‘It’s a fun space to be in’
The next God of Wargame will be a big departure from the style that everyone knows. It’s a figurative departure in style and perspective, and it’s a literal departure in that Kratos moved from Greece to Norway. What does the change in location mean for the enemies of God of War?
In an interview with Gamespot, game director Corey Barlog explained exactly when God of War takes place. Barlog stressed first and foremost that this wouldn’t be a viking tale. “A lot of people think Norse, they think viking, but there’s really this amazing prehistory — the migration, and then prior to that, the pre-migration era,” Barlog said.
He elaborated, “In the viking era, they always talked about, ‘The gods have abandoned us.’ Thor and Loki and Odin all walked the Earth at one point, but they’re not around any more. [The vikings] fight for them, but they’re not there. This idea that we’re at is saying, ‘We’re at a prehistory point, where gods did walk the Earth, when monsters were real, before they became extinct.’”
As far as Sony’s Santa Monica studio is concerned maybe Barlog’s most important quote was “It’s a fun space to be in because it allows us to paint our own image of Norse mythology as opposed to anyone else’s.” Barlog’s right in that it’s largely untread territory. That’s perfect for the kind of grandiose fights that the God of Warseries mandates.
We also had a chance to talk with Barlog at E3, instead focusing our attention on the passing of time, maturity, mistakes, and fatherhood. Go give it a read if you want to know where the developers’ heads are at when creating God of War.
New God of War: Why Kratos Is in Norse Mythology Now [Gamespot]