The God of War series has been entertaining gaming fans since 2005. No, that’s not a typo, this hugely successful franchise has been on the go for more than 10 years. With its unique blend of fighting mechanics and mythology, it’s easy to see why so many people have become encapsulated in the games.  Where the first range of games in the series has followed Greek mythology, the new God of War will be set within Norse mythology. This is a first for the franchise and something that was originally considered by video game designer, David Jaffe.  Designed as a sequel to 2010’s God of War III, the game will take place many years after the events of its predecessor with Kratos returning. Naturally, after so many years have passed, things within the game have changed. A bearded and world-weary Kratos now has a son, something shown in the title’s impressive trailers.  When it comes to gameplay, developers SIE Santa Monica Studio and publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment have called it a reimagining of the franchise, meaning there are some great new features for players to really get their teeth stuck into.  For those with an excellent memory, you may remember that Kratos lost his signature double-chained blades at the end of God of War III. Naturally, this means that he will not use them in the new game, instead opting for a magical battle axe known as the Leviathan Axe. This special equipment can be infused with elemental abilities and thrown at his enemies.   It’s not all new though, some of the combat mechanics that gamers loved from previous games return, but with a new coat of polish. These include the Spartan Rage ability, similar to Rage in previous instalments. Like in its predecessors, Spartan Rage allows Kratos to use incredibly powerful hand-based attacks that damage enemies massively.  Although God of War is played entirely as Kratos, there are times that gamers can choose to passively control his son, Atreus. In this instance, one button is dedicated to Atreus and its use depends on what is going on in-game. By this we mean that if Kratos needs help, the player can look towards an enemy, press the button and allow Atreus to take that enemy down with his bow.  With many of the same development team working on God of War as its predecessors, all of the impressive changes are rooted in the lore of the previous games. Despite its vast alterations and different mythology, it’s sure to feel like a proper God of War title. Couple this with the stunning performance capabilities of Sony’s PS4 and God of War is sure to be another sure fire hit in the franchise.