David Jaffe, the original creator of the God of War franchise, has sharply criticized the new spin-off God of War: Sons of Sparta, labeling it “crap,” “dumb,” and “stupid.” He strongly advises fans to avoid the title.
Unexpected Shadow Drop and Jaffe’s First Impressions
Sony surprised gamers by announcing and releasing God of War: Sons of Sparta, a 2.5D side-scrolling game featuring a young Kratos, during last week’s State of Play event. After playing the first hour, Jaffe shared his unfiltered thoughts in a YouTube video.
He expressed initial enthusiasm for the 2.5D format, stating, “This is the kind of game I’ve always wanted in terms of 2.5D God of War, super into it.” However, he quickly turned against the narrative, declaring, “But this, to me, is not what I was talking about. I bought this game, it’s a $30 game, I don’t like it, I don’t recommend it.”
Criticism of Narrative and Character Design
Jaffe questioned the decision-making behind the project, asking, “What the f*** were they thinking?” He noted the game controls decently but lacks purpose, with characters constantly stopping to engage in lengthy dialogue that disrupts the action.
“This is not God of War,” he emphasized, particularly slamming the portrayal of a young Kratos as a “generic f****** kid.” Jaffe argued that exploring Kratos’s childhood origins fails to captivate, saying, “No one cares… it’s a dumb idea.”
He contrasted it with what fans truly desire: a violent, bloody experience akin to Blasphemous, matching the tone of early God of War titles. Without the God of War branding, Jaffe claimed, the protagonist would seem uncompelling for a video game.
Further Playtime Reveals More Issues
Despite his early dismissal, Jaffe played three additional hours and released a follow-up video. He highlighted technical problems and concluded the game “is not ready for release.”
While acknowledging it improves slightly and contains nothing truly offensive beyond its “genericism,” Jaffe faulted it for failing to honor the franchise’s essence. He likened it to a John Wick film devoid of action, just idle conversation.
Jaffe envisioned a superior 2.5D God of War inspired by titles like Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, Neon Inferno, or Shinobi. He warned that Sons of Sparta risks disappointing fans and undermining the brand’s legacy, calling the young Kratos concept “insulting to the fans” and those who built the series.
