When you initially hear about a spin-off to a popular franchise, it may not always spark the most interest. Case in point: all those rumors about Sony Santa Monica pursuing a new story starring Kratos’ wife, Faye, combined with combat more in line with the older trilogy in terms of mobility and aggression. With the latest State of Play, the studio finally revealed its next entry in the long-running franchise with over 20 minutes of eye-watering gameplay. And there’s no two ways about it – Laufey looks amazing.
And confusing, for many reasons. We start with the opening from the Norse saga’s first chapter, where Kratos and Atreus cremate Faye and say their goodbyes. What comes next for them is an arduous journey spanning the Nine Realms and ultimately invoking Ragnarok. But far from a peaceful eternal rest, Faye awakens in an unknown land that we later learn is called the Everywhen. And this place is far more chaotic than what she’s used to.
Gorgeous in every measure, yet violent; magical but also on the fritz. It’s a place that Santa Monica Studio describes as a “prison,” where two characters – Sekhmet and Begtse – are running things. Or so we think, because at one point, a mysterious flash from a giant observatory invites the former’s attention. She entrusts Begtse with keeping watch over Faye, who’s been captured alongside various other beings and creatures. That’s where she meets Rue, the guardian of a sword that has everyone concerned – even Begtse – and Phranque, who’s a sentient cube. “Oi, Hughie,” indeed.
Faye takes out several of Sekhmet’s forces, squares up against Begtse, and seemingly defeats him amid burgeoning destruction. In terms of 1v1 fights – be it Kratos vs Baldur or Kratos vs Thor – this is right up there in terms of pure spectacle and peak animation.
But what makes this interesting is how all these different mythologies have seemingly converged in this one realm. It fits with that rumor about Laufey also featuring Chinese and Japanese aspects, never mind the report about Mayan elements. And though we saw Zeus in Helheim way back in the first game, you have to remember – that was an illusion. Who’s to say that he doesn’t appear in the Everywhen instead of the Underworld or the Elysian Fields like he’s supposed to? It’d be too good an opportunity to pass up, especially since Faye knows everything about Kratos’s past.
And hey, there’s nothing that says only the war-mongering few end up in the Everywhen. How likely is it that Faye runs into Thor again? It’s not like Santa Monica Studio doesn’t already have his assets and animations ready to go. Besides, considering she fought him before, which led to the Crater in Vanaheim, one has to wonder if they’ll meet up again and be on better terms after his story. Then again, maybe not.
It’s also worth noting that when they fought, Faye was enraged to an unbelievable degree, so if that isn’t a hint that she’ll have her own version of Spartan Rage, nothing is. Maybe the “vision” of Kratos that she saw while escaping could lead to awakening it.
There’s also the thing about magic in the Everywhen – it’s apparently not “flowing the way it should.” Who wants to bet that the giant cube-like structure may have something to do with it? In the midst of all this is Faye’s desire to return home, which is easier said than done with all this talk of the gates being sealed off. While she eventually gets a hold of her own magic, minutes before unleashing it on some hapless enemies, it’s possible that her journey through the Everywhen will require restoring its natural flow.
She’ll also learn of the realm’s “true nature.” It’s been described as the “birthplace and the ending point to which all magic returns,” so what other secrets could lie beyond that? Since Faye is more of the so-called “embracer” of magic – compared to Kratos, who Santa Monica describes as more “skeptical” of it – this pursuit doesn’t just form the basis of her journey, but feeds into her curiosity.
Of course, Faye’s death isn’t something that she was unprepared for – she knew it would spur her husband and son to undertake their journey. What’s surprising is that she discovers a Mask, which immediately calls back to the mask from Ragnarok. Faye mutters that it isn’t possible and that if there’s “another mask,” then the path that Kratos and Atreus will take is “not safe.”
Even Sekhmet comments on “another mask” after pulling a piece out of Faye’s hand. She even taunts the latter about it before crushing it into dust. Perhaps there’s more than one Mask that could hold certain secrets. Is it possible that this is what the Everywhen really is? And that it’s not just where magic begins and ends, but also mythologies? It would certainly fit with Rue’s explanation that you have to be dead to pass through the gateway, and Faye “holding something back”, eventually remembering her promise to Kratos, could ultimately be what helps her return.
Alternatively, that may just allow her to die again and somehow make it back to the Nine Realms…if that’s indeed how things work. Not that anyone in the recent gameplay reveal would really know. Maybe they should try asking the sword what it thinks. It may know a thing or two about the flow of magic. Perhaps the Everywhen is considered a prison not for those in it but because magic is trapped with nowhere to go. That raises an even more terrifying question, though – who’s the jailer?
Despite everything we’ve seen and learned from the gameplay reveal and Santa Monica’s interview, too many questions remain unanswered. And quite frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the developer is keen on keeping that way, even after we reach whatever the end of Faye’s journey may be. Because while Laufey is an opportunity to showcase the person that she was before the events of the first two Norse games – Laufey the hero of the giants – creative head Cory Barlog thinks it “would be interesting to see how things continue forward.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is just the beginning of a new series, one that cements the Everywhen as a brand new setting. And with what the developer pulled off with Vanaheim, you’d have to think it’s going to bring that knowledge into the Everywhen, creating several massive zones for players to explore. Don’t worry, though – based on the gameplay showcased, there will still be some cramped areas and linear paths for players to follow.
Though rumored for the first half of 2027, Laufey doesn’t have a release date, and you can’t help but think that this reveal is intentional on Sony Santa Monica’s part. Presenting so much yet leaving us with so much confusion, then essentially going silent until it’s closer to release, which is when it will likely open up more about the combat, exploration, and characters before feeding even more tidbits, perhaps even calling back to some foreshadowing in the previous games. Either way, it’s time to explore what a new triple-A entry without Kratos can offer.
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