God Of War’s Biggest Problem Needs To Be Fixed Before God of War 5

[Warning: Spoilers for God of War 2018 below]

Santa Monica Studios’ God of War has a compelling and intricate storyline, but where the game falters has to do with the repetitive nature of actions in the franchise as a whole. Should the developers choose to continue on with the series with a God of War 5, it will be necessary to reflect on the overused elements of past games in the God of War series (such as going to some version of Hell) and instead incorporate new elements in their place to keep things fresh for players.

In 2018’s God of War, players once again assume the role of Kratos as he journeys to the highest point in the nine realms alongside his son Atreus. Together, the duo must spread the ashes of Faye, their beloved wife and mother, who died shortly before the events of the game begin. But with Baldur, son of Odin and Freya, hot on their heels, the two face an unspeakable challenge while grieving Faye’s death.

The story itself in God of War‘s most recent outing is nothing short of captivating, and has been praised for its fusion of Greek and Norse mythology all while maintaining accuracy. God of War’s surprising twist at the end perfectly sets things up for another installment and leaves players with a sense of satisfaction upon completing the game. However, there’s something wrong with the gameplay, and it’s something that has been present in the God of War series for a long time.

Why The God of War Games Feel So Repetitive

Even though players may have been compelled to keep on playing God of War because of its gripping story, it doesn’t excuse the monotonous actions players are forced to perform over and over again, many of which were also present in previous installments in the God of War franchise. After a while, God of War players become numb to repeating the same actions and pressing the same buttons over and over again, particularly if they’ve played the previous games recently. The repetitiveness makes it easy to forget which installment in the series is being played, especially during the latter portions of the most recent God of War when Kratos gets his signature weapons back.

For example, God of War players are constantly tasked with going up to a chest, pressing a single button, and receiving a new collectible that may offer a small advantage. It’s not only that the chests all start to look the same (and the actions to unlock it feel the same) after a while in the game – it’s the fact that this has been done time and again in earlier installments that makes this worthy of an eye roll. Kratos has always been opening chests in God of War, whether it’s for orbs or for Idunn Apples. The same goes for constantly having to throw Kratos’ axe at a target, whether it be a rune, bucket, or marker that can be frozen in place. While a new feature for the series, it’s one which quickly wears out its welcome.

At every turn, on every level, and in every chapter, these actions are repeated over and over, something which returning players may find painfully similar to previous God of War games. Although the change in combat styles and camera angles makes the experience feel new at first, eventually it all starts to blur together. Players expect something fresh and exciting from sequels, so should God of War 5 actually happen (which 2018’s God of War’s ending seemed to imply) then the developers should try to find a way to diversify repetitive, monotonous actions. Otherwise, God of War 5 may stand accused of being repetitive, too.

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