It’s not surprising that the God of War series has sparked debates and discussions on Reddit where fans have expressed some unpopular opinions about the games. With over a decade worth of content, there’s bound to be different views about the games’ characters, storylines, and more.
Most of the unpopular opinions revolve around the 2018 God of War game, as it’s the most recent entry from the franchise that’s available to play. That said, there have also been some debates about the upcoming installment, God of War Ragnarök. There are even a few discussions about the future of the series beyond its 2022 wrap-up of the Norse saga, which underscores how invested the fans of the franchise are in the direction of Kratos’ story.
God Of War: Ascencion’s Multiplayer Feature Is Good
The seventh mainline game in the God of War series didn’t receive a positive reception when it comes to the game’s fans. For one, the narrative of the game is considerably short when compared to the other games in the franchise. In addition, many gamers felt that after wreaking havoc on the Pantheon, Kratos should have gone for bigger prey.
However, there are plenty of gamers who didn’t feel that God of War: Ascension was a complete flop. Redditor mardydy, for example, found the game’s “multiplayer function” as its saving grace and that they loved it. While there’s a lot left to be desired when it comes to combat, the multiplayer feature of God of War: Ascension was fun and innovative.
Kratos Would Lose A Fight Against Multiple Gods
ich includes Ares, Poseidon, and Zeus. The weapons and armor sets that Kratos use are often blessed and given by the gods themselves, which makes killing them all the more ironic and satisfying.
But Reddit user Subpar_Joe imagines that if Kratos “fought more than one god at the same time he would lose”. This is entirely possible, given that almost all of his major boss fights with the gods were one-on-one. Nevertheless, Kratos has given the gods a run for their money and he’ll do major damage to them even if they were to gang up on him.
God Of War (2018) Is Overrated
The franchise’s pivot toward Norse mythology in God of War (2018) completely makes sense. After destroying the Pantheon and killing most of the gods, Kratos has established a new life in the realm of Midgard with his son Atreus. God of War (2018) was highly praised upon release for its deep narrative, incredible camerawork, and solid gameplay.
On Reddit, user Original-Cut-3344 provides a contrarian opinion by saying that the game ”falls far short” of what they expected “or all the praise it got”. They further add that it doesn’t break “any new ground” and the combat is a step back”. The game isn’t for everyone, but it’s safe to say that the God of War franchise has been modernized and successfully adapted to what today’s triple-A games are expected to deliver.
Kratos Has An Unremarkable Personality
There’s no doubt that Kratos is one of the best video game characters of all time along with Joel from The Last of Us and Sora from Kingdom Hearts. Driven by revenge, Kratos was destructive, reckless, and showed no mercy to those who got in his way.
Redditor MissGoddessDenicia admits that they believe Kratos “has little personality on his own” and he’s mostly “angry, stubborn, cold, and self-centered”, especially in the earlier games. They do acknowledge that the Kratos in God of War (2018) was a more balanced character as he matured and was given flaws that weren’t connected to his anger.
Baldur’s Revenge Against Freya Is Justified
Baldur, the main villain in God of War (2018), is akin to the version of Kratos in the earlier games. Because he was cursed to not feel anything physically for the price of invulnerability by his own mother, Baldur was out of wit and was bent on killing Freya.
In a Reddit post, charliekiller124 says they understand Baldur, especially since “some of the most basic pleasures” in life were “stolen from him for a whole century”. Ironically, Freya lost the only thing she cherished from her time with Odin by holding on to it tightly.
Ogres Are Great Enemies
A common criticism of 2018’s God of War is the obvious lack of variety when it comes to enemies. The user thinknoodlz doesn’t think this is a fair critique though, saying ogres (or trolls) are actually one of their “favorite enemies in GoW 4.”
Most fans would agree that there were a ton of opportunities for the game’s creators to draw inspiration from Norse creatures to create new and interesting enemies in Kratos’ world. Instead, players mostly fend off Draugr and Trolls in repetitive battles, only occasionally encountering more challenging antagonists like gods and Valkyries in key points of the game.
Tyr Should Have Been Kept A Secret
One of the most crucial things players already know about God of War Ragnarök is that Tyr will make an appearance and have a role in the protagonist’s story. The reveal is disappointing rather than exciting for ImAPickleeeeee, though, as they believe it “should’ve been an in-game experience.”
Fans who pay attention to Mimir’s stories in 2018’s GoW likely weren’t too surprised by the revelation that Tyr is alive. There have been numerous hints about how important the god’s role is in understanding how to travel between worlds. Knowing how epic the narratives of the series often are, there are likely bigger twists and turns waiting for players in the upcoming 2022 title.
Sindri Is Cooler Than Brok
The Dwarf brothers in 2018’s GoW are some of the most lovable characters from the franchise as a whole. Vanathru has a specific preference between the brothers, as they believe that “Sindri is cooler than Brok.”
Sindri and Brok’s endless bickering is often a result of the intentional stark difference in their personalities. Brok is often considered the cool and uncaring brother, while Sindri is the more fearful and sensitive one. While what is ‘cool’ is definitely subjective, most fans would agree that Brok’s personality fits what fans would typically expect from a cool character.
The Earlier Games Are Better
Not everyone is a fan of the new direction 2018’s God of War took. The Redditor brucewayne066 says that the “OG games are better than” the 2018 title, but doesn’t really explain why.
Whatever their reason may be, the general consensus among the fandom is that GoW 4 elevated the entire franchise. Although its more intimate focus on the protagonist’s experiences as a father is definitely different from the series’ more violent and reckless narratives in the past, the new story has appealed to long-time fans who are happy with Kratos’ character development.
They Shouldn’t Choose Egypt Next
Since the franchise’s creators have confirmed that Ragnarök will be the last entry that marks the end of the Norse saga, fans have theorized where the games could go next. According to Sans_bear27, they shouldn’t “go to Egypt” after the 2022 title, as “something else would be cooler.”
Players who spotted most of the Easter eggs in GoW 4 probably noticed the Egyptian references hidden in Tyr’s chamber. This is a huge hint that the creators could explore Egyptian mythology next. Most fans are thrilled with this possibility, as running around the pyramids and battling gods like Anubis would be an amazing gaming experience. That said, GoW has had a good track record of taking any kind of mythology and turning it into great games, so things are only bound to get better after the Norse saga.
The Fight Against Zeus Is Underwhelming
The user jaryfitzy says that “Zeus’ fight in GoW 3 is a little underwhelming,” explaining how “the 2D phase feels like a weird change of pace.” They go on to say it’s “weird” that the “majority of the fight takes place inside Gaia.”
Not every player will find the major boss fights in the franchise difficult, but most fans would say that the battle against Zeus is the hardest in the Greek saga. Not only are there multiple parts with unique mechanics, but the god of thunder also happens to be ridiculously powerful in each one. The “weird” changes have actually been praised as a distinct and exhilarating new approach to boss fights that can far too often be monotonous.
The Battle With Sigrun Isn’t Worth It
Sigrun is the hardest boss to beat in the 2018 game and has often been cited as one of the most difficult bosses in gaming history. Shadowettex31_x thinks the developers took it too far, saying that the fight is “too hard” and not “worth the time and effort.”
Most players understand that defeating Sigrun isn’t really about collecting the loot, which includes her Helmet and a few Enchantments. Going through the grueling battle to free her and allow her to join the rest of the Valkyries is the reward itself. It’s meant to be hard and completionists will especially agree that it’s satisfying to finally defeat her and complete that storyline – getting a trophy is just the cherry on top.
Deimos Shouldn’t Have Died
Deimos is one of GoW’s most tragic characters and his heartbreaking story about being kidnaped and then tortured by Thanatos for years is something that fans won’t soon forget. According to GrimsCage, they should have never “killed off Kratos’ brother in Ghost of Sparta,” as he could have been a “recurring character.”
While it’s understandable that some fans would feel terrible about Deimos’ demise, it was a necessary ending that lines up with Kratos’ storyline. Everyone around him perishes in some horrible way, much like how he loses his wife and daughter.
Atreus Can’t Replace Kratos
Atreus is a polarizing character in the GoW fandom, with some feeling annoyed by the young half-god and others thinking he has great potential. SILE3NCE thinks that Atreus isn’t “appealing enough (so far) to be a main character if Kratos dies,” which is a big possibility in the upcoming 2022 title.
What some fans may forget is that the series starts out with Kratos as a terrible character. It’s hard to feel any sympathy towards the titular god of war who hates himself almost as much as players despise him. Over time, though, most would agree that he has changed and become more likable, which is likely the same path Atreus will take if he’s meant to replace him as the protagonist.
The Franchise Should End After The Norse Saga
The GoW games have become massively successful in large part thanks to their creative retelling of mythologies. The user kingpat0331 states that the franchise “should be done after the Norse saga ends,” though, as they think that “constantly jumping pantheons will feel cheap and corny” if the developers choose to continue producing sequels after Ragnarök.
Players who have enjoyed the GoW series since the earliest years would agree that although the entries aren’t perfect, the creators did an excellent job of shifting from one mythology to another. This is certainly something they can do again after the Norse saga, as fans wouldn’t want the beloved franchise to end when there are so many other realms to explore.
