It’s been a long road for PlayStation fans to see the return of Kratos in an all-new God of War game. Since being revealed at E3 2016 along with a glut of other PS4 games with hazy release dates, the excitement levels have only gone up to the point where God of War may just be the most anticipated game of 2018.
However, this isn’t the Kratos you knew. He’s a dad now, but still mighty angry — Joel from The Last of Us and he would be best mates, you feel. There’s also less of a focus on hectic hack and slash gameplay to make it a slower but still brutal game from an over-the-shoulder perspective. Most importantly, after obliterating ancient Greece, Kratos is now slashing his way through Norse times, which gives him a more exotic array of things to kill.
With its release date set for April 20th and a review embargo up on the 12th, there’s still a little while to wait before you can get your hands on God of War. If you’re feeling impatient, why not try out these similar games below?
1. Any other God of War game
Pretty obvious this one, really. While they couldn’t be more different from their upcoming PS4 counterpart, playing (or replaying) the earlier God of War games will still give you an idea of just how vengeful Kratos used to be. Here’s a warning: he’s not your typical hero. For a quick entry point, pick up the PS4 remaster of God of War 3
If that isn’t good enough for you, Kratos has popped up in the most unlikely of places before, including The Simpsons and even a racing game. You may struggle to take him seriously after some of his more “off-kilter” cameos, but Kratos in Soulcalibur is not to be trifled with.
2. Wulverblade
Probably the smallest game on this list, Wulverblade is an indie title with a lot of heart. What it may lack in graphical prowess, it more than makes up for with challenging, often rewarding gameplay and the fact that you can cut people’s heads off and chuck them at their mates. That does it for me.
Wulverblade is a short experience, so it’s the perfect distraction from clock-watching until God of War drops. It’s a side-scrolling brawler with buckets of blood and a gorgeous artstyle that you shouldn’t really overlook. As a small bonus, it does a really good job of teaching you about ancient Scotland if Braveheart was a bit too dramatic for your tastes.
3. The Last of Us Remastered
Really, you should play The Last of Us anytime, no matter the occasion. I’m putting it out there, but it may just be the best PlayStation game ever made. If you haven’t played it yet in the almost five years (!) since it first released on PS3, you should check out its masterful PS4 remaster
The Last of Us and God of War do share one key ingredient: family. While we don’t really know the intricacies and quirks of the father/son dynamic between Kratos and Atreus, if it’s anywhere near as affecting as the one shared by Joel and Ellie, it will be a success. I just realised that Kratos may die and pass the mantle on to Atreus for future games — I am not ready for that.
4. Rise of the Tomb Raider
While some people believe that a lot of PS4 first-party games are sticking close to a formula perfected by the Uncharted series, God of War actually seems to be more in keeping with the Tomb Raider reboots in terms of its openness. Reports suggest that it will take 40+ hours to get everything. Who needs multiplayer?
Of the two most recent Tomb Raider games, it’s Rise of the Tomb Raider
5. Anything Soulsborne
No, not because God of War will be “git gud” hard — we actually don’t know that yet. If you compare Corey Barlog’s new vision to that of the Soulsborne series, there’s some very noticeable inspirations in terms of level and enemy design. If you’re missing Kratos’ blades, you should really play Bloodborne and dice some gruesome dudes up with the whip instead.
Of all the Soulsborne game to choose from, it’s probably Bloodborne that is going to closer to God of War as its combat is faster when compared to the methodical deliberation found in Dark Souls games. It was also recently released for free to PlayStation Plus subscribers, so you really don’t have any excuses not to play it. Even if you only make it as far as Father Gascoigne, you should be proud.
And that’s our list. Are you excited for God of War’s PS4 debut? Let us know down below or check out the rest of our God of War coverage:
– God of War Releasing On April 20th With Multiple Special Editions
– God of War: 6 Quick Facts You Should Know
– God of War: 8 Reasons to Get Excited
Buy God of War on Amazon: UK | US
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site.
