God of War: Sons of Sparta now lets players access its co-op roguelite mode, The Pit of Agonies, without finishing the main story first. This change came after confusion about how and when the two-player feature became available.
This game, priced at $29.99, takes a fresh approach as a 2D metroidvania on the PlayStation 5. Developed by Mega Cat Studios and Santa Monica Studio, it unexpectedly launched during the February 12 State of Play showcase. The narrative focuses on a young Kratos and his brother Deimos during their Greek-era adventures. Initially, players were puzzled about how to unlock the co-op mode since it wasn’t accessible right away.
On February 26, Santa Monica Studio released a cheat code: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, L1, R1, Touchpad. This code unlocks The Pit of Agonies directly from the start menu. Early reports suggest that players only need to enter this code once, and access to The Pit remains even after restarting the game.
Santa Monica Studio originally aimed to limit access to The Pit so players would understand combat mechanics and enemy types first. However, there was enough player frustration that they decided to share the code. Despite the ease of access, the studio still urges players to know their moves well before tackling The Pit since it features some of the game’s hardest challenges.
The Pit of Agonies is a run-based roguelite mode where enemy types and rewards appear randomly. Players earn various currencies, like Symbols of Suffering, to unlock new difficulties and Ashes of Agony for permanent upgrades. Notably, this mode is local only—no online play.
The game’s reception has been mixed, with an average score of 67 on OpenCritic. Many players, however, have enjoyed it, giving it a 4.32-star rating on the PlayStation Store based on over 7,400 reviews. Critics have wondered if the combat system offers enough depth for replayability.
Overall, while God of War: Sons of Sparta aims to refresh the franchise, it must navigate player expectations for features like co-op gameplay. The introduction of the cheat code could be a final flourish for this new title. For more detailed game information, check out the official PlayStation Store page.
