2018’s God of War isn’t just a reboot of a hit series, it’s a fresh makeover that turns a gruff brawler into an emotionally resonant story and establishes Sony’s first-party Creative power to beat in the game world. Blockbuster games.
Ragnarok couldn’t be built on PS5 with a new look, a new perspective (gameplay and storyline) and a new world. But while it’s very similar to the last game, given its undeniable brilliance, that’s not a bad thing, is it?
I was a little apprehensive at the start of Ragnarok. Instead of pulling the heartstrings, it’s pulling your arteries with the Chains of Olympus before it actually has time to recreate its characters, settings, and scenes. If the whole game were this thick, we’d stray into the nine realms of melodrama, but luckily Ragnarok quickly took hold and settled into the tonal ping pong of a contemplative coming-of-age story that explores relationships. The ball has shady edges and also requires regular breaks to slam monsters with a great axe until their heads fall off. This is video game.
Ragnarok is a very direct sequel to 2018’s God of War, dealing with the aftermath of the previous game, the conflict caused by revelations at the climax, and introducing new characters while developing existing characters.
Early in the game, it’s all wrapped up in familiar balanced, brutal combat that’s easy to pick up, but demanding enough in terms of reflex action and combo input to give you the challenge you want.
Plus the sound and visual design are as good as ever. It’s become a cliché to talk about the “weight” of a fight, but audio tricks and clever movement slowdowns to maximize skin-to-skin spanking and axe-to-bone crushing let every drop of adrenaline flow and subtly ensure Your eyes will only be front and center in each battle. Of course, all of this is played from an over-the-shoulder angle, and it feels like lugging a fully loaded backpack down a flight of stairs—heavy but safe.
The main problem with Ragnarok so far, though, is that the bar is so high that it’s easy to take some of its best elements for granted. There were times when I found myself weaving through lush, detailed environments without really appreciating their scope and vibe as I jumped from monster closet to closet. It’s an extensive retelling of Norse mythology, with plenty of impressive lighting, so perhaps to the game’s credit, the fantasy world around you doesn’t prevent a pause in disbelief.
But the same goes for set-pieces, whether they’re staggeringly huge or intimate and terrifying. They came so thick and fast that you were almost spoiled. Consistent delivery in this regard, however, is certainly Ragnarok’s virtue, and as the stakes rise, there are of course some surprises lurking to take things to the next level.
