The often-forgotten prequel to theGod of Warseries,Ascension,came out after the bombastic finale ofGod of War 3. With developers Sony Santa Monica having tied up the mainGod of Wartrilogy’s narrative,Ascensiongoes back in time to when Kratos renounces his master Ares after he tricks Kratos into killing his family. Kratos is then captured and tortured by the three Furies for breaking his blood oath with Ares.
While theGod of Warreboot that was released in 2018 was a massive success both critically and commercially, the series originally had a very different look and tone. Rather than the bearded, viking inspired Kratos of the newest title, the various older games instead featured a leaner, meanerKratos ripped straight out of Greek mythology. However, it seemsGod of War: Ascensionmay have had a very different visual design for Kratos planned if a piece of character concept art is anything to go by.
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A Reddit user has posted a startling image of an early model of Kratos inGod of War:Ascensionto Reddit. This rendition is meant to show a weak Kratos broken at the hands of the three Furies. With a scrawny frame and torn-apart flesh, fans would hardly know thisbeardless Kratosif it wasn’t for the iconic tattoos and ash-ridden skin.
The art was created by James Van Den Bogart, an American artist who worked as the Senior Character Artist forGod of War: Ascensionat Sony Santa Monica from 2011 to 2013. James has also done environmental, character, and creature art for companies likeRiot Games ofLeague of Legendsfameand ArenaNet, developers ofGuild Wars 2. James now works for Valve, creators ofHalf-Life,Portal, and gaming marketplace Steam.
If there is one thing that has been constant of Kratos’s character inall theGod of Wargames, it is his incredible strength and ferocity. He may have mellowed out slightly in the rebootedGod of War, but he is still a whirlwind of fury and violence when he needs to be. That is why it is so shocking to see Kratos reduced to such a frail shell of himself in James’s art.
Of course, the Ghost of Sparta has pushed through many other turmoils throughout his gaming career as well. Fighting his way out of Hell many times throughout the series after certain death, Kratos is not one to stay down and out. Should he have been so broken and beaten in this alternate version ofAscension, it’s likely he would have managed to get himself back to the physically imposing Kratos we all know and love.WithGod of War: Ragnarokcurrently in development, fans will get to see Kratos again soon.
God of War: Ragnarokis scheduled to release on the PS4 and PS5 in 2022.
