The latest episode in the God of War: Ascension Unchained video series, which is a bunch of different behind-the-scenes developer diaries, has been released and this one is all about the Manticore.
From the original concept design to finally watching Kratos attack it like crazy, this video has it all:
There was also a Q&A on GodofWar.com asking the concept artist, Izzy (@cannibalcandy), about various aspects of the Manticore, with the first question asking what made them so excited for this beast:
What gets me going for this bad boy? Great White Shark + Lion + Bat + Scorpion + Porcupine…
It continued with the question of whether they could recall the day when the development team wanted the Manticore created and what was intially asked versus what we ended up with:
The initial idea that led to the Manticore was rooted in the Chimera gameplay from God of War III. Everyone liked the multi-stage mini-boss from the previous game and the combat guys wanted to play with an alternate approach. In the pitch we talked about creatures that fell into the multi-head varying attack arena, and the Manticore came up as a possibility. Sure it’s not Greek, but it’s a bad-ass monster. I immediately began a lot of research and found that it was a well mulled over subject. So in classic Izzy fashion I had to tackle it from the weirdest way possible.
Next was what makes the Manticore different from other God of War creatures and what is going to make players say “holy shit” about him:
This creature, I think, is our first flying apex predator monster in the series. The fact that he will be able to take flight and introduce low altitude aerial maneuvers to the repertoire of Kratos’ enemies is enough to put him in a new class of AI. I think he’s also got a pretty brash attitude that comes through. […]
Finally, it got a little weird when he was asked how it would make him feel if a fan tattooed the Manticore on their body:
I think all artists are shocked and probably delighted when they see someone love their work enough to have it permanently inscribed on their body. I would do what any artist would do when presented with such an incredible honor! I’d tackle them. Then hold them down and peel the skin off their body with an obsidian dagger. Then stretch their inked hide on a frame and hang it on my wall. That shit’s MINE, son! MY ART! Hahaha, I kid. It would be surgical steel, not an obsidian dagger. Yer, so ridiculous, Izzy.
Are you excited to take down the Manticore? Let us know in the comments below.
