The concept of leveling up is a staple in many games and God of War is no different in that regard. But God of War handles leveling a little bit differently than other games. Rather than gaining XP from slain enemies and completing objectives and leveling up at corresponding intervals, Kratos' level is determined by an average level of his equipment.
While Kratos will gain XP from kills and completing activities in the game, that XP is instead spent on unlocking new skills and moves in the various skill trees. So, to level up in God of War, the player must either equip weapons and armor with a higher level, forge higher level equipment, or upgrade their existing equipment.
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Leveling in God of War 2018
As players progress through the game, they will naturally find new pieces of equipment in treasure chests or earn specific pieces like new weapons at set points in the narrative. Otherwise, new equipment can be purchased from Brok and Sindri.
Any existing equipment can then be upgraded by the dwarves, increasing Kratos' overall level. There are many secrets to be found in God of War, with new and better armor being part of that. As such, players are encouraged to go out and farm for crafting materials and hacksilver to upgrade the pieces of equipment they do find.
There are a number of different armor sets in God of War. As such, players aren't locked into one particular set. Rather, they can craft different armor sets for different objectives. For example, a set can be crafted for clearing the misty Musphelheim stages, another for combating the dangerous valkyries, and a third for general questing.
There is a lot of build variety, so players of all styles can find their perfect fit throughout the game. With a new game plus mode that contains the best armor in the game, leveling up Kratos and Atreus' gear is critical for acquiring all sets.
God of War was initially released as a PlayStation exclusive in 2018. Its story picks up some time after Kratos' left his homeland following his slaughter of the Greek pantheon. After the passing of his wife, Kratos and his son Atreus must go on a journey to spread the ashes of their loved one in her home realm.
God of War is available now on PS4 and PS5, and releases on PC on January 14, 2022.
