With the latest God of War garnering critical acclaim all over the world, it is no surprise that the hype and excitement are boiling over ahead of the game’s highly anticipated release this coming Friday, April 20.

As this is the first time Kratos and Atreus are appearing on the current generation of PlayStation consoles in a new entry into the historical franchise, the formula has been changed up quite a bit to bring them more into touch with modern sensibilities. Fear not, let us be your guide to what you need to know before you jump into Kratos’ adventures in the new world.

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Angry No More

Gone is the old, grouchy Kratos of old who swore vengeance upon the world. The new God of War takes place after an indeterminable amount of time and far away from Greece and its pantheon of gods. While gamers that have followed the series can expect callbacks to his previous journeys, new players can jump right in without feeling too left out, with the narrative doing a fantastic job of weaving a new and engaging tale.

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Swinging For The Fences

If there’s one thing more synonymous with the series than the shaved head, it’s the Blades of Chaos. However, this latest entry has a new toy for Kratos to play with, the utterly powerful and satisfying Leviathan Axe. With light (R1), heavy attacks (R2), and combos to unleash, it is a blast to use and visually pleasing, especially with its freezing properties. It never gets old as you throw the Leviathan at the enemies and recall it back and smashing them into pieces.

Without the Leviathan, Kratos’ two fists are no slouches either. Capable of dealing good damage alongside significant stun damage, it is the quickest path to knock your enemies silly before executing them with the series’ signature gore. The shield is also an important ally in both defending and attacking, and often comes into play with the more difficult enemies.

Atreus joins Kratos on his journey, and his arrows can help distract enemies or used to extend combos. Certain foes are impervious to Kratos’ attacks unless Atreus intervenes, so be sure to keep your trusty sidekick in mind (Square) when charging into the fray.

God of War boasts a new over-the-shoulder camera that does wonders as a storytelling device, but can be a little finicky during combat, especially when you lock on (R3) onto a particular enemy. Be sure to check your surroundings and look out for helpful arrows that can pinpoint an attacking enemy or incoming projectiles.

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The World Is Your Oyster

Well, sort of. God of War is not an open world game, but it does have sprawling areas for you to explore and discover. The world of Midgard is vast and riddled with secrets and diverging paths, giving you an incentive to deviate from the story and complete some sightseeing.

Of course, more regions will open up as you get deeper into the game, granting you abilities that can open up new paths and secret passages. If you are looking to Platinum the game or more collectables to obtain, exploration and a sharp eye are a must.

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Craft It Like It’s Hot

God of War adopts a streamlined RPG-like system when it comes to weapons and armour, letting players exchange materials and currency (Hacksilver) to craft new gear and to improve upon existing ones with the help of Brok and Sindri. Both Kratos and Atreus can don new armour, upgrade their weapons, and even use enchantments.

 

The upgrades also tie into the overall level of Kratos, which will then unlock new skills for purchase. Always spend your XP to upgrade, a stronger Kratos is the best Kratos.

The various gear will bless you with stats increments as well, and these are the ones you will need to look out for to tailor for your playstyle:

• Strength – increases damage for all attacks.
• Runic – Increases both Runic Attack and Elemental damage.
• Defence – Reduces all damage taken.
• Vitality – Increases maximum health and decreases time stunned from enemy attacks.
• Luck – Increases perk activation chance from Enchantments, and increases XP and hacksilver gained.
• Cooldown – Reduces recharge time of Runic Attacks and Summons, as well as Talismans

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Excited for God of War? It’s only a few days away, so if you have not, take a gander at our review and see why God of War could stand the test of time and be potentially 2018’s Game of The Year!