Laufey Revealed, Faye Stars In New Adventure From Santa Monica Studio – WGB
Sony closed its June State of Play show with the unveiling of Lord of War: Laufey, the latest in the long-running action series that takes the spotlight away from Kratos and features his late wife, Faye, played by actress Deborah Ann Woll.
The game was leaked before the event, but Sony finally made it official with an extended gameplay demo that lasted about twenty minutes.
Although Kratos has appeared a few times, he’s not the focus, which will be a tough pill to swallow for some fans. Instead, players control Faye, whose full name is Laufey, as she embarks on a new adventure in a strange land inhabited by gods, monsters and other mysterious creatures. This new realm is a kind of afterlife for the gods called the Everwhen, which explains the melting pot of myths and styles we’re seeing, including Asian and Mayan/Aztec influences.
“Everywhen is a place of birth and destiny where all magic returns, a place beyond what we know. A place where gods and creatures of different myths meet, and do not live together in harmony.”
The show opened with a flashback to the beginning of 2018’s God of War before moving on to a new adventure. Faye soon finds herself separated from her powers and forced to uncover the truth behind her condition while searching for a way home.
From a gameplay perspective, God of War: Laufey looks very different from Kratos’ recent adventures. Faye is very fast, capable of double jumping, fast flying movements and juggling enemies with long combo lines. Combat looks fast and very stylish overall, with some sequences similar to character action games like Devil May Cry over the heavy, heavy combat of God of War and God of War Ragnarök.
The video also showcased a few magical abilities, including an attack that rips the soul from an enemy’s body and leaves it hanging in the air on a glowing thread. Faye can follow up with additional attacks while enemies are vulnerable.
One of the rare additions is a talking friend named Pranque. Despite being a cube rather than a real character, Pranque actively participates in combat, smashing enemies and even helping to extend combo chains. Faye can kick enemies off of her, allowing the pair to perform team attacks.
Did I mention that Pranque is a gelatinous cube? He is a gelatinous cube. It is called Pranque. Frank said. Who can speak. It’s also strange, because there are talking ribbons called Rues attached to the strange sword. The trailer mentions the sword a few times, including one demon that says it’s more than Faye meets.
The show ended with a huge boss battle against a demon-like creature, complete with cinematic cutscenes and the kind of spectacle fans have come to expect from the Santa Monica Studio.
No release date has been announced.
God of War: Laufey was easily one of the biggest announcements of the evening and marks the first time the series has completely shifted its focus from Kratos to the main style adventure. There’s only one question left: are fans interested in a God of War game without Kratos?
