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God of War: the quest to redeem Kratos

L

LordOfLore

Banned
Polygon interview.

Do you remember the first time you realized Kratos might just be an asshole?

When the original God of War came out for PlayStation 2, I was a 19-year-old freshman in college, and my reaction to meeting protagonist Kratos was one of wide-eyed astonishment. I thought he was a badass, an unstoppable, rage-driven killing machine with just a touch of angst that I found novel.

By the time God of War 2 was released in 2007, I was deep into my college life and didn’t have as much time for games. But remembering how much I enjoyed the original, I found a few weekends to devote to the sequel. While I loved the game, I found myself increasingly less invested in the story and character of Kratos, despite having liked him so much initially.

God of War 3 was then released for PlayStation 3 in 2010. I was 24, done with college and in a full-time job — albeit one based around video games. I was eager to finish the trilogy and see my time with Kratos come to a satisfying conclusion. By the end of that bloody third act, however, I found myself feeling an emotion I hadn’t expected: exhaustion. Kratos was no longer an action hero I loved spending time with; he was a big jerk who treated everyone like shit and never seemed to learn any lessons.

As someone who’s been involved with the God of War franchise for most of its life, I half expected Cory Barlog to push back against these experiences. He was the lead animator for the first game before stepping up as director for God of War 2, and initially for God of War 3 as well. He eventually left Sony and passed the third game on to a different director, Stig Asmussen. But Barlog has now returned to the creative director role to lead the new, non-numbered God of War. Over the series’ history, no other individual has played as significant a role in as many of its games.

And yet, when I bring up my increasing dislike of the series’ protagonist, he doesn’t scoff or disagree.

“You grew with him,” Barlog tells me, smiling. He’s not saying that Kratos has grown. Rather, I’ve grown alongside a character who has remained static; that’s the explanation for my shifting feelings toward him. And that is one of the biggest problems Barlog is looking to fix in God of War.
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Full piece at the link.
 
Every single interview I read to do with God of War fills me with so much confidence. It sounds like an amazing direction they're taking it in and, on top of that, they seem to be handling it with incredible flair. I'm really excited about this.
 
I sort of liked that Kratos was just a giant asshole. It made the plot of the sequels basically the Gods going "Fucking hell, who pissed him off now"
 
Didnt the opening scene of God of War have Kratos pick up one of the guys on his own side and use him as an arrow shield?
 
Kratos is a great video game protagonist. Not every lead has to be Nathan Drake.
Yes, Kratos becomes increasingly unlikable throughout the series, especially in 3. I don't think that makes him a crap character. Have a real bad feeling about this new God of War.
 
Carl said:
Kratos being an arsehole was why I like him
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Yep. Was nice having a big character that didn't fit into the norms of needing to be a good guy. Was a big reason why I liked Aiden Pierce in Watch Dogs

The more and more I hear of this new God of War the less interested I get.
 
Good.

I like that he still struggles with who he was before. Like when his rage meter was increasing when talking to the boy in the first demo. He isn't a completely different character. He is just growing beyond the one note rage thing. That is all I've really wanted from Kratos - growth.
 
wapplew said:
Too many GoW interviews not enough GoW new footage.
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For real. I really don't like what they're choosing to focus on for this news cycle. I don't care about your hopes and dreams for the character and narrative. The game will speak for itself on those counts.

I like Cory and believe in him, I just can't help but see all this talk about Kratos' emotional journey as fluff. Kratos is not why GOW games are good.
 
Nakadai30 said:
Kratos is a great video game protagonist. Not every lead has to be Nathan Drake.
Yes, Kratos becomes increasingly unlikable throughout the series, especially in 3. I don't think that makes him a crap character. Have a real bad feeling about this new God of War.
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Kratos is nothing like Nathan Drake.
 
I dont think kratos needs it, he saw the chance but decided to end his revenge.

Let the poor stay grumpy and not die in a redemption cliche
 
Kratos being an asshole never bothered me. In a way he's been a villain since the second one and that sets him apart.
What did grow tiring was him being absolutely pissed 24/7. For 5 games. Something fucked up happens and he just acts the exact same way. Like a victim who takes revenge on everyone several times over. It's not even eye for an eye, it's eye for your fucking face. He always goes overboard. Which is cool the first time, but 5? Fuck off.
Just screaming and saying Kratos shit about vengeance and not fucking with him. How many times can the same shit happen to him? THAT got old.
The gameplay was still solid across all those games, but everything was just rotting. It was time to get rid of it. I'm glad they understand that and are trying to do something different with the character.
 
Yeah, Kratos's dickishness is why I haven't finished a GOW game. I bought the collection and 3 for PS3 years ago, played through the first to the halfway point, enjoyed it but I could tell it had aged a bit, but then I made the mistake of popping into 3 just to contrast the series. I got to the point where Kratos abuses that random sex slave and then brutally kills her by shoving her in gears to solve a puzzle. After that I never picked up the series again.
 
I remember learning more and more about Barlog during God of War 2 and watching all the making of videos. God of War has always had the best dev videos.

I have enjoyed each title on their launch. I don't think I was ever LTTP with any entry besides Ghost of Sparta.

I knew he was a guy who did things for vengeance and would stop at nothing to accomplish that. It's like how he does all these massive things with small human arms and legs. He's a brute who uses brute force.
 
I don't think he needed to be redeemed. It really bugs me they're telling this type of story with Kratos. Should have just been a new character.
 
I'm open for anything. I enjoyed overly angry Kratos, but I want to see this other side of him. I want to see his vulnerability.
 
Reading some comments here someone would think there's only 2 types of characters, the very good guy or the really asshole.

There's a big area between these extremes, Kratos can be more than an 1-dimensional character and still have moments of rage/dickness.

hey_it's_that_dog said:
For real. I really don't like what they're choosing to focus on for this news cycle. I don't care about your hopes and dreams for the character and narrative. The game will speak for itself on those counts.

I like Cory and believe in him, I just can't help but see all this talk about Kratos' emotional journey as fluff. Kratos is not why GOW games are good.
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Maybe not the sole reason, but it's obvious that Kratos is a iconic PS character and while tired a lot of people really like him.

If SSM can create a new game with a fresh Krato's storyline that's both interesting and logic and think it's a win-win scenario.
 
“You grew with him,” Barlog tells me, smiling. He’s not saying that Kratos has grown. Rather, I’ve grown alongside a character who has remained static; that’s the explanation for my shifting feelings toward him. And that is one of the biggest problems Barlog is looking to fix in God of War...
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really? because i've always assumed that when someone says something like 'you grew with him', they were basically saying that you grew together :) ...
 
Kratos was probably the most insuferable character I have ever played and really made me dislike the game. But at the same time, maybe that was the point of the character for people that liked the series, and may feel like the Nu-Kratos being a better guy is a little forced now.

I dunno, I guess is a "no win no matter what" situation for me lol Honestly at this point a new character would have made me more interested in this game.
 
Spork4000 said:
Yeah, Kratos's dickishness is why I haven't finished a GOW game. I bought the collection and 3 for PS3 years ago, played through the first to the halfway point, enjoyed it but I could tell it had aged a bit, but then I made the mistake of popping into 3 just to contrast the series. I got to the point where Kratos abuses that random sex slave and then brutally kills her by shoving her in gears to solve a puzzle. After that I never picked up the series again.
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Wait, this really happens?

I only played the first GoW game but he seemed more like an anti-hero out for revenge. That sounds like a sadistic asshole.
 
I wonder if the story will have Kratos struggling with trying not to revert back into his old raging asshole self during the journey.
 
hey_it's_that_dog said:
For real. I really don't like what they're choosing to focus on for this news cycle. I don't care about your hopes and dreams for the character and narrative. The game will speak for itself on those counts.

I like Cory and believe in him, I just can't help but see all this talk about Kratos' emotional journey as fluff. Kratos is not why GOW games are good.
Click to expand...
It definitely is a big part of it. For one, the first game was praised for its story and characterization of Kratos. And you dont get such a huge reaction to a character reveal if people really didnt care about the character or only cared about the gameplay
 
I always liked Kratos, I didn't feel bad for the God's he killed because they were total assholes only interested in holding onto power.
 
I don't really know why Kratos needs to be redeemed. As a follow-up take on the Greek tragedy of the first game I liked the idea of Kratos going into a miserable downward spiral beyond the point of redemption. Giving him a kid to learn to take care of isn't really enough for me.
 
I enjoyed old Kratos for what he was. Not an ass hole like most see him but another "Greek tragedy" story. One of cursed self fulfillment trapped in an everlasting circle of hate and anger looking for a way out. At the end of 3 the realization that his current ways are getting him no where (definition of insanity, etc.). I'm also glad they're going this route because it's the only way left for Kratos and interested in the themes they are exploring with Kratos being an irredeemable character/person (for some "fans") to himself. I'm genuinely excited.
 
I thought he was always meant to be an anti-hero? Not sure how he was supposed to ever be "likeable", considering the story was about his blind hatred and lust for revenge?

Very excited to see how they evolve his character in this one though.
 
Mister Wolf said:
Kratos is a major asshole. That's cool he has a son now but he needs to die for all the trouble he caused.
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Zeus caused the trouble by getting fussy about the God of War wanting to do to War and back stabbed (front stabbed?) Kratos.

Zeus should've handed himself over and sacrificed himself for the greater good.

Zeus is the one to blame.

Or Pandora's Box if you want to retcon and ruin character motivations -_-
 
Mister Wolf said:
Kratos is a major asshole. That's cool he has a son now but he needs to die for all the trouble he caused.
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He's died multiple times but always claws his way back out of Hades.

The only way to calm him down is to make him see beyond his anger. Let's see if this game accomplishes that.
 
Kratos literally had the power to change the past at the end of GoW2 and instead of saving his wife and child he chose to grab an army of Titans to kill Zeus. He's really beyond any kind of redemption; just play him off as a dumb, fun villain.
 
Kratos already had a redemption arc with the Pandora shit. He should get annihilated by the Nordic gods and then his son takes up the reins. Only his son wont go on a murderous rampage but make alliances with gods and divine entities while other gods and divine entities stand in his way, all for the purpose of prepping for Ragnarok or something. There will still be the theme of "ultimately everything is gonna go to shit", only this time we don't have a homicidal maniac as protagonist.

Hero said:
Wait, this really happens?

I only played the first GoW game but he seemed more like an anti-hero out for revenge. That sounds like a sadistic asshole.
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GoW - kill Ares and your sins will be forgiven
GoW II - you are the Ares
GoW III - I'll get my revenge even if I have to plunge the whole world into chaos
 
I'm not going to say this is forced before even playing the game and looking at the story. But it's natural to have these stories at some points in the industry. The developers are growing up, their lives change, it's only fair that their view on the world opens up and is reflected on their art.
 
Betty said:
I always liked Kratos, I didn't feel bad for the God's he killed because they were total assholes only interested in holding onto power.
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Yea I'm not sure where all the Kratos hate comes from.

I'd definitely agree to the series coming to a point where it had gotten stale (Ascension, although I did enjoy it). But overall I didn't mind Kratos' character. For all the complaining people do about protagonists being similar, Kratos, anger included, stood out and is fun to play.
 
moltonasty said:
I thought he was always meant to be an anti-hero? Not sure how he was supposed to ever be "likeable", considering the story was about his blind hatred and lust for revenge?

Very excited to see how they evolve his character in this one though.
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Antiheroes are more often than not super likable compared to vanilla types

7n_vindieselriddickspinsoff00.jpg


snake-plissken.jpeg


Tony-Stark-Robert-Downey-Jr-Jericho-Missile-Iron-Man-1.jpg


Daniel-Craig-James-Bond.jpg


You get the point. Give them some moral code they still stick to, some character growth and people like these fuckers
 
Spork4000 said:
Yeah, Kratos's dickishness is why I haven't finished a GOW game. I bought the collection and 3 for PS3 years ago, played through the first to the halfway point, enjoyed it but I could tell it had aged a bit, but then I made the mistake of popping into 3 just to contrast the series. I got to the point where Kratos abuses that random sex slave and then brutally kills her by shoving her in gears to solve a puzzle. After that I never picked up the series again.
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Yep, it is time to move beyond that. I didn't like it either.

Shredderi said:
I wonder if the story will have Kratos struggling with trying not to revert back into his old raging asshole self during the journey.
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Yeah, I think that will be a key part of it.
 
Hero said:
Wait, this really happens?

I only played the first GoW game but he seemed more like an anti-hero out for revenge. That sounds like a sadistic asshole.
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Well, in God of War 1 Kratos sacrifices a defenseless human soldier by burning him to death in order to solve a puzzle. And within the first hour after killing the Hydra there is a cutscene in which he casts another human directly back into the Hydras throat, leaving him to rot at best.

Kratos always was an asshole (and that's fine). The violence just got more realistic in GoW3 with its much better tech.
 
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