I didn’t like God of War’s new 2D metroidvania approach when I was playing on my PS5, but it quickly won me over when I switched to PlayStation Portal.

If you are a God of War Fan, you’ve probably noticed that Sony’s iconic god-destroying action series has been dominating the spotlight lately. Following the announcement of the franchise’s original trilogy remake, we got our first look at Kratos and Atreus in Prime Video’s upcoming live-action TV series adaptation.

A retro-flavored 2D action platformer starring a teenage Kratos, Sons of Sparta is a far cry from what the franchise has offered before. Borrowing heavily from the Metroidvania genre, the smaller-scale game also angered some gamers – including series creator David Jaffe – who were unimpressed with this new direction for the franchise.

But even if the game never reaches the epic heights of its predecessors, I mostly had a good time stabbing, solving puzzles, and exploring the future godslayer’s early stomping grounds, especially braving his homeland of Laconia in my PlayStation portal.

A slow start, but a stellar story

Certainly, Sons of Sparta doesn’t make a fantastic first impression. Its action is slow to get going, and its early environments sport a muted tone that can look a bit dull on a big screen, like the 65″ 4K TV I began my journey on.

The game’s combat and world didn’t immediately captivate me, but its characters and narrative did. A collaboration between Sony Santa Monica Studio, who wrote the story, and Mega Cat Studios, Sons of Sparta is cleverly presented as an adult tale that Kratos – voiced by the protagonist’s first voice, TC Carson – tells his young daughter Calliope.

Narration from the older Kratos, as well as some amusing exchanges between him and his little daughter, are peppered throughout the lengthy campaign. But most of the narration is delivered by young Kratos and his brother Deimos. The siblings, who endure the agoge in hopes of becoming Spartan soldiers, are richly realized with top-notch writing and quality voice acting.

In fact, it was the brothers’ engaging and evolving dynamic that ultimately caused me to revisit the game on my PlayStation portal, only to abandon it after a short session on my PS5 Pro. And I’m so glad I came back, because Sons of Sparta is not only perfectly suited to the portable platform, but investing more time in it allowed me to appreciate what it had to offer after its mediocre debut.

A fight that ends up clicking

The game’s combat, which feels a bit laborious in the opening hours, really finds its footing after a few hours. Kratos can’t do much with his sword and shield equipped initially, but it doesn’t take long before your inventory is bursting with abilities, upgrades, and skills. The franchise’s familiar red orbs, along with other collected resources, can be invested in a variety of offensive and defensive skills, while a number of weapon attachments can be acquired and upgraded.

The gods also get in on the action, giving Kratos a number of cool tools – like a fire-breathing tree branch – that can fight bad guys, help solve puzzles, and open previously obstructed parts of the map.

Speaking of the game’s sprawling navigation interface, viewing and using the tool on the portal’s 8-inch rectangular screen immediately struck me with a satisfying sense of nostalgia. Having spent my youth studying maps Metroid And Castlevania entries – as well as other classic side-scrolling games – on Nintendo’s many handhelds and Sony’s PlayStation Portable and Vita, it’s been a pleasure to see Sons of SpartaThe map expands in all directions on the smaller screen.

Play with PlayStation Portal Power

But playing Portal did more than bring back my favorite map navigation memories. The prequel’s painterly, hand-drawn pixel art style really pops on the portable hardware’s 1080p HD display. While the game seemed a bit small and swallowed up by my TV’s 65-inch screen, its varied and dynamic environments were arguably much better presented on the smaller LED screen.

Of course, the game’s innate intimacy on a handheld platform also deserves credit for putting the game in its best light; I was able to appreciate a lot more detail while playing Sons of Sparta inches from my face rather than squinting from across my living room.

It also doesn’t hurt that the Portal Handles offer the same immersive features as the PS5’s DualSense wireless controller. From feeling the rhythmic cadence of Kratos preparing his Solar Sling – another fun gift from the gods – to the intense, sustained pulsing that occurs when opening a treasure chest, the handheld’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers are easily comparable to those of the standard DualSense controller.

And speaking once again of that more intimate portable experience, see Sons of Sparta the action that takes place directly between those rumbling, vibrating grips adds a level of immersion and immediacy that playing on a console simply can’t match.

A divine sound

I further supplemented my time behind Kratos’ spear and shield by pairing Sony’s PlayStation Pulse Elite headset with the portal. As expected, this allowed me to absorb every detail of the game’s dynamic soundscape, from the frightening boss encounters to the nuanced echo of flowing water in the atmospheric environment of the game’s Great Cistern.

Sons of Sparta is undoubtedly a smaller-scale entry in a series known for making big, bold, blood-soaked splashes with every release. But even though the stakes of its story are lower and it lacks some of the epic set pieces, cinematic effects and adrenaline-pumping action of its predecessors, it still delivers a solid, if quite different, film. God of War action-adventure.

If you’re expecting a 2D version of Kratos’ previous exploits, Sons of Sparta will probably be disappointing. But if you’re craving a new canon story backed by a serviceable metroidvania structure, deep combat, and plenty of fan-pleasing appeals to the broader franchise, this unconventional prequel is here for you… especially when enjoyed on the PlayStation Portal.

Should you play God of War Sons of Sparta?

Play it if…

Don’t play it if…

Accessibility Features

God of war, son of Sparta includes an impressive suite of accessibility features, ranging from various audio tweaks and visual aids, including color customization options. Filters, text sizes and gory effects – aids in motion reduction and game settings to lower difficulty.

In addition to including a number of presets for accessibility features, the game also offers many individual selections for a more personalized experience.

How I Reviewed God of War Sons of Sparta

I played for a few hours God of war, son of Sparta on my PlayStation 5 Pro, on my 65″ 4K screen, before fully engaging with it – and enjoying it much more – on my PlayStation Portal, streaming from the Pro.

I tested Sons of SpartaAudio from with the PlayStation Pulse Explore Headphones and PlayStation Pulse Elite Headset, with the majority of my 25 hours of gameplay using the latter. I paid close attention to how the game looked and played on the handheld device versus the console, and noted the different ways it integrated the handheld’s DualSense features.

First revision between February and March 2026

A full-time video game writer and consultant originally from Lizzie Borden’s hometown of Fall River, Massachusetts, Matt has covered video games, technology, film, television, and theme parks for nearly 20 years. When he’s not contributing to shows like IGN, CNN, Forbes, Fandango, Netflix, Entertainment Weekly, StarWars.com and more, Matt can be found in the basement of a haunted asylum, collecting all the med kits, ammo crates and canned goods.

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