Chapter 737: Is This Still Kratos? (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)

Zhang Yi looked at the final game screen with a surprised expression, feeling a bit dazed.

Regarding the deaths of protagonists in Nebula Games' titles, Zhang Yi was already accustomed to it. Every year, if Mr. Chen didn't kill off a few protagonists or important characters in the games developed by Nebula Games, he would feel like something was off.

Arthur Morgan, Soap, Roach, Ghost, who were far away in heaven, and more recently Ethan, Ezio, Elizabeth… these were all vivid examples. So, if Kratos had simply vanished from existence, it wouldn't have been much of a surprise to Zhang Yi. Moreover, given Kratos's inherently wild personality, a destructive end was somewhat expected.

But this final scene clearly hinted that Kratos hadn't died. This brought a pleasant surprise to Zhang Yi, but also a touch of bewilderment.

The pleasant surprise came from the fact that, initially, Zhang Yi didn't particularly like Kratos, the insane character. After all, based on Kratos's initial actions, he was an absolute villain. However, as the game's story progressed and Zhang Yi learned about Kratos's life, manipulated by the Olympian gods, he began to feel a little sympathy for this mad character.

It could be said that Kratos, the most insane character in gaming history, was born precisely because of the actions of the Olympian gods. Compared to Kratos, these lofty Olympian gods were clearly more hateful. Furthermore, as players controlling Kratos, they naturally adopted the perspective of a victim, unconsciously developing a fondness for the character.

Indeed, playing through God of War could often leave players feeling oppressed. Especially in God of War 3, Kratos seemed to have lost all humanity, becoming a pure machine of vengeance, until he finally sacrificed himself, returning the power of hope to humanity. This act of elevation was what truly made players feel deeply for Kratos, and consider him one of the most 'manly' protagonists in Nebula Games' history, or even in gaming history.

That he didn't die was good news. But what truly bewildered Zhang Yi was whether this game would have a sequel. After all, this was a very common open ending; it could be interpreted as Kratos dying, or as him surviving.

If it were any other game developer, Zhang Yi might have thought it was the end. After all, killing off the protagonist of a series is often difficult for many developers, but Nebula Games was different; the number of protagonists they'd killed off had long since exceeded double digits. One more Kratos wouldn't make a difference, and one less wouldn't either.

So, if they truly intended to kill Kratos, Zhang Yi believed Nebula Games wouldn't use such an open ending. They would likely just stab him outright, no beating around the bush. Yet now, they were teasing players, as if deliberately. But the crucial question remained: if there was a sequel, who would Kratos fight next? The Olympian gods seemed to be mostly gone, with only famous ones like Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and Athena, the phantom of the dead, remaining.

Moreover, in God of War 3, the violence aesthetic had already been pushed to its peak. If they went further, Zhang Yi felt it might backfire. Under such circumstances, would there truly be a sequel to God of War?

Zhang Yi was skeptical.

In fact, it wasn't just Zhang Yi; all players who had truly experienced the entire God of War trilogy shared this doubt. On forums and related communities, while God of War's popularity remained high, it was also accompanied by players' discussions about the game series.

'I feel like Kratos should have died in the end, right? After all, it's the God of War trilogy, and by the final step, Kratos had already killed all the Greek gods. There's nothing left to kill, is there?'

'+1, I also feel that the ending is just a conventional open ending. There probably won't be a sequel. This game seems to have taken the violence aesthetic to its extreme; it would be hard to surpass it.'

'That's true. Actually, I feel that God of War 3 went a bit too far with the violence, especially with the introduction of the victim's perspective, which made me feel Kratos's madness. If they still want to make a statement on the violence aesthetic, I think a fourth game might be counterproductive.'

'Not necessarily, right? Although they can't break through on the violence aesthetic, I think the combat system can still be delved into more deeply. And God of War's Dark Mythology style also has quite a bit of depth.'

'Depth? What depth does God of War have? Isn't it just killing from start to finish? Purely a hack-and-slash game.'

'Catching a cloud player here! God of War is a hack-and-slash game? Please play on a high difficulty before saying something like that. And even though God of War's storyline might not have the depth of a BioShock, its cinematic presentation is absolutely explosive.'

'Exactly! And if the Greek gods are all gone, why can't Kratos go visit other places?'

The players on the community forums were in a lively debate. Players who believed Kratos didn't die and that God of War would have a sequel had their arguments. And players who believed Kratos had died and the God of War trilogy was over also had their reasons.

Of course, there were also many players who took the opportunity to try and disparage God of War. However, these individuals were quickly targeted by both sides and 'arrested'. Because if you've played God of War yourself, you can clearly understand what makes this game brilliant. The epic battles with various gods and monsters, combined with the game's cinematic presentation, were incredibly explosive.

And in terms of the combat system, considering the use of various magic and equipment for different scenarios, and how to stylishly brutalize monsters, these were all part of God of War's gameplay. Just watching it might not seem like much, but when you experienced it firsthand, you understood that it was a completely different gaming experience.

For two consecutive days, players who had played God of War online were in a heated uproar. Until Nebula Games and Mr. Chen's official Weibo account released a video less than 30 seconds long.

After a brief black screen, a thick tree trunk appeared in the shot. The tree had a golden, hand-shaped mark on it, and next to this tree, a bald, bearded middle-aged man with red tattoos, gripping an axe with both hands, stared intently at the tree.

Kratos!

Almost all players recognized him instantly. But unlike the Kratos who violently attacked the Hydra and furiously killed Poseidon upon his first appearance, the current Kratos appeared dishevelled and aged. Bandages wrapped around his arms, once bound by the Blades of Chaos, as he forcefully swung his axe. As the tree fell, the screen faded to black.

Innumerable players watched this less-than-30-second video, all of them stunned. This was, without a doubt, Nebula Games' answer to their arguments: Kratos did not die after the God of War trilogy; there truly was a sequel.

But the truly critical point was, was this still Kratos? Was this still the utterly insane Kratos?

Why had Kratos become so old?

Innumerable questions and curiosities flooded the hearts of countless players.

(End of Chapter) <>