Sons of Sparta, the latest entry in the God of War series, currently holds the lowest Metacritic score, falling over 10 points behind the controversial Ascension.

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God of War: Sons of Sparta has made its debut on Metacritic, and early reviews suggest it’s not quite measuring up to its predecessors.

After years of speculation, the existence of a 2D God of War game was finally confirmed during the recent PlayStation State of Play. Mega Cat Games’ God of War: Sons of Sparta was unexpectedly released, showcasing a younger Kratos and his brother Deimos as they train to become the legendary Spartans we know from the original series.

As of now, God of War: Sons of Sparta holds a score of 69 on Metacritic based on 17 reviews, making it the lowest-rated game in the franchise. Even the least favored title, God of War: Ascension, managed to score above 80. Most reviews are categorized as “mixed,” with many hovering around the 6 and 7/10 range.

In a review from GamesRadar+, editor Oscar Taylor-Kent awarded it three out of five stars, stating, “God of War: Sons of Sparta struggles to deliver the best of the franchise or the Metroidvania genre. Combat feels dull and lifeless despite some interesting ideas, and the visuals are muddy and unappealing. The absence of brutal finishers makes it feel tame. It’s not bad, but being merely serviceable fails to excite – and that’s a letdown for God of War.”

While I see the value in Sony exploring smaller projects like this instead of making fans wait decades for sequels, I’m not convinced that a ‘God of War Kids’ title was what the community was really asking for.

Let’s hope the lukewarm reception doesn’t deter Sony from pursuing similar projects in the future. Given that it doesn’t rely on any IP that can’t be adapted into a cinematic third-person action game, perhaps other studios can revive the diverse and enjoyable titles that once defined the company.

The new God of War installment was initially set to be “closer” to the Greek saga, but the developers felt that a younger Kratos would resonate more with players.