Case Study: Translating the Stoic – Preserving Kratos' Tone in God of War
Overview:
Localization is not just about converting words; it is about capturing the essence of character identity. In God of War, Kratos is a stoic, economical, and authoritative figure. The localization challenge here was to maintain that specific "Kratos tone"—dry, direct, and emotionally heavy—within the grammatical structure of Portuguese.
The Challenge:
Translating characters who speak with extreme economy requires avoiding the natural tendency in Portuguese to add linguistic "floreios" (flourishes). Every word must be essential.
Localization Decisions:
Precision and Tone: When translating the dialogue regarding sacrifice, I focused on brevity to mirror the original English rhythm.
Cultural and Grammatical Nuance: I corrected verb agreement and ensured the vocabulary reflected the "forge" and "warrior" context rather than literal, culinary interpretations of terms like "temper."
Key Excerpt (Portuguese Localization):
Kratos: "She would have died to see him live. Only a parent can understand."
Localized: "Ela teria morrido para vê-lo viver. Somente um pai pode entender."
Atreus: "So you'd let me kill you?"
Localized: "Então você deixaria eu te matar?"
Kratos: "If it meant you would live... yes."
Localized: "Se isso significasse a sua vida... sim."
The Result:
The localized version maintains the fatalistic, stoic weight of the original. By choosing "Se isso significasse a sua vida... sim," the translation preserves the character's directness and emotional impact, avoiding unnecessary complexity that would have compromised the scene’s intensity.
Conclusion:
For AAA titles, localization is an exercise in character consistency. As an LQA specialist, my focus is to ensure that the voice of the protagonist remains as powerful and authentic in the target language as it is in the source.
Original Text and Target Text Phrase by phrase:
#1
"We win because we are determined. Disciplined. Not because we feel ourselves superior"
"Nós vencemos por sermos determinados. Disciplinados. Não porque nos sentimos superiores."
"The strength of this weapon, any weapon, comes from here,"
"A força desta arma, de qualquer arma, vem daqui."
Points to heart
Aponta para o coração
"but only when tempered by this."
"Mas somente quando forjada por isto."
Points to head
Aponta para a cabeça
"By the discipline, the self control of the one who wields it."
"Pela disciplina, o auto-controle daquele que a empunha. "
"That is where the true strength of a warrior lies."
"É aí que reside a verdadeira força de um guerreiro."
#2
Atreus: "I don't understand. I know saving her was the right thing, but she seemed all evil at the end."
Atreus: "eu não entendo. Eu sei que salvá-la era a coisa certa. Mas ela pareceu totalmente má no final."
Mimir: "Not evil. You killed her son, lad. Her son."
Mimir: "não era má. Você matou o filho dela, rapaz. O filho dela."
"The death of a child is not something a parent gets over easily."
"A morte de uma criança não é algo que um pai supera facilmente."
Atreus: "But he was gonna kill her!"
Atreus: "Mas ele ia matá-la!"
Kratos: "She would have died to see him live. Only a parent can understand."
Kratos: "Ela teria morrido para vê-lo viver. Somente um pai pode entender"
Atreus: "So you'd let me kill you?"
Atreus: "Então você deixaria eu te matar ?"
Kratos: "If it meant you would live... yes."
Kratos: "Se isso significasse a sua vida ?... sim. "
#3
"Close your heart to their desperation. Close your heart to their suffering. "
"Feche o seu coração ao desespero deles. Feche o seu coração ao sofrimento deles."
"Do not allow yourself to feel for them. They will not feel for you."
"Não se permita sentir por eles. Eles não sentirão por você."
“Fate is another lie told by the gods. Nothing is written that cannot be unwritten.”
"Destino é outra mentira contada pelos deuses. Nada está escrito que não possa ser reescrito."
