REVIEW: God of War Sons of Sparta

When the original God of War launched in 2005, it quickly became one of PlayStation’s defining franchises. Across multiple generations, the series has built a reputation for dramatic storytelling, brutal combat and memorable characters. That legacy continued with the Norse-era reinvention seen in God of War and God of War Ragnarök.

So when God of War Sons of Sparta suddenly appeared on the PlayStation Store during February’s State of Play broadcast, it caught many players by surprise. Rumours about a smaller, 2D God of War project had circulated for a while, but few expected it to arrive without warning. The result is an interesting addition to the franchise: a prequel focused on a younger Kratos and his brother Deimos, presented through a retro-inspired action-adventure format.

Sons of Sparta doesn’t attempt to match the cinematic scale of the mainline entries. What it does do is offers a more compact experience that draws inspiration from classic side-scrolling action games. While that approach occasionally feels familiar, the game still delivers a solid adventure that explores an earlier chapter in Kratos’ life.

Story

Sons of Sparta takes place long before the events of the original trilogy. The story is framed by an older Kratos recounting memories of his youth to his daughter Calliope. As a node to it’s early days, the role of Kratos here is voiced by Terrence C. Carson, the actor who portrayed the character in the early God of War titles. That return helps reinforce the connection to the franchise’s Greek-era roots.

The narrative centres on Kratos and his brother Deimos during their time as trainees in the Spartan agoge, the rigorous military training system for young Spartans. When a fellow student goes missing, the brothers set out to investigate, leading them across several locations beyond Sparta.

The overall plot is fairly focused, but the game allows room for optional missions and exploration. These side activities often reward players with upgrades or new abilities, and they encourage revisiting previously explored areas once new skills are unlocked. The structure leans heavily into a Metroidvania-style design, where progress is sometimes gated until players obtain the right ability.

While the story does eventually build emotional weight around the relationship between Kratos and Deimos, the early sections could arguably spend more time developing that connection. The bond between the brothers becomes more compelling in the second half of the game, but it takes a while to reach that point.

Another aspect that may feel slightly unusual for long-time fans is the tone of the younger Kratos. He is portrayed as disciplined and thoughtful rather than the rage-driven warrior many players remember from the original trilogy. That difference is understandable given the timeline, but it can create a sense of distance from the character players might expect.

Gameplay

From a gameplay perspective, Sons of Sparta goes for a straightforward combat system that gradually deepens as the adventure progresses. Kratos begins with a spear and shield, and these remain the foundation of the combat mechanics throughout the game.

The spear can be upgraded in several ways, with different components altering its effectiveness in battle. Upgrading the spearhead can introduce elemental or passive damage effects, while improvements to the grip unlock additional finishers. The base of the spear, meanwhile, expands Kratos’ move set with new attacks.

The shield functions primarily as a defensive tool, allowing players to block or parry incoming strikes. Kratos can also roll to dodge attacks and reposition during fights. Some enemies use attacks that cannot be blocked, making movement and timing particularly important.

Special abilities also play a role in combat. Kratos can unleash powerful Spirit Attacks by consuming energy from a Spirit gauge, dealing heavier damage and building stun on tougher enemies. Once enemies are sufficiently weakened, they become vulnerable to finishing attacks.

Exploration feeds into these systems. Players can break objects, open chests and search environments to refill their Spirit gauge or gather materials used for upgrades. Alongside this, Blood Orbs act as a currency that unlocks core combat skills, gradually improving Kratos’ offensive and defensive capabilities.

One issue we had during the opening hours is that combat can feel somewhat repetitive. Unlike earlier God of War titles, which offered extensive combo systems, Sons of Sparta focuses on a smaller set of attacks. Saying that, as upgrades accumulate and new abilities unlock, the combat loop becomes a lot more engaging, which is good as this is a God of War title after all.

Progression is also tied to various abilities gained throughout the story. These abilities affect both combat and platforming, though some arrive later than expected. For example, the Celestial Step ability, effectively a double jump, appears well into the campaign, which may feel unusual for a platform-focused action game.

Despite these pacing quirks, the overall gameplay is good fun. Over the course of its roughly 15 to 20 hour campaign, the systems slowly build on one another, encouraging players to make better use of dodges, parries and special attacks.

Visuals

Visually, Sons of Sparta obviously takes a different direction from the rest of the series by adopting a pixel art style. It is a clean and readable presentation, though it naturally lacks the cinematic scale we’ve all come to associate with the God of War titles.

The environments themselves are varied, ranging from Spartan training grounds to more mythological locations encountered later in the adventure. Backgrounds are often detailed and layered, which helps give depth to the side-scrolling perspective.

That said, the colour palette can occasionally feel a little muted in certain areas, particularly in the more familiar locations around Sparta. Some environments stand out more than others, but the overall presentation remains consistent.

The soundtrack, composed by Bear McCreary, blends orchestral elements with occasional retro-inspired tones. While the music fits the game’s aesthetic direction, it does not always reach the same memorable heights as the scores from the more recent God of War entries.

Conclusion

God of War Sons of Sparta is an interesting experiment for the franchise. It trades cinematic spectacle for a smaller-scale action adventure that explores Kratos’ early years and his relationship with Deimos.

The game occasionally leans heavily on familiar Metroidvania ideas, and its combat system takes some time to develop. Saying all that, once the upgrade systems and abilities begin to stack up, the gameplay becomes a lot more engaging.

While it may not feel as distinctive as some of the genre’s standout titles, Sons of Sparta still offers a solid experience for fans who want to revisit the Greek era of the series. While it doesn’t redefine the franchise, for fans of the series, it does provide a worthwhile side story within the wider God of War universe.

God of War Sons of Sparta Pricing & Availability

God of War Sons of Sparta is available now as a digital download from the PlayStation Store for €29.99.