PLATFORM: PS4, PS5 (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Taking place a few years after 2018’s God of War: Ragnarok finds series protagonist Kratos and his now teenage son Atreus facing the harsh realities of Fimbulwinter, the great winter that precedes the end of the world. Steeped in Norse mythology and littered with supernatural elements, the story takes Kratos, Atreus and their band of followers on a journey through the Nine Realms where the dad and lad team face neverending hordes of mystical enemies and dangerous hazards during the course of their quest to avert the end of the world, while also dealing with a rather large helping of personal quandaries.
As a direct continuation of the story / series, it’s pretty much business as usual on the gameplay front. Several of the Nine Realms will already have been explored by those who played the previous instalment, but here we see them from some different angles as well as visiting the handful of locations that didn’t make an appearance last time. Some familiar faces return too, so you’re likely to get more out of the story if you’ve reached the end of 2018’s campaign, although a brief catch-up video is included to get those who need it up to speed. The satisfying combo-based combat also returns with a handful of unlockable abilities that make Kratos and Atreus stronger as the game progresses. All of the weapons and armour you find is upgradeable, and your ever-present companions provide a decent amount of support during the more chaotic enemy encounters. There’s a wider variety of monsters to take down than before, and some of the boss fights are up there with the best in the entire series.
In an attempt to shake things up a bit, Ragnarok includes a few sections where you play as Atreus, complete with a handful of unique skills to really differentiate his combat style from the rest of the game. As fun as these are, it can sometimes feel a bit frustrating to have spent so much time getting the hang of Kratos’ abilities and then suddenly finding yourself forced into a completely different style for an extended period of time. In a similar “potentially getting in the way of all the fun” vein, the story can sometimes overrule the gameplay, with dialogue rarely letting up outside of combat and players being subjected to lengthy scenes of exposition (and maybe a few too many heavy-handed “emotional” scenes) when all you really want to do is run around smashing monsters’ heads in with your massive axe. It’s no deal-breaker of course, but maybe something for more impatient players to be aware of.
With its weighty and satisfying combat, lavish environments and ridiculously high production values, God of War: Ragnarok is an excellent follow up to a modern classic. It might fall slightly short in a couple of areas, but it’s still an easy recommendation for fans of the series.
