Overview
This guide covers the first several hours of God of War (2018):
- Main path beats (spoiler-light)
- Smart side quest timing
- Key upgrades to prioritize
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Phase 1 – The First Hunt and Combat Basics
- Follow the story through the **deer hunt** and first major fight.
- Learn:
- How to **recall the Leviathan Axe** mid-combo.
- Basic **Atreus arrow support**.
Tip: Practice axeless brawling on weaker enemies to understand Kratos' bare-handed options.
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Phase 2 – Exploring the Lake of Nine
Once the Lake becomes explorable:
1. Circle the shores grabbing:
- **Nornir chests**
- **Artifacts**
- Early **Favors** (side quests)
2. Use these to:
- Upgrade chest/waist armor
- Invest in essential skills (axe throws, parries, Atreus support)
Secret: Many islands hide lore shrines that deepen your understanding of giants and world-serpents long before the plot spells it out.
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Phase 3 – Must-Do Early Favors
Recommended:
- **Anatomy of Hope** – for lore and decent rewards.
- **Second Hand Soul** – teaches puzzle language.
- Early **dragon freeing** side quests; they give strong resources.
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Phase 4 – Balanced Upgrade Plan
Prioritize:
- **Axe skills** that add crowd control (e.g., improved cleaves).
- **Atreus' skills**; a strong Atreus makes higher difficulties manageable.
- Offense first, then defense, keeping difficulty engaging but fair.
By following this route, you'll step into later realms with strong gear, a good handle on combat, and a richer sense of Midgard's mythology.