God of War: Sons of Sparta Reviews
God of War Sons of Sparta is a surprising return to Kratos' Greek origins, showing players his time as a child soldier in Sparta. While the Metroidvania framing is fascinating, it does limit many of the series' strongest elements.
God of War: Sons of Sparta is a very good video game, with strong visuals, excellent music, and simple yet effective gameplay driving an ultimately interesting story. However, as a God of War title, it is held back from true greatness by early pacing issues and a presentation style that feels somewhat tone-deaf to the rest of the series.
Despite its surprise release, it delivers a strong overall experience. The platforming feels tight and responsive, and the combat stands out with satisfying spear-and-shield mechanics that keep encounters engaging throughout.
God of War Sons of Sparta, set earliest in the timeline of the original trilogy, follows the exploits of a young Kratos and his brother Deimos
As Kratos' coming-of-age prequel, it's rather ironic how Sons of Sparta emulates the antithesis of his character: a Metroidvania unsure about its size, its looks, and even its own voice.
God of War: Sons of Sparta isn't a terrible game, but it's not a more than acceptable game either. It simply sits somewhere in the middle. It's a spin-off wedged into a series that is too big, too important, and too imposing to afford any missteps. Even back in the days of Ascension, widely considered the weakest entry in the entire saga, Santa Monica Studio made sure to follow a set of guidelines that would still guarantee an epic experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Overall, God of War: Sons of Sparta is a fun Metroidvania. It captures the feel of God of War, if in a somewhat more lighthearted way than usual. As a Metroidvania title, there's not much - either good or bad - that makes it stand apart from the pack. If you're a fan of the franchise and don't mind a look at the younger days of the Ghost of Sparta, then it's absolutely worth a shot, but the price tag might make it a heavy ask for more casual Metroidvania fans.
God of War: Sons of Sparta is a tedious and garden-variety metroidvania that brings nothing interesting to show to the class. This prequel stretches over 20 hours, filled with unnecessary padding and the least interesting iteration of Kratos yet, relying on trite game design and utterly soulless execution. Young Kratos, stripped of his signature rage, is an utter dullard preaching honour amidst joyless obedience. There’s no fury, no peril, just persistent boredom, proving that some origins are best left as a mystery.
God of War Sons of Sparta has its merits and, within the premise of a 2D action game set in Kratos' youth, it fulfills its role in a perfunctory but satisfactory way. However, it lacks depth in all its aspects, including the rather rudimentary level design by current Metroidvania standards, and even with some interesting qualities in the visual and narrative aspects, it still seems to be just a scrawny teenager trying to prove himself a true Spartan warrior.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
God of War: Sons of Sparta is a competent 2D metroidvania that expands Kratos' past with solid combat, familiar voices, and a decent amount of content. However, generic level design, forgettable bosses, heavy backtracking, and a lack of standout moments prevent it from feeling worthy of the franchise's legacy. Functional, but surprisingly uninspired.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
God of War: Sons of Sparta is a unique take on the God of War universe that introduces us to a different Kratos. The game is generally fun to play, but issues like the lackluster art design, low enemy variety, and a boring introduction keep it from reaching its full potential. However, for fans of the series, it's still worth a try.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Letting players take control of a young Kratos, God of War Sons of Sparta is a retro-styled 2D Metroidvania that offers a large, interconnected world to explore. It's both engaging and rewarding to do so, too, though repetitive combat that can feel a little scrappy brings the experience down somewhat.
This Metroidvania approach is an interesting addition to the God of War series, but it falls short in many ways. Sons of Sparta does not aim to revolutionize the series, but if you approach it with an open mind and look beyond its imperfections, you will find a charming indie game in its core.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
God of War: Sons of Sparta is an incomprehensible project, whose purpose is unclear and whose overall presentation, both gameplay and narrative, fails to keep pace with both other exponents of the Metroidvania genre and the high quality that has more or less always distinguished the saga.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Considering it takes a long time to start getting really good, God of War Sons of Sparta can test your patience but if you stick to it, you'll find one rewarding Metroidvania with oodles of content, gorgeous areas, and a solid variety of enemies and puzzles. 🏛️
God of War: Sons of Sparta lands as a disappointing spin‑off that fails to live up to the franchise’s legacy. Its repetitive gameplay, cloned enemies, limited design, and bare‑bones combat system strip away the depth and intensity that fans expect. The result is a shallow experience that feels more like a misstep than a worthy addition to the saga.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
In a bold new direction for the series, Mega Cat Studios brings us a solid Metroidvania that centers on a narrative exploring how Sparta forged the legendary Kratos. God of War: Sons of Sparta is a bold experiment that succeeds thanks to how it expands the franchise’s lore. Although its level design doesn’t reinvent the wheel and its combat can feel clunky, the adventure stands firmly on the relationship between the brothers and an engaging narrative.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
God of War: Sons of Sparta Remake is a solid metroidvania with strong technical execution and engaging gameplay, though it falls short of the emotional impact and innovation of the main series.
Review in German | Read full review
With God of War: Sons of Sparta, Santa Monica Studio offers an interesting take on the franchise by adopting a Metroidvania structure that works well within Kratos’s universe. While it doesn’t revolutionize the genre, the game delivers a solid adventure lasting about 25 hours, driven by a narrative that’s more prominent than usual for this type of experience and effective gameplay. Despite an art style that can feel a bit bland at times, the game remains enjoyable to play through and offers an interesting new perspective on the Ghost of Sparta’s past.
Review in French | Read full review
You already noticed it in my review: God of War: Sons of Sparta is not a new milestone in the franchise. But it is a charming and respectful spin-off that fans will surely taste. As Metroidvania, it gets stuck in the midfield. But he does give us a nice look at the young Kratos. For €29.99 this is a good Spartan snack: tasty, just nutritious enough, but not an extensive main course.
Review in Dutch | Read full review