God of War: Sons of Sparta Reviews
God of War: Sons of Sparta is a bold move by Sony to diversify its offering within the God of War IP and bring in more fans (especially casual fans), but it fails to meet the quality bar most modern games are measured against. Santa Monica Studios was present merely in an “overseer” capacity for this game, so that does make me believe that the God of War remakes will have some juice in them. Overall, the game feels uninspiring, lazy, and quite dated for a title released in 2026.
God of War Sons of Sparta swaps to a 2D plane to show us a glimpse of Kratos's early years.
God of War: Sons of Sparta balances ambition and restraint, limited at times but capable of offering a surprisingly human take on Kratos. Its metroidvania structure isn’t groundbreaking, yet it’s solid, with satisfying combat and a world full of secrets. It’s not a grand new chapter—just an honest, imperfect spin‑off crafted with care. Seen as a pixel‑art coming‑of‑age tale about a young Spartan, it becomes a warm, unexpectedly resonant adventure that leaves a deeper mark than its modest scope suggests.
Review in Italian | Read full review
God of War: Sons of Sparta serves as a strong, mechanically solid introduction to the Metroidvania genre, competently handling all the fundamentals. However, the game ultimately falls short of being memorable, as it never attempts to innovate or push the boundaries beyond the basics.
God of War Sons of Sparta is a decent game overall. It’s interesting to see the canon representation of Kratos by Mega Cat Studios, hearing the voice actors from the original trilogy, and seeing the game in its 3rd genre: a 2D metroidvania. While it didn’t fully deliver to my satisfaction, I enjoyed my time with the game at the beginning though my enjoyment waned towards the end. It’s a decent game to sink time into while waiting for the newly announced God of War trilogy remake, though not necessarily required to rush and play it.
God of War: Sons of Sparta doesn't colour outside of the lines and bring anything new to its 2D Metroidvania style, but it's a fun platformer that plays it safe and adds another layer of depth to Kratos' character.
God of War: Sons of Sparta is unfortunately neither a good God of War spin-off nor a good Metroidvania, and it also locks the otherwise appealing local multiplayer behind a generic dungeon that only becomes available after completing the main story. Anyone who doesn’t feel the need to play everything even remotely related to God of War should probably skip this title entirely.
Review in German | Read full review
God of War Sons of Sparta has a weak start, solid middle, and strong ending. If you can get through a tedious first few hours you will eventually be rewarded with solid combat and an emotional story.
Shifting the series into a different style is a bold move that highlights its flexibility and ability to evolve without losing its identity. It delivers a new experience that blends its legacy with refined gameplay while exploring an uncharted phase of Kratos’ life, opening a fresh direction for the series.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
God of War: Sons of Sparta is a title that should be analysed from two perspectives: as part of the series and as a Metroidvania game. While Mega Cat Studios' experience is interesting from a narrative point of view, Santa Monica's 2D work fails to reach the artistic and conceptual heights of other well-known milestones. As a result, the product is recommended for those who love the franchise and are not looking for a deep and innovative Metroidvania.
Review in Italian | Read full review
God of War: Sons of Sparta is a strange product. It is a spin-off of a spin-off, a game that downshifts the tempo of a saga known for screaming at the top of its lungs. It is an experience I would define as 'God of War Low-Fi.' It doesn’t have a spectacular hook, nor does it reinvent the genre's wheel. In fact, its somewhat clunky controls hold it back from the excellence of the Metroidvania greats. But it has heart. It features solid gameplay foundations, a story that respects its characters, and an undeniable ability to hook you with its 'explore, upgrade, kill' loop.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
God of War: Sons of Sparta works well as a prequel to Kratos’ story; however, the game stumbles on key pillars of the metroidvania genre and suffers from several technical issues.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
God of War: Sons of Sparta is a very interesting prologue to the series as a whole, and a welcome return to the franchise’s original Greek setting, but as a metroidvania… I mean, it’s good, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen and played dozens of times before, especially in a post-Silksong and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown world.
God of War Sons of Sparta is a great God of War origin game, but just an okay Metroidvania.
Review in Dutch | Read full review