Flashback. A young me picks up a DualShock, inserts a disk into a PlayStation 2, starts the game, and immediately falls in love with what will become the video game saga that will accompany him in adolescence.
In reality, I was late in learning about the phenomenon of “God of War”. I was almost of age and my first approach was on a PSP… but the story from before is more dramatic so let’s keep it that way).
However, the part about love at first sight is true. Greek mythology, enemies to slaughter, and a captivating story ; what more can you ask for?
I still remember my (real) first time with the first title of the saga ; the “hack and slash” from Santa Monica Studio (@santamonicastudio) immediately bewitched me. The game began with a cut scene that only raised questions rather than gave me a setting. The story then took me through what would have been the last weeks of Kratos and then ended the narration with a classic (and here it is needed) Greek tragedy. Already having a good knowledge of Greek mythology, I thought I was starting off with an advantage (maybe with a few spoilers already known) but no. The game takes inspiration from Greek mythology, but it makes its story its own and changes several aspects, and you know what? Okay. Game designer and creative director David Jaffe never had in mind to adapt the mythology to the game, but to create an “Onimusha but with Greek mythology”. The choice of incorporating Greek mythology is due to how Jaffe himself imagined parts of the gameplay, such as the mechanics of the head of the medusa.
This is history and we don’t give lessons ; so why am I talking to you about God of War today? Why am I talking about the game that combined combat, platforming, and puzzles? Does there have to be a reason? Well, the truth is that I picked up the DualShock again, inserted a disk into the PlayStation 3, and started the game that I enjoyed the most in my late adolescence.
