"It is a game that, until recently, would have been impossible."
Hey kids, remember
God of War?
The original title in the series of the same name arrived on the humble PlayStation 2 all the way back in 2005, and proved an instant hit with gamers and critics.
Taking on the role of Kratos; a ferocious Spartan warrior with an axe - or, in this case, blades attached to chains - to grind against Ares; the fierce God of War.
GoW's compelling story, fluid gameplay, excellent boss battles and nod to old-school platform titles set it apart, guaranteeing a couple of sequels and various spin-offs.
The series has been mostly quiet of note since God of War III on the PlayStation 3 in 2010, and its remastered form on the PS4 five years on.
As such, fans have been waiting patiently for the next adventure proper; God of War.
Yes, they've done that irritating thing where they pretend the other games never existed and here's the original name for a whole new generation.
Here's a taste of what's coming next weekend:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0u_kAWLJOA
Clip via Playstation
And with the game just days away from release, the first official reviews have landed, and we might be looking at a modern classic here, perhaps one to even rival The Last of Us, which the game isn't too subtle about trying to emulate, let's be honest.
Metacritic currently houses an average score of 95 based on 85 critics.
Here's a round-up of the most mouthwatering scores and quotes...
"I’ve played through five God of War games as this character, and never saw him as much more than “the tough screamy guy that’s gonna kill all these gods in hilarious ways.” Now, I find myself just as invested in the quiet conversations Kratos has with Atreus as I do with my newest weapon upgrade. God of War grew up, and the result is the best entry in the series."
Giant Bomb
"There’s still plenty of gore, but now the guts have meatiness. Some die-hard fans may fear this isn’t
really God of War. I suppose they’re right. It’s even better."
Polygon
"It is rare to play a game so accomplished in everything it sets out to do. God of War is a standard-setter both technologically and narratively. It is a game that, until recently, would have been impossible."
The Guardian
"The benchmark has been set firmly for the future of video games. A masterpiece."
God is a Geek
"The final question really isn’t about where it sits in any game of the year discussions, but rather its place in eventual game of the generation talks."
GamesRadar
