God of War Creator Criticizes Sons of Sparta as a Major Misstep
David Jaffe, the creator of God of War, has expressed strong criticism of the series’ latest installment, God of War: Sons of Sparta. Released concurrently with its announcement in a recent PlayStation State of Play, the game is a 2D side-scroller developed by Mega Cat Studios under the collaboration of Santa Monica Studio. It is set in the canon storyline, focusing on the youth of Kratos and his brother Deimos during their training at the Spartan Agoge.
Jaffe’s Critique of Sons of Sparta
In a nine-minute YouTube video, Jaffe did not hold back in his assessment of Sons of Sparta, stating, “I don’t like it, I don’t recommend it.” He described the game as “crap”, “dumb”, and “stupid”. While acknowledging that the gameplay was “fine” and “serviceable,” he questioned the very existence of the game.
Concerns Over Gameplay and Storytelling
Jaffe criticized the storytelling approach in Sons of Sparta. He highlighted an overabundance of character dialogue that detracted from the gameplay experience. “It’s just like ‘get over yourselves, man’,” he remarked, expressing disappointment in the quality of voice acting and overall narrative flow. He emphasized that the story did not align with the traditional essence of the God of War series, stating, “This is not God of War.”
Comparisons to Other Titles
Jaffe lamented that the choice to diverge from the familiar character of Kratos is a misstep. He felt that gamers were expecting a metroidvania-style title that resonated with previous entries in the franchise, specifically mentioning titles such as Blasphemous that capture the earlier games’ tone. He argued that fan expectations were not met and pointed out the stark differences in production quality compared to other recent titles like Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and Neon Inferno.
Questions Surrounding Development Choices
The God of War creator questioned the decision-making process at Sony, asking, “Who thought this was what the audience wants?” He suggested that a game focusing solely on a new character, separate from Kratos, would not garner much interest. Jaffe called for a return to the roots of the series, emphasizing the need for better production value and engaging gameplay to satisfy fans.
Future of the Franchise
Alongside Sons of Sparta, Sony has announced plans to remake the original God of War trilogy. This move is reportedly in response to persistent fan requests for the return of the earlier titles. Sony expressed gratitude for fans’ passionate interest and promised to share more information in the future.
As the gaming community anticipates the arrival of these remakes, Jaffe’s frank feedback on Sons of Sparta raises important questions about the direction of the God of War series and what fans truly desire from future installments.
