“BOY! It’s time. Time to bring down ASGARD!”… is what Kratos would likely say if he was younger and in Greece.

As we saw in the first God of War, Kratos has since toned down from being a hot-headed Spartan and the God of War, on a quest to destroy the Greek Pantheon. Even though he’s mellowed down, Kratos is still as dangerous as ever, his character and manner in each situation are based on calculated risks. But, the main challenge is, can Santa Monica Studios outdo themselves?  God of War Ragnarök is the ninth chronological title and the sequel to 2018’s God of War.

First Impressions

As a fan of the God of War series, my hopes and dreams for this game were off the charts, so it’s safe to say that it needed to be great or not good at all.

[Spoiler Alert] The opening scene sees Kratos and a teenage Atreus fighting Freya and it was LIT!!!!!!!!!!! Talk about action pack.

The intensity was suspenseful with Freya’s expression of guilt, anguish and dread as she clashed with Kratos. In a way, Danielle Nicole Bisutti played her role really well and you can see how badly the death of Baldur has affected her over the years. One part of her doesn’t want to kill Kratos and Atreus, but the other feels the need to do so to avenge her son, or at least to gain some form of retribution.

It was definitely one of, if not the best video game introductions I have seen and I wish I can turn back time to relive the moment when I reacted to the scene for the very first time. It was like how many would react to the Avengers Endgame Portal scene or when Darth Vader revealed to Luke Skywalker that he was his father in Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back.

Story

As the name suggests, Ragnarok is upon us and the Asgardians are concerned… Well, mainly Odin is afraid and wants to do everything he can to prevent the end of the nine realms.

God of War Ragnarok picks up 3 years after the events of the 2018 God of War. In the previous game, we saw Kratos and Atreus travelling to Jotunheim and spreading his wife/ mother, Laufey’s ashes on the highest peak of the tallest mountain. While on their journey, Kratos and Atreus found themselves clashing against Thor’s sons, Modi and Magni as well as Freya’s beloved and estranged son, Baldur.

Baldur’s death leads the world to Fimbulwinter, which is one step closer to Ragnarök. But, the premise of the story was Atreus trying to find himself and who he is, who Loki is.

Gameplay Mechanics

In God of War (2018) the shield was used for blocking and some minor parry attacks, but this time the shields are more versatile. The smaller shields like the Dauntless, are more for parrying, while larger ones like the Stonewall Shield are more defensive. The Stonewall Shield raises its kinetic energy and it allows the player to slam the shield into the ground, emitting a large wave of energy that knocks back enemies.

Apart from the shields, there’s also an update to Kratos’ Spartan Rage ability. Instead of one, there are three variants: Fury, Valor, and Wrath.

Fury is the standard Spartan Rage that we know and love. Bare-handed attacks that deal great damage to enemies.

Valor consumes rage energy to restore health and can also be used as a parry if activated at the right time.

Wrath unleashes a powerful weapon attack depending on what weapon is equipped.

Like the previous game, while the player plays as Kratos, his son Atreus provides assistance, helping in combat, traversal exploration, and puzzle-solving.

God of War Ragnarök has over 70 accessibility options. The game’s user interface (UI) system also had some redesigns to allow players to have more flexibility and readability. Apart from that, new customization options for combat and interaction systems were also added. 

Characters

In Ragnarok, we meet all the big players in Norse mythology. From Heimdall to Thor to the All-Father, Odin. In a way, it kinda makes you think if the Greek Pantheon were to fight with the Aesirs of Asgard, who would win?

Kratos – THE God of War

Atreus – Kratos’ son (Loki)

Mimir- Smartest Man in the World (Norse)

Freya – Baldur’s mother

Brok & Sindri – Dwarves

Thor – God of Thunder

Odin – All-Father

Tyr – Norse God of War

Durlin – Brok and Sindri’s cousin.

Angrboda – Giantess of Ironwood, Atreus’ Girlfriend

Laufey – Kratos Wife, Atreus Mother

Heimdall – God of Foresight

Sif -Thor’s Wife

Thrud – Thor’s Daughter

Surtr – guardian of Muspelheim; later became Ragnarok’s monster

 

Overall, like many other gamers, I think God of War Ragnarök is a masterpiece. If it was a painting, it’d be Van Gogh’s Starry Night. It is definitely a game that’s a worthy successor to the 2018 God of War and one that has high replayability.

God of War Ragnarök is a game that takes you on a journey, making you feel that you’re part of the game.

Rating 10/10

 

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