It is hard to find a better-known PlayStation character than the God of War himself, Kratos.
Beginning life on the PlayStation 2, Kratos was a violent man hell-bent on killing the Greek gods who slighted him. By the PlayStation 4 generation, he had matured, and as a father, he is trying to teach his son how to survive.
Not only was his character markedly different, it was also the same for the combat. The original trilogy was a hack-and-slash affair, but the reboot offered a more visceral combat experience, with the iconic Leviathan axe being able to be recalled.
While there have been plenty of spinoffs down through the year, we have yet to see God of War in a truly different genre, that is, until now.
The long-rumoured 2D platformer Sons of Sparta was finally revealed at PlayStation's recent State of Play. It was an extra surprise, seeing as the game was "shadow dropped," meaning it was released on the same day.
It was a nice way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series, as well as a way to reward the most hardcore fans.
Developed by Mega Cat Studios along with the series original creators, Santa Monica Studio, God of War Sons of Sparta follows the journey of a teenage Kratos and his brother Deimos.
You get a glimpse of his Spartan upbringing and the rite of passage he must go through to become an accomplished warrior.
While it is a smart way to give us a different perspective on Kratos, sadly, it does not go beyond tired tropes about the 'Spartan way' and 'no Spartan being left behind."
As the younger brother, Deimos is the impulsive one, boasting about their exploits whenever he can. Kratos, by contrast, is the level-headed older brother who always keeps his brother in check.
They never grow beyond these thinly veiled archetypes, and instead of their sibling bickering becoming endearing, they come off as annoying teenagers.
Pixel art Sparta
In terms of the visuals, it is refreshing to see Ancient Sparta brought to life in this retro aesthetic.
As you traverse Laconia, you will see the majestic Mount Olympus looming in the background, along with a giant statue of Ares being constructed in the distance.
It is a well-realised world, just not one that is visually striking. You will delve into decrepit underground caverns and decadent temples, but sadly, none of these areas is that memorable.
As a metroidvania game, you will slowly uncover a labyrinth-style map and have to backtrack to areas you were previously unable to reach. You unlock tools such as a bust of legendary Spartan Lycurgus or a slingshot that can hit hidden switches.
It is enjoyable to explore every nook and cranny of this world as you find resources to upgrade your gear. It is just not on the same level as something like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, in terms of level design and creativity.
Beyond the game's exploration, two main sticking points stop Sons of Sparta from being a great game. The first of these is the combat, which, while serviceable, is a huge missed opportunity.
Compared to the iconic Leviathan Axe or Blades of Chaos, young Kratos is armed with a spear and shield. While it stays true to his Spartan roots, it is far from the most exciting weapon to use in a video game.
You have standard light, heavy, as well as a special attack you can use by holding down the L1 button, but there is only so much you can do to make a spear feel satisfying and dynamic to use.
While there is a good variety of enemies to impale, whether it is Medusa-like creatures or undead soldiers, there is a huge lack of variety in the gameplay.
Toothless combat
What compounds this is the second main sticking point of the game: the upgrade system.
Similar to the classic trilogy, you collect red orbs, which you use to unlock new abilities for Kratos. The problem is that you also use these orbs to reveal areas of the map.
You then have to choose which is more important: more information about the map or a new power. Then, on top of this, many of the abilities are not major upgrades anyway (a more powerful parry here, a counter move there).
Either they should have a separate resource to unlock parts of the map, or increase the amount of orbs you get from chests in general.
With more fleshed-out combat and a rethought upgrade system, it could have complemented the game's solid exploration.
Story-wise, Kratos and Deimos spend much of the game looking for their friend Vasilis and picking up his trail. While at some moments it leads to interesting mythological boss fights, at other moments it leads to mundane tasks.
In one mission, I was tasked with clearing out four fountains that had become corrupted in a vineyard. It involved killing some enemies and cleansing the corruption again and again with very little deviation.
While the game is bigger than you might expect, when missions add padding like this, it would have benefited from more focused game design.
Despite all of this, it is still heartening to see PlayStation exploring different avenues with its iconic characters. Delivering new experiences for players is always a good thing, regardless of how they land.
Much like a young Kratos, Sons of Sparta shows glimpses of its potential, but fails to take the mantle as a true Spartan legend.
