For almost two decades now, the God of War franchise has revolved around Kratos and his story, but that's about to change. At its latest State of Play presentation, Santa Monica Studio (the company behind this popular franchise) announced a new title: God of War: Laufey. This time, the main character of the game is Faye, the wife of Kratos and mother of Atreus.
While Faye has played a major role in shaping the events of the franchise's Norse saga, she remained largely absent from the story itself because she died before the events of 2018's God of War. The new game, however, is expected to explore what happened after her death.
Story set in the Everywhen
Rather than revisiting Midgard, the game will take players to the Everywhen. It is an afterlife realm inhabited by gods and mythological beings from different cultures.
According to the reveal, Faye's journey will involve encounters with deities beyond Norse mythology, including Sekhmet and Begtse. The story revolves around her efforts to find her way back home and protect her family despite existing in a realm which is meant for the dead.
This new setting also suggests Santa Monica Studio may be using the game to expand the God of War universe beyond the mythology that has defined the last two mainline entries.
Gameplay reveal and new characters
Alongside the new protagonist, the company revealed that the game will have a new pair of companions. These include a talking cosmic cube named Phranque, voiced by Jack Quaid, and a sentient ribbon named Rue, voiced by Perlina Lau.
During the presentation, Sony also showcased around 20 minutes of gameplay, which gave us a closer look at combat, traversal and exploration. From the footage, it is clear that the game will retain the cinematic action and visual style that have defined the franchise's modern era, while introducing a new POV through Faye's story and abilities.
Visually, the gameplay remains recognisably God of War. The decision to move away from Kratos marks one of the biggest shifts for the franchise since its transition from Greek to Norse mythology.
A release date for God of War: Laufey has not yet been announced. Stay tuned, we'll update you as and when we get more details.
