A much different take on the property, God of War: Sons of Sparta was shadow dropped on PS5 around this time last week, after it was announced during Sony's State of Play broadcast.
Taking on the form of a 2D Metroidvania adventure, Sons of Sparta provides insight into Kratos' teenage years, as he trains to become a true Spartan warrior.
An interesting premise, for sure, but it's fair to say that the game's divided opinion. Critic reviews have settled around the good-but-not-great mark, while players seem to share a similar lukewarm outlook.
We've also seen suggestions that the title's a little overpriced, given just how many other, more highly rated Metroidvania-style experiences there are available on PS5.
Indeed, our own God of War: Sons of Sparta PS5 review identifies a range of ups and downs, opting for a 'good' 7/10 score.
"It's a mostly successful experiment; the Metroidvania structure works well with the franchise's mechanics, and it looks and sounds the part," we wrote.
"However, it takes too long to really come into its own, leaving the early parts of the game feeling a bit lacking compared to the richer experience found later on."
We concluded: "If you have the patience to see it through, and can overlook some rough edges here and there, this is a worthwhile adventure for fans that delves into Kratos' history in a way we haven't seen before."