The original God of War trilogy saw Kratos as a shallow killing machine, while the latest one gives a lot more depth to the famous character. The game revolves around Kratos and his son Atreus trekking the dangerous realms of Norse Mythology so they can reach the highest point and spread the ashes of his past love. How has Kratos changed and has he changed for the better with a son around? Is this game an accurate portrayal of a father and son?
Please explain why they want to reach the highest point and spread the ashes of his past love. It's helpful to add the reasons behind the stories. – Yvonne T.6 years ago
Another interesting contrast can be drawn between the stories told by Mimir about the father-son relationships between the Vanir gods and the evolution of Kratos throughout their journey. A comparison between the Greek and Viking philosophies of fatherhood can be examined as well to gain a deeper understanding behind the choices of the characters.
A different approach could highlight the role of parenthood as a whole with reference to Freya and Baldur, Thor and Magnus & Modi, etc. This topic seems really interesting and would make for a wonderful read. – simonmalik6 years ago
I think this topic is even more interesting since the release of the Raising Kratos documentary on YouTube because Cory Barlog is very transparent about his influence and motivation in making the father-son dynamic so integral to the new tone, narrative, and atmospheric direction. The central crew from Santa Monica are all quick to point out how their own experiences with raising children lent more emotion to the new direction, for better and worse, and they seem to be happy with the final depiction of fatherhood. From a personal perspective, I think the new direction is great because it slows the pace of the game to concentrate on the more poignant aspects of being a father while still acknowledging Kratos' quick-temper by having Atreus take on the role of "father" during some points of their journey. This is especially prominent in the scenes in which Atreus has to read anything for Kratos, and seeing the power structure flip in those moments complicates the depiction of fatherhood more by highlighting how parents must continue learning from their children even as they are tasked with teaching and raising them. Overall, Kratos seems to learn to embrace humanity and empathy more fully by the end of the journey while maintaining the strength that is needed to live in a world of Gods. – Aaron6 years ago