Kratos from Sons of Sparta has a "We have Kratos at home" vibe.

When God of War: Sons of Sparta Following Sony's February 2026 State of Play, fans saw a radically different Kratos than the one they've always known. Instead of a grizzled warrior, most players associate with God of War name, they were rendered as slimmer, younger versions of the Spartan hero rendered in pixelated 2D sprites. Honestly, it's hard not to have a cheeky reaction to such an extreme design shift as this God of War: Sons of SpartaThe “we've got Kratos at home” vibes make it hard to reconcile his fresh face with the icon fans have lived with for nearly two decades.

At first, the frustration makes sense. Kratos design over main God of War trilogy and the Norse reboot became instantly recognisable, from his ashen skin and chained blades to the deep gravel of his voice and the bracing of muscles that players used to carve out mythological pantheons. As such, it is natural to expect God of War: Sons of Sparta to at least suggest that familiar look. Instead, though, we got the feeling that someone slapped a classic character's name on a sprite and called it a day. However, this is far from the truth, as this is actually a reaction to expectations that met the canon and did not arrive. Kratos' new design makes sense God of War: Sons of Sparta it is, even if it doesn't seem right.

Why Kratos' design in God of War: Sons of Sparta makes sense

Maybe it's because we've all been waiting for a sequel to the main series God of War Ragnarokbut that's not it Sons of Sparta is. Rather, it's a true prequel, set during the formative years of Kratos' life, when he was still just another youth enduring the Spartan Agoge alongside his brother Deimos. The game's official description explicitly places this chapter of the Spartan story before any of the tragedies or deeds that ultimately defined it.

This is actually the key to understanding why his appearance is so drastically different from the norm. Unlike Kratos, players first met in God of War (2005) or the older, more introspective Kratos of the 2018 reboot, this version hasn't yet gone down the path of making him the Ghost of Sparta or the stern father figure who took on Norse myth. Canonically, he hasn't yet lost his family, fought the gods, or earned the scars and rage that give the character his most recognizable visual identity. In this context, the younger, less iconic design makes sense of the story being told.

god of war sons of sparta kratos fighting centaur

Admittedly, part of the dialogue here is also about the medium. God of War: Sons of Sparta features a 2D, pixelated art style that naturally simplifies detail compared to hyper-realistic 3D models God of War (2018) a God of War Ragnarok. Pixel art tends to exaggerate proportions and obscure nuances, especially for a character as familiar as Kratos, and this can make the design look a little extra “bad” when comparing sprites to actual models. However, this style is an artistic choice that helps set this story apart more broadly God of War saga, rather than a continuation of the cinematic experience players have become accustomed to.

Unlike Kratos, players first met in God of War (2005) or the older, more introspective Kratos of the 2018 reboot, this version hasn't yet gone down the path of making him the Ghost of Sparta or the stern father figure who took on Norse myth.

There's another layer that complicates the idea that the younger Kratos also feels incomplete. God of War: Sons of Sparta features TC Carson, the original voice of Kratos from the Greek era God of War games, returning as the narrator, recounting the events of the story from the perspective of an older, wiser man. in light of Sons of Sparta is meant to show a younger version of Kratos through the lens of hindsight for a more reflective, perhaps emotional story. There's no indication that the older Kratos will appear in full form outside of the narrative, but his role as narrator in the game supports the fact that this is the story of how the legend began, not who he became.

So the reaction to its appearance is almost as telling as the game design itself. Committing to a single aesthetic can make any departure feel like a betrayal or an odd design choice, even if it's rooted in story logic. Where one group sees a lack of iconic features, another might see it as fidelity to the narrative—which in this case is more about witnessing the falsification of myth than repeating what is known. There is of course a tension between these perspectives, but that's exactly what makes the interview about Krato's design v God of War: Sons of Sparta in a sense worth having. It almost resists the idea that a character has to look the same in every context to be real or authentic.

It may be justified, but it still hurts

Still, most of what's been shared online so far isn't straight praise for Kratos' design or pixel art, at least not in God of War– specific corners of the Internet. Many players took to forums and subreddits to voice their complaints, such as the comments on this Reddit post by PailDuck about the game. One user even said he laughed when he saw it because it caught him off guard, while another simply said, “He looks lame.” In other words, the first criticism wasn't just about Kratos' appearance, but whether a side-scrolling 2D design was even the right call for one of the most visually iconic gaming franchises.

But interestingly, this skepticism actually underscores the whole point. The younger Kratos is supposed to look drastically different, and the backlash has more to do with expectation than objective design quality. Fans have lived with Kratos' hulking, bearded, ultra-detailed modern look for over half a decade, not to mention the original God of War A sharp, brutal presentation of the Greek trilogy. Asking a version of someone who has yet to walk the path of tragedy, revenge, god-killing, and fatherhood to already resemble those iterations is like expecting a teenager to look like their fully formed adult selves. No matter how many pixels are on the screen, this clash of expectations was built into the reveal from the start, and if nothing else, the reaction just shows how deeply fans have embraced Kratos' visual identity rather than immediately rejecting the design.