Just wanted to stop by with some thoughts after finishing the story (still plan on finishing side content as well).
Loved the game.
I've always had a soft spot for Kratos, despite also acknowledging that he was a bit absurd as a character - video game vengeance gone nuclear. To see him humanized here, while still acknowledging his insane past, was fantastic to experience.
Narratively this is likely my favorite game since TLOU, and the boat scene return to the blades of chaos will go down as one my favorite gaming moments ever.
That being said, I don't think it was quite as successful emotively, narratively, as TLOU was - but that's an incredibly high standard in this medium. (You could also argue it was impossible to match given the current starting point with Kratos' character arc)
Still, it's the closest thing too, and its bolstered by probably my favorite action combat of all time. The combat in this game makes soulsborne look a tad rough, and that is immense praise.
To me this is easily the best PS4 exclusive, and perhaps even better than BOTW as an overall experience for this generation as a whole, although I'll need some time in the rear view to know that for sure.
Congrats to SSM - now to grind mist echoes in Nilfheim
