God of War preview – Kratos set for bold, brutal and breathtaking return on PS4

Straight out the bat, Santa Monica’s latest game starts on a sombre note that sets the tone perfectly for a gruelling opening salvo.

Whereas the previous games had a hyper-stylised, comic book feel – the God of War reboot opts for a gritty, dirty and visceral style.

The change in pace also comes with a major shift for Kratos – who has turned from a rage-filled beast into a more multi-faceted, vulnerable character.

That vulnerability lies in the relationship with his son Atreus, whose only protector is the God of War.

Trying to do a 180 on such an established character comes with its pitfalls.

Change too much and the character becomes alien and foreign. Change too little and you might as well have not bothered.

But the God of War reboot manages to strike a fine balance between shaking up how we see Kratos, while keeping the character’s essence the same.

His softer side is seen in moments in-between battles with Atreus, where he is torn between caring for his son and trying to instill a toughness in him.

This emotional link gives you all the more reason to take care of Atreus when he is by your side in a fight against God of War’s many fearsome foes.

Unlike other games where you have computer controlled companions, Atreus doesn’t feel like a burden.

In fact, he proves to be a big asset – with players able to dish out orders to Kratos’s son during fights.

One early boss battle we faced during a preview we luckily got to play showed how crucial Atreus can be to success.

Ordering him to carry out a few crossbow attacks helped distract an enemy for just enough time to give Kratos an opening to deliver a flurry of blows.

Elsewhere, when we were getting swamped by enemies from all sides Atreus’s crossbow helped stifle the onslaught so we could get on top of the battle.

Kratos himself controls the way you’d expect an ageing warrior to.

He may be a step slower than in previous games, but what he lacks in lightness on his feet he more than makes up for in pure brutality.

Kratos has an array of attacks at his disposal, including using his new Leviathan axe to down opponents or, alternatively, his bare fists.

The latter helps build up an enemy’s stagger meter, and once filled a devastating quick time event attack can be triggered.

This comes complete with a stylish, and bloody, cinematic as Kratos brutalises his enemy and takes off a significant chunk of health.

The first few hours of God of War is filled with bloody moments like this thanks, in part, to its fast, fluid and brilliant combat system.

But, in contrast to the lashings of gore on offer, it’s also a truly gorgeous game to behold.

Returning director Cory Barlog has helped eek out plenty of performance from the PS4 and PS4 Pro, and the results are jaw-dropping.

The game’s graphical prowess gets plenty of moments to shine early on, with Kratos and Atreus travelling to an array of varied locations at the start.

From dusty catacombs, to snowy peaks, to lush forest areas – God of War’s beginning keeps changing up the battlefield to stunning effect.

Elsewhere in our playthrough of God of War’s first few hours, Express.co.uk got to grips with the game’s RPG elements.

Like a lot of modern, open-world action adventure games, God of War introduces skill trees and unlockable skills.

You can tailor Kratos’s fighting style, armour and Atreus’s gear to suit your own personal play style.

While God of War also offers players the chance to delve deeper into the game’s lore, with diary entries on enemies types available to unlock in the menu.

The first few hours of God of War gave us plenty to get excited about, but we only scratched the surface.

Sony said there’s up to 35 hours of content, as well as plenty of additional things to discover off the beaten track of the game.

It’s all shaping up to be another must-have PS4 game, and a classic entry in the God of War series.

Kratos is older, wiser – and looks to be better than ever.