The Epic Battle is Here - Spoiler-Free God of War Ragnarok Review

God of War Ragnarök continues right after the events of the successful title released in 2018. As a successful sequel to the 2018 title, the game continues the aim of becoming more than just about the violence and sheer entertainment of combat. With the familiar cast of the previous title returning, we are still following the father son relationship of Kratos and Atreus. However, since the ending of the last game brought huge news for the character of Atreus, he is looking for answers. Answers that are dangerous for himself and even for all the realms. Kratos returns as the familiar God of War, trying to keep his son and those who are closest to them safe as best as he can. As fans of the series would expect, things get out of hand really fast.

From the very start, the father son duo delves into the adventure once again and find themselves in every realm fighting a wide variety of enemies. One of the best aspects of the game is the possibility to visit all the realms of the Norse mythology. From the jungles of Vanaheim to the lakes of Svartalfheim every mythologic realm is accessible in the game. Some maps are more detailed and explorable compared to the others, but the freedom still feels better.

Another improvement over the last game is the enemy types. Some fans of the series were disappointed by the similar bosses and limited variety of enemies in the previous title, however, Ragnarök aims to impress the fans in this aspect (and I would say it succeeds!). The combat mechanics are also enriched but they do not lack the familiarity of the last game, so if you are coming directly from finishing the previous game I think you will not feel overwhelmed with new mechanics. The experience is still somewhat the same but now you have more options on how to approach the enemies and the battlefield as mechanics are much more mobile.

Story on the other hand is a bit more controversial compared to the other aspects of the game. Coming from the previous title, I had such high expectations for the characters to continue developing in a very natural way. I was not completely disappointed but what I have found in the game was still a bit different from what I expected. This time the story is much more heavily focused on Atreus as he is seeking answers and trying to understand who he is in the world. This shift of focus creates some pacing problems. One minute you are running in a battlefield and the next you are forced to collect fruits in Jotunheim for what feels like hours. As a result, the epic ending does not feel as perfect as it could but still provides acceptable and intriguing ends for many of the characters. One thing that I really liked is the way the game handles side quests, they are smaller adventures that are worth experiencing instead of just collectibles and random things. They build interesting backgrounds for the actions of the characters. My suggestion is to chase after each side mission as they become available as your progression can affect the way side missions play out.

Overall, the game is a must have experience for the fans of the series. Especially if you have liked the previous title, you will find even more things to enjoy in this one as it is a bigger game with much more to explore. Despite small issues this is a game every God of War fan can find something to enjoy.

Basic info:

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Santa Monica Studios
Platforms: Playstation 4, Playstation 5
Release Date: 9 November 2022
Genres: Action, Adventure, Role-Playing Game
PEGI: 18

Photos: Promo picture for the game God of War Ragnarok (Sony Interactive Entertainment 2022) https://store.playstation.com/fi-fi/product/EP9000-CUSA34386_00-GOWRAGNAROK00000

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Teoman Kars

Passionate about video games with strong narrative, competitive and exciting games and racing games in general. Basically, a literature, music and video game nerd combined into a person.

#PlayStation 4 #PlayStation 5 #Action-Adventure #Ragnarök #GoW