God of War's combat system is a great, multi-layered experience that is intuitive and full of skills and techniques to master on PlayStation 4. Kratos' simplest moves can be explosive, even in the face of the game's often punishing enemies. But when it comes to Kratos' killing blows, things can get even more dramatic. GameSpot put together the montage above to show just how powerful God of War's execution moves are.
When you're fighting an enemy in God of War, their Stun meter grows, especially if you're fighting them bare-knuckled and launching quick attacks. When you successfully stun an enemy by filling up the meter, you can hit R3 to perform a dramatic execution, which typically kills your enemy and gives you an incredible sight to take in.
God of War marks a big change in the acclaimed series; one that appears to have paid off given the game's early critical and commercial success. In GameSpot's God of War review, Peter Brown called the game "a spectacular action game with epic set pieces." Giving the game a 9/10, Peter called the game a total improvement over its predecessors.
"Everything new it does is for the better, and everything it holds onto benefits as a result," he wrote. "Kratos is no longer a predictable brute. God of War is no longer an old-fashioned action series. With this reboot, it confidently walks a new path that will hopefully lead to more exciting adventures to come."
If you're just starting out, check out our guide to the six things to know before you play, and to master combat (including executions), read about the 13 best skills to unlock early on in God of War.