God of War Ragnarok Review: A Victory of Godlike Proportions

I'm going to state this up front in order to assist anyone trying to avoid even the most unimportant spoilers or merely here to quickly scan a review score in an effort to justify an expensive collector's edition pre-purchase: The finest game of its sort I've played since, well, the last one is God of War: Ragnarök. It's simple to understand a degree of trepidation about a sequel that is largely based on the same tenets after the series' formula underwent a big shake-up in the 2018 soft reboot. But it's crucial to keep in mind how strong those bases are and how much talent resides inside the walls of Santa Monica Studio.

But when it comes to the end of the world as we know it, the beginning is always the best place to start. The events of Deity of War Ragnarök start up a few years after the events of God of War 2018, and the heavenly father-son team of Kratos and Atreus are now facing the end of the world in the face after learning that Atreus is actually the Norse god Loki. The two go on a new expedition to gather any gods they can find ready to confront gods like Odin and Thor, unify the kingdoms, and try to avert the title Ragnarök as it draws near and the nine realms are engulfed in "Fimbulwinter."

What ensues over the following 20-50 hours is a fantasy epic unlike anything I've seen in a computer game of this size and renown. To mention even the most insignificant plot beats would be to ruin a plethora of really noteworthy moments that continue to dig the depths of a diverse ensemble of characters.Kratos and Atreus are taxed at every step as they pursue myths and mysteries, heal connections, make new ones, experience larger-than-life occurrences, and confront imminent death. Many of the same themes and ideas from the previous game are further explored here, but just as many new threads and perspectives are woven in, whether it's Kratos' past and how it shapes his relationship with his son, Atreus' teenage angst and desire for autonomy as his entire future is laid out in prophecy, or Freya's grief turned to hatred after the death of her own son.

And perspective is critical to the story that this game is attempting to tell, which it does by daring to pair Kratos and Atreus with new and recurring faces for segments of its story as both travelling companions and active assistance in gameplay. God of War: Ragnarök, like Horizon Forbidden West earlier this year, enhances its universe and cast of varied beings by giving them all substantially more screen time and a more immediate involvement in the adventure, and it's all the better for it.The enigmatic person behind the camera providing the game's one, uninterrupted shot continues to accomplish the Lord's job in conveying a sense of scale from the most grand to the most intimate, and the notion is carried considerably deeper and more unexpected places than anything from God of War 2018.

This is a story of community, strength, reconciling with the past and embracing the future, sadness and acceptance, and it couldn't exist without Kratos, but it's no longer his. It belongs to Freya, the Norse God of War, Tyr, the enigmatic youthful giant Angrboda, Odin, Thor, and a slew of other Norse deities you've yet to meet. Of course, there's Atreus. "It takes a village to raise a child," as the duo's new family grows over the course of the game and actually supports each other in a way that feels unique in a computer game, much alone one driven by spectacle.I would have wanted to see some of the new characters here given more time to shine and have their tales and objectives explored more thoroughly, but I'm convinced they'll be welcomed nonetheless.

I'm not a cryer, but there were times when I was on the edge of one, and it wasn't because of some gut-punching revelation or horrible fate, but because I saw these characters challenged to their very limits and come out stronger for it. It's really gratifying to see the development of this ensemble of well-rounded and shockingly human-feeling gods and legends. It's a narrative delivered with a profound regard for its characters, enormous ingenuity, equal parts levity and gravity, and a desire to create amazement in its audience.

We all remember the moment Kratos picks up the Blades of Chaos again in the last game, and the tremendous mix of gleeful nostalgia and narrative weight that it carried, and Ragnarök does an excellent job of recapturing some of those sentiments. But what's even more astounding and laudable is the audacity with which it produces new sentiments, forges new trails, and forges new legends that are as strong, if not more, than the old ones. There's so much I can't and won't tell, but the finest moments in this sequel come from the same place of providing players new tools and techniques to work with that not only offer complexity to gameplay but also provide significance to the environment and characters around them, and I believe that's something remarkable.

What I can say about gameplay and the crucial premise of being a furious ex-God of War in a planet full of mythological monsters to beat up is that fighting in Ragnarök is a better on its predecessor in almost every regard. It's something I mentioned briefly in my preview of the first few hours of the game, and it applies to the rest of it as well.Combat now has a new breadth thanks to greater verticality, a stronger emphasis on elemental skills, improved support from partner characters, and a significantly enlarged range of opponent kinds. Whereas things in God of War 2018 might ultimately tilt towards predictability, there wasn't a single encounter I went into here where I could confidently state I knew what to anticipate or how I would handle it.

When fighting foes and creatures in Ragnarök, everything matters, from the individual enemy designs and mechanics to how they're grouped together and interact, to where you're fighting them, who's with you, and what gear you're using, and all of these elements are constantly mixed up in such a way that no two fights feel the same. It's all just as meaty and rewarding as before, and for those wishing for more boss bouts, there are many, and they're all fantastic. There's never a dull moment, and the pacing of both battle and exploration is greatly enhanced by several really brilliant, momentary shifts in tone and viewpoint throughout the major plot content.

An larger arsenal and fresh progression changes add to the diversity. Whereas Forbidden West attempted to expand its gear game by simply putting plenty of stuff to the player, Ragnarök provided subtlety without becoming overpowering. Both gear and character growth benefit from the increased elemental dynamics, wider range of tools, and more flexible customisation available, making upgrades and adjustments seem like calculated decisions with real-world consequences.Things like more variety in Kratos' shields and how they impact gameplay, or the way the skills you use the most eventually gain special slots to be further augmented with mods, go a long way toward making things feel more personal and tailored without significantly disrupting the already excellent combat experience.

The character, equipment, and store menus don't always do a good job of explaining important information, but after I got my mind around it, I liked how the game pushes you to establish your chosen playstyle early on with specialised gear, then refine and grow on it over time.

The temptation of fresh riches and progression is once again a compelling cause to deviate from the crucial route, and God of War Ragnarök maintains its predecessor's tendency for balancing more linear and guided phases with plenty of opportunities to traverse more open places inside its bigger worlds. The talent of design on display here is greatly admired. There are nine realms, each packed with networks of secrets and stories that gradually reveal themselves over the course of an otherwise tightly scripted narrative that weaves in and out of them, a rotating roster of support characters, landscapes that change entire states on a whim—there are a ridiculous number of moving parts that all come together to create something that feels precisely curated at every turn.

I'm a big fan of the puzzle design in Ragnarök, whether it's the one-off difficulties scattered about each location or the large-scale, multi-part environmental riddles that frequently reveal themselves more with repeated visits. Kratos' and Atreus' enlarged repertoires, as well as the additional gear they discover along the journey, are put to good use, and everything is really intuitive. There's nothing you can't figure out by applying what you've learned about the universe's laws, and the game is so sure of this that the only thing it does to hold your hand is have other characters react to your progress and provide their own perspectives on the work at hand.

In fact, your friends' jokes and thoughts on the world around them are just as much of a cause to take advantage of any opportunity to explore. Side missions and material in the game are always narratively fascinating, liberally rewarding, and frequently surprising. Even after 50 hours, I was seeing things I'd never seen before and had the sensation that my activities were having an effect on these nine realms.Because the game's realms and gameplay possibilities don't fully open up until you have the full set of gear and abilities, the back half of the game can feel quite overwhelming with content, especially near the end, when you're suddenly handed an enormous and largely optional new area stuffed with lengthy side quests and collectibles that threatens to ruin what is, in truth, a bit of a thin climax.

However, there is a post-game state, so you can simply keep the extra challenges and treasures for when you're ready to return to the game for another God of War fix. I'd also advocate jumping back in as soon as you can; a post-game finish to one of the game's most crucial and emotional moments helps more to round out the whole experience than the slightly wobbly sequences preceding it.

Exploring each area reminded me of how powerful a sense of place the developers at Santa Monica Studio managed to establish with the last game. Returning to familiar locales in this sequel, whether intact or fully modified, triggered a flood of recollections of puzzles, boss battles, and crucial events, despite the fact that I hadn't played the 2018 game since that year.

The journey through these different and surreal regions results in one of the most astounding audiovisual experiences in the medium from both a technical and aesthetic standpoint. Nothing in this franchise has come close to capturing the feeling of awe that pervades Ragnarök. It's still a grim and violent fantasy, but Santa Monica Studio has packed such a vibrant and imaginative array of stunning landscapes, amazing creatures, and magical moments, all backed up by a wonderful score by the returning Bear McCreary that rivals some of cinema's best soundtracks when it comes to elevating the tone and mood of each scene.

Whether you're in charge or not, you can practically feel Santa Monica controlling every moment of the game from behind this camera. Cutscenes and set-piece sequences benefit from excellent camera work, filmic attention to composition and visuals, and fantastic performances, which make these characters feel both alive and larger-than-life. This is especially true with the Aesir gods, such as Odin and Thor, whose representations in Ragnarök are hilarious. I can't wait to tell others about certain parts in this film, whether for their sheer visual splendour, emotional effect, or simply being fucking great. One specific bar brawl scenario stands out as one of my favourite video game moments of all time.

CONCLUSION

God of War Ragnarok is a triumph. Santa Monica Studio has effectively taken everything that was excellent about the last game and enhanced it while fixing nearly every flaw and then some. There are a few hiccups, but it's a consistently surprise, epic adventure with true character growth, backed up by best-in-class fighting and a slew of stunning visuals. Ragnarök is an obvious GOTY candidate, as well as one of the greatest games I've played in years.

POSITIVES

• A vast, sweeping, and brilliantly written sequel.
• Worlds and personalities that are beautifully drawn and wonderfully imagined
• Combat and enemy diversity have been improved.
• It expands on the previous game's outstanding design ideas.
• The accessibility and gameplay customisation are excellent.

NEGATIVES

• The finale suffers from content bloat and an anti-climactic last push.
• Some intriguing new characters have emerged.