God of War is now available for Windows PC on Steam and the Epic Game Store. "God of War" (2018) is the latest work in the popular series that started with the PS2 version in 2005. With the release of the PC version, we asked the developers of "God of War" about the difficulties of porting and messages to players.
This work, which was originally released on the PS4 version in 2018, has changed the game design by moving the stage from the conventional world of Greek mythology to Scandinavia. It is a PlayStation signboard title that has won numerous Game of the year awards and has sold over 19.5 million units as of the summer of 2021.
In the previous series, the main character Kratos, who was a warlord of Sparta, got into a dispute with the local gods and had his wife and children killed. In Scandinavia, where she has grown tired of her life, she is supposed to live quietly with her new son, but the story begins when she gets involved in a dispute.
The PC version is a work that ported this "God of War" (2018) as a title for the latest gaming PC. This is part of our strategy to release SIE's first-party titles such as Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone, which were released on PS4, on PC as well.
When I played the PS4 version on PS4 Pro and PS5, it was an excellent (pseudo) 4K and gorgeous graphics, but on PC, textures and lighting processing were further improved, and PS4's 30fps / PS5 backward compatibility mode It was 60fps unlocked, 120fps compatible, NVIDIA DLSS and AMD's FSR compatible, etc., making it a work that is comparable to the latest gaming PC titles.
The price is 4900 yen for both Steam and Epic. Since the PS4 version has a high rating of 94 on Metacritic, it is currently rated "overwhelmingly popular" on Steam (January 2022).
Originally, it was a controller-controlled game, but the PC version now supports native keyboard and mouse controls. Due to the concept of headshots and site attacks in the system, and the quick turn (180 degree) turn was prepared from the PS version, PC gamers who are accustomed to aiming with a mouse with increased sensitivity can use a controller. You may be able to operate it more comfortably.
On the release of the PC version, we asked the developers of "God of War" about the difficulties of porting and messages to players. The answer is Matt DeWald, Senior Manager of Technical Production at Santa Monica Studio.
Engadget: Players who have played past games in the PS2 and PS3 era but are new to this work "God of War" (2018), PC gamers who have never played the series, this time I'm sure you're curious about the PC version release. What would you say to Japanese gamers about the release of the PC version of "God of War"?
Santa Monica Studio Matt DeWald (DeWald): Whether you're new to the "God of War" series or want to play with even better graphics, Santa Monica Studio is here to help. I wholeheartedly hope! I'm really looking forward to hearing how you felt after playing the game.
It's hard to believe that the PlayStation 4 has already sold over 19.5 million copies, but I'm really excited to see even more new players enjoying the PC version. We can't wait to hear from players around the world and from gamers in Japan.
Engadget: When I played the PC version, I was surprised that it didn't feel out of place as the latest blockbuster PC game. What were the challenges in porting from PS4?
DeWald: There were a number of challenges with porting to PC. First, the technical challenge of porting a game designed from the ground up to take full advantage of the technology available only on PS4 to DirectX base. For example, the particle system doesn't work at all unless it's on the PlayStation, so we completely reworked it.
In addition to the technical challenges, there was also the design challenge of making the mouse and keyboard feel as natural as a controller. Freely customizable key bindings, mouse movements compatible with sticks, etc.
Additionally, we also want to make sure that it can be played on a wide variety of hardware without any problems. There are so many different configurations in the PC market, and many PC gamers spend a lot of time customizing their hardware and software. It's impossible to test every combination, but we put a lot of effort into testing to make sure it plays well in as many configurations as possible. In any case, it was a worthwhile challenge, with the goal of releasing a game without compromising on quality.
Engadget: What would you like gamers who are going to play "God of War" to see and experience here in particular?
DeWald: Above all, I'm really excited to see how the game itself will react. There are a lot of players who have never touched the God of War series before, and I can't wait to hear the response because it's such a great experience.
Especially when it comes to the PC version, I tried to add attractive new specifications throughout so that it feels like a PC native game. For example, advanced graphics option settings to take full advantage of your high-end gaming PC's capabilities. From the quality of reflections and the number of shadow-casting objects, to turning high-definition ambient occlusion on and off. It's a subtle effect, but it makes the world and characters feel more natural and real, even though it's fantasy.
In addition, it supports new technologies such as NVIDIA's DLSS and AMD's FSR, so you can play at a smooth high frame rate even in high resolution. Playing God of War on a 21:9 ultrawide display at maximum quality settings is the best word. Combined with high-impact action and uncut camera work, there is a tremendous sense of immersion. We hope gamers love it as much as we love it ourselves.
Engadget: Thank you!
"God of War", which has been redesigned by moving the stage to Northern Europe, will release "God of War Ragnarok", which will be the final part of the Scandinavian dilogy in 2022 this year. Platforms are currently PS4 and PS5 only.
God of War compatible with 4K image quality and 60fps on PS5, free update to PS4 version in 2018
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