Podcast Summary: God of War's Future: What We Want

Kinda Funny Gamescast
Date: February 20, 2026
Hosts: Greg Miller, Blessing Adeoye Jr., Barrett Courtney
Main Theme: The crew dives deep into the current state and possible future directions of the God of War franchise, examining the recent releases, franchise spin-offs, announced remakes, and what they hope to see in coming years.

Episode Overview

The panel discusses the twin God of War bombshells dropped at the latest PlayStation State of Play:

• The shadow drop of God of War: Sons of Sparta (a new Metroidvania-style spin-off)
• The announcement of a God of War Greek Trilogy Remake
  They analyze Sons of Sparta’s gameplay, story, and value, debate what makes a worthy God of War experience, and speculate about the roadmap for Kratos, Atreus, and Norse myth in PlayStation's future.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Opening Banter & Context

(03:36–05:04; 00:44 non-essential chatter omitted)

• Light banter about the hosts' ages and hoodies vs. sweatshirts leads into the real topic: The significance of the recent PlayStation State of Play announcements for God of War.
• Greg summarizes:

  "There was a PlayStation State of Play that had not one, but two big God of War announcements in it... First off, that 2D Metroidvania God of War game... God of War, Sons of Sparta. Shadow dropped... And secondly, they are working, of course, on remaking the God of War Greek Trilogy." (05:12)

2. God of War: Sons of Sparta Deep Dive

Gameplay, Length, and First Impressions

(06:18–26:08)
Barrett played and completed Sons of Sparta (~20 hours, 53% completion):

• The game is a surprisingly meaty Metroidvania spin-off, centered on a young Kratos and his brother Deimos.
• Story Framing:
  "The story framing at the very beginning is Kratos is sitting under a tree and he's talking to his daughter Calliope... he's like, hey, let me tell you about this story of me as a young man who went through a similar struggle..." (08:51)
• Sons of Sparta explores Kratos’ early years, giving players a rare look at him "just as a kid" before the events of the original series.
• For God of War fans:
  If the Greek era games matter to you, there's "a nice added layer of marination" here. It's not a revelation, but it deepens Kratos' background. (09:56-11:59)

Metroidvania Mechanics and Combat

(12:17-17:11)

• The game "[knows] what notes to hit for a Metroidvania, but doesn't hit those notes as naturally or as soulfully as its contemporaries like Hollow Knight or Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown." (12:21)
• Classic power progression (double jumps, skill unlocks) is satisfying, but systems like the photo/map marker feature unlock late ("nine hours in"), which is inconvenient for the format.
• Combat blends modern God of War's methodical feel with the original's arsenal approach but "doesn't blow me away or elevate [the formula]."
• Notably buggy, especially in the latter half ("gets buggier and buggier... really unfortunate"). Bugs affect boss fights—with Deimos failing to fight alongside the player, resulting in harder-than-intended encounters. (15:19)

Art Direction & Critique

(16:08, 26:32)

• Barrett likes the pixel art style, noting a nostalgic 90s PC game vibe: "It makes me feel nostalgic... works for this game that is Kratos telling a story about his childhood."
• Others find the style mixed: characters look good, some bosses less so.

Verdict & Value Discussion

• Barrett’s Score: "A baseline 7 out of 10." (17:18)
• The game is "good," not great, and has uninspired elements but nothing "so boring or so frustrating."
• Length: At 20 hours, it can feel lengthy for its design—a Metroidvania “should” be ~13+ hours but this might overstay its welcome for some. (19:17)
• Would it work as a new IP?
  "The God of War IP is the high point. It probably would have scored worse as a generic Spartan game; the best parts are the lore and Kratos connection." (21:25)
• Price Point: At $30, debate whether it’s worth it when other Metroidvanias (like Hollow Knight: Silksong at $20) are considered genre high points.

  "I don't know if it's worth $30, but... if you're a God of War fan you'll get your money's worth." (24:08)

• Blessing isn't motivated to play despite positive elements, mostly because "Metroidvania" doesn't call to him and the art/genre don't appeal:

  "I'm so happy this game exists... giving people an additional option to learn more about Kratos... but that's not something that makes me jump out of my seat." (25:06)

Notable Quotes

• "I would have preferred to play a game where Kratos manages a Burger King than this middling Metroidvania." – Super chat from Banderas (23:26)

3. God of War’s Future: The Big Questions

Recap of Announcements

• The OG Greek trilogy is being remade (not just remastered), with original voice of Kratos, T.C. Carson, returning.
• Early in development—timing and scope are unclear.
• Bless asks, “What do you want out of the future of God of War?” (35:35)

Core Debate: Where Does Kratos Go From Here?

• God of War Ragnarok provided such a satisfying sense of closure for Kratos that the hosts question whether more of his story is needed.

  "If we never saw New God of War again, I mean, I would be sad, but... These characters all are kind of satisfied in their story arcs." – Blessing (36:04)
  Barrett: "Kratos’s journey is complete... he’s a god who actually fights for others and gets appreciated for that." (36:55)

• Speculation whether the franchise should branch to side characters (Atreus, Freya, Thrud) or mythological settings (Egyptian, Japanese, Chinese).

Spoiler Segment: Potential Directions

(Spoiler warning invoked ~36:47)

• Atreus as protagonist (“his burden to bear” regarding leftover plotlines like Sindri, the giant spheres, Tyr) could be logical, but concerns exist about carrying the franchise’s iconography.

• The "Kratos moves on to new mythologies" idea is floated but seen as played out post-Norse saga.

• Some chat feedback:

  • "I just don’t see Atreus bolstering a franchise. Kratos is iconic and I don't want to play as anyone else." – Irwin (45:37)
  • Hosts counter: It could work if Atreus is reinvented with distinct powers, style, and narrative arc.

    "If you’re gonna make Atreus the main character, you gotta almost make it a transformative thing... akin to the Blades of Chaos, a look that people are gonna look at and go, 'holy shit, he looks cool.'" – Blessing (46:55)

• Barrett suggests a “sequel series” or handoff, evoking Avatar/Korra or Naruto/Boruto, with Atreus in a more central, mature role. (39:55)

• Some want Kratos to revisit his Greek past for atonement, but others feel Valhalla already provided sufficient closure.

  "I just don't know if there's any atoning for Kratos. I think Valhalla did all it could... nothing he can do to truly atone." – Blessing (50:13)

Industry Leaks/Reveals & What They Mean

• Jason Schreier (Shry Guy) quote: Sony Santa Monica's next game is “not a new IP, but it might feel like one.”
  (see 43:03–43:55 for full context; possibly signaling an Atreus-centric game)
• Christopher Judge claims the trilogy remakes will have a new fighting system (details unclear, possibly just a modernization).

  "He’s not the one doing the remakes...so I don’t know how much he knows or what ‘new fighting system’ really means." – Barrett (53:20)

Remake Philosophy: How Modernized Should They Be?

(51:00–56:49)

• Should the remakes stick to the classic hack-and-slash or update to modern mechanics?
  • Barrett: "The combat feels good, but after a while gets monotonous... sprucing up is fine but don’t go full tilt into modern God of War."
  • Blessing: "I wouldn't mind improvements...but I don't want them to throw out that classic style."
• Debated whether all three games will come at once (like Crash N. Sane Trilogy) or be stretched out.

4. Broader Franchise Musings

• Revival of PS2/PSP era God of War spin-offs discussed; panel would love more experimental projects, possibly by third parties—as was done in the PSP era.

  "I would love to see more...not watering down the franchise, but more world-building by other developers." – Barrett (58:47)

• With the God of War TV show coming, crossover between game releases and show debuts is likely (mirroring The Last of Us strategy). (60:45)
• Blessing: "I think we'll see more God of War spin-offs...I don’t know what they’ll look like, but PlayStation is not going to let this IP go inactive."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kratos’s arc:

  "Kratos’s journey is told. I think for the future...maybe we follow Atreus...not a rebrand, but a sequel series." – Barrett (39:55)

• On franchise fatigue:

  "Maybe not to the point where...we’re watering down the franchise with too much...but let’s see some more interpretations and unpacking, whether Kratos early on or other characters." – Barrett (58:59)

• On remake combat direction:

  "The solution is just improving the classic hack and slash combat, not retooling it to feel like the modern God of War games." – Blessing (52:53)

• Fan review of Sons of Sparta:

  "I would have preferred to play a game where Kratos manages a Burger King than this middling Metroidvania." – Banderas, via Super Chat (23:26)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• (05:12) – Setup and Recap: Two big God of War announcements from State of Play
• (06:18) – Sons of Sparta: First impressions and game length
• (08:51) – Sons of Sparta: Story focus and Kratos as a character
• (12:21) – Metroidvania mechanics, comparisons, genre strengths
• (16:08–17:11) – Art style debate and technical issues
• (17:18) – Verdict: 7/10 for Sons of Sparta
• (19:17) – Is the game too long?
• (21:25) – Would this work as another IP?
• (23:26) – Funny fan review (Burger King Kratos)
• (24:08) – Is it worth $30?
• (35:35) – Main topic: What’s next for God of War?
• (36:04) – The closure of Kratos's saga in Ragnarok; speculation on future protagonists/settings
• (43:03–43:55) – Jason Schreier leak: "Not a new IP, but might feel like one"
• (45:37, 46:55, 47:19) – Atreus's viability as a protagonist, iconography, and character transformation
• (51:00–56:49) – Greek trilogy remakes: modernization, combat, timeline
• (58:47) – Should third parties handle more God of War spin-offs?
• (60:45) – The synergy between new games and the upcoming TV show

Closing Thoughts

• The team is happy to see God of War experiment with genre and storytelling, even if Sons of Sparta is a "good, not great" entry.
• Collectively, they want the franchise to shift focus to Atreus, new side characters, and possibly other mythologies—but agree Kratos's arc should not be forced beyond its satisfying conclusion.
• All concur that the Greek trilogy remakes should modernize but not erase the series’ classic roots.
• The coming years promise a wave of God of War content—from remakes to spin-offs to TV—that will test the franchise’s elasticity and iconography.

TL;DR

Sons of Sparta is a solid Metroidvania best for lore fans, not a genre standout. The franchise’s future? Let Kratos rest, explore Atreus and new mythological ground, modernize the classics carefully, and keep the franchise meaningful, not overdone.

End of summary.