Mr_PoOL With God of War Sons of Sparta, Sony surprised us with a shadowdrop from their own in-house team—not a mainline entry, but a game carrying one of their massive IP names nonetheless. The story focuses on the events that transpired before Kratos became a full Spartan warrior. Sons of Sparta is certainly not a conventional God of War game; it strays far from the tried-and-true formula, not only in combat but also by adopting a Metroidvania-style structure. While this isn’t a recipe for disaster—other franchises have taken this route successfully—the question remains: is this entry actually any good, and does it deserve the God of War branding?
Spartan Brothers Trying To Prove Their Worth
The narrative centers on a young Kratos and his brother, Deimos, prior to Kratos becoming a true Spartan. Young Spartans were often sent on missions to prove their worth, and that also holds true for these brothers. Their quest begins when an acquaintance disappears, leading them to stumble upon a network of kidnappers utilizing ancient Greek magic.
Interestingly, these past events are narrated by present-day Kratos to his daughter. You can even hear their back-and-forth dialogue as she criticizes the various “shenanigans” they were involved in. Through this prequel, we witness how Kratos began to lose his faith in both Sparta and the gods, eventually becoming the character we know today.
Unenticing Combat with a Dull Weapon
While the story stays grounded in the original lore, the combat couldn’t stray further from the hack-and-slash excellence we love. Combat is bland at best, which is disappointing given that it is usually the most satisfying element of the series. Your main weapon is a simple spear. Beyond a few basic combos, there isn’t much special about it; I would have loved a flame attack or some other elemental flair, but alas.
Alongside the dull spear, you have a shield to block most attacks and a dodge roll. While there is variation between light and heavy attacks, as well as shoulder-button combinations, I didn’t find the special moves particularly useful during my playthrough. You also acquire items for combat and puzzles, such as a slingshot, but these consume a portion of your magic meter. This meter can be refilled by hitting blue rocks or via slow auto-regeneration. Health functions similarly: you can hit green rocks for a boost or recover “ghost health” by blocking, though this recoverable health is lost if you take a hit during regeneration.
Don’t Forget to Save, Kids
Upgrading gear is handled at campsites, which also serve as manual save points. I learned the hard way that you shouldn’t skip these; after bypassing a camp and heading straight to a boss, I lost an hour of exploration because there is no autosave. If you die, you respawn at the last campsite visited.
Upgrades require different currencies, with red orbs being the primary resource for enhancing Kratos’s abilities, such as his offensive aggression and defensive instincts. You also collect scraps, ores, and ingredients from slain enemies. These materials, combined with blood orbs, are used to upgrade your shield and spear.
Unused Potential and Mediocre Platforming
I feel the developers could have done much more with Kratos. While filling in story blanks is fine, this tale might have worked better as a brief flashback within a larger game featuring the iconic, older Spartan. Going “all out” with weapons and mechanics would have likely clicked more with the fans.
Don’t get me wrong: it’s an okay game, but nothing more. It doesn’t differentiate itself from other Metroidvanias, nor does it utilize the God of War IP effectively. The pixelated art style suits the genre, though I personally would have preferred more detail. Platforming is also a bit clunky; to climb a ladder, you must jump and manually press Triangle to grab it. Conversely, Kratos grabs ledges automatically. Furthermore, if an enemy is near a ledge, there’s often no way to bypass them without taking damage. On a positive note, the exploration is guided by a waypoint system, ensuring you never truly get stuck on the map.
These rough edges, along with several glitches, suggest the game could have used more polish. I frequently encountered characters—mostly Deimos—getting stuck in the environment. While I didn’t run into game-breaking bugs, these oversights are a shame.
Final Thoughts
To God of War Sons of Sparta‘s credit, T.C. Carson, the original voice of Kratos from the Greek trilogy, returns and delivers a solid performance, but unfortunately, it isn’t enough to save the experience. Why this title carries the God of War moniker is beyond me; it likely would have been better received without the massive expectations attached to that name. That said, the story is genuinely interesting and serves as the game’s redeeming quality.
Additional Information
Release Date: Feb 12, 2026
Reviewed On: PS5. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: Mega Cat Studios, Santa Monica Studios
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Relevant links: Available on PlayStation Store
