A God of War Game Starring Atreus May Be Skating on Thin Ice in One Area

Heavy spoilers from God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok ahead.

Highlights

• Atreus faces a challenge in finding new enemies in Norse mythology after the death of major gods like Thor and Heimdall.
• To solve this, Santa Monica may explore different mythologies or introduce patricide within the game.
• Introducing new villains may be tough, but creating complex characters with unclear motivations could help players connect.

God of War is a frighteningly violent franchise where not even the gods of mythology are safe. Throughout Kratos’s adventures, he becomes a god killer, and his rage turns him into an unstoppable force of power. He tones down once he has his son Atreus (otherwise known as Loki), but he is still a dangerous man.

Atreus is much more level-headed than Kratos, but he is just as stubborn and has a lot to learn. During his journey, he crosses paths with many gods who are defeated. This leaves a problem for the next God of War game if it is set in Norse mythology and stars Atreus. It’s not clear just what kind of villain he’ll face.

The Defeated Enemies of God of War

In Norse mythology, one of Loki’s main enemies is Thor, the hammer weilding god of lighting, and the feud between the two is captured in the poem Lokasenna. In God of War Ragnarok, Thor dies at the hands of his own father, Odin. Heimdall is also Atreus’ foe in Norse mythology, where they are destined to kill each other. In the game, Heimdall instead meets his demise at the hands of a rage-filled Kratos.

Perhaps the most important death is that of Baldr’s, who is violently murdered by Kratos. All these deaths leave Atreus with very few enemies left in a new God of War game. Consequently, Santa Monica has some tough decisions to make regarding Atreus’ future adversaries.

How Santa Monica Can Deal With Atreus’s Enemies

One of the best options is to move on from Norse mythology and explore different mythologies from around the world. This would give Atreus more enemies to battle and new characters to mingle with. The most obvious choice would be Egyptian mythology, which has been rumored to be the next location for the franchise.

The other option would be to follow the theme of the game and introduce patricide. Atreus could have children that turn against him due to fate. This is possible because in Norse mythology, Loki has a few children, including Sleipnir, who is an eight-legged horse that becomes Odin’s steed in Norse mythology. There is also Narfi, who is deemed Loki’s son in some versions of Norse mythology. Narfi feuds with his brother Vali, who transforms into a wolf and murders him.

The Problem With Introducing New God of War Characters

Part of why the villains of the Norse saga of God of War work so well is because players become very familiar with the characters. Even if the characters aren’t seen, they remain ever-present. This is the case with Odin, who isn’t seen in God of War (2018) but is constantly mentioned. The same is true for Thor, as players get a sneak preview of his hammer right at the end of 2018’s God of War. Introducing new characters may be exciting, but it will be a tough job for Santa Monica to ensure players feel a connection to the villains.

This could be done by making the villains complex with motivations that aren’t so easy to understand. God of War did so beautifully with Freya, who is out for Kratos’ blood at first, but soon grows to see things from his perspective. She blurs the line between hero and villain, making her an intriguing character. The same could be done with a new villain who keeps players guessing whether they should be trusted or not.

God of War Ragnarok set the bar high for the franchise, and it’ll take a lot to top it. Fans may have to wait longer than expected for the next entry in the series, as rumors suggest that Santa Monica is working on a new IP. Nevertheless, it appears the tale of Kratos and Atreus is far from over, and players will be seeing more of the duo taking on the gods of mythology.