The God of War TV Show is Missing A Crucial Piece That I Think Made the Game Great

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As a huge fan of the God of War games, I was really excited to hear that the Prime Video show has cast Ryan Hurst as Kratos! It’s cool that he was already part of the God of War universe – he played Thor in Ragnarok – but taking on the lead role of Kratos is a whole other level. There’s a lot riding on his performance, and I’m definitely intrigued to see what he brings to the character.

Although Miles Hurst faces a significant challenge, I believe the God of War show has an even bigger one. As the series adapts the 2018 game developed by Sony Santa Monica, it seems to be overlooking a key part of what made the game’s fresh start so successful.

Look, I absolutely love God of War (2018) – it’s probably the best game in the whole series. Kratos and Atreus’ story is just incredible, both thrilling and really moving, and I’m so hyped for the TV show. But starting the adaptation with this Norse saga feels a little odd to me. It kind of skips over all the important character development and story setup that the 2018 game spent so much time building – stuff that really made it special.

Why the Greek Era is So Important to God of War

What truly sets the 2018 God of War apart is the incredible transformation of Kratos. For six previous games, we saw him as a relentless force of vengeance, destroying anyone who opposed him. This led to a path of devastation and ultimately a massive battle with Zeus, leaving countless enemies defeated in his wake.

During his initial adventures, Kratos wasn’t a sympathetic character. He was a straightforward, brutal force, and that simplicity was a key part of what made the original God of War games so enjoyable. These games offered a large-scale Greek tragedy of revenge, something rarely seen in video games, and the story began with a devastating personal loss – the death of his wife and child.

The first God of War game centers around Kratos’s quest for revenge against Ares, who deeply betrayed him. The game also reveals the origin of Kratos’s distinctive appearance – the ashes of his family are forever marked onto his skin.

What makes God of War (2018) so compelling are the small, meaningful details. Even players new to the series likely knew Kratos’s backstory and could appreciate how different this game felt. The upcoming God of War TV show, by starting in the Norse setting, will skip over all of that important context. Viewers who haven’t played the games won’t understand why Kratos struggles to control his rage when facing Baldur, or why having a son and family is such a big deal for him. Without that history, the consequences of challenging the gods won’t have the same weight.

Image via Santa Monica Studio

The Prime Video series could use flashbacks to develop the character’s history, but it still feels like a lost chance to create truly impactful moments. Think about the incredible reveal in the 2018 God of War game when Kratos unleashed the Blades of Chaos – it was so powerful because of the established backstory. To make similar moments resonate with a wider audience, not just gamers, that history needs to be effectively communicated.

I still believe the God of War show has the potential to be excellent, but I’d love to see it start with the original Greek saga. The Last of Us on HBO did a great job adapting the second game by dividing Ellie and Abby’s storylines into two seasons, and a single season covering the Greek mythology would be fantastic. There’s so much compelling material there that would make for a truly great TV show. Right now, it feels like the creators are skipping over this important part of the story simply because the Norse adventures seem more dramatic. However, the emotional impact of Kratos and Atreus’ journey is actually rooted in their Greek past.

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2026-01-18 14:04