Why the separation of Kratos and Atreus in God of War would be a double-edged sword

With God of War: Ragnarok leave many loose plot lines open and how successful the modern God of War games for Sony, it seems inevitable that the series will continue with at least one more major entry. As for the next God of War It’s hard to say what the game will look like, but many have speculated that Atreus will once again appear as a playable character, possibly set against a new mythological backdrop.

The main reason for this speculation is RagnarokThe end of Atreus, in which Atreus goes out into the world alone, probably together with Angrboda, in search of the remaining giants. Kratos, on the other hand, seems to have stayed behind in the Nordic realms, with the Valhalla DLC suggests that he will replace Tyr as the Norse god of war. These circumstances could set the stage for an adventure with just Atreus, but a game where the father-son duo are more evenly split also seems likely. Either way, it’s reasonable to assume that God of War will not return to his Kratos-Atreus team structure, at least not immediately.

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A God of War game led by Atreus must follow up on a thread hinted at in Ragnarok’s ending

God of War Ragnarok leaves behind many loose storylines, but there is one particular storyline that needs to be followed up in a future game.

The separation of Kratos and Atreus could be good, but brings some challenges

Atreus and Kratos can evolve independently

In a room led by Atreus God of War story, especially when it comes to character development. Atreus becomes more and more God of War Games to come to terms with his divinity, mourn the death of his mother, and build a closer bond with his father. However, he is still defined in relation to Kratos, and while Ragnarok sees him becoming more independent – something that is reinforced by his playable solo missions – he is still more of a secondary antagonist, with Kratos remaining at the forefront. If Atreus had his own adventure, far away from Kratos, he could experience monumental, interesting development, overcoming challenges and making difficult decisions without his father’s supervision.

Likewise, Kratos’ life without Atreus could be interesting to watch. Kratos could play a completely different role in God of War to move forward, especially if he takes Tyr’s vacated position and serves as leader again. In this new seat of power and taking into account all that he has learned from his past mistakes, Kratos could develop much further and grow into an even more mature and wiser god. Without Atreus by his side, the next God of War could focus on this aspect of Kratos’ development, which could be interesting.

Kratos and Atreus both leave big shoes to fill

Realistically, Atreus probably won’t be alone on his journey; Angrboda will likely take Kratos’ place as his companion. This has a lot of potential, as Atreus and Angrboda spend a lot of time bonding. Ragnarokbut it’s undeniably a radically different kind of dynamic, and one that might be a little harder to pull off. The parent-child relationship is unique in that it can be exceptionally deep and complex while remaining permanent: not much can happen to tear them apart. Having a friend or romantic relationship as a partner could be just as interesting, but harder to pull off. Moreover, the dynamic between Atreus and Kratos has proven to be endearing and relatable, so it might be hard not to compare it to a possible Atreus-Angrboda pairing.

On the other hand, Kratos and Freya have an interesting relationship in RagnarokSo it’s not as if the series isn’t capable of separating father and son for extended periods of time. How well such a separation ultimately works will depend on a number of factors, including how well Atreus fares as a standalone character without the much more iconic, established Kratos at his side.

God of War: Ragnarok

God of War Ragnarok is an action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the sequel to God of War (2018) and the conclusion of Kratos and Atreus’ journey through Scandinavia. The game is loosely based on Norse mythology and players battle mythological creatures while experiencing the events of Ragnarok.

Approved

9 November 2022

ESRB

M for blood and brutality, intense violence, strong language

How long does it take to hit?

26 hours

Metascore

94

PS Plus availability

N/A

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