God of War Ragnarök.

In 2018 we met with the new God of War. Kratos had left Greek mythology behind and set foot in the cold realms of the north. There he tried his best to start anew, but he and his son Atreus would soon find out they played a part in a bigger story. On their adventure, the two bonded and overcame incredible obstacles, and while they managed to complete their task, the game left us with an exciting cliffhanger. Four years later, finally, we’re about to find out more. Ragnarök is coming! But does God of War Ragnarök live up to its predecessor? Does it manage to bring something new to the table?

A sense of purpose.

Everyone who has played 2018’s God of War knows the franchise managed to re-invent itself in many ways. A new mythology, a new camera perspective, and a more open-world approach helped in setting this game apart from its predecessors. And not without success! God of War was a smashing hit and became Game of the Year! With God of War Ragnarök, developer Sony Santa Monica is looking to build on that success by leaving much of the game’s foundation intact. The story picks up moments after the first game ended and leaves little room for an introduction with our heroes, who embark on a new quest almost immediately after Thor comes knocking down their door. I will not spoil anything about the events that follow or the game’s surprisingly good but somewhat predictable ending. Even if you’re familiar with Norse mythology, God of War Ragnarök offers a complex, layered narrative with many twists and turns. At various moments, specifically during the loss of a great ally of our two heroes, the game managed to hit a nerve emotionally. 

While the first game revolved around letting go, Ragnarök‘s central theme is more about moving on and forgiveness. These values are fitting for a sequel and Kratos. Our anti-hero has been struggling with moving on and forgiving his whole life. Atreus is hugely influenced by his father, as he’s looking for recognition and a sense of purpose. Kratos, in turn, wants to prevent Atreus from making the same mistakes as he did. To prevent the two from starting a new war. These character developments allow for interesting callbacks to past adventures. More interestingly, how Kratos’s view of them has changed. Kratos also refrains from calling Atreus boy, further signaling how much the two have bonded.

True to his words, Cory Barlog is wrapping up the Norse adventure with Ragnarök. If you want to see how the adventure ends, any fan should delve in and experience it for themselves!

New ways to play.

The game avoids the all too common cliché where the sequel wants you to re-collect items or skills you had already unlocked previously. When you gain control over Atreus and Kratos, much of their equipment and skills are available to you. The game cleverly manages to ease you back into these abilities. For example, before picking up the Blades of Chaos, you’ve spent some time solely with Kratos’s Leviathan Axe in the game’s opening hours. That probably leaves you wondering, what new elements does this game bring to the table then? Honestly, it’s a lot. Even in the game’s final hours, I had to use new tactics to conquer my enemies. The way the game exposes the player to new enemies or abilities is clever. Without going into too much detail, you will not be playing as Kratos all the time, nor will Atreus be your companion during the whole adventure. That allowed the developers to switch up the formula, as with a new lead character or companion, new ways to play open up (new tactics and skills spice up the gameplay). That keeps things fresh and unpredictable. For example, later in the story, Kratos will craft a new weapon, the Spear of Chaos. It spices up combat drastically since this weapon is also a projectile. Once thrown, the spear can then be detonated at will. It works really well against airborne enemies. And Atreus? He’s no longer a sidekick that helps weaken enemies, but his magic is now required to defeat magical shielded enemies.

Ragnarök Changes

One complaint gamers had about the prequel is that even though all the nine realms showed up as selectable destinations, access to some of them was prohibited. Ragnarök changes this, as it will take the players on a journey through all the realms. Yes, even to Asgard! That also means you’ll be revisiting some exciting locales. However, due to Fimbulwinter (the winter period before Ragnarök), these have been changed drastically. For example, the lake around Tyr’s Temple has frozen. That opens up access to new areas while keeping a sense of nostalgia.

Another thing I really liked is how your companions behave. If you’re having trouble solving a puzzle, they comment on your actions and provide hints in a very natural way. They point at areas of interest or they remind you of any sidequests you still need to complete. On various occasions, some events in the game made me question what could happen next or what motivated people in this world. It felt really cool to see many of these topics being discussed by our heroes too, explaining much of the backstory and lore. This immerses you in this world totally.

Old, but not obsolete.

Each of the realms has its unique aesthetic, which is baffling. Locations feature dense vegetation and wildlife. The vistas are even more detailed and allow you to look much further, and the skyboxes remain just as impressive as before. However, don’t expect a giant leap in graphical fidelity compared to the first game. God of War Ragnarök is due for release on the PS4 and the PS5. While the game does benefit from improved performance and resolution on the latter, you can’t help but wonder how this game would have looked like were it released solely on the PS5. I believe a PS5-only release would have made the entire experience even better. The game’s littered with narrow passageways you need to crawl through so the game can load the next area. Traveling from realm to realm still requires walking in circles on Yggdrasil until the game has finished loading all the same. Granted, this still beats actual loading screens. But on PS5, these tricks were probably not necessary at all. The PS4 might be old, but it’s not obsolete just yet.

While the game’s locations might be a step up, the character models are a bit of a mixed bag. Newer additions to the cast look superb (like Angerboda and Odin), and facial expressions are improved. However, some characters (Thor, Thor’s daughter Thrud, or Freya) are less impressive. It’s not that they are looking subpar, but their complex hairstyles and faces could have benefitted from the extra processing power of the PS5. Apart from these points of critique, the game is nothing more than flawless.

An enriched experience.

If you’re as old as I am, remember the very first GameBoy? This magical device was perfect for playing games on the go. You could make it even better with all these attachments; a bigger battery, a light so you could play in dim lighting, a magnifying glass to increase the size of the screen, and better speakers. Each attachment enriched your gaming experience.

God of War Ragnarök precisely captures that feeling. The foundation was already great, but the developers kept building on top. Every addition feels new and fresh and elevates the experience to new heights. It’s an (almost) flawless sequel and one that wraps up Kratos’s nordic adventure with dignity. I think the game could have benefitted from a PS5-only release, but with a few concessions, more people get to experience this gem. Something I haven’t mentioned before, but the game takes about 30-40 hours to complete, which I think is the perfect amount of time. If you’re a collector and want to do all the sidequests and challenges, you can easily double that number! A lot of bang for your buck, one could say. And boy, it’s a big bang.