God of War Ragnarok Review: In the a long time since its declaration during the PlayStation 5 exhibit, Lord of War Ragnarok has been one of the most exceptionally expected games in the medium’s set of experiences. Given what Santa Monica Studio could accomplish with God of War (2018), which would go on to establish its place in history as one of the most significant games of the generation and a true PlayStation classic, that level of hype was entirely justified.
4 years is a moderately fast circle back for a round of this extension and even with St Nick Monica Studio in charge, fans were properly suspicious of whether this will actually want to satisfy its ancestor’s norm and whether it qualifies as an undeniable continuation. It is abundantly clear that SMS (Santa Monica Studio) has made no compromises when it comes to the scale, scope, or level of polish. As a result, most of those concerns will be easily put to rest just an hour or two into God of War Ragnarok.
God of War Ragnarok Review
In its history as a studio, SMS has accomplished a number of significant accomplishments, including not only launching a significant IP with God of War but also recovering from a slump. Ragnarok is not only as good as its masterful predecessor, but it may also be the best video game sequel ever made, giving the studio yet another shining achievement. God of War Ragnarok is one of a select few sequels that has not only improved upon the original but also established new standards for the industry as a whole. The game incorporates all of the lessons learned from the original, resulting in a much larger experience that deepens the combat loop and presents a story that goes far beyond the original’s scope while keeping an eye on the narrative’s emotional quotient.
The Leviathan Axe, which Kratos uses in bloody combat to cleave through enemies of all kinds, is not the most powerful weapon in God of War Ragnarok. And it isn’t the awe-inspiring set pieces, which there are a lot of, that make you tremble at the sight of huge beasts and vast landscapes. While all of those things are remarkable, Ragnarok’s outstanding characters will really grab your attention. The solid composition. And the nuanced drama as well as the relationships between mythical characters that somehow appear genuine, believable, and earned.
God of War Ragnarok Review Details
| Article Name | God of War Ragnarok Review: Performance, User Reviews & More Details |
| God of War Ragnarok Review | Click Here |
| Category | Tech |
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God of War Ragnarok: Bigger, Badder, Faster, and a Lot More Complex
When compared to Ragnarok, the original’s combat loop, traversal, and exploration appear to be only half as good as the sequel. This is a theme that runs through all of the game’s systems. Everything, from the combat to the progression, is a lot deeper than it was in 2018, which means the game is harder. The game quickly introduces players to Kratos and Atreus’ arsenal, and you begin your journey with your trusted Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos. The combat’s fundamental structure is largely unchanged, with R1 for Light Attacks and R2 for Heavy Attacks.
The “Triangle” button now allows players to add Elemental damage to their weapons. This can be used to unleash a powerful Elemental move once charged. These enhancements form the foundation of Ragnarok’s deeper combat loop, which now offers an additional challenge. Even though it’s fun to only use one weapon in every fight, God of War Ragnarok often changes things up by putting enemies in arenas who all need different ways to fight and weapons.
The game encourages weapon switching in a way that is very similar to Doom Eternal. Enemies now take more damage from the Blades of Chaos if they have been affected by Frost from the Leviathan Axe, and vice versa. This kind of advanced combat strategy is extremely effective, especially on more difficult levels where you desperately need an advantage. This enemy type requires players to use all of their weapons, including Kratos’ shields. Regarding shields, the variety of shields Kratos can use is one of the best examples of this more complex combat loop. Now, players can select from a variety of Shields, each with its own distinctive features.
Compared to the original, some combat arenas are now quite large and have a level of verticality that is very refreshing. You will need to play the game at least on “Give Me Balanced” in order to fully experience the deep combat loop and all of its systems, even though lower difficulties can still be enjoyable. On higher difficulties, weapon switching, shield bashing, and well-timed counters are used a lot, making it the most satisfying way to play the game. The combat in God of War Ragnarok is fast and furious, requiring players to move around a lot more frequently than in previous games. You will do much better on higher difficulties if you retreat to higher ground in the hopes of dispersing enemies so that you can take on smaller groups of them head-on.
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Even those who enjoyed God of War (2018) frequently voiced their displeasure at the apparent lack of variety in boss fights. It appears that SMS has listened to those complaints, and if you were looking for a challenge, Ragnarok will provide plenty of it. The game’s small battles with mini-bosses significantly raise the difficulty level, and thankfully, the types of enemies aren’t limited to Trolls and Ogres.
The number of boss fights in the game, ranging from Wyverns to Stalkers, is absolutely jaw-dropping. Also, there are a lot of animations for boss fights, which should please those who complained about the original game’s repetitive use of similar enemies. God-on-God battles pit Kratos and Atreus against the Aesir and a wide variety of mythical creatures in the massive boss fights. You can’t help but gawk and chuckle at the sheer level of power and destruction on display, which causes every boss battle of that magnitude to elicit a visceral reaction. The game quickly surpasses the masterful boss fight with Baldur in the 2018 game and keeps raising the bar with each throwdown.
Ragnarok, like the 2018 game, deliberately reveals its enormous back catalog by storing new equipment for much later. Even though the game doesn’t really “open up” until after three hours, there are plenty of interesting things to do there. This sets a good pace because there is always something new for players to discover. There are still a few more surprises in Ragnarok, even if you think you have reached the endgame stage.
The boat makes a welcome return for traversal and exploration, as they frequently provide some of the most fascinating opportunities for exploring Lore and learning more about the Norse realms. The gameplay of God of War Ragnarok is extremely tight, and despite the game’s complexity and depth of mechanics, it never quite feels overwhelming. This is a real credit to the tutorialization of each system and the introduction of new mechanics to the player. Although Santa Monica Studio once again demonstrates why they are one of the best AAA studios in the industry, this game could have easily collapsed due to its own complexity.
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Graphics, Sound Design, and Performance
The epic, roaring score by Bear McReary, who also appears in the game as Raeb, a dwarf in Svartalfheim, may be the most significant and effective aspect of the soundscape. While McReary’s score pushes players forward in battle, it also pulls on the heartstrings and emphasizes the moment’s emotional quotient in a manner reminiscent of John Williams in the quieter moments of reflection. I’m going to keep this as vague as possible to avoid giving away any details, but make sure to complete a specific side quest after the game’s conclusion to hear the song that plays during the credits.
The 2018 game genuinely stretched the boundaries of the PS4 as far as visual loyalty and persuaded all of force the maturing console brought to the table. The PS5 version of God of War Ragnarok is absolutely jaw-dropping visually, despite being a cross-gen release. The game’s exquisitely designed environments, which never fail to awe the player, greatly aid the exploration portion of the experience.
God of War Ragnarok is a brilliant demonstration of the power of the PlayStation 5, from the mossy Vanaheim lands to the breathtaking Svartalfheim scenery. It is arguably the best-looking game currently available on the PlayStation 5. There were a few instances in the game when assets would appear and disappear while strange artifacts appeared on the screen; thankfully, these instances were not significant enough to detract from the overall experience.
God of War Ragnarok’s Story: A Sequel Done Right
Although the frantic combat of a God of War game is true to a large extent, the game’s payoff can only be achieved if the systems are backed up by an engaging narrative. The story of God of War Ragnarok compared to God of War (2018) looks awfully similar to The Last of Us compared to The Last of Us Part II, where the first game.
The original game had a story that was very narrowly focused on our protagonists’ motivations and was mostly content to be a smaller-scale story with relatively lower stakes. The sequel, on the other hand, expands the scope of the original and explodes things to unprecedented proportions. Even though the game’s first and second acts are compelling on their own, they meander a lot, and players won’t be able to figure out what drives Kratos and Atreus.
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God of War Ragnarok accomplishes a rare feat in storytelling despite the epic scope of the narrative and stakes that literally threaten to end the world. The game never loses sight of the emotionally potent nature of its smaller, less showy moments, despite the grandiosity of its narrative. Smaller moments like a private argument over dinner at a friend’s house or Mimir’s grand retelling of a seemingly innocuous event contrast with the massive god-on-god fights and mythic declarations of vengeance. Even when things are escalating at an alarming rate, God of War Ragnarok manages to maintain the relationship between Kratos and Atreus, which is at the heart of the story. However, Freya, a bereaved mother on the warpath seeking vengeance for the murder of her son by Kratos, is the best part of the game, at least for me.
Danielle Bisutti’s Freya is easily the game’s standout character, and her emotional journey is one of the game’s most powerful moments. Freya’s status as one of gaming’s all-time greats is solidified by Bisutti’s riveting performance as Freya, which is one of gaming’s most iconic performances. Her relationship with Kratos is one of the game’s most compelling foundations, and her character’s pain practically explodes into the scene. Other notable standouts include Adam J. Sunny Suljic’s flawless performance as Atreus greatly contributes to Christopher Judge’s yet another masterful performance as the fearsome and stoic character.
In the best possible way, God of War Ragnarok surprises because it gives characters emotional layers and depth you didn’t expect. Although it would have been simpler to present the Aesir as a singular antagonist with an unquenchable thirst for blood, the game forces players to consider alternative perspectives and evaluate these allegedly evil characters in a different light. The Lore markers perhaps best convey this emotional depth and complex morality. While Kratos reads the Lore, the menu lists “Friends” and “Foes” in two different sections. Atreus, on the other hand, sees the world as much more complicated and has “Friends” and “Foes” in the same section. The player is required to not only empathize with these characters but also draw unexpected parallels between them throughout the game.
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Conclusion
In the early stages of the game, God of War Ragnarok makes a lot of bold statements and only outperforms itself with each new revelation, twist, and turn. The game’s combat complexity not only makes it enjoyable to play, but it also pushes players to perform better by teaching them how to use all of the new, advanced moves at their disposal. Ragnarok is one of the most emotionally charged video games because of the game’s dedication to delevering powerful emotional arcs. It will be very interesting to see how the franchise develops in the future. With Ragnarok, the Norse chapter comes to an end on a high note, and it’s safe to say that PlayStation Studios has figured out how to make huge AAA hits without sacrificing polish or scale.
God of War Ragnarok Review FAQ’S
Is Gow Ragnarok worth playing?
It depends on what you want. The story in Rag is significantly better. It's not close. But there's a lot more world exploration and side questing/collecting in FW.
Is God of War Ragnarok hit or flop?
God of War Ragnarok was praised and became the fastest-selling PlayStation game in history. It was a pretty historic release and many even had it pegged to win the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards.
What is so good about God of War Ragnarok?
An excellent execution of highly-engaging combat, stunning technical artistry, and incredibly strong, impactful character drama. The most powerful weapon God of War Ragnarok wields isn't the Leviathan Axe, which Kratos uses to cleave through enemies of all sorts in bloody combat.
Is Ragnarok better than Gow?
God of War: Ragnarok is bigger, with the narrative shared more equally between Kratos and Atreus. However, God of War (2018) has a superior story. It is intimate and hard-hitting it is as a return to Kratos and his evolution.
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