Former God of War sound designer and co-creator David Jaffe, in many ways, influenced the series by creating Kratos as his bloodthirsty warrior.
But in recent years, Jaffe has made statements about Kratos’ character and the direction of the series that are inconsistent with how we’ve evolved.
While Jaffe’s contributions are undeniable, his perspective on Kratos doesn’t fully capture the depth and complexity that newer installments have provided, especially in God of War (2018) and God of War: Ragnarok.
With these games, Kratos has gone from rage rage-fueled killer to a layered and conflicted character who is relatable.
The Kratos Character Development in the New Era
In the earlier God of war games, Kratos was consumed with vengeance and lived in a cold, space without time for anything other than vengeance and introspection.
The first thing Jaffe’s idea of a Spartan warrior, who wants his revenge, just rolled off his fingers, is fitting. But the new era of God of War was led by Cory Barlog and redefined Kratos.
And now Kratos isn’t just a one-note rage machine like he was before, he’s a father, a mentor, and a man haunted by his violent past.
Jaffe seems to think that Kratos should stay mired in his original brutal persona, but the sort of Kratos we see begins to grow and mature and certainly, it comes with a price for one’s actions.
Jaffe’s take on Kratos’ Brutality
Repeatedly David Jaffe has stated that Kratos must return to his roots, that is, in brutality. Yes, truth be told violence did infect some part of early Kratos, but newer games have frankly taken a more nuanced approach. Jaffe himself seems to miss the real growth the shift from pure rage to tempered strength.
Kratos’s Role as a Father, and its Importance
But Kratos’ relationship with Atreus in the recent games is so integral to the character’s development. So as a father, he is learning control of his temper and handing down wisdom to his son whom he hopes will be wise and take a different road from the one that he took. It’s a lot more interesting than the one-note rage-driven Kratos that Jaffe was envisioning.
Discover Kratos Vulnerability
In the latest installments, Kratos’s vulnerability, both physical and emotional, is laid out in full. That uncertainty, guilt, and regret is relatable in a way he never was before. Jaffe’s treatment of these qualities is simply a dismissal that character development has no place in the world of storytelling.
Vision vs. Legacy (Barlog vs. Jaffe)
Jaffe’s Kratos may have been a foundational figure, but Barlog has made him into a real character. But Jaffe seems to want to hold onto the past, which is something the story and characters have to grow away from. Jaffe’s parts didn’t have to diminish in growth with this growth, but show how God of War has grown beyond the scope of the initial concept.
Why Kratos Needed to Evolve
Things were different in the early 2000s when compared to now. Audiences now want deeper story plus complex emotional characters.
Had the rage-filled warrior of the original trilogy been Kratos, the series could have been stuck in stasis. It wasn’t just a creative choice to play Kratos’ arc as one of self-reflection and redemption, it just had to be. Kratos’ evolution is in sync with what players want today, protagonists who struggle with moral dilemmas. It’s a disconnect between the old and new eras of gaming that Jaffe is unable to see this need for change.
