God of War is definitely an iconic franchise; there’s never been a doubt about it. From the very first game on PlayStation 2 back in 2005 to God of War: Ragnarok, these games have been pretty excellent. In fact, no matter how they change over time, the developers have made sure these games remain as fun to play as the fans want them to be.
There’s no doubt about the fact that these games have indeed changed; from a distant third-person camera to over-the-shoulder, developers have brought about a major shift. But no matter how games change, fans like to be reminded of the old times in a good way. That’s what God of War: Ragnarok did.
God of War: Ragnarok’s most memorable weapon took a long time to make
Kratos is as iconic a protagonist as they come; he sits right up there with the likes of Solid Snake, Ezio, and Captain Price. Show anyone two small blades bounded by a chain, and they will recognize them as his weapons of choice.
His anger is pretty fearsome too; he would kill anyone who he would see as a threat. He proved as much in many of his previous games; heck, in God of War 3, the guy killed the whole world and himself along with it.
He was just a rageful man looking for redemption, something that he would never get. But he got something else during his journey over the years: a number of exciting weapons. He had those iconic twin blades of chaos. He also got a pair of spears and a shield; they are called the Arms of Sparta, and are given to the player in God of War: Ghost of Sparta. Ragnarok’s director, Eric Williams, remembers that moment fondly.
“one of his guys brings him his spear and shield from Sparta that he had laid down and then you get that for the rest of the game. And we got to see him be the Spartan general again”
Eventually, when the series shifted to a new era with God of War 2018, those weapons were left in the past. Kratos got a new axe, which was not unlike Thor’s Mjonir. Kratos can throw it and then call it back; it’s pretty quick, making the combat very fun.
But this is not the only weapon he has. He eventually also gets back those blades of chaos. But fans are left wanting more; maybe developers were taking note too.
In its sequel, God of War: Ragnarok, fans got their hands on an incredible new weapon. It was a ring that turned into a spear. A very fast spear that reminds players of that spear in Ghost of Sparta. No shield, though, as the shield is already a part of Kratos’ arsenal this time. But this spear did not materialize out of nowhere; the game director explains how much they had to work to make it possible.
“we started working on story. How’s it gonna get made? What can we say when it’s getting made? Can we make it his and only his? Because the blades were bestowed upon him as a curse, the axe was gifted to him by his wife, like what would be him in that pure kind of way, so that if you saw him standing with that spear and shield, he may become the protector of the realms, not the destroyer anymore.”
It appears that for Eric and his team, bringing back that spear was a personal goal. There’s no doubt about the fact that they achieved it pretty effectively. The spear is in this game, and it works incredibly well.
The fact that they designed it in such a way that it materializes out of a small ring is something else. It just goes to show their dedication to combining gameplay mechanics and narrative to make all that possible.
Where would Kratos go next?
While it feels pretty good to talk about things from the past, one cannot help but wonder where the developers will take this franchise next. It is being suggested by a number of fans that they are taking Kratos to Egypt next.
But others say he has already been to Egypt; maybe this time he will travel through multiple worlds? It’s crazy, though, but it would be exciting to see Sony Santa Monica bring it to life.
