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Kratos

God of War: Ghost of Sparta is the sixth installment of the God of War series, originally released on the PlayStation Portable and the PSP Go. It was later released along with God of War: Chains of Olympus on the PlayStation 3 as part of the God of War: Origins Collection.

The story is set between God of War and God of War II and has Kratos visiting the long-lost city of Atlantis and also details more about his past, which he seeks to unravel and also learns that his long-lost mother and brother Deimos are alive.

Story[]

The Oracle foretold that the demise of Olympus would come not from the Titans; but by a Marked Warrior, a mortal. The Olympian Gods Zeus and Ares believed this warrior to be Deimos, brother of Kratos, due to his strange birthmarks. Ares sieges a village of Sparta and interrupts the childhood training of Kratos and Deimos, with Athena on hand to watch over him, and kidnaps Deimos. Kratos attempts to stop Ares but is swept aside and scarred across his right eye by the violent Olympian. Ares prepares to kill the young Kratos for attacking him. Athena stops Ares and tells him they only came for the Marked Warrior, not to take the boy's life. Taken to the Domain of Death, Deimos is imprisoned and tortured by the God of Death, Thanatos.

Years later, Kratos, the Ghost of Sparta, has defeated and killed Ares and taken his place as the new God of War on Mount Olympus. Still haunted by visions of his mortal past, Kratos decides - against the advice of the Goddess Athena - to explore his past and travels to the Temple of Poseidon, located within the city of Atlantis. Despite Poseidon's best efforts to prevent Kratos from reaching his city, including sending the monster Scylla, Kratos reaches Atlantis. After a series of confrontations, Kratos kills Scylla. Kratos eventually locates his ailing mother, Callisto, who attempts to reveal to him the identity of his father. Kratos only hears very weak and faint noises, but she manages to tell him that his brother is alive and tormented in Death's Domain, but that he first needs to go to Ares' temple in Sparta. When Callisto is suddenly transformed into a hideous beast, Kratos is forced to battle her. Before dying, Callisto thanks Kratos and beseeches him to seek out his brother Deimos. He also encounters and frees the trapped Titan Thera, which causes a flood that destroys Atlantis. In his journey to Sparta, he also meets the Grave Digger again, who warns him not to alienate the Gods. 

While traveling through the Aronia Pass, Kratos meets Erinys, Thanatos' daughter. He fights and kills Erinys, and arrives in Sparta where he is praised by the people. While on his way to the Temple of Ares he witnesses a group of Spartans, led by the Last Spartan, tearing down a statue of Ares to replace it with one of Kratos. Kratos then goes to the Jails of Sparta where he chases a dissenter loyal to Ares who tries to kill Kratos by releasing the Piraeus Lion. However, Kratos fights and kills both foes. He returns to the Temple of Ares and after an encounter with a ghost-like form of his younger self, he learns he must return to Atlantis and find Death's Domain. Kratos then accepts his former weapons, the Arms of Sparta, as a gift from the Last Spartan, and departs. After Kratos leaves Sparta, he returns to Atlantis but when his ship draws closer to the sunken city, minions of Poseidon sink Kratos' ship and kill the crew. After nearly drowning, a statue of Poseidon possessed by the Sea God himself tells the Spartan he will pay for sinking his kingdom and he will not forget this event. Kratos then traverses through the city's ruin and eventually locates the Gateway to Death's Domain.

Entering Death's Domain, Kratos eventually locates and frees his imprisoned brother Deimos. Enraged with Kratos' failure to rescue him sooner, Deimos says he will never forgive Kratos, and attacks him, only to have Thanatos intervene. Taking Deimos to the Suicide Bluffs, Deimos almost falls off the cliff. Kratos saves his brother, and the two reconcile. After giving Deimos the Arms of Sparta, Kratos and Deimos fight Thanatos together. Before the fight, Thanatos remarks that Kratos was the "Marked Warrior" the Oracle spoke of, the mark being the ashes of his wife and daughter fastened to his skin and that Ares chose poorly for taking Deimos instead of him. During the fight, Thanatos transforms into a black monster and kills Deimos, but is then destroyed by an enraged Kratos. Kratos then carries the body of his fallen brother up the mountain where the enigmatic Grave Digger (who already had a grave prepared) buries Deimos, with Kratos using the Arms of Sparta as a grave marker. The Ghost of Sparta then goes to the Suicide Bluffs where, after briefly pondering suicide, he asks himself "By the gods, what have I become?" The Gravedigger responds that he has become "Death...the Destroyer of Worlds." Kratos turns to look at the Grave Digger who has disappeared just as Athena comes out of the portal. She tells him that his ties to the mortal world are now severed and he is ready to become a God. Athena attempts to elevate Kratos to full Godhood only to have the Spartan stop her from doing so. Kratos then returns to Olympus stating the gods will pay for what they have done. As Kratos returns, Athena quietly asks "Forgive me...brother", marking the first time Athena acknowledges they are siblings.

In a post-credits scene, the Grave Digger is shown laying Callisto to her grave, saying "Now, only one remains." A third grave is seen, implied to have been dug for Kratos. The scene shifts to Kratos on his throne, wearing his newly-forged armor, furious and determined to exact vengeance on the Gods. (It is widely assumed that this leads up to the beginning of God of War II, as Kratos, driven by the rage of the loss of his brother and mother, leads the Spartans into a vicious battle to take over the city of Rhodes. Zeus, who has been poisoned uncontrollably with Fear after witnessing Kratos murder the God of Death, later tricks Kratos and kills him, fulfilling his statement that he was going to kill the remaining person in the family he should have never made.)

Characters[]

  • Kratos: The main character of the game, who is unknowingly a former demigod, and now the current God of War and former Spartan General who was tricked into killing his family by his former master Ares, and suffers horrible nightmares as a result, which he seeks to erase.
  • Athena: The Goddess of Wisdom who guides Kratos throughout his journey and warns him about alienating the Gods. Flashbacks reveal that she and Ares were the ones who captured Deimos and sent him to the Domain of Death to be tortured for eternity.
  • Deimos: Kratos' long-lost and believed dead brother, and as well as a demigod himself like Kratos (formerly), who is revealed to be alive and still imprisoned in the Domain of Death. He is killed by Thanatos at the end of the game.
  • Ares: Kratos' former master and first God of War who was killed by Kratos himself in retribution for his family’s death. Flashbacks reveal he and Athena as the abductors of Deimos.
  • Lanaeus: A servant of The Ocean God Poseidon charged with machinery in Atlantis and Methano Volcano.
  • Grave Digger: A mysterious man (revealed to be Zeus in disguise) who had also helped Kratos in his quest to kill Ares. He first appears when Kratos approaches Methano Volcano and also warns him to cease his quest and not alienate the Gods. He later appears at the end of the game when he buries Deimos and Callisto and also digs out a third grave, presumably for Kratos, when he remarks "Now only one remains".
  • King Midas: A former king who has the ability to turn anything or anyone into gold the moment he touches them. He turned his daughter into gold which made him very miserable.
  • Callisto: Kratos' long-lost and believed dead mother who had been taken to Atlantis by Zeus and was held there till found by Kratos. She was cursed by Zeus to prevent her from telling Kratos who his father was, if she told the truth she would be transformed into monstrous beast. She does attempt to tell him later on and as a result is forced to battle her son after which she is killed.
  • Thera: A fire and volcanic Titan who was trapped in an area called Methano Volcano by Poseidon close to Atlantis. She was released by Kratos eventually causing the destruction of Atlantis.
  • Poseidon: The God of Oceans and the King of Atlantis, who is one of the Olympian Gods and attacks Kratos multiple times in order to prevent him from reaching Atlantis and later swears vengeance upon him when his city is destroyed as a result of Kratos' actions.
  • Erinys: The daughter of Thanatos who tries to kill Kratos to prevent him from reaching Domain of Death and rescuing Deimos and as a result is killed by the Spartan.
  • Thanatos: The main antagonist and the torturer of Deimos who held him prisoner for many years. He soon battles both his prisoner and Kratos and ultimately kills Deimos causing Kratos to angrily murder him.
  • Dissenter: A loyal servant of the former God of War, Ares who tries to kill Kratos when he cannot revive his former master.
  • Last Spartan: A loyal soldier and follower of Kratos during his days as a Spartan General and who hails him as the new and rightful God of War and offers him the Arms of Sparta.

Enemies[]

Common Enemies[]

Bosses[]

Items and Abilities[]

Weapons[]

Magic[]

  • Eye of Atlantis: An ancient relic of Poseidon that harnesses the power of Atlantis.
  • Scourge of Erinys: This artifact can unleash a power that no mortal nor God should wield.
  • Horn of Boreas: Horn that summons the power of the God of the North Wind, Boreas.

Items[]

Relics of the Gods[]

These items grant bonuses in bonus play if activated.

Bonus Costumes[]

  • God Armor: Slaughter your enemies while wearing the fearful God of War armor.
  • Deimos: Play the game as Kratos' younger brother, Deimos.
  • Kratos Legionnaire: Wear this classic Spartan armor to go all badass with the Arms of Sparta.
  • Robotos: If you thought the standard Kratos looks cool, prepare to eat your words.

Cut Content[]

Dana Jan stated that fans wanted a "female version" of Kratos. Dana Jan presented this idea to the team. They designed a "Goddess of War" costume. The costume never made it to the final publication.

Cast[]

Reception[]

God of War: Ghost of Sparta has received generally positive acclaim from various media outlets.

IGN gave it a 9.5/10, and stated the graphics are "better than a big chunk of PS2 games" and that it is the "best-looking game on the PSP thus far." In terms of gameplay, "there's nothing unique here, but that's not a bad thing."

PlayStation: The Official Magazine gave it a 10/10, saying "Ghost of Sparta offers an immersive experience on par with many of the best PS3 games."

1UP gave it an A-, claiming the game is "a more personal story than the other GOW games, but one that still features the series' signature trademarks," also calling the sex mini-game "arguably the most over-the-top of the bunch."

Eurogamer awarded the game a 7/10, saying the "game's primary problem...is in its in-built focus. The God of War series... is principally concerned with endlessly upping the ante. The battle system is strong, but nothing without the world and set-pieces it drives. There is a sense that Ghost of Sparta is a step back for the series if you've played the PlayStation 3 game. The set-pieces, while incredible within the context of this handheld platform, seem tired when set against, for example, the opening scenes of God of War III. And when you take away the sense of wonder in a God of War game, the remaining components struggle to carry the experience." Eurogamer also states the game is "best enjoyed by newcomers" or "those yet to play" God of War III.

Game Informer gave the game a 9.5, staying that in terms of gameplay, "the other core fighting mechanics are familiar, but the tweaks go a long way toward improving gameplay." They also said that "Ghost of Sparta doesn’t have any mind-blowing moments" but "this isn’t an optional side-story; Ghost of Sparta is a must-play for God of War fans."

Trivia[]

  • A Ghost of Sparta PSP demo was released on the North-American PSN on September 28, 2010, and a day later, on September 29, in Europe.
  • According to the European PlayStation Blog, Kratos would be armed with "the deadly chained Blades of Chaos". Since they were taken from him by Ares at the end of the first God of War, it is assumed they meant to say the Blades of Athena.
  • Ghost of Sparta confirms that the Grave Digger is in fact, Zeus. Selecting the Grave Digger costume and then entering the arena will show the Grave Digger lifting his shovel in the air and smashing it to the ground creating a shockwave of lightning. When the lightning clears, Zeus appears, holding the Blade of Olympus and wearing his gauntlet.
  • Ghost of Sparta reveals that Kratos' red tattoo is in remembrance of his lost brother, which closely resembles Deimos' birthmark in his adult years. This is most likely why the Gods did not suspect him of being the Marked Warrior, as he was not "marked" until after his brother was taken.
  • Ghost of Sparta also reveals how Kratos got his facial scar: When Deimos was snatched by Ares, Kratos tried saving his brother only to have Ares punch Kratos in the face, sending him into a pile of wood. When Kratos looked up, his right eye was hit, leaving him with a scar.
  • In the game, Kratos comes upon a blinded and injured man holding the corpse of a fellow soldier named Dominus. Dominus was actually a possible name for Kratos during his early design phase in the first God of War.
  • Similar to the opening level in God of War II, the Blades of Athena in this game are bright gold in colour with glowing blue glyphs.
  • Just like in God of War III, Kratos can be covered with blood as he slaughters enemies.
  • Because of the Japanese video game age rating system (CERO), the Japanese version (NTSC-J version) of the game and other God of War games that came before God of War (2018) censored some extreme violent scenes and nudity were topless women are covered and monsters were either covered or their nipples have been removed in both gameplay and cutscenes including the Pre-randered cutscenes, and also you can't kill innocent people to obtain Green orbs.
  • The opening of the game is similar to the opening of the first God of War game: Kratos starts out on a boat and fights a sea monster.
  • During the sequence where Kratos chases Midas through the volcanic caves, there is a golden chest and a golden Cyclops on one side. Both items cannot be interacted with, however, attacking them yields red orbs. Attempting to open the golden chest and holding "O" button for half minute will enable the player the "King Midas' Trick" Trophy.
  • God of War: Ghost of Sparta is the first game to break some traditions from the previous games.
    • In the start menu of God of War: Ghost of Sparta, the left (tattooed) side of Kratos' face is shown, while in the other games his right (scarred) side is shown.
    • All the previous games (except Betrayal) were released in March, but Ghost of Sparta was released in November 2010.
    • There has been no event or explanation about why Kratos lost his powers of the previous game.
  • Ghost of Sparta is also the first to introduce some combat factors later seen in God of War: Ascension.
    • There are multiple steep slopes where Kratos can slide down. His sliding position is exactly the same as seen in Ascension (he crouches down with his Blades stabbed into the ground). While sliding down the steep slopes the player can control where Kratos goes. Also, every steep slope in GoS ends with a large gap to another platform, which Kratos must jump to using a quick QTE . This happens frequently in Ascension. 
    • Even though it only appeared twice in-game, the "No-QTE/Free attack" mode seen in Ascension can be used in two particular scenes in Ghost of Sparta. One is during the Callisto fight when the monster slams Kratos into the wall. The other is when Kratos chases Erinys' bird form. The players are free to spam square or triangle attack against both enemies until they launch their attack again. 
  • Athena only appears in person once at the end of the game. Every other time she appears in statues, or in flashbacks of the Spartan Raid. At the end of the game, she refers to Kratos as "Brother" since they are both children of Zeus.
  • Possibly due to this game and God of War III being developed so close together, The Blades of Athena share some of the Blades of Exile's moveset.
  • There was a potential alternate costume for Kratos in the game that turns him into a female. The design is still fairly similar to Kratos' normal design, though she wore something more akin to a loincloth on her lower half. She also had a mohawk to make up for her lack of facial hair. It is unknown why the design was cut but it is believed that it was because of the nudity.
  • When Kratos first meets a Cyclops, the famous Wilhelm Scream is heard as the cyclops throws a soldier into another soldier.
  • It is believed that since Kratos killed Thanatos, instead of there being no Death in the world (as a result of the absence of the Death God), Kratos has become death itself, the ultimate destroyer that will bring utter chaos to the worlds of man and Gods (this is a reference to God of War III, where Kratos brings only Chaos at the end of his adventure).
  • This game, God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War (2018) are the only games where Kratos interacts with his non-godly family in real time, and not only in flashbacks.
  • This game takes place in real-time, as it's ending leads directly into the beginning of God of War 2. However, both this game and the latter take place about 13 years after the original God of War. While it isn't stated how soon after God of War 2 starts, it can be assumed from the bonus after-credits ending that God Of War 2 might only take place a few months or even weeks afterwards, although Kratos and his army would need at least a little bit of time to deploy to Rhodes.

Gallery[]

Video[]

Trailers[]

Cutscenes[]

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