An icy winter has settled over Midgard. Ragnarok – the end of the world in Norse mythology – creeps closer, and behind the scenes Odin works for his own survival. At the center of all this is the Greek god of war Kratos and his son Atreus, who stumbled into Norse mythology in the 2018 game “God of War”. Now the saga continues in “God of War Ragnarök”. Strikingly beautiful BEAUTIFUL VISTAS: Many of the nine kingdoms from Norse mythology are presented in “God of War Ragnarök”. Here Kratos looks out over Svartalfheim. Photo: Santa Monica Studio And to get it out of the way right away: This game is, in every way that matters, exactly the sequel I had hoped for. Wildly engaging battles against gods, dragons, trolls, valkyries and monsters await here. It’s an epic journey through the nine realms, from Midgard to Nivlheim. Treasure hunting, cool weapons, an absolutely fantastic combat system, stunningly beautiful environments and gorgeous exploration. Brilliant continuations of what was experienced in the predecessor, all together. Action and adventure from the very top shelf of gaming media. Feel at home Adjustments have been made to both the combat system, the progression and the general playability, but it is primarily a direct sequel that continues the story. VARIATION: Muspelheim is just one of many realms you can visit in the game. The variation in both flora, fauna, surroundings and enemies is enormous. THE PRICE OF REVENGE: The goddess Freya is a central character in “God of War Ragnarök”, as she was in its predecessor. UPGRADED: The combat system in the game is recognizable from its predecessor, but has been a lot of tweaks, more nuances and more variety. MORE MATURE: Right from the start of the game, it’s clear that it’s been a few years since the last time. Kratos makes arrows for his son Atreus, who has now provided tonight’s dinner on his own. FRIEND OR ENEMY: Kratos and Atreus meet many beautiful creatures from Norse mythology. END OF THE WORLD: The icy winter heralds the end of the world in “God of War Ragnarök”. Being able to drive dog sleds, I mean wolf sleds, is one of several successful innovations. If you have played the predecessor, you will immediately feel at home. It’s a lovely and extremely entertaining rollercoaster of cool experiences and strong twists. A gaming experience that keeps its cards close to its chest, and that regularly puts one surprising ace after another on the table. The music by Bear McCreary (who also made music for the TV series “The Rings of Power” and “The Walking Dead”) is fantastic. The voice actors do excellent interpretations. And you move through flora, fauna and environments that take your breath away. CREATIVE AND EXCITING: Santa Monica Studio has taken Norse mythology as its starting point and created its own, exciting version. You meet, among other things, the wolves Skoll and Hate, who ensure that it becomes day and night.SANTA MONICA STUDIO/SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT Social realism What lifted “God of War” to the very top shelf in 2018, however, was the relatable, close and emotional story of father and son. The development of the relationship between Kratos and Atreus was spot on. “God of War Ragnarök” continues and reinforces this social realist backdrop. But where the predecessor focused on the father role of the god of war Kratos, this sequel is primarily focused on the journey of his son Atreus. Many will probably recognize themselves here. “Ragnarök” depicts and goes in depth on challenges both children and parents experience in the transition from child to adult. And it is often very moving and powerfully told. A recurring theme is the power of saying sorry. In forgiving. And in accepting and respecting each other. TEEN: Atreus has aged a few years since the last game, and now takes much more control of his own destiny and everyday life. Daddy Kratos is doing his best to keep up.SANTA MONICA STUDIO/SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT Knowing where Kratos is coming from, the tangled ball of anger and repressed emotions he’s been, it’s really impressive when he gradually accepts that his son Atreus has to get walk their own path and make their own choices. – If you don’t want him to leave you, it would be smart to go with him a bit on the road, says the voice of reason Mimir to Kratos when he complains about his lack of obedience. It might be a bit cliche-obvious, but it’s true. The sound of this type of conversation resonates throughout the experience. Narcissistic sociopath It is also right on the verge of tearing down mythological walls when Odin is portrayed as a narcissistic sociopath who rules his family with a cold iron hand. Odin’s suffocating shadow rests over the alcoholism and family problems of his son Tor, for example. GOD AGAINST GOD: It’s quite intense when the thunder god Thor and the god of war Kratos clash. Photo: SANTA MONICA STUDIO/SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT We are in the same territory as the TV series “Succession” – Odin and Logan Roy are two cubits of the same piece. It is a clever and interesting way of presenting the Norse gods. The screenwriters probably use a rather broad brush now and then. Portraying emotions and relationships is demanding, it doesn’t take much before one has one foot planted in the obvious and obviously emotionally manipulative. The developers may not place the whole foot there, but many enough toes for it to be a bit disturbing. Occasionally. A bit overloaded Not all the story threads and locations are equally successful either. “God of War Ragnarök” sometimes feels a little overloaded with content, there are things that could have been cut here. But it took me about 35 hours to get to the scrolling text. Followed by 10-15 hours of unraveling loose threads. And an almost completed playthrough number two. The vast, vast majority of these hours have been brilliant. REFLECTION: “God of War Ragnarök” provides many opportunities for quiet contemplation and reflection, especially during the many and welcome canoe trips. Here you get conversations that make you better acquainted with Kratos and Atreus, Mimir puts events in an exciting context and Kratos tells stories from the old days. Photo: SANTA MONICA STUDIO/SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT The objections are therefore mostly about what “God of War” can be in 2022. Compared to the rest of the genre and the game medium in general, there is still very little that comes close to what you get served here. With the sky-high expectations for this game in mind, it is a real pleasure to report that “God of War Ragnarök” is both a fantastic, lavish action experience – and a touching, accurate and extremely exciting family saga. news reviews Photo: Santa Monica Studio Title: “God of War Ragnarök” Genre: Action adventure Age limit: 18+ Developer: Santa Monica Studio Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Platform: PS5 and PS4 Date: 9 November 2022 Hello! I’m a freelance writer about games for news. On a daily basis, I work at Level Up Norway. If you want to read more about games, I can recommend two of the many indie games that have characterized the gaming year 2021: the adventure game “Sable” and the couples therapy game “It Takes Two”.
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“God of War Ragnarök” – Reviews and recommendations
