The God of War franchise can be recognized by veteran and new-age gamers. The series commenced in 2005 and is still holding firm in 2023, thanks to the reboot released in 2018. The reboot saw a different version of the Ghost of Sparta, who, apart from being a lethal force to be reckoned with, was also coming to terms and learning how to be a father.
The reboot changed a lot of things for the franchise. The most notable difference is the camera angle, which is now more or less static with a narrower field of view. The reboot also saw Kratos wielding his signature Leviathan Axe instead of the usual chained blades associated with the deadly character. Apart from these, new RPG elements were initially absent and added to the title.
Now, the creator of the original series has voiced his opinion on the recent games released in 2018 and 2022, respectively. The individual, David Jaffe, expressed his dissatisfaction with the direction of the spinoffs in a YouTube video on his channel.
What David Jaffe Said About the God of War Reboot and Its Successor
As mentioned, Jaffe expressed his opinion on the latest games on his YouTube channel. Having parted from Santa Monica Studios, the team behind the significant God of War games in 2007, Jaffe talked about what he thinks of the Spartan Warrior’s evolution throughout the title. He quoted one of the game directors, Bruno Velazquez, who was recently interviewed about the recent games.
Jaffe then revealed the 2018 title, but the 2022 sequel was not his “cup of tea.” He then goes on to make a comparison between Kratos’ development and the development of Indiana Jones’ titular character after Last Crusade, saying:
I don’t want these characters to grow. I don’t give a f**k what you are going through at the studio and I don’t mean that disrespectfully. If you are going to build a brand-new IP and you are going to build a character in the God of War lore…
He continues to state that:
And that character is struggling or dealign with your problems…that’s wonderful, do that s**t all day long. But don’t take the character Kratos…and go ‘You know what I am Steven Spielberg and I am older now and I am really into family…’ , no f**k you! That is not what this character is.
It is worth noting that when the franchise began, the Spartan Warrior was a blood-thirsty god-killing barbarian. As the franchise progresses, many of the character’s initial motivations for being the way fade away as he encounters new experiences. While the reboot in 2018, directed by Cory Barlog, still saw Kratos having more in common with his former self, he is still very different from what he used to be.
Jaffe then goes on to say that it is appreciated that the game is treated like an art form. However, Jaffe suggests that all of this must be done while bound by the already-established lore of the character and the franchise. He also says that if one wants to overstep these fences and bounds, that is called for, but calling it God of War doesn’t align with the game or the character.
David Jaffe then says that Ragnarök was a great game that was well-made and wonderfully produced, but it is not God of War, at least for him. He also says the 2018’s take on the character may not be the same quality as the original Kratos if put aside, away from the series of events before it. He expresses that the 2018 game‘s Kratos is only well-regarded by fans because they know how much of a ruthless killing machine Kratos was back in the day.
The video also continues to display what the former creator thinks of Atreus and all of the side characters, which now form an indispensable part of the game’s lore, especially after Ragnarök. Overall, it is safe to say that the series isn’t what it was when it was first released. It touches upon other characters and gives them the ability to indirectly or, sometimes, directly influence the grand narrative of the game.
While the fans and the community have appreciated mainly the franchise’s direction and what it has now become, Jaffe’s point of view is more than fair. After all, the individual in discussion is why we got the original games leading to the reboot.
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