Which Mythology Could Kratos Rampage Through Next?
Image Source: CultureSlate
First things first.
NO SPOILERS FOR GOD OF WAR: RAGNAROK.
Over the last 17 years, our screens have been blessed by a bald-headed, pale-skinned man with breath-taking anger issues hacking, slashing, and QTE’ing across history. Not content with taking out the entire Greek pantheon of gods and mythological creatures, Kratos made the jump to Norse mythology in 2018 and has treated them with similar disdain. Despite being over 1000 years old at this stage, and certainly mellowing since becoming a father again. It seems the old boy still has a lot of wrath to dish out. There are a lot of deities out there who remain un-smote. So where could Kratos go next to let off a little steam?
Ancient Egyptian Tales
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The main thing that people forget about “ancient” Egypt is that ancient Egypt had its own ancient Egypt! Its depiction and portrayal in media frequently draw from all eras of the country’s past, and rightly so. It is a deep well to draw from.
Whether Osiris needs to be taken down a peg or two, or Ammit needs to go on a diet, Ancient Egypt has plenty of gods, monsters, and everything in between that Kratos looking for some R and R could deal with. Tombs to explore, deserts to cross, afterlives to…well decimate probably. Ancient Egyptian mythology has it all!
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Mayan Beliefs And History
Image Source: Baja Insider
Probably the most well-known classical civilization in the Americas, yet strangely not one that gets a lot of pop culture attention, the Mayans are often overlooked for Incan or Aztec adventures. It is a culture famed for its science, engineering, and agrarian skills as much as it was for its blood sports, blood sacrifice, and general bloodiness.
The most fascinating is no one can definitively say what happened to the Mayans even now. All I’m saying is Kratos going through a cenote into Xibalba to end up fighting Yum Kimil is worth the price of admission alone.
Japanese Mythology
Image Source: Big Think
Ghost of Tsushima showed us that a game set in feudal Japan could be beautiful, engaging, and just bloody good fun to play. Even its most difficult encounters felt calming and almost soothing.
So how about we take those ingredients and add a bald man FAR from home, who has had it with these gashadokuro, kappa, and yuki-onna getting all up in his business!
Chinese Folklore
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Just Google Chinese Vampire-Zombie Hopping Films.
You won’t regret it.
Babylonian And Mesopotamian Myths
Image Sourrce: Ancient Origins
For a series that has sent its protagonist to hell about six times, God of War was never what you could call “scary.”
Conversely, over the last 10 years, every second horror film seems to include a Babylonian demon or devil in some way, usually making a poor victim’s life a living (and often literal) hell. As this is one of the oldest cultures and religions, many others spawned from it, giving rise to horrifying stories and warnings. Give someone like Lilith a chance to shine. and show that she isn’t just some dude’s wife. The mother of demons can be a terrifying figure in her own right!
Going down this route would allow the God of War series to really delve into primal fears, especially for a man like Kratos who has lost everything time and time again.
Indian Sagas
Image Source: Wikipedia
India rarely gets the showing it deserves in pop culture. Its giant pantheon of gods and a list of fantastical and legendary creatures could open up not only a new videogame world, but a new opportunity for the audience to learn more. Then, throw an axe at it, of course.
Eastern European Fables
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We have hinted at some of these when moving to the Norse legends and even borrowed lightly from some of the wider known elements. This is the land that Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman came from. It is a no-brainer.
Anansi Lore
Image Source: Dahlia K.
Spider gods and monsters?
Changed my mind. I’m not playing.
Arthurian Legend
Image Source: Mushk Rizvi
1. Kratos punches King Arthur in the face
2. He finds Dante from that weird game where they made him a crusader and punches him in the face
Profit.
Not only are any and all of these places fascinating worlds to explore, but they would also be stunning and disparate, allowing Santa Monica Studios to really stretch its creative muscles. Let’s give the lighting and rendering teams something to sweat over.
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