Kratos' youth in 2D: God of War: Sons of Sparta review

God of War: Sons of Sparta is a 2D metroidvania spin-off by Mega Cat that takes us back to the cruel youth of Kratos in Sparta, showing his adventures long before the events of the main series. Moving away from the cinematic epics in favour of a more compact structure, the game offers a familiar framework with lots of fighting and exploration, but from a completely different angle, or even more correctly, from the other side. And considering how iconic the God of War series is, gg 's editorial team couldn't pass it up and took an experimental project for a look to see how the God of War's youth was spent (quite interesting, we must admit).

Synopsis.

The action takes place in ancient Sparta in the youth of Kratos. Our young Spartan warrior, hardened by military discipline, together with his brother Deimos, embarks on an unexpected adventure. One of their Spartan comrades has disappeared, and they have no choice but to look for him, because Spartans cannot abandon their own. However, the young soldiers could not even imagine what this would lead to and how the first page of the story of the legendary Ghost of Sparta would begin.

5 reasons to buy God of War: Sons of Sparta

• This is the new God of War and that says it all
• You got a lot of emotions from Lost Crown and are looking for similar games
• You can finally learn about the youth of Kratos
• I want to remember the retro vibe (or get acquainted with it)
• You can again chop down enemies for one of the coolest heroes in the history of games

1 reason not to buy God of War: Sons of Sparta

• Pixelated platformers are not for you. You need expensive action

Quick transition:

• Story: how was the legend born?
• Gameplay: no innovation, but with stability
• The technical side of Sparta
• How God of War: Sons of Sparta will be remembered for
• Five things you need to know about God of War: Sons of Sparta

Plot: how was the legend born?

God of War: Sons of Sparta takes us back in time to the cruel youth of Kratos and tells the story that became the first true chapter of his legend. The action takes place in ancient Sparta and its surroundings. We follow the teenage Kratos as he, along with his younger brother Deimos and a close circle of fellow cadets, endure ruthless military training. When one of their comrades fails to return home, the brothers decide to break the rules of Sparta and set out to find him, unaware that this simple act of loyalty will draw them into something much bigger.

As Kratos and Deimos delve deeper into the dangerous terrain, they encounter creatures from the darkest corners of Greek mythology and signs that something terrible is happening in the lands they have sworn to protect. The journey tests their relationship at every turn, forcing Kratos to make difficult choices.

We've long been used to the brutal Kratos with the beard, but what were his first adventures like? This is what the game will tell you. Here is a screenshot: Gagadget

The story's strongest point is how it complements the future Ghost of Sparta, who appears here as a sometimes frightened but still determined warrior at the crossroads of fate. By focusing on brotherhood, loss, and the cost of becoming a Spartan legend, Sons of Sparta reveals pages of God of War history that were only hinted at or left unsaid in the previous instalments of the series.

Of course, you shouldn't expect such strong emotions as from the 2018 game, Ragnarok, or the Valhalla DLC, but it's still a good story that showed the spark that ignited the long and bloody path of the God of War.

Gameplay: without innovation, but with stability

God of War: Sons of Sparta adds something new to the series by being made in the genre of pixelated 2D metroidvania. In Metroidvania, players move through an interconnected world, gradually discovering new paths with the help of abilities acquired over time, rather than moving linearly from level to level. And if you've played Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, then the basics of the game are clear as day.

The gameplay combines spear and shield combat with platforming. During battles, Kratos' enemies will give different colour-coded signals that indicate whether to reflect, dodge, or simply block a blow, which encourages players to read their opponents' intentions rather than just spamming a single button.

The game is constantly throwing up new enemies, bosses, and locations, so there's no way to get bored. Here is a screenshot: Gagadget

You can also level up your spear and shield in the workshop (as well as Kratos' various abilities) and at special fires, which are also used as a way to save. You can also find new items for your weapons, such as hilts, which give you new combinations that will help you defeat enemies more easily. And they can be challenging even at low difficulty levels, so don't expect a "cakewalk". We are Spartans, after all.

The leveling system is virtually identical to the previous GoW games, so fans will know how to get better right away. Here is a screenshot: Gagadget

In addition, the game will gradually give additional weapons and useful tools, from a sling that hits remote switches to a burning branch that burns obstacles and sets enemies on fire.

In general, the gameplay in Sons of Sparta is quite enjoyable and more than once I found myself disappearing into it for a couple of hours without noticing it, which is already evidence of a good job done, but it was not without minor problems. At times, hitting enemies feels like hitting the air. I would like to have a stronger feeling that you have hit an ancient Greek monster with a spear. And the map, although usually clear, can still sometimes be confusing and cause a feeling of topographical cretinism.

The authors skilfully combine exploration and battles, so you can't say that one element prevails over the other. And this works very well for balance. Screenshot: Gagadget

So, if you like metroidvania and Kratos, you can safely go on a new adventure. If you are not a fan of this genre, then the game, unfortunately, cannot offer something radically different from its competitors to draw you in.

The technical side of Sparta

There are no issues with the optimisation as such. Although it would be strange if there were for a pixelated game on PlayStation 5. I did not encounter any bugs or crashes. The only thing is that sometimes the loading times are a bit long for a console with a fast SSD. After death, for example, you can see a black screen for about 10 seconds, although this is not some kind of The Last of Us that needs to load a lot of detailed elements. But otherwise, the authors did not disappoint.

Pixelated visuals for retro fans

God of War: Sons of Sparta uses the old-school 2D style of pixel graphics, which deliberately departs from the hyper-realistic look of the main games in the series. But even this style did not prevent the game from making the environment rich in detail. The game features detailed backdrops of Spartan training grounds, rocky cliffs and temple interiors, and uses expressive silhouettes, warm torchlight and deep shadows to convey the feel of the locations you're in. The sprites of the characters Kratos, Deimos and key enemies are crisp and clear, with expressive animations that make it easy to read their movements and actions.

Together, the artwork and effects create a cohesive, adventurous, yet dangerous atmosphere that emphasises the tone of the coming-of-age story and makes exploring the different regions of Sparta fun.

Even a pixelated game set in 2026 can deliver eye-catching landscapes. Here are the screenshots: Gagadget

Greek sound does not disappoint

God of War: Sons of Sparta has a good sound, based on a dramatic orchestral soundtrack that relies on percussion, choral elements, and thematic motifs to convey both the mythical scale and the stage of Kratos' maturation.

Sound effects and overall audio design further enhance the atmosphere. Ambient sounds - crackling torches, distant shouts during training, echoes in the halls of the temple - help to immerse you in this Greek myth even more.

How God of War will be remembered: Sons of Sparta will be remembered for

God of War: Sons of Sparta will be remembered as an interesting attempt by Sony to go beyond AAA blockbusters with budgets of hundreds of millions and create something more unusual for its portfolio. We also need such games, because they allow us to get new content in our favourite universe while we wait for the sequel. I would consider the experiment a success. Although not without nuances, I enjoyed Sons of Sparta and as a big God of War fan, I was incredibly excited when I got the opportunity to play a new game in the series. So, if players warmly welcome the game and sales do not disappoint, I would advise the Japanese giant to release at least 1-2 such projects a year.

The year promises to be a crazy year for releases, so you can prepare for the hurricane with such a small but good game. Here is a screenshot: Gagadget

Five things you need to know about God of War: Sons of Sparta

• The game is created in the genre of pixelated 2D metroidvania
• The story tells about the young Kratos, who has not yet become the Ghost of Sparta
• The game was developed by Mega Cat Studios, not Santa Monica
• Sons of Sparta is perfect for those who remember pixel arcades and miss those times
• The project is a PlayStation 5 exclusive

For those who want to know more

• I haven't been this curious for a long time: Ghost of Yotei review
• God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla review
• The zone doesn't let anyone go: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl review on PlayStation 5
• Controlling super-dumb-heroes: a first look at Dispatch
• Fell in love at first sight: Astro Bot review, a galactic adventure on PlayStation 5