God of War is, by now, a series that requires little introduction. Created by the video game designer David Jaffe from Santa Monica Studio, one of many of Sony's subsidiary companies, the series revolves around the original character Kratos and his journey throughout Greek (and Norse) mythology. He suffers the tragic loss of his family and embarks on a revenge quest against the Gods before finally acknowledging his own fault in the matter.

RELATED: Things You Didn't Know About Kratos

As expected from a series created all the way back in 2005, there are many details and curiosities surrounding it. Between the breathtaking story, intense action, and overall behind-the-scenes trivia, much can still be learned about the series as a whole and its development.

Updated July 14, 2022 by Lucas Olah: God Of War keeps growing in popularity. To be fair, it never really ran out of it, being one of the most well-known IPs in PlayStation and overall gaming history. To celebrate its ongoing rampage throughout the industry, a few more details were added. These concern not just the series as a whole, but also the current saga of games that see Kratos and his son Atreus featuring in Norse myths — especially as we approach God of War Ragnarok.

This article contains spoilers from the overall series.

15 Why Does Kratos Say "Boy" So Much?

God Of War 2018 - Kratos and his son Atreus on a boat

One part of God of War (2018) that has essentially become a meme is the fact that Kratos mostly calls his son "Boy". It does add a good layer of character development, since Kratos remains closed off to his son for most of the game. Having him refer to Atreus without using his name is very fitting, but that isn't the main reason.

The real reason actually comes from a look behind the scenes. In a video once uploaded on Twitter (though sadly deleted), Cory Barlog revealed that it took some time to come up with Atreus' name. As such, he was just referred to as "Boy".

14 The Eagle In Helheim

God of War 2018 Helheim

During your trip to Hel in order to save Atreus from his illness, you spot a giant eagle in the background. It just stays there, doing nothing but looking around. The eagle is a Jotunn, or giant, named Hræsvelgr (don't ask us to pronounce that) and is a figure in Norse Mythology.

RELATED: God Of War: Things Most Players Missed In Helheim

Hræsvelgr was supposed to be a more prominent figure in the game, though it is hard to say what exactly he was going to do. The biggest theory is that he'd be a boss fight in Hel, which makes some sense since boss fights are expensive to create. However, there is no confirmation or denial of the theory to be found.

13 The Boat Captain Gag

A map leading to treasure, in God of War 2018

Another prominent figure throughout the series, though for a much different reason, is the boat captain. First featured in the original game, he is essentially a man just trying to live his life who has the misfortune of running into Kratos.

You leave the boat captain to die, and later on stab his soul when escaping Hades. In the second game, his spirit is summoned during a fight, only for you to kill him again. You find a note written by him when visiting Hades again in God of War 3. Somehow, the captain's boat ends up in Scandinavia in God of War (2018), after one of his crew takes it over. Even God of War Ascension mentions him, via an artifact he used to possess.

12 What Blades Should Kratos Be Using?

Kratos' most iconic weapons are the menacing Blades of Chaos, which you get about halfway through God of War (2018). They're your default weapon in previous entries of the series — at least, that's how it looks.

There are three iterations of these weapons; the Blades of Chaos, the Blades of Athena, and the Blades of Exile. The first are taken by Ares, and the second are destroyed and remade as the Blades of Exile. So, theoretically, Kratos should be wielding the Blades of Exile, not Chaos. However, for unknown reasons, the design of the blades in God of War (2018) is based on the original iteration, all the way back from the first game.

11 How Strong Is Kratos?

Kratos Yells Into The Cold

This one is more theorizing rather than anything confirmed, but Kratos is essentially one of those characters who can do whatever he wants. There is an entry later pointing out that Kratos is allegedly the God of Strength, after all.

Not only did he purge most of the Greek pantheon, killing both Gods and Titans, but he does things that far surpass what should be possible. In God of War Ascension, he manages to defeat someone who controls time through sheer strength and brutality. And that's before we count how many times he has died. His limits simply do not exist. It wouldn't be surprising if he died again, just to escape Helheim.

10 God of War's Retconned Story

Chronos' Skeleton in the original God of War

The first God of War, released in 2005, shows clear signs that it was supposed to be its own story, and the sequels were more well-developed after its success. The game has quite a few inconsistencies — from Hades's looks and positive disposition towards Kratos (the man who killed his wife in the later-released prequel Chains of Olympus), to all the secret cutscenes that you can unlock after beating the game that are no longer canon (though some elements were still used).

These scenes show a different past for younger Kratos and even the skeleton of Chronos found in the desert by helicopters — which makes no sense considering Kratos kills him in God of War 3.

9 Egyptian Mythology

Atreus with an Egyptian Relic from Tyr's Vault, in God of War 2018

For those who played God of War (2018), it's no secret that the series is now flirting with other mythologies besides Greek. Not only because the 2018 installment uses Norse myths, but because the game also makes it clear that other mythologies exist within the world of the series. It has touched on Egyptian, Japanese, and even Celtic mythologies in some cases.

RELATED: Games For Egyptian Mythlogy Lovers To Play

However, the Egyptian connection goes a lot deeper. During the development of God of War (2018), half of the team wanted to do it based on Egyptian mythology, while the other half wanted to go with Norse. Game director Cory Barlog ultimately gave the final word, and the game ended up as we know it.

8 Kratos' Voice Actor Change

Kratos former voice actor TC Carson and current voice actor Christopher Judge, from the God of War Series

Kratos was voiced by Terrence Connor Carson (mostly known as TC Carson) in almost every game of the series. His work became iconic, as the voice became a symbol not only for the character, but in the gaming industry as a whole considering how big the series became. However, for the 2018 game, he was replaced by Christopher Judge.

The reason for the change is because of the motion capture; TC Carson wasn't tall enough to portray Kratos. While Judge performed beautifully in the role as well, the sad part of this story is how Carson was simply replaced without even being informed, bringing his work with the Greek god to an abrupt end.

7 Kratos' Multiple Cameos

Kratos, from God or War, being referenced and appearing in other games

As one of the core symbols of PlayStation, Kratos was bound to appear in other games. He is referenced in several other titles, and in some cases, he even appears in them himself. There are skins of him in ModNation Racers, LittleBigPlanet, and Tearaway, and an armor based on him exists in Ghost of Tsushima.

He also appeared in games such as Fortnite, Shovel Knight, SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny, and Mortal Kombat 9 (very fitting, by the way). There are also easter eggs found in Horizon: Forbidden West.

6 God Of War: Betrayal For Mobile Devices

God of War Betrayal gameplay, with Kratos fighting a Minotaur

Among the many entries in the series, most people would likely forget that God of War has a game for cellphones — not smartphones, actual old cellphones. God of War Betrayal takes place between Ghost of Sparta and God of War 2. In it, Kratos is blamed for the murder of Argos, and hunts down the actual assassin in order to clear his name.

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Funnily enough, the game never uncovers the assassin's identity. The game is the only God of War title not available for PlayStation, and despite being a 2D side-scroller, it was well received for adapting the main gameplay characteristics properly.

5 The Actual Kratos From Greek Mythology

A comparison of Kratos' appearance in God of War for the PS2 vs his grizzled, bearded appearance in God of War for the PS4

Most people are aware that Kratos is a fictitious character specifically made for the game, but there is an actual God with the same name. Krátos, (also Cratos or Cratus) is a God that represents strength. He is the son of the Titan Pallas and the Goddess Styx — that's right, the river from the third game is a Goddess according to the mythology.

Sadly, there aren't many stories about Cratos. He is said to have some siblings, though some sources conflict on which Gods are his siblings. The most famous of the bunch would be Nike, the Goddess of Victory.

4 God Of War Sacrifice Censorship

Kratos Sacrifice Change, from Human to Monster, in the original God of War

God of War is known for being a violent series. Gore and brutality are expected, even though it's not quite as prevalent in the latest installment. Still, due to censorship in Germany, European copies of the original God of War had a censored area — one where you are required to sacrifice a human being at Pandora's Temple.

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In this version, a monster is sacrificed instead. This censorship even caused delays to the launch of the game. There were also small censored scenes in God of War Ascension, but those didn't end up being as well-known.

3 Specific Creative Liberties With The Myths

Examples of changes in the myths shown in the God of War series

The fact that a game with an original character in a mythological world has taken creative liberties is not a surprise. However, while some things are obvious, such as Kratos himself or the Atreus-Loki thing, there are minor details that most people are not aware of and may skip over.

For instance, in the third game, the Labyrinth is in a completely different place, and has a different purpose. Speaking of, Minotaurs are a full-on species in the game, instead of being just a single creature. Even the Norse myths have differences, such as Freya and Frigga being treated as the same person. There are so many others that they form a whole new article.

2 The Grave Digger From The Original Game

Grave Digger, aka Zeus, in the original God of War

An old and now-confirmed mystery from the series is the ominous Grave Digger, who appears in the original God of War and later in Ghost of Sparta. In the original game, he gives you advice, and saves you by digging a grave that reaches Hell. The fact that a simple person did this — not to mention the fact he started digging before Kratos even dies — led to the theory that he could be a God in disguise, with people guessing that he was either Zeus or Hermes.

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In Ghost of Sparta, five years later, the theories finally became fact. You can unlock a combat arena that allows you to play as the digger. If selected, he'll transform into Zeus. He wields the Blade of Olympus and the Gauntlet of Zeus, showing all the might of the King of the Gods.

1 The Character Graveyard

Character Graveyard, available in the original God of War

All games have cut content. There's no surprise there. But one sweet detail in the original game is that, when you complete it, you gain access to a graveyard with the rejected models of some enemies — and even of Kratos himself.

Seeing what Kratos could've looked like is quite interesting, and each model even has some notes as to why they were rejected. Especially curious is the Cyclops, who has many iterations in the graveyard, showing how hard it can be to choose a character model. They were also going to be fully naked, with their "weapon" showing. You can check out the graveyard via Youtube here.

NEXT: Things You Didn't Know About Baldur