God of War

⭐ 9.0/10

(Originally written by Tim)

My first game on the PS Now streaming service and I loved it! You play as this hulking monster of a man guiding his son through the Norse realms as you are pursued by your past. The game starts off with this incredibly cinematic battle that doubles as a tutorial and I was hooked.

The gameplay is what stood out for me here. The world looks incredible, with many distinct and beautiful settings, but swinging that axe never got boring. I enjoy the half linear/half open world style games, and I never felt burdened by side quests or curiosities. The fighting also never got boring, with several challenging late game quests to force me to hone my skills and truly become the God of War.

Parts of the story were a bit weak, with some moments where your son becomes really annoying that kind of just vanish eventually, but I liked the twists and the overall guardian/mentor dynamic. I was anticipating a bigger final battle, with a more important final boss, but I get that they are trying to mirror the storyline with your own son. The mini bosses were also repetitive. The first time I killed a troll or a giant I was in awe of my skill and the intensity of the battle, but by the 10th one I was wiping the floor with them. Maybe they want you to feel your own progress, but I could have used more variation.

I loved the pace of this game, and I always looked forward to my next session with it. Just a great experience overall, the type of game I find very easy to get in to (similar in my mind to the Batman Arkham games of Middle Earth: Shadow of War).