David Jaffe, the original creator of the God of War franchise, has publicly torn into the series’ newly released side-scrolling spinoff, God of War: Sons of Sparta, calling it a bewildering creative decision that fails to capture what fans love about the iconic action series. The game, developed by indie studio Mega Cat Studios in partnership with Santa Monica Studio, was surprise-launched on PlayStation 5 during last week’s State of Play broadcast.
Sons of Sparta is a Metroidvania-style 2D action platformer that serves as a prequel to the original Greek trilogy, following a young Kratos and his brother Deimos during their training at the Spartan Agoge. While the concept of a 2.5D God of War game is something Jaffe said he has long wanted to see, the execution left him deeply disappointed. In a blistering nine-minute YouTube video, he declared the $30 title one of the worst decisions ever made for the franchise and said he would never return to it after his initial hour of play.
Jaffe’s central complaint is that the game strips away everything that defines God of War. Rather than delivering the violent, intense tone of the original trilogy or even the emotional weight of the Norse-era games, Sons of Sparta opts for a story-heavy approach centered on child versions of its characters. Jaffe compared it unfavorably to a children’s television show, arguing that virtually no one was asking to explore Kratos’ backstory as a generic kid. He suggested that without the God of War branding attached, the concept would hold little appeal on its own merits.
While he acknowledged that the gameplay is functional and the game is not technically broken, Jaffe was frustrated by constant dialogue interruptions that halted the action. He expressed particular disillusionment with what he described as a story-first philosophy that he believes has overtaken the studio, referencing a conversation with a former Santa Monica developer who allegedly told him the team is now driven primarily by narrative concerns.
The franchise creator argued that a 2.5D God of War game should have drawn inspiration from titles like Blasphemous, Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, or Shinobi — games known for their challenging combat and dark atmosphere. Instead, he feels Sony greenlit a project that dilutes the brand and risks leaving a bad impression on the fanbase. He directed much of his frustration not at the developers themselves but at the decision-makers at Sony who approved the project’s direction.
Sons of Sparta has put a spotlight on an ongoing tension within major franchises: how far a spinoff can stray from the identity of the series it belongs to before it alienates the audience that made it successful. Whether broader player reception aligns with Jaffe’s harsh verdict or finds value in the game’s different approach remains to be seen, but the original creator has made his position unmistakably clear.