Kratos and Deimos return in a 2D adventure in Agoge

Sony has decided to dust off Kratos's past in a way that no one predicted, but that many will question. During the last event, God of War Sons of Sparta was revealed, a 2D action platform title focused on the Spartan's youth and his brother, Deimos. It's curious to see Santa Monica Studio delegating a part of the canon to Mega Cat Studios, specialized in retro aesthetics. Although the proposal to explore the brutal training in the Agoge is interesting for those who like lore, the change in scale to the side-scrolling plane seems like an effort to save resources while the big projects are still in the incubator.

The game promises to show the brothers overcoming threats that will put Spartan training to the test, while "confronting the true meaning of duty and honor." In practice, this means that we will see the dynamics between the two before all the tragedy we already know. It's a safe narrative choice, but risky in terms of gameplay, as adapting the franchise's visceral fury to a platform format requires a polish that smaller studios don't always achieve. If the partnership with Santa Monica Studio is just to stamp the quality seal, we run the risk of having a generic metroidvania with a famous skin on top.

It seems that Sony is trying to keep the brand alive among the big main releases. "It's a game with a canonical story," which forces the most fervent fans to play, even if they are not enthusiasts of the genre. It's the kind of strategic decision that can enrich the universe or just dilute the impact that the name God of War used to have. In the end, if the combat is as brutal as promised, the fun may make up for the lack of polygons, but it's hard not to feel like we're going back in time in more than one sense.