God of War: Ragnarök, released in 2022, serves as the highly anticipated follow-up to the 2018 God of War reboot. The game picks up several years after the events of its predecessor, continuing the journey of Kratos and Atreus as they navigate new conflicts and revelations, many of which are direct consequences of their actions in the first game. Along the way, players encounter both new and returning characters, including Mimir, Brok, Sindri, and Freya.

God of War (2018) - Thoughts

John Murphy

·

June 17, 2024

God of War (2018) was released on the PlayStation 4 in 2018 by Sony’s Santa Monica Studios. God of War is a reboot of the series, picking up many years after God of War III for the PlayStation 3. Kratos has somehow ended up in the realm of the Norse and instead of encountering characters like Zeus, Hermes and Athena he meets Norse gods like Baldur, Thor…

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Ragnarök was a massive success, becoming the fastest-selling first party PlayStation exclusive in history. It sold 5.1 million units in its first week and reached an impressive 15 million units by December 2023. The game received widespread critical acclaim, winning multiple awards, including Game of the Year at the Titanium Awards and Best Narrative at The Game Awards, along with Adventure Game of the Year from the D.I.C.E. Awards. In total, Ragnarök won or was nominated in 90 categories across various gaming awards since its release.

What I Liked 😃

The Dwarven Duo

As in God of War (2018), some of my favorite characters in Ragnarök were the dwarf brothers Brok and Sindri, who serve as Kratos and Atreus' blacksmiths. Brok is a gruff, foul-mouthed, and perpetually grumpy blue dwarf who, despite his rough exterior, deeply cares for his friends. Sindri, on the other hand, is more refined and meticulous, with an obvious germophobia that leads to some of the best comedic moments in the game.

In Ragnarök, the dwarves play an even bigger role in the story, and based on how the game ends, it’s likely this trend will continue in a potential third installment. Beyond their expanded narrative presence, their comedic banter remains top tier. Brok continues to be brash and hilarious, while Sindri's anxieties and quirks make for excellent comic relief.

Of course, Kratos and Atreus are the emotional core of the game, and their journey drives the story forward. But for me, Brok and Sindri add an element of fun and warmth that makes the experience even more enjoyable. They balance out the game's heavy themes, providing much-needed levity without feeling out of place.

It’s a Twist!

Spoiler Warning: The following section contains spoilers for God of War: Ragnarök. If you don’t want any plot details revealed, skip ahead to the next section!

Okay, now that that's out of the way-what a twist!

One of the most shocking moments in Ragnarök was the reveal that Týr was actually Odin in disguise the entire time. The execution of this twist was brilliantly handled, and I genuinely didn’t see it coming. I had suspicions that something might be off about Týr, but Odin? That was nowhere on my radar.

Pulling off a twist like this requires careful planning, excellent writing, and subtle foreshadowing, and Santa Monica Studios absolutely nailed it. The reveal added a whole new layer of depth to the story, making me appreciate the writing team’s efforts even more.

Mythological

I’ve always loved mythology, and Ragnarök continues to dive deep into its Norse roots. There’s more lore, more stories from Mimir, and an even grander scale than the first game. While Ragnarök remains at the heart of the story, this time, Kratos plays an unexpected role in shaping its outcome.

The game does an amazing job at showcasing the grandeur of Norse mythology. From the colossal Jörmungandr to the mighty Thor, the sense of scale and spectacle is breathtaking. The presence of giants, gods, and mythical creatures reinforces the feeling that players are experiencing something legendary unfold before them.

Furthermore, the game expands on Atreus’ role as Loki, exploring what it truly means for him to be the God of Mischief and how his destiny ties into the events of Ragnarök. The way the game weaves mythology into its narrative makes it feel both authentic and unique, creating a world that is as rich in lore as it is visually stunning.

What I Didn’t Like ☹️

“Fast” Travel and Navigation

One of my biggest gripes with Ragnarök—and the 2018 game, for that matter—is the fast travel system. The problem? It’s not really fast travel.

Yes, technically, you can use Mystic Gateways to teleport across the map, but the process feels cumbersome. You have to find a gateway, interact with it, enter a realm between realms, and then emerge at another gateway elsewhere. This isn’t exactly the seamless, instant travel that most modern games offer.

In 2025, I expect to be able to fast travel from anywhere, especially after finishing the main story. The lack of true fast travel is made worse by the map’s confusing navigation system. Several times, I found myself completely lost while hunting collectibles or completing side quests. Either I’d wander into the wrong area, or I’d finish a quest and have to manually trek back to a gateway to initiate fast travel.

This was a frustrating issue for me in the 2018 game, and unfortunately, Ragnarök doesn’t improve upon it. While the game world is gorgeous and fun to explore, there are moments when the tedious navigation takes away from the experience.

Kratos Got Skillz

Another aspect I found frustrating was the skill tree system. Don’t get me wrong - I love customization and progression in games, but Ragnarök’s skill tree can be a tad overwhelming.

By the time you reach the late game, Kratos has so many abilities and combat techniques that it becomes difficult to keep track of everything. Some skills are situational, while others feel redundant or easy to forget. There were several instances where I unlocked new moves, but I either didn’t realize I had them or simply forgot to use them in battle.

The UI doesn’t help much either—while visually striking, the skill tree could be better organized to make it easier to understand which abilities are essential versus which ones are just optional enhancements.

Overall Thoughts 🤔

God of War: Ragnarök is another great entry into the God of War series. It expands upon the continuing narrative of Kratos and Atreus; it has great visuals with wild set pieces set within the existing Norse mythology and the same great gameplay that the previous game was known for. I still have problems with the navigation, fast travel system and the sheer overwhelming number of skills and powers. But Ragnarök surpasses those issues, and it was a great experience for me and perhaps even more spectacular than the first game. I also played some of the Valhalla DLC which adds rogue-lite mechanics into an already packed game. I’m excited to see where Santa Monica Studios takes the series; there are rumors that the next game could be set in a completely different mythology and that would be really neat.

Where Can I Play This? 🕹️

God of War: Ragnarök can be played on the PS5 and on PC.

I played the game physically on PS5. I obtained all the trophies in the main game and also played some of the Valhalla DLC.

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