Particle.news

God of War Creator Slams ‘Sons of Sparta’ as Refund Demands Grow Over Locked Co-Op

Santa Monica Studio says two-player play is confined to a post-story challenge mode, fueling complaints after the game’s surprise release.

Overview

  • Sony shadow-dropped God of War: Sons of Sparta during a State of Play, launching a $29.99 2D Metroidvania prequel co-developed with Mega Cat Studios.
  • The PlayStation Store and reveal listed 1–2 players, but Santa Monica later clarified on X that co-op unlocks only after finishing the main story.
  • Players have sought refunds and accused Sony of misleading marketing, and the studio has not provided a timeline for any change to co-op access.
  • Original series creator David Jaffe publicly condemned the game, saying it disrespects the license and criticizing issues like combat readability, collision, pacing, and voice acting.
  • Reception is split between backlash over marketing and praise for core Metroidvania mechanics, with early reviews hovering around a 75 on Metacritic.