As a God of War franchise fan, this one hurt.
God of War Sons of Sparta: it's a perfectly functional 2D Metroidvania that happens to wear one of gaming's most iconic brands. Sony shadow-dropped this $30 PS5 exclusive during their latest showcase, and while the surprise factor landed, the game itself struggles to justify its existence beyond "more Kratos content." If you've played Hollow Knight, Ori, or any competent platformer from the past decade, you won't really be impressed at all here.
Brothers before the tragedy
Developed by Mega Cat Studios under Santa Monica Studio's supervision, Sons of Sparta swaps the series' signature third-person brutality for retro-inspired 2D platforming. You're playing as young Kratos during his Spartan training years, long before the Blades of Chaos and the god-killing spree. The framing device has older Kratos narrating the story to his daughter Calliope, which adds emotional weight the gameplay doesn't always earn.
Solid Foundations, No Risks
The combat feels good to be fair. That's the most important thing to establish upfront. Kratos wields a spear and shield instead of his iconic blades, and the moment-to-moment fighting delivers satisfying feedback. Attacks sound chunky, parries land with a meaty clang, and enemy silhouettes telegraph threats clearly. If you're the type of player who values responsive controls and tight platforming, Sons of Sparta delivers on those fundamentals.
The problem is fundamentals are all it delivers. You traverse an interconnected world, gain new abilities that unlock previously inaccessible areas, fight enemies, collect upgrades. It's the Metroidvania checklist executed competently but without a single original idea. The game never asks "what can we do differently?" and that safe approach becomes its biggest weakness.Technical issues including frame drops and occasional bugs disrupt the experience, particularly frustrating given the precision platforming requires.
Progression follows the expected pattern. Early areas feel restrictive until you unlock double jump, then wall climb, then dash abilities. Each power opens new paths through previous zones, encouraging backtracking that feels mandatory rather than rewarding. The world design is competent but rarely clever. You won't find shortcuts that make you think "oh, that's brilliant" like in genre standouts.
Combat encounters scale reasonably as you progress, introducing new enemy types that require different approaches. Boss fights punctuate major story beats, though none reach memorable status. They're challenging enough to demand attention but formulaic enough to forget once completed.
The Standout Element
This is where Sons of Sparta actually excels. The pixel art style combines lo-fi aesthetics with remarkable detail, especially in environmental work. Ancient Greek architecture feels appropriately grand despite the 2D perspective, and character sprites communicate personality through limited pixels. It's genuinely beautiful work that deserves recognition.
The audio design matches the visual quality. Every sword clash, every shield block, every environmental sound effect feels intentional and impactful. The background score sets appropriate tone without overwhelming the action. Voice work from T.C. Carson as older Kratos adds gravitas to the framing narrative, even when the story itself doesn't quite stick the landing.
For context, if you've played games like Blasphemous or Dead Cells, you know how crucial presentation is for 2D action games. Sons of Sparta understands this assignment. The aesthetic alone makes exploring somewhat repetitive environments more tolerable than they'd otherwise be.
Interesting Setup, Safe Execution
The brother dynamic between Kratos and Deimos carries the narrative weight. Young Kratos strives to be the ideal Spartan, following rules and revering the gods. Deimos questions authority and pushes boundaries. This contrast creates natural tension and adds context to Kratos' eventual transformation into the Ghost of Sparta we know.
The framing device works better than expected. Older Kratos narrating to Calliope allows for reflection without feeling forced. The story unfolds through periodic beats between gameplay sections, keeping the plot present without overwhelming the action. When Kratos and Deimos set out to rescue a missing friend, the mission escalates beyond simple retrieval into something larger. The narrative assumes familiarity with God of War lore, but new players might miss emotional beats that resonate more deeply for series veterans.
That said, the story never takes risks. Plot developments follow predictable paths. Character growth happens in expected ways. For a prequel exploring Kratos before his defining tragedies, Sons of Sparta plays it remarkably safe relative to God of War: Ascension, for example. You learn more about his backstory, but nothing that fundamentally changes your understanding of the character.
The tonal shift from recent God of War entries might alienate some fans. This isn't the thoughtful, mature storytelling of the Norse saga. It's straightforward adventure fare with mythological dressing. That's not inherently bad, but it creates disconnect between this prequel and the franchise's current identity.
Performance and Technical Issues
Multiple reviewers noted technical problems that impact the experience so I was a bit nervous picking this up. I personally faced a few frame drops during intense sequences, and polish issues that shouldn't exist in a $30 release from a major publisher in theory. These aren't game-breaking, but they're frustrating in a genre where precision matters.
Combat feels satisfyingly weighty overall
The game runs exclusively on PS5, which makes these technical shortcomings harder to excuse. You'd expect a 2D platformer to run flawlessly on current-gen hardware, but Sons of Sparta stumbles enough to notice.
The Value Question
At $30, Sons of Sparta sits in an awkward price range. It's not expensive enough to feel like a rip-off, but not cheap enough to ignore its shortcomings. The runtime clocks around 8-10 hours for a standard playthrough, with optional collectibles adding a few more if you're a completionist.
Compare that to other Metroidvanias at similar or lower price points. Hollow Knight offers 40+ hours for $15. Ori and the Will of the Wisps delivers a more polished experience at $30. Sons of Sparta asks you to pay a premium for the God of War brand, and whether that's worth it depends entirely on how much you value that connection.
This is the type of project Sony should pursue more often. AAA studios can't pump out massive releases constantly, and filling gaps with AA efforts from talented indie teams makes sense strategically. The execution just needed to be stronger. Either price it lower to account for the safe approach, or take bigger creative risks to justify the premium.
Who This Game Is For
If you're starving for more Kratos content and can forgive lack of innovation, Sons of Sparta offers a few hours of solid platforming. Completionists who need every piece of God of War lore will find value in the character backstory, even if the execution doesn't match the franchise's best work. Genre veterans looking for the next great Metroidvania should look elsewhere. This doesn't push boundaries or offer fresh ideas. It's comfort food gaming, familiar and safe, which might be exactly what some players are looking for.
The real question is whether you'd rather play this or revisit established classics. Sons of Sparta doesn't make a compelling case for itself beyond brand loyalty. That's not damning, but it's not a ringing endorsement either.
Sons of Sparta proves talented indie studios can work with AAA properties, but it also proves that brand recognition alone doesn't make a game essential. It's a competent cover of a familiar song, performed well, but adding nothing new to the original composition. For players seeking innovative gameplay or genre-defining experiences, this isn't it.
For God of War fans willing to accept a safe but solid side story, it scratches that itch without leaving a lasting mark.
