Santa Monica Studio has been developing the God of War franchise for an incredibly long time, and even though Kratos might not necessarily be helming it as a prominent mascot anymore, it has become even more popular in its exploration of Norse mythology. Like Assassin’s Creed, God of War could easily find favor in this formula by hopping to-and-from different mythologies. However, it is difficult to imagine God of War’s art direction being as masterful and impactful without Santa Monica Studio’s Rafael Grassetti.
Grassetti is not the only member of the art team at Santa Monica Studio and each developer has their own crucial role, but Grassetti’s work in particular seems to have had one of the most profound effects on God of War as a whole. Between roles as a Lead Character Artist, Principal Artist, Art Director, and Studio Art Director, Grassetti has clearly left a huge imprint on God of War’s Norse mythology saga. Santa Monica Studio is sure to have exceptional developers fill those shoes now, but maybe that’s what is ultimately best for the studio as it strides ahead.
What God of War Losing Its Art Director Means for the Franchise
God of War’s Norse mythology saga was a phenomenal reboot of the series that breathed new life into it with staggering gameplay changes. The cinematic over-the-shoulder camera having no cuts plays into cutscenes brilliantly, for example, while thoughtful combat with God of War’s satisfying Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos was a logical move away from the franchise’s hack-’n-slash bread-and-butter.
Santa Monica Studio as a whole is to applaud for this recreation, but as an art lead, a lot of the game's aesthetic and visual design likely falls upon Grassetti. It is unknown how much will change visually between God of War Ragnarok and the next God of War game, but it will be interesting to see how much of Grassetti’s influence as an eventual director carries over into the iconography of the franchise’s next saga.
Rather, Grassetti leaving opens the studio up for a lot more creative freedom if it has more than one game in development. Santa Monica Studio may branch out from God of War, for example, with games still releasing from that franchise alongside a new IP. It will be exciting to see other developers potentially putting their mark on Santa Monica Studio’s games going forward, let alone if that will have any huge implications on what future games look like.
Indeed, if God of War takes Atreus to Egypt or another mythology, this could be a massive opportunity for a new art director to put their stamp on it as Grassetti did with Norse mythology. Having Atreus star in a God of War game without his father in it will be a tough adjustment anyhow, and may not even maintain the franchise’s title if that is the case. But it is also unfortunate, since God of War Ragnarok’s ending teases that more stories will be told in the Norse mythology’s Midgard with Kratos and Freya on new paths.
Santa Monica Studio has a ton of options before it, and Grassetti leaving is a sure sign of that being a reality. Grassetti would have contributed to another God of War mythology greatly as well, but if it was time to part ways it seems like they chose an ideal moment when the studio is at its most open-ended. Either way, wherever Grassetti ends up next, that studio’s art will certainly benefit from the director’s incredible graphical fidelity and hyperrealism.
God of War Ragnarok is out now for PS4 and PS5.