The new 'God of War' is a major technical achievement — here are 5 ways it nails the fine details

god of war ps4

"God of War," which launches as a PlayStation 4 exclusive on April 20, is a major technical achievement that raises the bar for all other video games.

While we've already shared many of our (very positive) thoughts on the game itself, we also wanted to highlight the important ways in which "God of War" nails the little details.

Take a look:

1. "God of War" kills the loading screen, and it's a beautiful thing.

Sony's Santa Monica Studios did something with "God of War" that's never been done before in a video game: It's made a complete video game that takes place in one continuous shot, in real time, with no loading screens at all. The game's cinematics, or movies where you don't control the characters, are seamlessly woven into the actual meat of the game, where you play, fight, and explore. The result is a level of intimacy and immersion rarely explored in the video game medium.

2. You can pause and quit the game at any time — even in the middle of a fight, or a cinematic.

This is a nice little touch that only some of the best video games do, but it's certainly appreciated here in "God of War." Since the game does take place in one continuous shot, it makes it feel like you can "pause the movie" at any given time, and come back whenever you feel. It's a game that respects the player's time.

3. Characters will tell stories — but not if you're in the middle of an activity.

Without giving anything away, you'll meet plenty of different characters on your journey, and some of them even come along with you.

And it's great to have company, because the side characters in "God of War" have lots of great dialogue and stories to share — but the game is extremely good at timing these things so you're not getting an important speech in the middle of a fight.

The game saves these great quiet moments for when you're not close to any action — like while you're on the way to a destination, for example. It's a subtle touch that shows an understanding of how and when to keep the player engaged.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider