'God Of War (2018)' is the perfect starting point for someone unfamiliar with the franchise, yet it's also a deep, respectful and rather bold sequel to the original series of games. It acts as a sort of 'new chapter' in its protagonists' life, picking up many years after the end of 'God Of War III (2010)' and swapping its mythology from Greek to Norse. The story is a thematically rich, surprisingly resonant look at fatherhood, as its main focus is the relationship between the much mellowed - yet still deadly - Kratos and his young son, Atreus. This dynamic is one of the most rounded and believable to ever be featured in a game, as it evolves naturally over the course of the narrative and has distinct ramifications on the gameplay itself. You really care for Kratos here, which is something that hasn't been entirely possible before. He is a much more mature person, still haunted by his past, and he has something actually worth fighting for. The game goes out of its way to communicate that vengeance is a path to nothing other than self-destruction, with Kratos having to teach his son how to be better than the Gods that came before him. It's really quite moving at times and it's incredibly gripping. It's also amazingly mature, as the stoic spartan must shed the painful toxic masculinity imposed on him by his culture in order to raise his son and spare him a similarly disastrous fate. As you can see, the narrative isn't as concerned with 'manliness' as it is with emotional transparency, which is a revelation for this sort of action-packed stuff. Frankly, it's what we need right now. Of course, the focal duo do have to fight to survive - this is an action game, after all. Their epic odyssey is communicated with gorgeous visuals and a deep lore. It's sweeping in scale yet intimate in scope. The whole experience is conveyed within a single camera movement, so it all feels urgent and, from a technical perspective, incredibly impressive. The gameplay is much different to that of the series' prior titles, with slightly less focus on button mashing and more focus on strategy. Having said that, the combat is still frenetic and fast-paced. It's brutally difficult at times and you're pretty much required to engage with its deeper systems to succeed. Thankfully, those systems are incredibly satisfying. In fact, the combat is the deepest it's ever been in the series and, once you're used to it, it's the most enjoyable, too. In-between the combat encounters are the puzzles you've come to expect and they're all surprisingly engaging. It's probably because every single one is propelled by the plot, as is all the fighting. The game does an excellent job of telling its tale while you're in control and, thanks to the seamless nature of its cut-scenes, making you feel like you're in control even when you aren't. It's seriously amazing. The story is absolutely riveting, the character work is second to none, the aesthetic is gorgeous and the gameplay is sublime. The overall experience is easily the best in its already fantastic franchise. It's also one of best games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. 10/10