The legendary creator of God of War, David Jaffe, has unleashed a scathing critique on the franchise's latest installment, Sons of Sparta, labeling it 'one of the worst decisions' ever made. But here's where it gets controversial: Jaffe’s fiery reaction isn’t just about personal taste—it’s a deep dive into what he sees as a fundamental misunderstanding of what fans want from the series. And this is the part most people miss: his critique isn’t just about the game itself, but about the broader direction of the franchise and the industry’s approach to storytelling and character development.
Announced during PlayStation’s State of Play and released immediately for PS5, God of War: Sons of Sparta is a 2D side-scroller developed by Mega Cat Studios in collaboration with Santa Monica Studio. The game focuses on a young Kratos and his brother Deimos during their brutal training at the Spartan Agoge. While the concept might sound intriguing on paper, Jaffe argues that the execution falls flat—and he’s not holding back.
In a nine-minute YouTube video, Jaffe dissects the game with unfiltered honesty. 'This is the kind of game I’ve always wanted in terms of a 2.5D God of War… but this isn’t what I had in mind,' he admits, before bluntly stating, 'I don’t like it, and I don’t recommend it.' But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Jaffe goes on to call Sons of Sparta 'crap,' 'dumb,' and even 'stupid,' leaving no doubt about his disdain.
'What were they thinking?' Jaffe asks, baffled by the game’s existence. While he concedes that the gameplay is 'fine' and 'serviceable,' he’s perplexed by the creative choices behind it. He reflects on a conversation with a former Sony Santa Monica developer, who claimed the studio is now 'driven primarily by story.' Jaffe’s response? Less than enthusiastic. 'In Sons of Sparta, what I played—which was only about an hour, and I’ll never go back to it—it’s just like, 'Get over yourselves, man,' he says. 'The characters just keep stopping to talk, talk, talk. The voice acting isn’t great, and the story—at least what I played—feels forced. Who wants to play this? This isn’t God of War.’
Jaffe’s frustration boils over when he addresses the game’s portrayal of Kratos. 'Most gamers would say, 'Oh my god, yes please' to a 2.5D Metroidvania God of War game,' he explains. 'But then they say, 'And we don’t want the Kratos you know and love—let’s make him some generic kid instead.' It makes no sense.' He argues that fans would have preferred a game like Blasphemous, a bloodier, more violent Metroidvania title that captures the tone of the earlier God of War games. 'Who greenlit this? Who thought this was what the audience wants?' he asks, incredulous.
Jaffe doesn’t stop at the story and characters—he also takes aim at the game’s production quality. Comparing it to recent releases like Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and Neon Inferno, he points out the lack of polish and innovation. 'People want production value, they want the classic Kratos vibe,' he insists. 'If you pulled God of War out of Sons of Sparta and just said, 'Hey, we’re making a game about this kid,' no one would care. I want to know who at Sony thought this was what people wanted.'
But here’s the real question: Is Jaffe’s critique a fair assessment, or is he stuck in the past? While he acknowledges that big budgets aren’t necessary for a great game, he argues that Sons of Sparta lacks the personality, violence, and innovative mechanics that made the franchise iconic. 'All it does is leave a bad taste in God of War fans’ mouths,' he concludes, calling it a 'collapse of the great executive work Sony has done in the past.'
As for the future, Sony has announced remakes of the original God of War trilogy, which Jaffe hopefully won’t tear apart upon release. 'We want to invest in the past and tend to the series’ roots,' Sony stated, acknowledging the fan demand for the Greek saga. But with Sons of Sparta already out and Jaffe’s critique sparking debate, one thing is clear: the God of War franchise is at a crossroads.
What do you think? Is Jaffe right to slam Sons of Sparta, or is he missing the point? Does the game deserve a chance, or is it a misstep for the franchise? Let us know in the comments—this is one discussion you won’t want to miss.
