The God of War series is one of the biggest and most notable first-party gaming franchises operating under the PlayStation Studios umbrella. The developers of Santa Monica Studio spent the last few years exclusively working on the franchise and transitioning Kratos from his native homeland of Sparta to dealing with the Norse Gods of the Nine Realms. The gaming community was immediately invested in the Norse Saga and now the retried god has foiled Odin’s reign of tyranny, fans think Atreus could take the lead in the next major installment.
The developers wouldn’t have dipped their toes on the possibility of traveling to different pantheons if they had no plans for the future. The ending of Ragnarok opened new doors of opportunities for the protagonists and one could lead them to Egypt next.
Death Can Have the Soul of the God of War if It Earns Him
The gaming community has seen Kratos die one too many times in the original trilogy set in Greece. The Ghost of Sparta returned from the dead, one of the many amazing feats he achieved in his career as the Greek God of War. In the first game after being impaled by Ares and in the sequel after Zeus plunged the Blade of Olympus in his stomach. Both devastating deaths should have ended Kratos’ journey but his rage and resilience are stronger than death.
Fans believe Atreus will be taking center stage after the Norse Saga in his quest to reunite the Giants scattered beyond the Nine Realms as revealed by Angrboda in his time in Ironwood. Perhaps some of these Giants are stranded in Egyptian land leading to friction between the gods. Atreus is young and is prone to making mistakes, as seen in his poor judgment to free Garm in Hel. Perhaps he will do something that will enrage the Egyptian pantheon and bring his father out of retirement once more to rescue him.
Egyptian mythology has an interesting spin on death, and the developers of Santa Monica Studio could do something creative about the concept. The God of War is not immortal. However, he has conquered death in his homeland and the Norse Saga. Thor resurrected him during the opening battle and he accepted Tyr’s invitation to enter Valhalla to work on his lingering doubts and insecurities.
Unlike leading to a loading screen with tips and advice during the Norse Saga, Egyptian mythology’s concept of death could be integrated into gameplay. Upon dying, either Kratos or Atreus’ hearts will be put on the Scale of Justice, which will be weighed to determine their purity and goodness; if the scales deem them unworthy to enter the field of reeds, which is the heavenly afterlife, their souls will plummet to the Egyptian underworld.
The Egyptian Pantheon Doesn’t Play When It Comes to Death and the God of War Must Tread Carefully
Despite the rising popularity and demand to see Kratos visit Egypt in the major saga, some fans would like to see other cultures and deities like the Aztec Gods instead. Tyr has traveled to distant pantheons during his time as the Norse God of War and his skill in using various weapons has shown that. The developers of Santa Monica Studio can take the franchise in any direction they see fit.
The Egyptian concept of death is fascinating and could lead to some interesting gameplay moments. Perhaps the studio could implement an honor system akin to Red Dead Redemption 2 that will determine where the players will be sent depending on their actions in their past lives. The scales could send them down to Duat where Atreus will have to fight his way out to the land of the living.
Kratos is well-versed with death, and it never swayed him; however, Atreus has never died, and this could pose a challenge in his journey towards godhood. Loki is known to be a trickster, hence his title as the God of Mischief, and it is perfectly aligned with Atreus’ arc and development in Ragnarok.
Santa Monica Studio has plenty of great options to explore in future installments. It would benefit the franchise to change things like incorporating different consequences for dying, elevating the gaming experience, and keeping the stakes high.
Would you like to see the Scales of Justice in the next God of War game? Let us know in the comments section below!
