God of War, Santa Monica Studio's 2018 reboot/sequel to the long-running franchise, is set to choppity chop its way onto PC on January 14. The game is the most recent PC port of a Sony first-party title following the success of Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone. Other PS4 exclusives like Death Stranding and Final Fantasy VII Remake have also made their way to the platform in recent years.
Overall, critics have high praise for Sony's efforts here. As God of War's story, which garnered acclaim at the time, remains unchanged, the PC version's technical prowess has been the central focus of most reviews. And critics seem to agree: this the best version of a great game. And, currently, you can pick up a discounted Steam code via Fanatical (see below).
For an even more detailed look, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
“The PC version of God of War supports 4k resolution and unlocked framerates, DLSS and ultrawide displays, as well as some more granular options for tweaking the look of the game, like turning up the resolution of textures or enhancing the appearance of shadows. Probably the most notable improvement is the unlocked framerate, which makes for some buttery smooth moments of Kratos slamming the Leviathan Axe into draugr and trolls. God of War ran at 30fps on PlayStation 4, so if this is your first time playing or revisiting the game since then (without, say, the upgrade to its PlayStation 5 version), the higher framerate is a nice step forward for a game that's all about slick animations and the flow state of building devastating combos. Generally, though, God of War was a very pretty game even in its PS4 incarnation, and it remains a very pretty game here, whether you're turning up the graphics and framerate or not." -- Phil Hornshaw [Full review]
Polygon - Recommended
"God of War on PC is more than just a great visual upgrade for an already stunning game. It’s the best version of one of the best games ever made, perfect for replays and first run-throughs alike." -- Ryan Gilliam [Full review]
VGC - 5/5
"God Of War always felt somewhat visually ahead of its time on the PlayStation 4. On original release, its inconsistent frame issues, coupled with the fact that running the game at a smooth 60 was basically fantasy, marred what was an aesthetically enriching experience.
Now that PC players can finally experience 4K visuals at a rock-solid 60 frames per second and beyond, playing God Of War on PC feels like you’re watching your favourite film on pristine film-print, having only ever viewed it previously on pirate DVD." -- Jordan Middler [Full review]
PCGamesN - 9/10
"We know God of War is a good game, we heard all about it when it came out. What about the PC port? I have good news: it’s also pretty good. The Steam version features support for ultrawide monitors and 4K resolutions, with individual settings for texture detail, model quality, shadows, reflections, ‘atmospherics’, and ambient occlusion. And while God of War’s system requirements aren’t too demanding, you can also boost performance through Nvidia DLSS or AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution, helping you take advantage of the newly uncapped frame rate." -- Ian Boudreau [Full review]
NME - 4/5
"God of War still holds up brilliantly, and this PC version adds the bells and whistles to rival even the latest and greatest in PC gaming. Strap yourself in and enjoy one of the best third-person action games of the PS4 generation." -- Jake Tucker [Full review]
To deal with the ongoing global PlayStation 5 shortage, Sony has reportedly decided to produce more PlayStation 4s than it had initially planned to help "fill the supply vacuum and keep gamers within the PlayStation ecosystem."
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