An Analysis of Connection: Studying God of War (2018)

God of War 2018 won game of the year award for its many qualities, be it in the gameplay of its combat, its great narrative, its gorgeous and immersive art and level design, maybe most important of all, for the great relationship the game develops between the player's avatar, Kratos, and his companion in gameplay and son Atreus.

Today, I want to explore why this relationship works so well in the context of the game, and why God of War has managed to become the best escort mission in gaming.

The basis for this analysis is based on my 'Connection' model.

1. TRUST: You're in control, and Atreus is not an encumbrance, ever.

What might be the most important point of all in the quest of bringing Fey's ashes at the top of the highest mountain, the main objective of the game, is YOU are the one holding onto said ashes, thus you have the authority of saying where to go. While it is framed as Atreus's mission, the fact that Kratos is the one carrying the ashes legitimizes the player into being the decision-maker and having Atreus follow you. You decide where to go, and Atreus expresses his willingness to follow you on whichever adventure you decide to move forward with. You're in complete control of the pacing.

During exploration, Atreus will never be a hindrance either. It was revealed in a behind-the-scenes video that Atreus in facts teleports behind you regularly while out-of-sight so that he will not get stuck or fall behind. He hops onto your back immediately during platforming phases and never holds you back or slows you down in that way. In combat, it is very reassuring to know that Atreus cannot die. Moreover, while useful, it is not required of the player to make use of Atreus's abilities in combat beyond a few rare encounters. On top of this, Atreus's usefulness in combat grows organically during the game, and it is not before you finally get used to controlling Kratos comfortably that it starts becoming interesting to use Atreus more often. At no time do you feel punished for not using him well enough.

2. VALUE: Atreus guides you and helps you in combat.

While exploring the world, Atreus will often run in front of you, always in the direction of the next main quest objective, which is a useful information. He will also often point to puzzle solutions or give a range of useful and insightful comments on the environment.

In combat, perhaps the most important thing to make God of War's famous close-range camera work, is that together with Mimir, Atreus helps greatly with spatial awareness. Those short barks such as 'Behind you!' / 'On your left!' and the like are a great help, and it is no exaggeration to say that such a close-up camera would not work without them. The game feels all the more immersive because of it. His skills in and out of combat become progressively more useful as the game advances up to becoming extremely valued and appreciated.

On another useful note, Atreus is presented as the one keeping track of the game journal, writing useful descriptions of places and enemies encountered. It is a nice addition to the game and reinforces our perceived appreciation for him.

3. BOND: You feel involved in Atreus's quest.

Your goal in the game is to accompany Atreus on his quest to dispersing his mother's ashes at the top of the highest mountain in all the realms. The fact of the matter is, those ashes belong to the person who once was your romantic companion, and Atreus is your own son. You feel heavily involved in that quest and the desire to see Atreus succeed. You have personal interest in accompanying him, teaching him lessons and seeing him grow.

Your bond with Atreus grows continuously throughout the game as you are almost always together, helping each other and sharing the same experiences, with Atreus often being visible on screen as he walks in front of you.

All those elements combined, Trust, Value, and Bond, make it so the relationship between Kratos and Atreus is always perceived as positive by the player in all the major pillars of the game: story, combat and exploration. The systems help reinforce the narrative to bring together an immersive and cohesive experience. And it is why God of War is viewed by many as such an amazing tale of a son and father coming together.