Kratos's place in the Norse lands and the setting.
 
BigEmil

BigEmil

Junior Member
All I want is less focus on storytelling and more focus on gameplay
Focusing too much on storytelling hurts gameplay

God of War was more known for its gameplay
 
T

theWB27

Member
I've not heard a single bad thing about this game and these tidbits are great. I love scale in a game and the concept art looks like I won't be disappointed at all. Wonder how big these giants will get.

GearFourth said:
All I want is less focus on storytelling and more focus on gameplay
Focusing too much on storytelling hurts gameplay

God of War was more known for its gameplay
Click to expand...

This sounds more personal than anything to do with actual game design.
 
B

B.O.O.M

Member
theWB27 said:
I've not heard a single bad thing about this game and these tidbits are great. I love scale in a game and the concept art looks like I won't be disappointed at all. Wonder how big these giants will get.
Click to expand...

You basically said everything I was about to type out.
 
N

Nightengale

Member
theWB27 said:
I've not heard a single bad thing about this game and these tidbits are great. I love scale in a game and the concept art looks like I won't be disappointed at all. Wonder how big these giants will get.
Click to expand...

While I'm quite confident Cory and SSM can deliver, it's worth noting that we have not seen an meaty chunk of GoW gameplay that, emphasis - that shows off all the expanded core mechanics, world design and expanded ideas/toolset of the game.

The first gameplay reveal showed nuggets of those ideas, but we've yet to see them at a mechanics-level.

Hoping it won't be that long till we get a preview or something that shows off how the new mechanics and ideas function.
 
A

Arkeband

Banned
GearFourth said:
All I want is less focus on storytelling and more focus on gameplay
Focusing too much on storytelling hurts gameplay

God of War was more known for its gameplay
Click to expand...

It's also known for said gameplay becoming very rote and predictable, so don't romanticize the gameplay of previous titles too much. It was very much an arena battler trivialized by powerful three button spammable combos, elevated by the story and puzzle sections that separated them.

God of War's combat sections by themselves were actually the "filler" of the games (not to be confused with the highly choreographed boss battles which were always a thrill).
 
F

Finn of Ooo

Member
I wonder if Kratos will get along with the Norse gods better given their personalities are more down to earth and less manipulative. Sounds like a group he could hang out with.
 
P

Primethius

Banned
Everything I hear about this game makes me legitimately excited to explore the world they've constructed and their take on Norse mythology.

And honestly? That's not something I can say about the past games or even many games in general.
 
D

dripdripsplash

Member
Every new tidbit from this game just adds to the hype.

It sounds soo good, and I might hit GoW 3 levels of hype for it (which went way down for the GoW games after that)
 
BigEmil

BigEmil

Junior Member
Arkeband said:
It's also known for said gameplay becoming very rote and predictable, so don't romanticize the gameplay of previous titles too much. It was very much an arena battler trivialized by powerful three button spammable combos, elevated by the story and puzzle sections that separated them.

God of War's combat sections by themselves were actually the "filler" of the games (not to be confused with the highly choreographed boss battles which were always a thrill).
Click to expand...
And that's what the majority GOW fans loved it for. Combat sections filler? When 90% of it is gameplay? Yeah sure lmao
 
I

ItWasMeantToBe19

Banned
Is this game ever going to be playable for the press.

I mean, if it's coming out in March, this is cutting it pretty fucking close considering how long ago the game was announced and how long it's been in development for. Maybe it's coming out in June.
 
J

jett

D-Member
GearFourth said:
All I want is less focus on storytelling and more focus on gameplay
Focusing too much on storytelling hurts gameplay

God of War was more known for its gameplay
Click to expand...

I sure they would talk about the combat system at length, but all interviewers ask about is lore, story, characters and such.
 
wapplew

wapplew

Member
ItWasMeantToBe19 said:
Is this game ever going to be playable for the press.

I mean, if it's coming out in March, this is cutting it pretty fucking close considering how long ago the game was announced and how long it's been in development for. Maybe it's coming out in June.
Click to expand...

PGW and PSX, two big event to show the game, no need to worry.
 
Z

Zukkoyaki

Member
Everything about this game sounds incredible!

To chime in a bit on the combat discussion, the most disliked game in the series, Ascension, has by far the best combat in the series. Go figure haha.
 
T

theWB27

Member
Nightengale said:
While I'm quite confident Cory and SSM can deliver, it's worth noting that we have not seen an meaty chunk of GoW gameplay that, emphasis - that shows off all the expanded core mechanics, world design and expanded ideas/toolset of the game.

The first gameplay reveal showed nuggets of those ideas, but we've yet to see them at a mechanics-level.

Hoping it won't be that long till we get a preview or something that shows off how the new mechanics and ideas function.
Click to expand...

I'm not going in expecting these things to be anything but added awesomeness where you could mostly skip it and still kill everything. If it's deeper then cool...but I'm expecting Kratos to be the most powerful weapon for any situation.

But...It would take a colossal F up on their part for me not to be entertained. I just want to kill things in an awesome world and it look as good as possible.

Zukkoyaki said:
Everything about this game sounds incredible!

To chime in a bit on the combat discussion, the most disliked game in the series, Ascension, has by far the best combat in the series. Go figure haha.
Click to expand...

If GOW3 had Ascension's combat then whew....i'd still be replaying it.
 
S

sense

Member
GearFourth said:
And that's what the majority GOW fans loved it for. Combat sections filler? When 90% of it is gameplay? Yeah sure lmao
Click to expand...
Well it is time for a drastic change after like 6 entries especially if you want to bring in new fans and keep some fans from dropping off due to franchise fatigue
 
B

BossDarkseid

Member
GearFourth said:
And that's what the majority GOW fans loved it for. Combat sections filler? When 90% of it is gameplay? Yeah sure lmao
Click to expand...

They meant filler in as much as the combat was mechanically simple and was used with less invention than puzzles and environmental stuff. No one is saying they should go the other way, but considering how rudimentary the combat remained there's no harm in Barlog and Co aiming to improve all aspects of the series rather than sit on the laurels of one.
 
B

badcrumble

Member
GearFourth said:
All I want is less focus on storytelling and more focus on gameplay
Focusing too much on storytelling hurts gameplay

God of War was more known for its gameplay
Click to expand...
I’ve enjoyed the majority of the God of War series but the combat design has always been pretty serviceable but never amazing. Perhaps you’re thinking of ‘presentation,’ not ‘gameplay?’
 
D

De_Legend

Banned
This could be something really special.. exploration, loot-ish, puzzles, side quests, god damn..

I remember the guy from Gaf saying that the game was in bad shape and they were pretty much starting from scratch a lil more than a year ago, etc 😂

And he also said that he thought the game would be pretty short.. I can see it being the longest GOW game to date, 15-20 hours is my guess.
 
P

Primethius

Banned
badcrumble said:
I’ve enjoyed the majority of the God of War series but the combat design has always been pretty serviceable but never amazing. Perhaps you’re thinking of ‘presentation,’ not ‘gameplay?’
Click to expand...

It's all presentation. The GoW combat has always been fairly medicore.
 
B

Blobbers

Member
isn't learning language runes to access hidden areas literally word for word a game mechanic in Rise of the Boring Raider?

Anyway, I'm apprehensive about a God of War game with sidequests. Both this and Uncharted are a series of fast-paced games with a focus on gripping stories, and the next gen Uncharted certainly never needed any sidequests.
 
T

The God

Member
GearFourth said:
And that's what the majority GOW fans loved it for. Combat sections filler? When 90% of it is gameplay? Yeah sure lmao
Click to expand...

Kinda how I feel. People here like to shit on the originals but until they show otherwise, the combat in GoW PS4 looks like a step down
 
S

silva1991

Member
badcrumble said:
I’ve enjoyed the majority of the God of War series but the combat design has always been pretty serviceable but never amazing. Perhaps you’re thinking of ‘presentation,’ not ‘gameplay?’
Click to expand...

I think by western devs standard it was good...

But yeah I have grown to like the change ever since this year's E3 trailer.
 
S

Squire

Banned
GearFourth said:
All I want is less focus on storytelling and more focus on gameplay
Focusing too much on storytelling hurts gameplay

God of War was more known for its gameplay
Click to expand...

It sounds like they're trying to talk it up that way, but I'm betting it's very rudimentary in oractice.

This actually reminds me of something the Uncharted: LL director said on their launch livestream. He mentioned picking Chloe as lead character was easy because they knew she could do everything Drake could, so she worked with all their gameplay systems. I just had to laugh at the "systems" part. I love Uncharted to death, but would never ever think of or describe it as a game with systems.
 
N

Nere

Member
There are quests now? Honestly it doesn't feel like the same game at all to me anymore. Couldn't they just make a new IP instead of this game with Kratos slapped in for the extra money?
 
M

More_Badass

Member
Squire said:
It sounds like they're trying to talk it up that way, but I'm betting it's very rudimentary in oractice.

This actually reminds me of something the Uncharted: LL director said on their launch livestream. He mentioned picking Chloe as lead character was easy because they knew she could do everything Drake could, so she worked with all their gameplay systems. I just had to laugh at the "systems" part. I love Uncharted to death, but would never ever think of or describe it as a game with systems.
Click to expand...
Simple movement in any game is a gameplay system, the mechanics of melee, shooting, climbing, etc are all different systems. Systems can be simple or complex, but they're different systems. Them working in sync is how games work
 
S

Squire

Banned
More_Badass said:
Simple movement in any game is a gameplay system, the mechanics of melee, shooting, climbing, etc are all different systems.
Click to expand...

Yes, I understand that in a literal sense, but I don't think Uncharted as a franchise is driven by those systems or how they interact, but the characters and the stories. The gameplay can be fun, but it's ultimately a means to an end (at least for me.) The most systems-driven game ND has made in the immediate modern era must be TLOU and that was quite a drag for me.

Anyway yes, of course I understood him in a literal sense, but I don't think there's a lot of meat on the bone of that game in quite that way and I could see it being the same for GoW. Especially when they're talking about not just having a larger story focus, but not ever cutting the camera and having a button dedicated to interacting with the son. I actually like narrative leaning games more than anything else, si that stuff sounds cool, but not terribly conducive to intricate game design, especially in the AAA space.
 
Danjin44

Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
k2y1qna4cwfidagzj2ky.gif


I don't like were they going with the combat at all. Why on earth enemies around him are not attacking here?

And please, please for love of God PLEASE don't turn this game to fucking RPG with side quests. Can we please get good old fashion action game here?
 
I

I-hate-u

Member
Danjin44 said:
k2y1qna4cwfidagzj2ky.gif


I don't like were they going with the combat at all. Why on earth enemies around him are not attacking here?

And please, please for love of God PLEASE don't turn this game to fucking RPG with side quests. Can we please get good old fashion action game here?
Click to expand...

Hack n Slashers are not mainstream anymore, Europe killed em, remember?
 
M

More_Badass

Member
Nere said:
Well I am sorry but as a long time GoW fan it really doesn't feel much like a GoW game except Kratos....
Click to expand...
If anything, as a long time fan, everything I've heard makes it sound like a return to form of the first game than any of the other games in the franchise. Especially with the attempt at doing an actually decent narrative rather than just using the story as an excuse for crazier spectacle and insane slaughter

I'd argue that the first God of War felt fresh and different because it took the DNA of the character action hack n slash, cut out the fat to make it simpler yet satisfying, and integrated it into a tragic story with a surprising amount of puzzles and sense of adventure rather than just a series of combat arenas

This God of War sounds like it's doing the same thing that the first did for the genre but for the God of War series itself
 
Vigilant Walrus

Vigilant Walrus

Member
Makes sense that they treat the Norse Gods differently. It's spot on as the greek gods are sort of chess players fucking with the humans like it's a big game.


In norse mythology and the pagan beliefs worshipped in the ancient world, it would be much closer a nature religion; Worshipping the earth, and believing that life is a cycle that ends (Ragnarok) until it starts all over.
The norse gods walk among men, but the dead honorable warriors go to Valhalla.

It would be interesting to fight Thor and Loki and Odin. And particular Balder. He is one of my favorites.
 
T

theWB27

Member
Danjin44 said:
k2y1qna4cwfidagzj2ky.gif


I don't like were they going with the combat at all. Why on earth enemies around him are not attacking here?

And please, please for love of God PLEASE don't turn this game to fucking RPG with side quests. Can we please get good old fashion action game here?
Click to expand...

The same reason they'd stand around and not all attack in previous GOWs. Did you also not upgrade weapons in past titles? Didn't you summon attacks like the tornado, spartan protection...bows...rage meter....I mean.
 
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