God of War Ragnarok Review

God of War Ragnarok not only lives up to the expectations and hype but also subverts and surpasses them in many ways.

God Of War Ragnarok was a big step up from the 2018 game. It also incorporated the entire Ragnarok mythology into one game. Santa Monica Studio previously stated God of War‘s Norse Saga could easily have been a trilogy. However, the developer didn’t want to leave fans waiting for years. Santa Monica did not reduce its game to fit all of its content into one title. God of War Ragnarok is an epic worthy of its videogame reputation and mythological source material.

God of War Ragnarok begins a few years later than the original game. Atreus and Kratos are facing the dangers of Fimbulwinter. The original Greek storyline and the events of the first game are important throughout the story. It is an epic tale that spans mythologies but is centered around one family.

God of War is about a journey of a father-son, but God of War Ragnarok tells the story of a whole family. It is a story that brings Ragnarok, the end of the world, into the home of a family. This includes a father and son as well as out-there cousins, odd uncles, a mother figure, and all the branching friendships and familial connections. These situations are filled with emotion because each family member has a different relationship. The game isn’t afraid to have frustrating and upsetting family dinners. God of War Ragnarok weaves in first love, grief, and trauma in a story that is truly a masterpiece.

It’s not all dark and gloomy family drama. God of War Ragnarok allows players to be thrust into wartorn locations after wartorn locations, with enough humor that it feels extremely well-paced. It can speed up and slow down, but it also stops at times. This allows the story to reach its highest points while still enjoying the slower parts. It can give players some relief from the larger events, and when to insert a knife into them in an unexpected way. It’s not what fans expected, and it’s all the more enjoyable for it. While there are a few weak plot points, God of War Ragnarok makes up the majority of the story.

The story was told by several actors who all deserve recognition for their contributions. Every God of War Ragnarok player feels unique and raw as they navigate through a sea of emotions. Kratos is still a lovable, stoic character. However, his character arc shows how much the character has changed. Atreus is also fully on his own, though it’s evident that his journey is much more advanced than his father’s. Every character encountered by players, regardless of whether it’s Aesir or Vanir, or giant, is filled with the emotional depth and character development that fans have come to expect from side characters.

The combat is as detailed as the narrative and characters, with as many details packed into each element as emotion. God Of War Ragnarok combat is violent, visceral, and, most importantly, evolving. Although it’s simple to understand the basics, the game grows as the players play more. This is without the game feeling too long. Players will learn more skills and improve their weapons with various attachments and special attacks. They can also modify combat to their liking through artifacts, spells, and other tools. Players will be able to combine a wide range of abilities and attacks in the final game. They can also seamlessly switch between Kratos weapons and unleash Atreus’ various types of arrows, as well as face formidable enemies.

God of War Ragnarok‘s main boss battles an incredible atmosphere. They retain all the intensity of the original and often push a player to master their weapons. The game’s various locations will allow players to face multiple enemy archetypes, but this comes with one disadvantage. God of War Ragnarok does not have the same feeling. Some realms feel more open-world than others, while others feel like a hub for activities. Some realms will have more players than others, while others may see fewer. Players may encounter fodder enemies, such as nightmares and wretches, depending on which realm they are in. The game’s later sections do improve, but there is still plenty of fodder against which to unleash Kratos.

Atreus is the companion of Kratos during their journey in God Of War. This is not the first game to use a gameplay companion system that has dual protagonists. However, suffice it to say, this system was ten times more extensive in this sequel. Santa Monica Studio’s God of War Ragnarok set the bar high for games that want to continue this format in the future. It will be difficult to match it.

God of War Ragnarok has a similar story and combat feature because they seamlessly weave in and out of one another. Sometimes it feels so natural that the transition between gameplay and story feels almost unrecognizable. This creates powerful moments when players seem to be naturally intimidating others, even though it’s just a cutscene. This depth is evident in the puzzles found throughout God of War Ragnarok. They start quite simply: throw the Leviathan Axe and burn something with Blades of Chaos. But as the game progresses they become more complex and unique. God of War Ragnarok takes you on a journey through all of its features. The game is even better because of it.

This, combined with God of War Ragnarok’s incredible array of accessibility features makes the game better for everyone. These features are easily accessible from the game menu. Once the game is launched, players have a lot of options. While we cannot say if God of War Ragnarok covers all aspects of accessibility, it certainly tries. We found many options that were new to us, which made the game even more enjoyable.

God of War Ragnarok has a unique experience. It not only lives up to the high expectations it sets but also subverts and exceeds them. It is unlike anything on PS4 and PS5 so it will be difficult for any other game to reach the same heights. God of War Ragnarok might not make the most of the PS5’s features as there aren’t any new or innovative things that can’t be seen on a PS4, however, it is a clear demonstration that vision, creativity, and artistry far outweigh hardware.

God of War Ragnarok will be available on November 9 on PS4 and PS5. Game Rant received a PS5 code to review the game.