Among the rumors and reports about the series’ next entry, Sony Santa Monica didn’t just offer an announcement trailer. It packed 20+ minutes of new gameplay, interviews with creative head Cory Barlog and director Ariel Lawrence, introductions to the cast, and even a quick look at the combat. There’s a lot that we still don’t know about what’s going on with Faye and where she’s going, but this latest adventure is looking to be a PS5 exclusive for the sage. Let’s dive into everything you should know, starting with the fact that it’s…
Not a Prequel
Pretty obvious, considering that a new journey begins the very moment Faye is laid to rest, one that may run concurrently to the Norse saga (depending on how time works in this new world). While Santa Monica Studio considered making a prequel, it instead opted to start “right where we left off” and continue from Faye’s perspective.
Potentially Saving Kratos and Atreus
Besides the dilemma afflicting the Everywhen, where magic begins and ends – though the developer has hinted at its “true nature – Faye has a personal stake in all this: returning home to Kratos and Atreus. Why? Because of the discovery of another Mask, which could mean that her plan – which seemingly involves them going on their pivotal journey – is in jeopardy. Again, there’s a lot obfuscated, but for Faye, “Find your way home” is more than just a promise.
Faye’s Character
When you land in a completely unknown world where everything is trying to kill or capture you, getting thrown off is completely natural. That’s exactly what happens to Faye, but Santa Monica Studio considers her more “improvisational” than Kratos. Case in point: looking for ways to escape, destroying a magical cask to set herself free and reaching out to those around her – due to being less emotionally closed off – for help. For the player, this helps in learning more about her character and the Everywhen simultaneously while ensuring the pacing remains brisk.
Jumping is Back
We know, we know – it feels like the return of jumping, which we haven’t seen since the original trilogy, may be kind of overblown. But when you consider that it’s been over 16 years since Kratos was hopping around on Mount Olympus, laying waste to all and sundry, it’s a welcome sight, especially since it adds some new dimensions to traversal and combat.
More Agile and Fast-Paced Combat
Before they married, Kratos and Faye had actually fought, with the former describing her fighting style as “beautiful.” Laufey finally shows us what he meant, and we’re inclined to agree. It isn’t just the air-dashing or launching enemies to juggle them in mid-air. Faye’s fighting style makes use of her agility in interesting ways, whether it’s grappling towards an enemy to kick them in the face or pulling them towards her for a quick execution. As the developer described in the combat quick look, the ability to “transition seamlessly between the air and the ground states led to this hyper responsiveness that quickly became fundamental to what made her so fun to play.”
Still Brutal
That said, even if it doesn’t have the same gore as the original trilogy, Laufey still retains the brutality of the Norse saga. One sequence sees her attempting to separate Begtse’s right shoulder while the sword is lodged deep in the left. So while there’s definitely a “lot of fun, new, more over-the-top things that you can do in this game compared to the grounded nature of the previous two games,” per the quick look, it’s still using the modern system as a strong foundation.
The Golden Hand of the Jötnar
Despite flowing with magic before, something has happened to the Everywhen to disrupt it. But while Faye doesn’t have a handle on it initially, she regains the Golden Hand of the Jötnar, which is now supercharged for some reason. The fact that she’s more comfortable wielding magic than Kratos means she’ll unlock even more new spells on her journey, but it’s probably going to be difficult to top…
Soul Snatcher
What’s better than ejecting an enemy’s soul right out of their body, Dr Strange style? Being able to attack that soul and deal damage, and then reconnect them together, creating a fiery explosion which hurts nearby enemies. Funnily enough, the more the soul is attacked, the more it gains this volatility, which can disintegrate those in its path, thus opening up even more combo and crowd control potential.
Two New Companions
Compared to the previous games where Kratos has either fought solo or with a companion like Atreus (with Mimir around to mostly provide commentary), Laufey has two – Rue and Phranque. If the rumors are true, then there may be a third companion right under everyone’s noses. For now, however, we’re fine with having two allies who hold their own in a battle in their own ways.
Phranque, the Cosmic Cube
A cosmic cube, played by Jack Quaid, best known as Hughie from The Boys. While providing more than enough quips to entertain (or annoy) players, he’s also very protective of Everywhen’s creatures. We saw one imprisoned with a strange device, and given Faye’s just demeanor, it wouldn’t be surprising if she’s asked to free these creatures. Other than that, he’s excellent at launching enemies into the air for Faye to follow up on.
Rue, the Enchanted Ribbon
On the other hand is Rue, played by Perlina Lau, the guardian of the sword Faye wields. Though she’s essentially ribbons, Rue can augment the combo potential in some pretty cool ways, from pulling enemies towards Faye to having a whip-like attack that can damage enemies. Many of the spinning attacks are also courtesy of Rue, which makes us wonder what other tricks she has.
Customizing Rue and Phranque
Fortunately, you’ll be able to upgrade both companions and tailor your playstyle to their abilities. Maybe Faye can lean more into using Rue and the blade as a whip with wind-up attacks that offer more range. Maybe Phranque can glom onto an enemy and immobilize them for a time or, I don’t know, open a black hole thanks to his cosmic powers. Whatever the case, it’s clear that what we saw in the gameplay reveal only scratches the surface of their capabilities.
Sekhmet and Begtse
As powerful as Faye is, she’ll have some pretty tough competition, especially in the form of Sekhmet and Begtse. Santa Monica Studio has teased other “evil” entities and “giant creatures,” one of which we’ve seen in the giant lion that Sekhmet uses to fly around. There’s speculation that it’s actually Bai Ze, though his appearance doesn’t fully match.
The Stunning Visuals
At first, the forests, overgrown ruins, and butterflies give the impression of a high fantasy setting. That impression quickly goes away when you see the massive cube-like tower, and then stumble upon the camp that Sekhmet and Begtse have set up among burnt-down trees. But hark, in the distance is a massive observatory that once again channels that high fantasy feel. Something tells us this art direction is going to be a little all over the place (which is fitting with the theme), but it’s still incredibly beautiful and bursting with colors.
That’s not even getting into the facial animations, which look absolutely stunning, coupled with how smooth the combat animations and subtle details like hair physics come across. Santa Monica Studio is making one of the best-looking games of this generation – shocker, I know – but it’s truly amazing what it can do when leveraging the PS5’s full power.
Release Window?
So the big question: When can we actually play it? Santa Monica Studio didn’t provide a release date or window, but according to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, you shouldn’t read too much into this. Why? Because apparently, it isn’t “years away” like many of the other big announcements we’ve seen. And before it was revealed, insider NateTheHate claimed it’s releasing in the first half of 2027 (if there’s no delay, of course). Regardless, it doesn’t seem like Laufey will keep us waiting for very long.