2018’s God of War composer Bear McCreary was taken aback when game director Cory Barlog shared the direction for the soundtrack’s tone. In an interview with VideoGamer prior to his Themes and Variations tour, McCreary – a multiple-award-winning American composer known for works like The Walking Dead and Godzilla: King of the Monsters – disclosed that Barlog aimed to create a score that embodied Kratos’ sorrow over his wife’s passing, instead of the intense, violent deity portrayed in previous games.
After receiving a job offer prior to the game’s official approval, McCreary was assigned to compose music for a demo version (vertical slice) of the game. This demo would be used to attract investors and initiate full-scale production. However, although the team appreciated his initial Kratos theme, it wasn’t too long before the composer was asked to rework it. His new task involved creating a theme that showcased both Kratos’ underlying aggression and a character development arc that allowed him to exhibit a range of emotions.
Bear McCreary
Initially, I created a character theme for Kratos that perfectly met Cory’s requirements and everyone loved it. However, after a year, they acknowledged that the theme wasn’t effective and suggested, ‘although we appreciate the theme, it’s not working. You need to discard it. We require something new that can portray his hidden anger.’ Initially, the character was portrayed with sadness, but we all understood that Kratos is on a journey where acknowledging his own sadness, a self-realization for him, comes later in the game.
After that point, the memorable Kratos theme from the game was established. Fortunately, it turned out to be an excellent choice and when the game was first revealed at the E3 in 2016, a portion of its soundtrack was released to the public for the first time. This event marked the ‘most creative night of his life’ for McCreary as people worldwide jumped up from their seats in enthusiasm.
Speaking of the reaction videos from E3, watching as they were posted when each new game was released, from Baldur’s debut, to the discovery of the Blades of Chaos, to learning about Freya – it was like being there with everyone in their living rooms. I couldn’t have been a part of those moments otherwise, so I’m truly grateful for all the YouTube videos that shared that experience with me.
As an ardent admirer, I’m thrilled to share that Bear has been graciously opening up about his upcoming Themes and Variations tour. This global journey will allow him to display his most profound works across continents, with stops in Europe and North America. Keep your calendars free, as you can secure your tickets directly from his official website!
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2025-03-03 16:40