God of War Ragnarök

At the age of 6 I lost my father to an incurable illness. This lingered over me in the final hours of God of War Ragnarök. A sentiment echoing in my mind.

What would life be like had his tutelage been there? Would he be a good father? Remained with my mother? Taught me to be a better person? Hard to say.

One of the few memories I have of him is sitting in a living room, playing Super Mario Bros. while he still had motor function left to do so. I do not attribute my love for video games as an homage to a faint memory, I think that path would have been set for me regardless of when I picked up a controller. But one always wonders what fruit is borne from the earliest planted seeds.

Kratos frequently yearned to be a better father, an example to his son Atreus. Kratos, whether he wanted the burden or not, was a beacon to Atreus, a symbol to love and loathe for all that comes with evolving maturity, a constant source of lessons and advice.

The brutality of Kratos’ existence has been palpable since 2005 when his saga of vengeance began on PlayStation 2. But in 2018, when the series was rebooted, Kratos became a father and the world was drenched in danger like never before. What would become of Atreus if Kratos died? What would this boy be left with? Could he survive the harshest of winters and forage? The Spartan God of War did not want his son to be left with those questions like I did all those years ago.

God of War Ragnarök carves into the player’s heart and soul with almost surgical precision. It is a multi-faceted game that constantly fires on all cylinders to cement the legacy of a once dormant, one-note series. More than a sequel to one of the best games of last generation, God of War Ragnarök is a testament to the medium’s strengths and how to deliver an unflinchingly powerful vision.

At the end of 2018’s God of War, Kratos and Atreus set forth the events that would lead to Fimbulwinter and, eventually, Ragnarök and the presumed destruction of the Nine Realms. The tangible chill of annihilation pervades a majority of the game. And while ultimate destruction may be a parasite in the thoughts of players and the game’s characters, it often feels like the problem that can be easiest tackled.

The unbearable weight of prophecy, destiny, unbreakable cycles, fatherhood, being shackled to fate, and overcoming old patterns are many of the themes Ragnarök shoulders. This is a narratively dense game, more so than 2018 which had the unenviable task of turning Kratos into someone we could relate to rather than a being driven by anger and shouting “Zeus!” for three games.

I would hesitate to play Ragnarök without having played the previous game. Despite Santa Monica Studio providing a helpful catch-up, Ragnarök is steeped in callbacks and references to the God of War entries and knowledge of the themes, story beats, and dialog of 2018 make this game a richer experience.

From the moment Atreus carries a deer he hunted himself, eliciting a smile from Kratos, the symbolism begins.

God of War has had the luxury of pitting colossal, overpowered combatants against each other in fantastical worlds that act as the stages for chaos. A fight on the body of a Titan miles tall. An arena where a literal giant mason hovered in the background. A ship in choppy waters under siege by a hydra. Whether the camera was pulled out or in tight third-person, God of War has given us amazing, elaborate fights that scream power fantasy.

Ragnarök starts with a lead foot on the gas. A thrilling sled chase through the now-snowy lands of Midgard. Shortly after, a fight with a god. Initially it feels like Santa Monica Studio is front-loading the action in an attempt to one-up the stellar fight Kratos had with Baldur in the opening hours of 2018. But as Ragnarök continues, players will begin to understand that the game masterfully maintains a consistent plateau of pacing that does not betray its higher goals of telling a whirlwind story.

Suffice it to say, Ragnarök is no slouch when it comes to narrative. It is extremely difficult to speak at length about finer details without diluting the impact of the main path and the turns it takes. A lot happens–to the extent that lesser games may crumble under similar layers.

And as I begin to describe a few specifics for the story, please bear in mind that I’m only going to discuss the broadest strokes in the earlier hours and might mention a few names that players should expect to turn up at one point or another.

Midgard is covered in snow and ice, a stark contrast to the crystal blue water and the dense verdant forests before Fimbulwinter. Atreus is hell-bound to do something about Ragnarök and thinks it would be best to seek out Tyr, the God of War of the Nine Realms. Kratos, who seems to be haunted by the specter of constant violence, begrudgingly agrees when Thor and Odin come into the picture.

The journey truly kicks off in Svartalfheim, the realm of the dwarves which may house the hidden location of Tyr. After a brief linear section, Kratos and Atreus hop aboard a canoe and find themselves paddling towards a colony of dwarves, addressing one of the primary complaints with the previous game. Justifiably, Midgard and the surrounding realms did not feel like places where actual characters lived. Rather, the world acted as a hub for Kratos, Atreus, and the handful of other characters they came into contact with.

Though Ragnarök does not house any bustling hubs of dozens of NPCs walking around, there is an increased vibrancy and fullness to the worlds players find themselves in. Flora and fauna populate the realms when appropriate. Whether whole, dilapidated, or ruined, buildings and structures have or have had a purpose. Location-specific insects and creatures skitter across surfaces to add flavor and a sense of curiosity as to what their purpose may be.

There are significantly more characters this time around and none are window dressing. Kratos and Atreus definitely exist as the focal points but regardless of their greater purpose, they still exist in a world that was around before them.

Vanaheim, home of Freya, is notable as one of the few habitable realms. Here players will encounter a rebel group of several characters that they can speak with and do quests for. Vanaheim is a lush jungle-like world where plants attack the player and vines twist and form pathways depending on the time of day. But in the context of Ragnarök‘s world, Vanaheim was also home to a race of people with hubs of commerce and water travel before Odin terrorized them. Players will hear NPCs discuss lore and backstories as they come across specific locales and points of interest.

At no point was I ever bored with navigating Ragnarök‘s environments. Svartalfheim acts as a small version of 2018’s vast Lake of Nine where tiny islands house side activities and things to discover. Players will visit each of the Nine Realms this time around and the amount of detail and work put into these locations is staggering.

A common sentiment I often had with Ragnarök was longing. In Niflheim I looked across the frozen wastes and off in the distant horizon I saw what appeared to be three giants, standing frozen in place, near them an unmoving set of what looked like tentacles. Much like the gigantic bird perched in Helheim from 2018, I wanted to know more.

While it may feel like a distraction to have all these lingering questions and “what ifs”, Ragnarök only possesses these characteristics because the world is so expertly crafted. Many open-ended questions exist in the game and as much as myself or others may wish to have them answered, it only adds to the mystique and flavor of Ragnarök. Where Horizon: Forbidden West may have felt too busy for some or a Grand Theft Auto too chaotic, Ragnarök smartly incorporates smaller open areas and mostly linear sections that provide both variety and ample vistas to soak in.

Ragnarök is uncharacteristically stunning in its visuals. It stands as one of the most striking games currently available on any platform. Not only does this apply to the breathtaking world all the action takes place in, it applies to the diverse cast, the armor they wear, the combat animations, the gory kills, and the touching expressions on faces. Dozens of noteworthy moments occur in the game that beg to be seen and replayed multiple times just to take in their beauty. But if you haven’t seen previous story trailers, try to avoid them because they might spoil a handful of some particularly jaw-dropping scenes.

Santa Monica Studios’ attention to detail is less gawking at theme park attractions and more being swept up in the tidal wave of astonishing moments, weaved together by countless moving pieces. Make no mistake, the main story missions can play out at a relatively brisk pace if players power through them. But Ragnarök is meant to be absorbed and the player the sponge.

The game is rife with side quests meant to give increased context to Kratos and Atreus’ actions, fill out the machinations behind side characters, and unfold the world onto the player who wish to savor it. Maybe lingering questions will be answered, maybe they won’t. Unlike 2018, Ragnarök narratively and mechanically begins kitted out. Kratos and Atreus already have Mimir around to spin yarns about the world. The Blades of Chaos are already equipped to expand the vertical nature of maps and speed up traversal.

When I rolled credits on Ragnarök, I had toiled away for at least 40 hours and done possibly half the side quests–and part of this seemingly bloated time is due to my preferred difficulty selection, but more on that later.

And none of the side quests players go on are afterthoughts. These are meaty endeavors meant to reward players with juicy narrative bits and gear upgrades. Scour the desert of Alfheim for a library containing a forbidden tome of elvish lore and players will be treated to backstory about the divide between light and dark elves. Rescue an imprisoned species from its confines and hear Kratos reflect on his uncomfortable past of having chains literally fused to his body.

The deeper I dove into what Ragnarök had to offer, the more I began to fall in love with the series as a whole. The journey Santa Monica Studios took from turning Kratos into a god-killing monster into a stoic father has come full circle in the sequel. The range of growth Kratos goes through begins subtle, only for the floodgates to progressively crack open, revealing his true depth as one of gaming’s most fascinating protagonists. There are countless times where Kratos will grunt and growl at commentary only for him to then wear the mantle of father and herald of Ragnarök with tenacity.

Key moments in the story have Atreus and Kratos testing the limits of their bond and their relationship with other characters. And sooner than I expected, the game shifts focus and never lets up, meaning that surprises waited around every chapter of the game.

Of course, recognition to the motion and voice capture have to be emphasized. The range Christopher Judge has with Kratos’ gravely voice places him in the upper echelon of voice actors with Ragnarök. To express love, fear, hate, and compassion in both hushed tones and guttural shouts is an accomplishment of the human vocal chords. Meanwhile, Sunny Suljic’s older but youthful Atreus capture a boy on the brink of manhood never becoming overly whiny and written like a young person fighting to find their identity. I wish I sounded this expressive when I was in my early teens but, then again, I didn’t have to fight monstrous beasts to survive. Alastair Duncan continues his elegant Scottish accent as Mimir, serving as referee, second father, and loremaster.

There may be a small number of minor characters that don’t spark interest in some players, especially with their purpose in the overall story and performances but I don’t think there is a true weak one in the group. In capturing the film-like nature of the game, cutscenes are expertly acted and animated. On top of that, however, the frequent conversations and dialog given when simply traversing the world made me want to pause just to make sure I didn’t miss a single word. This is a game meant to milk the best performances out of its actors and they are given incredibly written lines both poignant and impactful to work with.

Combat in Ragnarök is no less elegant, bringing back the dance of death and steel that made 2018 such a fascinating change of pace. The prominent use of the Leviathan Axe in the previous game meant that Santa Monica Studios had to craft a weapon that would hold up for a large chunk of a massive game. The core mechanic of striking and throwing the axe remains, as does Kratos’ bare-fisted attacks that build an enemy’s stun gauge faster. Now, the Blades of Chaos are available from the start, meaning players have multiple avenues of combat when facing off against foes.

Unique to Ragnarök is the ability to infuse these weapons with their respective elements, unlocking new attacks and opportunities. By holding down triangle, players can imbue the Leviathan Axe with Frost, making the next melee or ranged attack do more damage and add a chunk of that status effect to an enemy. With the Blades of Chaos, Kratos whirls the weapon around him, charging it with Burn damage.

Once players work their way through the skill tree, new move sets open up meant to further apply status ailments on enemies. A focus is placed on applying Frost or Burn on an enemy, then switching to the opposite weapon to inflict increased damage. Ragnarök, like it’s predecessor, works best when players are able to juggle crowds of enemies with alternating attacks. While not an easy task, the payoff is satisfying.

As is typical with my preferences, I started Ragnarök on the Hard difficulty, right below “Give Me God of War.” Enemy encounters were tough and intense, usually simple attacks would take a third or fourth of my health away. The game forced me into learning attacks patterns, reinforcing proper use of Kratos’ shield to parry and block attacks. Indicator rings emanating from enemies notify the type of attack coming in. Red means get the hell out of the way, yellow means Kratos’ guard will be broken unless the attack is parried, and a blue ring means double tapping R1 to break the enemies guard or current attack.

This Hard difficulty was an intense challenge, meant to test skill and mettle. Bosses would decimate me if I didn’t properly read their patterns and crowds of enemies would overwhelm me with their ferocity. Enemies on the main story path proved to be more in line with Kratos’ current level while side quests often held more challenging baddies. To say I frequently struggled would be an understatement. But to say I didn’t feel a deeper sense of joy and relief when a fight was over would be a graver understatement.

Third-person combat veterans who take pride in their ability to overcome challenges in games like Dark Souls or Devil May Cry would do well to test their confidence on the harder difficulties. The RPG and gear systems present in the game truly come alive when the player is able to exert such control over how they play. It makes Ragnarök feel especially tailored towards a number of combat expressions.

Builds can be formed based on sheer strength and health that make Kratos more of a hard-hitting tank. There are ways to lower cooldowns on Runic Attacks and equipment while raising their damage. Additionally, players will encounter gear sets that provide unique bonuses that cater towards specific actions and methods of playing. Near the end of the game, I found myself relying a lot more on abilities and gear that rapidly charged my Runic Attacks so I could use them multiple times during a single encounter, always being mindful that enemies could still harm me while Kratos flailed the Blades of Chaos around in dazzling fashion.

However, I did eventually hit a point where I knew that the difficulty was grueling enough that it would inhibit my pace in completing the story. In the last seven hours of story, I lowered the difficulty down to a more reasonable setting. Surprisingly, fights still weren’t trivial but I noted how faster the stun gauge would build up, allowing me to initiate takedowns more often. Kratos’ damage felt similar but enemies hit for significantly less, meaning a single combo wouldn’t completely kill me.

Had I been playing on a lower difficulty, I would estimate the main story to have taken around 25 hours. Had I kept my original pace, I imagine that initial time to be around 40 hours. Not only are the last hours of the game significantly challenging, it’s almost impossible to fully level up Kratos’ gear without going off the beaten path. Side quests and exploration dole out better upgrade materials and reward specialty gear and attacks that only serve to flesh out the RPG systems in the game.

Interestingly, Ragnarök doles out new upgrades and mechanics constantly over the course of the narrative. At least a dozen or more hours passed before I got my first heavy Runic Attack. A ways in, the game granted me an amulet with unlockable slots where enchantments could be slotted. These enchantments added base stats to Kratos and if three of a kind were slotted in, it granted a set bonus. The amount of detail that went into the combat and upgrade mechanics is a true improvement on the previous game.

And that is much of what Ragnarök is, a true improvement. God of War 2018 was an exceptional game stylistically, narratively, and mechanically. Ragnarök pushes all of these to the limit, exploding what players may have thought possible. Justified issues with the lack of enemy variety did plague 2018’s fights. Hours in, Ragnarök makes a statement by introducing a troll–that monster that compromised multiple boss encounters in 2018–that Kratos cuts the head off of instantly, only to never see that enemy type again.

In Ragnarök, a cornucopia of combatants butt heads with Kratos and Atreus. Varying types of simple infantry from heavy to light are thrown in a single encounter so players have to be mindful of fast enemies that close the distance and heavy brawlers that sweep in out of nowhere. Large beasts unique to each Realm show up at varying points to ensure that on an initial visit, there is always something new to fight. There are dozens of mini-boss fights peppered throughout Ragnarök acting not only as imaginative encounters but true tests of skill.

As much of a looker as 2018 was, Ragnarök dials up the majesty of this series. Attack animations and simple character movements were already great. Who cares if some animations were reused? There’s countless other gory deaths and brutal moments that make players appreciate how drop-dead inventive this game is.

When God of War 2018 featured a camera that never cut away from the action, it was fair to question if it was a stylistic choice that had no substance. Ragnarök continues the no-cut camera but provides new avenues to creatively shift the drama from place to place, only really giving itself away when traveling between realms in a flash of white light. Both games maintain a distinct direction that are likely to have no equal for quite some time.

Imagining where God of War as a series can go after Ragnarök is a fascinating thought experiment. Much like the transition from The Last of Us Part 1 to Part 2, God of War 2018 and Ragnarök exist as two sides of a coin, one side possibly more polished and attractive than the other, based on your own personal preference. While The Last of Us Part 1 exists as a watershed moment in gaming, Part 2, for me, evolved what made Naughty Dog’s original magnum opus so impactful with a touch of brilliance. Ragnarök is likely to be everything fans wanted it to be and more. And while it does exist in the haphazard mindframe of “more of the same,” it’s impossible to deny the leaps and bounds Santa Monica Studio has made.

This is a massive game that often baffled me in how impossibly wonderful it was, challenging my expectations at multiple turns. For that, I can’t help but hope that this series is allowed to rest for the time being on such a high note, possibly lying dormant for the next evolution. For me, someone who has been playing games for over 30 years now, I couldn’t imagine this kind of depth and imagination from those days of trying to create a bond that would be so short-lived. Hopefully, Ragnarök will act as an equally memorable pillar in the years to come.

God of War Ragnarök is nothing short of a masterpiece, a pinnacle of PlayStation and its efforts to capitalize on robust, narrative experiences. Acting as the culmination of Kratos and Atreus’ journey, there is enough content, heart, and action to be spread across multiple games. Yet in this singular package, Santa Monica Studios has pulled off the impossible and improved on what many consider to be true craftsmanship. Few journeys feel this deeply impactful, this epic. And somehow, God of War Ragnarök is a representation of the best gaming has to offer. An unforgettable story, intensely rewarding combat, and a devotion to player satisfaction. God of War has found its true Valhalla.