God of War Full Review: Story, Game play, Graphics & More

God of War Full Review: Story, Game play, Graphics & More

From the first launch of God of War on PC, I was ready for an impressive-looking game. I was familiar with its visuals, watched several game play videos, and knew for sure that it was highly valued by people. However, what I did not anticipate was how fast the game managed to distract my attention and take me from being in front of the computer screen.

Firstly, I chose the keyboard-and-mouse control method because I am used to it when playing games on PC. Yet, after just a few battles, I realized why lots of people recommend using a controller while playing God of War on PC.

Having spent some time exploring the game, fighting enemies, solving puzzles, changing graphics settings, and simply admiring the game's world, I have got a clear enough impression of this title – God of War can be called a full-fledged PC port.

In this review, I will talk about the plot, game play, graphics, performance, controls, PC features, system requirements, things not to do, and is it even worth playing the game on PC now?

Story Review

Unlike in earlier installments of the series, Kratos has calmed down somewhat now that he has grown old.

He lives in the new universe, but there is another addition to his family. This time his son, Atreus, is with him and their interactions form the core of the whole story.

Everything started when Kratos' wife died and left him with her last wish of spreading her ashes on the highest peak.

It becomes the main driving force which takes both of them out of their home on a grand journey.

What really impressed me about the story is that there is nothing forced about their relationship.

Kratos is not suddenly turned into a perfect dad in this game. He is still as grumpy and uncommunicative as always and does not get along very well with his son.

Atreus is curious, impulsive, and eager for adventures.

Their exchanges while exploring the world during boat rides are my favorite parts of the whole game.

Kratos and Atreus

The parent-child bond brings an emotional component to the game that is not seen in the previous games.

You'll notice how Kratos teaches Atreus how to survive, be disciplined, responsible, and control his emotions. On the other hand, Atreus affects Kratos as well.

This is one of the reasons why the story was so successful.

It isn't just:

Hero + monsters + bosses = adventure.

There is a real personal development process going on behind the scenes.

I won't reveal any key plot twists, but there are a few instances when I have changed my opinion on some of the characters and their actions.

Game play Review

The combat system is one of the best parts about God of War.

Firstly, the control scheme may seem quite basic. You have light and heavy attacks, blocks, dodges, special moves, and long-range attacks.

However, with the unlocking of new abilities, the combat system gets deeper and deeper.

One of the most enjoyable weapons in the game is the Leviathan Axe.

This weapon can be thrown at the opponent and immediately brought back by its owner. Watching this axe flying in the air and returning into Kratos' hands is always fun.

Also, it can be used to attack the opponents from a distance, freeze some of the opponents, activate some mechanisms, and help in solving the environment puzzles.

Another great weapon is the Blades of Chaos, which offer a whole new fighting experience.

Combining both these weapons adds value to the switching of the weapons in the fight.

Combat Tips I've Learned the Hard Way

The first mistake I made was going at every enemy full-on.

This isn't necessarily an effective strategy with stronger foes.

Certain enemies can counter you very fast, especially if you aren't watching what you are doing and continue attacking.

Some better tactics include:

Observe the enemy's movements.

Watch for attack signals.

Dodge as needed.

Block attacks if possible.

Use Atreus' arrows to disrupt enemy attacks.

Mix up weapon strikes and abilities.

Don't neglect your surroundings.

Keep upgrading your equipment.

Since I started thinking more about strategy rather than mashing buttons, combat has become way more fun.

Atreus Proves to Be More Helpful Than Initially Perceived

Atreus is not just someone who drives the plot further.

The arrows he uses can help you in battle, and making him more powerful through his skills makes him very helpful.

I neglected a few of his upgrades at first since I was more focused on strengthening Kratos' weapon. This was an error on my part.

In tough situations, it definitely helps to have Atreus by your side.

Exploration and World Design

God of War doesn’t have an open world in the classic sense.

What it does offer is interconnected locations which become available to the player as the game progresses.

I liked how it was designed because the world seems vast yet not overwhelming at all.

From forests and mountains to lakes and ruins, from caves to all other locations inspired by Norse mythology – you will see a lot of it.

The most fun location is the Lake of Nine because it acts as the main exploration hub.

While going through the storyline you will unlock more ways to travel around and visit more locations.

That is where the optional content comes into play.

You can find there:

Hidden rooms

Optional bosses

Treasures

Collectibles

Optional quests

Equipment upgrades

Puzzles

Lore-related discoveries

If you are only interested in following the main story, you can go straight through the game.

But if you prefer exploring every nook and cranny, you can do that too.

Graphics Review

That's where the PC version really shines.

Years after the initial release, God of War still looks great on PC.

The environment looks great especially when you turn up texture quality and resolution.

Character animations are also another strong point.

Kratos' face, Atreus' expressions, weapon animation, lighting, snow, water, and other environment details make this game look great.

Graphics Settings for PC Version

A bonus about playing on PC is that you can personalize everything to your taste.

Depending on your computer, you can tweak such options as:

Texture quality

Model quality

Shadows

Reflections

Ambient occlusion

Anisotropic filtering

Resolution

Frame rate settings

Motion blur

VSync

Rendering settings

If your computer allows, increasing those settings will make the environment look significantly sharper.

But don't make the mistake of turning everything to maximum right away.

It's best to start with the recommended settings of the game and tweak each one of them.

Performance

The first misconception about PC gaming is assuming that the best performance comes with maximum graphical settings.

In some cases, it simply does not.

Sometimes in action games such as God of War, a stable performance matters more than the last drop in the quality of graphics.

For instance, I would prefer the stable performance with slightly reduced shadows rather than the one with constant performance drops during the gameplay.

Try these recommendations when dealing with performance issues:

1. Test your resolution

If you are playing in 4K resolution, but your GPU cannot handle it, try switching to 1440p or even 1080p.

2. Reduce shadows' quality

Shadows are known to affect the game performance.

3. Reduce reflections

If the performance drops and you want to find additional optimization, try reducing reflections.

4. Test your background applications

Before playing a game, make sure all background applications (a browser with a lot of tabs, recording software, launchers, etc.) are closed.

These background applications take up your CPU and memory.

5. Update your GPU driver

Your NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel GPU driver should be reasonably up to date.

Comparison of Keyboard/Mouse and Controller

I played the game using both control methods, and the results favor one control method over the other.

Keyboard and Mouse

They are perfectly fine and suitable as long as you have experience in action games on PC.

A mouse allows you to have a good control over the camera, while keyboard shortcuts may become responsive when used for some time.

Nevertheless, many controls will have to be taken into account.

Controller

On my part, the controller felt more natural and appropriate to use.

This is because of analog movements, vibration, triggers, and combat control.

If you already have a compatible Xbox or PlayStation controller for PC, it is worth trying out.

Here's my piece of advice:

Try them both.

You may like using the keyboard/mouse, but keep in mind that it doesn't necessarily mean it is better.

Weaponry and Upgrading

Another part of the game where balance between simplicity and complexity is achieved is progression.

One will be able to upgrade Kratos' weaponry and equipment, learn new skills and increase attributes.

There will be various pieces of armor and enchantments available too.

Firstly, the upgrading process might look a bit complicated because there are many statistics involved.

Instead of getting lost in all numbers, think about your favorite play style.

If you prefer fighting enemies aggressively, then focus on the equipment that increases offensive abilities.

In case you are dying too often, try defensive upgrades.

Once again, that was one of the lessons I learned while playing the game – do not keep all upgrade materials for later just to make the game harder for yourself.

Puzzles: A Great Way To Mix It Up

In between all the battles, there are lots of environmental puzzles to solve.

While they may not necessarily be very challenging, they certainly make you notice your surroundings.

You will have to use:

The Leviathan Axe

Abilities of Atreus

Switches

Rotating machines

Items from the environment

The environment itself

Personally, I found this part quite enjoyable since fighting for hours on end becomes boring after a while.

Bosses

The encounters with bosses are probably among the best parts of this game.

They almost always require more than just swinging the axe non-stop at whatever is in front of you.

You will have to identify patterns, dodge attacks, and time your counterattacks right.

Some of the optional foes may prove particularly tough to defeat.

If you find that a certain boss fight is too hard for you, it doesn’t mean that you’re doing something wrong.

You may simply be a bit underleveled or using items that are ill-suited for this particular battle.

Difficulties

This God of War provides you with several difficulty levels, thus allowing different kinds of players to appreciate this game.

If your main priority is the story, a lower difficulty level may help you concentrate on exploration and the story.

If you prefer hardcore battle experience, higher difficulty levels can be chosen.

It would be better to begin with the one which corresponds to your experience in playing action games.

There is no point in choosing the highest difficulty and getting frustrated in the middle of the game.

Sound Design and Music

Sound design of the game requires more attention than it usually does.

The sounds of the weapon, enemies, environment, and characters' dialogues create the right atmosphere.

Also, the music is perfect in this game considering its dark theme.

I liked that there were many quiet scenes in the game.

In this case, you don't have to listen to the dramatic music, as the environment itself can make the atmosphere.

Mistakes You Might Make While Playing God of War

1. Not Exploring Other Game Sections

If you skip the main plot too quickly, you will not discover many interesting locations in the game.

2. Conserving Your Resources

Don't hoard your upgrade items and materials; you shouldn't make the game more difficult for yourself.

3. Ignoring Atreus

Atreus' skills are useful during fights with enemies.

4. Using Only One Type of Control

In case keyboard control isn't comfortable for you, try using a controller.

5. Setting Graphics to Maximum

Max settings may not be worth the performance hit.

6. Not Exploring

Many useful items and interesting meetings happen away from the main plot.

7. Playing Without Testing Your PC Performance

Stutter and low FPS may be solved by lowering graphics settings.

Is God of War PC Worth Playing?

Yes, at least in my case.

Great narrative, exciting fight sequences, amazing visuals, exploration opportunities, character growth, and good PC game qualities make it easy to recommend to action-adventure players.

The aspect that I liked about it wasn't even its visuals.

The connection between Kratos and Atreus did the trick.

While the fighting made me hooked, it was the narrative that made me want to go on.

Even if you have never tried playing a previous God of War game before, 2018's installment is a good starting point for understanding Kratos' story.