God of War creator lashes out at Sons of Sparta: “Its existence is offensive”

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David Jaffe, the original creator of God of War, has expressed strong disapproval of the new Sons of Sparta game. He’s frustrated by several aspects, including the story direction, what he sees as design problems, and dialogue he considers too childish.

Sony ended February 2026’s State of Play event with a final surprise: they unexpectedly released God of War: Sons of Sparta, shortly after announcing complete remakes of the original trilogy. Santa Monica Studio and Mega Cat Studios were behind the release.

This Metroidvania game is a prequel, set long before the events most players know. Instead of the intense violence associated with Kratos, it tells a gentler story about his early years and relationship with his brother, Deimos.

The unexpected launch of the game didn’t sit well with David Jaffe, the director of the original God of War titles. After spending four hours playing, the experienced game developer publicly shared his strong disapproval, criticizing both the finished game and its core concept.

God of War creator fuming over Sons of Sparta

Jaffe initially played only an hour of the game before sharing his first impressions online. He immediately felt it was technically solid, but lacked originality and excitement.

The creator of God of War and Twisted Metal explained he’s been searching for this game concept for a long time. He expressed his excitement, saying it’s exactly the type of 2.5D God of War game he’s always envisioned.

This isn’t what I meant at all, and I strongly disapprove of it. I’m frankly shocked someone thought this was a good idea. It’s genuinely upsetting.

At first, Jaffe’s main complaints focused on the story and the actors who voiced the characters. He repeatedly said, “This isn’t the God of War I know,” because the game’s storytelling slowed down the fast-paced action he expected.

What bothered Jaffe the most was how Kratos was portrayed. Instead of the intense, powerful God of War fans had come to know and love, the game went back to showing a much younger, less aggressive version of the character – which Jaffe bluntly called “just some generic kid.” He felt this direction didn’t make sense for the established character.

Honestly, it just really frustrates me. The idea that anyone would believe this is what fans are looking for in a God of War game feels incredibly disrespectful – not just to us who love the series, but also to all the talented people who poured their hearts into making these games.

The next day, even though Jaffe had said he was done with the game, he played for another three hours and then started streaming again. This time, he was more detailed in what he was complaining about.

He admitted the game was good, considering its price and how well it was made, but he didn’t think it lived up to the standards of the God of War series.

As a fan, one of the biggest things I noticed was the visual clutter during fights – it was honestly hard to see when to block or dodge! And it wasn’t just combat, either. The way things looked in the game made it tough to figure out what you could actually interact with, which messed up both getting around and solving the puzzles. It felt like the background and foreground were blending together too much, making it really frustrating.

Referencing games like Blasphemous, Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, and Neon Fury – which he felt were better produced – Jaffe clarified that the issue wasn’t about Sons of Sparta’s limited funding. He emphasized that a small budget doesn’t necessarily limit a game’s creativity.

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2026-02-16 06:19