“Maybe it was the design that Stig [Asmussen, director] was going for, that he wanted him to feel like more of a monster in the end – but in this game, we don’t want him to feel like a monster,” said lead designer Mark Simon.
“We want him to feel like he’s more heroic, and what he’s doing is more heroic and something you can relate to.”
Mark stresses that the change of character is due to direction on the new game and not because lots of people thought Kratos had turned into a shouty unlovable git. Ascension tells the story of Kratos before he became the God Of War it is not only the personality of the lead protagonist that has changed, but also how he interacts with the landscape.
“In this game, Kratos climbs on walls like you or I would climb on walls – maybe better than you or I would climb on walls, but uses his hands and uses his foot placement,” continues Mark, “We have his hands slipping off of things and him struggling. And that is the challenge – to just move along this wall, and not fall off. That is human. Whereas before as a demigod it was like, ‘Oh, I’m through!'”
Mark promises the game will mix up the combat to provide a new experience. “If there’s lots of different ways to complete an objective – whatever that objective is – then they spend more time exploring ways to complete an objective, and then that’s the essence of [the] game.”
Source: Gamasutra
Taylor Made
Man I don’t know who didn’t love kratos in 3.. He is a Sparta all they do is shout. Maybe am one in 10 but I can never dislike kratos remains my fav character of all time. Climb wall like us, so he is going use a ladder?
Tuffcub
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2012/04/19/the-problem-with-god-of-war-iii/
Taylor Made
I remember that article & I disagreed with it
Forrest_01
& i wholeheartedly agreed if i remember rightly! :)
By the third installment, Kratos was one of my most disliked playable chracters ever.
KeRaSh
I’m with Forrest_01 on this one. Can’t stand Kratos one bit. In my opinion he’s one of the worst characters of any franchise I’ve ever played.
Am I the only one who thought of Uncharted by the way they described Kratos climbing? ^^
Nickboss1
I agree Taylor. I mean the whole point to gow is Kratos kicking ass and being pissed off while doing so. If I want to play the hero l’d insert uncharted or mgs. that’s what made gow so original from all the rest.
skibadee
leave Kratos alone you swine’s lol one of the best gaming characters if not the best ever made imo love the crazy dude.
KeRaSh
Why did I just imagine Kanye West taking over your keyboard and writing that last comment? :D
ohmikkie
I had no problems with Kratos. The whole point of the game(s) is that he went around kicking Gods and Demi-Gods arses. You got to be a bit mouthy to have the confidence to do so.
Peter Chapman
“bit of a shouty tit” LOL :D
philzy85
This is the game I’m looking forward to the most right now, love the gow series
Gastos84
Did someone say God of War? :P
I agree. Kratos in 3 became too angry. It fitted the game and story but I’m looking forward to getting back to a Kratos that I can empathise with. It definitely needed a fresh approach to make it stand out.
MOVE
I completely agree.
jonny_bolton
Not sure how a guy who is essentially a war lord who goes around ransacking villages and killing hundreds of people is either “heroic” nor “something I can relate to”…Bunimomike on the other hand (not the heroic bit)
hazelam
yeah, he had become something of a one note character
gaming’s angriest man.
not quite as annoying as Squall, but getting there.
if they can make him more interesting then good for them.
kjkg
“bit of a shouty tit”. I like mouthy tits.
Gutted though. You never mentioned it on this article, but just realised this isn’t a Vita game. Not sure why I thought it was.
trollmonster
I went through a bit of a gaming lul when the first GOW games came out so I’ve only ever played GOW3. I thought that’s just how Kratos was! I kind of like angry people, reminds me of myself.