Although the God of War series is back this year, the PS4 title has left some feeling skeptical, prompting a response from the game's creative director. The original God of War titles were some of the biggest in the PlayStation lineup, delivering furious hack and slash gameplay steeped in mythology and gore. As such, fans were on the edge of their seats awaiting a new title in the franchise.

However, some former players have been surprised at what has been revealed about the title so far, and it's not only due to the game's jump into Norse mythology. Rather than a solitary focus on Kratos as a force of pure rage, instead God of War will explore Kratos' relationship with his son, while the main character has also been recast as Stargate SG-1's Christopher Judge.

Related: Why Kratos Was Recast for God of War 2018

Although the general reception to the game has been one of excitement, albeit an excitement in part led by curiosity, nonetheless creative director Cory Barlog has addressed the concerns of some fans. Speaking with Kotaku, Barlog admitted to having seen the criticisms of the pre-release information on the game. "I know there are a lot of people who are out there saying it's totally different. They're changing a lot of things. Hashtag Not My God Of War. Hashtag Cancel My Pre-Order." stated Barlog. Instead, the creative director has urged gamers to wait to see the game in the flesh, saying "I think a lot of people have to play it."

Indeed, Barlog explained that part of this criticism comes from the fact that the developer has been "very restrictive" about the information that has been released so far, with the decision stemming from a desire for players to "experience this game as a whole." However, the creative director was quick to point out that God of War has been made by many of the same creative team as the rest of the franchise. "Nothing has changed cynically or under pressure or just willy-nilly. All of us put a lot of heart and soul into this game, and the DNA of what this franchise is still pumps through the blood of this game," said Barlog, who was game director for God of War 2 and God of War 3.

Although it's clear that God of War has moved on a little from the rough and tumble of its earlier iterations, it's interesting to hear that the roots of the game still lie with the original games. As such, there's hope that the game is an improvement on some of its predecessors rather than a total reinvention, as seen by its 25-35 hour completion length and its lack of camera cuts.

That said, it doesn't seem as though SIE Santa Monica is gazing too fondly at the past, particularly if those hints at exploring Egyptian or Mayan mythology in further sequels are anything to go by. With the game's April 20 release date growing ever closer, it won't be long before players can find out exactly how far God of War has strayed from its history.

More: 18 Long-Awaited Video Game Sequels Finally Releasing in 2018

Source: Kotaku