One of the developers of 2018's God of War has revealed a fun fact about Kratos' legendary Leviathan Axe, sharing that the two-handed weapon actually increases in size when it's in his hands. God of War is widely recognized as one of PlayStation's best exclusives, and its intricate game design means fans are still learning new facts about the title even years after its release.
The longstanding God of War series saw new life with its most recent release, winning new fans with its emotional story, incredible graphics, and absorbing gameplay. Kratos' axe serves a prominent role in the game as a multi-functional weapon used for both attacks and puzzle-solving. The Leviathan Axe can be used in close-range combat, but also serves as a ranged weapon that can quickly return to Kratos on command. The weapon can also be upgraded with runes, making it an incredibly versatile and deadly choice. God of War's Leviathan Axe is such an iconic weapon it's even been modded into other games, including The Witcher 3.
Sharing a previously unconfirmed fact about God of War's Leviathan Axe, PlayStation Studios animator Robert Morrison revealed that Kratos' axe is "a different scale when it's in his hand than when it's on his back," with around a 20% size increase when the weapon is being held. Speaking with GamesRadar, Morrison said the practice is quite common in game development, and is used "usually to give the best visual presentation for any given camera view or scenario. Helps to 'frame the shot' if you will."
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God of War fans responding to the tweet shared their experiences of the phenomenon, with some stating they'd noticed the size difference of the axe while others were surprised by the fact. One Twitter user spoke about their struggles with getting the axe size correct in their Kratos cosplay, something which they now believe is to do with the changes in its size throughout different parts of the game. The size difference is so subtle that it's gone unnoticed by many since the game's release, highlighting the skill and talent of the development team at Santa Monica Studio.
It's likely that the developers at Santa Monica will once again be repeating the game dev trick for the upcoming God of War sequel, though news on the game has been sparse. The title was first announced during a 2020 PS5 showcase, revealed with a teaser trailer that gave little away. While the title has been dubbed "God of War: Ragnarok" by fans, its official name has not yet been confirmed. The game was originally set to launch in 2021, but the God of War sequel has now been delayed to sometime in 2022. The game is expected to come to both PlayStation 4 and 5.
Source: Robert Morrison/Twitter (via GamesRadar)