God of War (2018) review

Exceptional

by Ethan Loertscher

I fucked up with this game. I did NOT want this game to be spoiled for me at all and I was also very busy in the months of April and May, combining to make this a game that I really tried blasting through. I did no side missions, didn't explore the customization options even close to their fullest, and I came across maybe one Valkyrie that I don't even think I beat. Really looking forward to giving this game another go NG+ style some time next year. From what I DID play though, this is one of the best games of the generation, and hands down the best game of the year (sorry red dead ur too realistic not very fun). The way this game FEELS is incredible, it reminded me of my first time playing any of the Arkham games and quickly getting used to that new style of combat. God of War takes those mechanics, adds an axe, makes it deeper, and RUNS with it. The combat in this game is beyond satisfying, and the mid-game reveal of getting the hell-blades that ALSO control incredibly was just the cherry on top of the tastiest pie I've ever had. They even managed to make rowing a boat feel good and natural, which when accompanied by Mimir's voice acting and stories makes me wanna stay in the boat until I'm decaying. This game also manages it's difficulty so well, I played on normal difficulty and always felt like I was earning every kill. The boss fights are hard, the Valkyrie fight is insane (can't even imagine trying to fight the final one, nervous), and FUCK the werewolf guys. And god, the graphics... the graphics... 2018 really spoiled us with Spider-Man, Forza 4, Red Dead, and this. I couldn't believe my eyes, Sony please for the love of god make a PS4 Pro that's on par with the Xbox One X, or please make the PS5 as good as the Xbox 2 or whatever awful thing they name it, I need to see God of War in the best way possible. This is my game of the year and my game of the generation so far, I can't wait to play it again and hopefully get the platinum.