WhileGod of Warprotagonist Kratos has been in the news plenty due tohisFortnitecrossover skin, players are just as excited for the character to make a return in his own series. 2018’sGod of Warbrought Kratos to the realm of Norse mythology, and while the game featured plenty of memorable moments, it felt like Santa Monica was only dipping its toes into all that Norse legends have to offer. While the sequences with the World Serpent were incredible and the boss battles with the Valkyries were a memorable challenge, there is still plenty Kratos and Atreus can explore.
With so much left to do in the Norse realms, it can be assumed that theGod of WarRagnaroksequel will not be the final game in the series set in this mythology. Not only does a trilogy make sense from a business and storytelling perspective, but fans loved the new directionGod of Wartook in 2018. With unanimous praise for the new direction of theGod of Wargames, the developer should be in no rush to move on from the more mature Kratos and his amazing Leviathon axe. As such, Santa Monica may avoid showing all ofGod of War’s cards in the next game.
RELATED:God of War Ragnarok Should Incorporate These Figures From Norse Mythology
God of War Ragnarok: Focusing On Thor, Loki’s Development, And Ragnarok Itself
While the idea of Ragnarok would imply that this is the last game to be set in the Norse universe, the reality is that there is so much left to cover in the currentGod of Warsetting. Thoughthe end of Ragnarokwould provide a perfect opportunity for Midgard to be transformed into a setting fitting of another mythology, the developer can easily still stick to Norse mythology after the event. Not only could they pull from some aspects of the tale while changing others, but other realms could remain intact even after Midgard falls.
By keeping the attention solely on Midgard, an excellent second chapter could be told that truly nails the feel of Ragnarok. Heavy hitters like Odin could be left out of the sequel entirely, with the developer instead focusing on other elements of the massively important event. Thor could still meet his end at the hands — or fangs — of the World Serpent, while Loki (aka Atreus) could do battle with Heimdall. Speaking of Atreus, theGod of Warsequel playing withhis transformation into Lokicould be incredibly fun, leading to a third game where the character is fully aware of his prophesized role in Ragnarok.
Rushing through Kratos’ clash with Thor and Atreus’ growth into Loki seems like a bad idea, as it does a disservice to the brilliant storytelling of the lastGod of Wargame. While plenty has been set up already, there is even more on the table, andThor’s thirst for vengeanceis more than deserving of its own game. With Kratos and his son having killed Thor’s children, the iconic wielder of Mjolnir should not go down without a fight.
While the battle will likely end with Thor’s death, potentially setting up the scenario where Kratos wields Mjolnir, making the entire game build to that moment is a wise idea. With theGod of War Ragnaroksequeloriginally starting as DLCfor the original game, the idea that it will live up to its name and end the Norse chapter ofGod of Warseems unlikely. Instead, it could be a great chapter that sets up a thirdGod of Wargame perfectly. With the entirety of Asgard feeling the weight of Thor’s death, Odin would have true motivation to kill Kratos. The result would be a third game that mirrorsGod of War 3, with Kratos taking on an entire pantheon of Gods — only this time to protect his family instead of avenging their loss.
RELATED:God of War Ragnarok Sequel Should Avoid One Problematic Trope
God of War 3: Kratos vs. Odin, Asgard, and The Mural
Not only didGod of War’s realm travelroom have major locations that could not be explored, but some areas served as small challenge areas as opposed to fully-fledged locations. This is a major area that a singleGod of Warsequel could likely not improve upon, as it would be impossible to do justice to all the realms in the runtime of one more game. By not showing all its cards in the next game and extending the fallout from the huge event to two games, however, Santa Monica can flesh out the Norse universe and let players see everything it has to offer.
By using theGod of War Ragnaroksequel to explore the rest of the realms further, the third game in the NorseGod of Wartimeline can take a deep dive into Asgard. The perfect place for Kratos totake on numerous Norse godsand eventually Odin himself, the majestic realm of Asgard is more than worthy of its own game. Seeing it briefly in as some form of a teaser could work fine, but like Odin himself, the land of the Gods should be mostly held back until Ragnarok is over. This way, when a thirdGod of Warrolls around, players will be in for something truly special.
TheMural fromGod of Warhas major implications for the future of the series, as it seems to imply the death of Kratos. If the iconic Ghost of Sparta is indeed going to be killed off, it is hard to think of a better send-off for the legendary character than a final fight with Odin. Given all that the character has been through, bringing Kratos down will be no easy task, making a gauntlet of Gods and a war with all of Asgard one of the only viable ways to kill him. Before that happens, though, another story where the bond of Kratos and Atreus is strengthened should take place — and that story should be theGod of War Ragnaroksequel.
With so much left to cover, from Realms to Gods and everything in between, Santa Monica will likely not show all its cards in the 2021 sequel. With Kratos’ days seemingly numbered and plenty of mythology left to explore, that may be for the best.Santa Monica writers like Alanah Pearcesurely have plenty of ideas for stories to tell in the current mythology, and withGod of Warsetting up a huge clash between Kratos and Thor on top of the encroachment of Ragnarok, there is no need to rush. Covering the Mural, Odin, and Asgard on top of everything else could lead to an incredibly cramped story, something that can be avoided by simply extending the story story across two games and making a proper trilogy. After all, who could possibly be against moreGod of War?
TheGod of Warsequel is planned to release in 2021 for PS5.
MORE:5 Things We Know So Far About God Of War: Ragnarok (& 5 Rumors We Hope Are True)
