Over the course of 13 years, seven games, and countless bloody stories, God of War's protagonist has been the poster boy for one of Sony's most iconic franchises. But with the newest installment in the series, Sony Santa Monica has finally given Kratos a chance at redemption.
In the video above, Jake Dekker explores the myriad ways the studio has made Kratos more grounded and relatable. He's not just a fighter, or a god, but also a father and a grieving husband. His journey not only has more context, but more concrete reasons for us to care. And much like Naughty Dog did with Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4, Santa Monica has confronted Kratos' past, using it as a driving force for the anti-hero's motivations.
When you're done watching Jake's video, make sure to come back to GameSpot in the coming weeks as we interview God of War's director, and offer our various takes on the game's spoiler-filled ending.