David Jaffe has voiced strong opinions on the recent evolution of Kratos multiple times in the recent past. Jaffe is the original creator of the God of War franchise who led the development of the 2005 original and its 2007 sequel.
He has taken to YouTube and other social media to express his displeasure with the character’s development in the 2018 reboot and the 2022 sequel. He argues that the character has been made too personal and soft, diverging from the character’s original brutal nature.
David Jaffe’s Outspoken Views on The Recent God of War Games And Kratos’ Character
In another recent video on his YouTube channel, Jaffe was joined by John Garvin, creator of Days Gone. It’s pretty ironic considering Garvin himself has a reputation for having some strong opinions.
In a video titled “Should Kratos or Drake GROW as characters?!? DAYS GONE Creator and I say…NO!!!” Jaffe and Garvin talked about the character and his evolution in the recent games. Jaffe said:
I don’t think all characters need to be adult literary fiction characters that start here and they’re totally different by the end.
He then goes on to say that when writing comic book or big franchise characters and similar types of fiction, you want some nuance in their characterization, but still remain true to their identity.
You want to have some nuance and Pathos in the character so he doesn’t just look like a cardboard cutout character. But you don’t wanna end up with someone who so different when you’re making game 6 that it may as well not be Kratos.
We’ve seen Jaffe talk about his disapproval of the new games multiple times before as he has insisted that the character should remain a relentless warrior, not a reflective father dealing with family issues.
He even went on to say he didn’t like where the franchise was going at all after he parted ways with it. He believes that injecting personal issues into the story dilutes the essence of the character and the franchise.
The Franchise Has Seen Great Success With Its Recent Games
Despite Jaffe’s criticisms, many fans and critics have praised the evolution of where the series has gone. The 2018 God of War reboot and Ragnarok have both received critical acclaim, with high Metacritic scores and numerous awards.
Fans have appreciated the more nuanced and emotionally complex portrayal of the character, seeing it as a natural progression for a character who has endured immense trauma and loss.
The debate over this beloved character highlights a broader conversation about character development in long-running franchises.
While Jaffe argues for maintaining the original brutal essence of Kratos, others may believe that character growth is essential to keep the series fresh and engaging.
The success of the recent games suggests that the latter approach resonates with a significant portion of the player base. What do you think about Kratos’ development as a character? Let us know in the comments!
