Summary
God of War Ragnaroksets up a potentially major shift in the franchise, following the game’s focus on Atreus’s journey into young adulthood. Surprisingly, something similar can be seen inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, which tees up Miles to be the star of the show in future iterations. It’s possible that the sequel toGod of War Ragnarokis releasing sooner than fans might think, and it will be interesting to see if the two franchises continue to mirror each other in this regard.
BothGod of WarandMarvel’s Spider-Manfollow a framework that is somewhat common in first-party Sony franchises: they are both third-person, narrative-driven action games with a focus on photorealistic graphics, highly polished character animations, and voice acting. While these aspects of the game are immediately apparent to those who play them, it’s also important to consider the roles that these modern franchises play. That is, they are both somewhat fresh iterations of older IPs, withMarvel’s Spider-Manbeing set in a universe new to the iconic character, and 2018’sGod of Warshifting to a new sagaand mythological pantheon, effectively serving as a soft reboot for the beloved PlayStation series. With that said, the most recent entries in each franchise are looking to the future, and doing so in seemingly similar ways.
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God of War Ragnarok and Spider-Man 2 Introduce New Heroes in the Same Way
Spider-Man 2andGod of War Ragnarokare both about heroic duos, but both stories feature a de facto leader. These relationships are established and developed in previous entries, but both recent games are similar in that they shift the balance of power and authority in these relationships, with Miles and Atreus becoming more independent and powerful in their own right.Rumors of aGod of Warhalf-sequelsuggest another significant parallel between the two franchises, asMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Moralesplayed a similar role in 2020.
Miles is playable
Atreus is playable
Miles tells Peter he can take care of New York for a while
Atreus sets off on a new adventure
Miles has unique powers
Atreus has unique powers and ranged combat abilities
Miles is on a journey of self-discovery
Atreus is on a journey of self-discovery
Both Miles and Atreus are young, optimistic, energetic, and powerful characters, in contrast to their wizened mentors. Admittedly,God of War Ragnarokis about a father and son, which is a significantly different dynamic from the one Peter and Miles share. However, the key similarity between these two pairs is that they feature an older, more experienced character whose story as a hero is coming to a close, and a younger, spry hero whose story is seemingly just beginning. In this sense, Miles and Atreus are very similar characters.
How Spider-Man 2 and God of War Ragnarok Set Up Sequels
Although Kratos doesn’t explicitly state that he is retiring at the end ofGod of War Ragnarok, it’s the path that makes the most sense for him. Some fans may hope for Kratos’s returnin a newGod of Warsaga, butRagnarokmakes it clear that he is tired of fighting and war, and the game’s themes of fighting for peace could be undermined if he were to get involved with yet another conflict. InSpider-Man 2, Peter decides to focus on his real life for a while, as Miles has proven himself more than capable as Spider-Man. Each game focuses on the legacy protagonist stepping back and focusing on a peaceful life, while the younger hero takes over as the face of the franchise.
Not only are these shifts important to the stories of each individual game, but also for each franchise as a whole.Marvel’s Spider-ManandGod of Warcan avoid franchise fatigue by changing protagonists, and passing the torch through a dual-protagonist game, as well as theMiles Moralesandrumored God of War half-sequel, is an elegant way to institute this change.
God of War Ragnarok
WHERE TO PLAY
Embark on an epic and heartfelt journey as Kratos and Atreus struggle with holding on and letting goFrom Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018). Fimbulwinter is well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms.
