God of War is back, but this time the next adventure is a prequel starring Faye, the wife of Kratos and mother of Atreus. What happened after she was laid to rest at the end of the 2018 game? We’re about to find out thanks to the game’s staggering 23-minute debut gameplay trailer.
The demo begins with Faye, or her proper name of Laufey, given her frost giant heritage, awakening in a mysterious forest immediately after being laid to rest at the conclusion of God of War (2018). Faye is once again portrayed by actress Deborah Ann Woll, known for roles such as Karen Page in Daredevil/Daredevil: Born Again. The adventure centers on her arrival in the afterlife of the gods –The Everywhen – a bizarre world filled with magical creatures and deities of all shapes and sizes.
According to an official description on the game’s PlayStation Store page, ‘Faye discovers the plans she put in place to protect Kratos and Atreus in her absence are now at risk.” To save her family, she must battle gods from multiple pantheons, all vying for dominance of the Everywhen.
Combat is a mix of one-handed swordplay, where Faye nimbly hacks away at foes, including popping them skyward for air juggles, while using her free hand to utilize an array of magical abilities. At one point in the demo, Faye is taken prisoner but escapes thanks to the help of an unlikely ally: a talking, affable gelatinous cube with a sword stuck in it. This cube, played by Jack Quaid, is named Phranque, aids Faye in her quest, including helping her obtain the sword embedded within it. Combat encounters with small foes and larger bosses sport the same over-the-shoulder action as Krato’s Norse adventures, and the world looks equally as stunning as those games, but has a dreamlike whimsy that juxtaposes well with the series’ trademark brutality.
God of War Laufey is coming to PlayStation 5, but it has no release window. It’s the latest God of War project Santa Monica has in the oven, following the announcement of the God of War Trilogy Remake.