God of War Laufey’s 20-minute demo was packed with fast-paced, flashy attacks, interesting lore reveals like the Everywhen and new mythologies, and never-before-seen characters, delivering on exactly what one would expect from a game led by Kratos’ wife Faye. Yet it’s this very protagonist shift that has contributed to a shockingly mixed reception to God of War Laufey, with even Domino’s Pizza joining in on the criticism.
Thus far, God of War Laufey’s criticism is two-fold. First, there are players who dislike the presence of humor and banter in the game, comparing it to that of a Marvel movie and disliking the cube character — Frank — who is portrayed by Jack Quaid. An even larger point of contention is that God of War Laufey, like its title suggests, focuses on a character other than the Ghost of Sparta himself. With every game in the God of War franchise thus far — even the sidescrolling spin-off Sons of Sparta — focusing on Kratos, many are struggling to come to terms with this interquel featuring a new lead. And it seems like one of the players against the change is the social media manager for Domino’s UK.
It’s important to note that Faye’s demeanor in the God of War games thus far is noticeably different from Kratos, so a more lighthearted companion like Frank suits her story well.
Domino’s UK Attacking God of War Laufey Shows Just How Big The Controversy Is
As indicated by the Domino’s UK tweet above, God of War Laufey critics (including original creator and known Norse saga critic David Jaffe) clearly believe that a God of War entry without Kratos as protagonist just isn’t right, with the new game compared to Pepperoni Passion without the Pineapple, its key ingredient. While it’s a strange place to see this kind of criticism — and is realistically just a move by Domino’s PR to get the brand some extra attention off the back of gaming’s latest controversy — it does feel like a win for the side of God of War Laufey’s critics. Perhaps some people genuinely won’t be giving the game a chance because of its lead character, though this does seem like a strange approach to take when the early footage was so promising.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
After all, there is no shortage of great spin-off games that swap out the lead character for someone new, yet shine just as bright. Uncharted did it with Lost Legacy, Halo did it with both ODST and Reach, and Metal Gear Solid 2 became a beloved classic despite Raiden filling Solid Snake’s shoes for 80% of the game. It’s perhaps that last game that is the greatest example of all, as though there was a lot of backlash toward Raiden initially, his story eventually won many over. With God of War Laufey boasting gorgeous visuals, an established character many wanted to know more about, combat that restores aerial combos, and a bold setting that can highlight several different mythologies at the same time, it’s easy to imagine it falling into the same category as the games listed above.
Regardless, companies completely unrelated to the gaming industry commenting on the controversy suggests that it won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. In practically every comment section for every post about God of War Laufey‘s reveal, players can be seen debating the protagonist shift. Some will be getting out ahead of the naysayers and pointing to the epic combat and interesting story potential as clear reasons to be excited. Others will be sharing their disappointment in the new direction. And, as usual, some particularly unsavory gamers will be seen crying “God of Woke” and complaining about the fact that Faye is a woman, a depressing reminder of how toxic gaming is. Sexism can’t be ignored as a contributor to the backlash, as if it was a male protagonist leading the game, a whole extra crowd hopping aboard the hate train would surely be silent.
What’s That Weapon?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
With no release date for God of War Laufey available yet, the debate about whether the series can thrive without its original lead will undoubtedly continue for several months. If the game does succeed, a world of opportunities becomes available (such as an Atreus spin-off), but if it fails, God of War may never get another chance to move beyond the large shadow cast by the Ghost of Sparta.
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Number of Players
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Single-player
