God of War: Ragnarök – Fight Your Fate

Kicking off and lasting most of November, God of War: Ragnarök took up most of my playing time. Granted, when Pokémon came out later that month, I was juggling both games. However, God of War quickly became one of my favorite games this year. It followed its predecessor beautifully and without a doubt surpassed it.

Anticipation Meets Reality

I can imagine that it was very difficult to build upon 2018’s God of War, but Santa Monica Studio pulled it off. Every lingering question was answered. I was impressed from start to finish with the craftsmanship that went into this game. It remained true to the series, while adding so much new content that it honestly surprised me. Some were worried about it just feeling like DLC but that is not the case at all.

Exploration has been refined here, introducing new mechanics to get around the world. Combat is flawless, giving the player plenty of options when deciding how to handle enemies. Kratos’ weapons will be familiar to you if you played the first title, yet finely tuned to play just a bit differently. There are also new runic attacks to make things feel fresh.

All in all this game lived up to my expectations and then some. It left me satisfied, impressed and begging for more. I’m still chipping away at the platinum trophy and am still constantly impressed with what this game throws at me. There’s a lot to sink your teeth into, probably more than what was in the first game.

Fate Versus Free Will

You’ll quickly notice that this is the main theme of this game. While I don’t ever want to spoil anything in my posts, there might be a few minor spoilers here so if you haven’t played this game yet you have been warned. Kratos and Atreus spend the majority of the game on different sides of this debate. It creates tension between them and their allies and it ultimately proves to get the best of them for a time.

I appreciated the way they handled these themes though and how they tied Kratos’ previous adventures into it. Naturally Kratos is not a believer of fate. Given what he has been through and experienced himself, he is a firm believer that he drives his own destiny. He is a Spartan god living in Norse mythology. Needless to say, if anyone can cheat fate, it would be him.

Atreus though, is still very young. He also doesn’t know any other life but the one they have had in Midgard. He fears for the future and for his father’s destiny. While he wants to prevent the prophecy Kratos sees at the end of the first game, he fears that he can’t. It is in that spirit that he feels like he needs to forge his own path away from Kratos to find answers of his own.

During all of this though, it really proves how strong Kratos and Atreus’ bond has become. Atreus has grown into a fine young warrior that Kratos is clearly proud of. With that growth though, comes the ability to form his own opinions and speak loudly of those opinions. It creates a weird be necessary tensions throughout the game that tests both them and their allies.

A Lesson In Storytelling

If there is one thing Sony exclusive games have been getting right lately, it’s storytelling. My gosh every release has sent me on a fantastic journey which has led me to fall in love with new and old characters. These new God of War games are perfect examples of this, shedding more light and backstory into Kratos as a character.

While I’m sure we all picked up these games for Kratos, he certainly isn’t the only character here. His son Atreus plays a huge role, even more so in this sequel. Really though, it feels like the entire cast are man characters. Throughout the story, we learn so much about every single individual in this title. Santa Monica Studio crafted a masterpiece in storytelling, worthy of every bit of praise it received.

The struggle between Kratos and Atreus is definitely the focal point here, but it affects everyone around them. Everything comes together perfectly and no stone is left unturned. There are plenty of plot twists and shocking moments to keep you on the edge of your seat, too. In typical God of War fashion, there are also plenty of action-packed moments, sure to get your blood pumping. It is truly a flawless experience through and through.

Anger Can Be A Weapon

Naturally, Ragnarok thrives on its combat. Every hit carries weight. Every action feels impactful in your hands, especially with the help of the Dualsense controller. Enemies vary presenting many different combat scenarios. This encouraged me to try out every combo, runic attack and weapon this game had to offer.

Depending on how you decide you want to fight, your armor can help boost certain stats in your favor. Want a boost in rage? There’s an armor piece for that. There are also artifacts to equip, new summons for Atreus, and an even more engaging skill tree. There is plenty here to mess around with and figure out which play style suits you best. Once you do, combat will feel even more incredible.

I think my favorite thing about this game ended up being the boss battles. Each one is entirely unique and jam packed with action. There are also differing ways to finally finish them off. What really sold me on these fights though was the fact that Kratos and Atreus were fighting together flawlessly. Clearly, they have been training together during the time that took place between these two titles and the progress shows. They communicate more, and even share some combos from time to time. It really helps drive the fact home that despite what they have had to face, they will always be family.

Conclusion

All in all, God of War: Ragnarök certainly made my top ten list this year. I’ve played so many good games this year, but this one is pretty high up on that list. This game really just got everything right. From storytelling to presentation to gameplay, everything came together perfectly. My time spent in the Nine Realms will never be forgotten.I am eager to watch this franchise continue to grow because Santa Monica Studio is really sitting on something special here. Until then though, I still have plenty to complete in this game and I will continue to enjoy every single second of it.