One of gaming’s most beloved heroes returns in a next-generation PlayStation exclusive that’s good enough to blow a god’s mind…
God of War Ragnarök
Developer: Sony Santa Monica
Format: PS5, PS4
Genre: Action-Adventure
Release Date: November 9
God of War is blockbuster entertainment. It always has been. Since we first stepped into the shoes of a young Spartan warrior called Kratos back in 2005, to the grizzled god killer we see in 2022, scarred to his soul, Sony has never failed to deliver something special with this series. God of War is the kind of experience that makes you go, “wow, so this is what a game can be.”
For those of you that are new to the series, count us jealous. You can experience
it all from the very beginning if you like. There are nine games in the series main lineage and in respect to the fact you may one day go on that journey, we won’t give too much away about the grander story.
Needless to say, after initially playing out in an alternate version of Ancient Greek mythology, in 2018, God of War repositioned itself. We rediscovered Kratos as an older man, hiding from his past in Scandinavia with a son, Atreus. But hide, he could not. Now embroiled in the Asgardian politics of Norse mythology, a new set of gods would have their way with him and his family.
You don’t need to have played the first seven God of War games to enjoy God of War Ragnarök, but we do recommend playing through the 2018 God of War, to which this game is a direct sequel. See the boxout on how to best do that.
Needless to say, it’s three years after the events of the last game. The great winter is defrosting and the prophesised end of days (i.e. Ragnarök) is coming. Our hero is journeying through the nine realms trying to seek a better understanding of his son’s identity, while preventing the coming apocalypse. Only problem is that he has two vengeful gods on his tail in Thor and Freya.
As we’ll detail, God of War’s action experience is as good as it gets, but what’s made the series so iconic is the attention to detail in the world building and the depth in its characters. Here is a story that will fully immerse you. Performances and dialogue are as good as anything in entertainment, in particular the dynamic between a father who has seen it all, and a rebellious son who has been born into a burden not his doing.
Ultimately its that relationship taking centre stage. “Fate only binds you if you let it,” Kratos teaches tellingly at one point.
Visually, God of War Ragnarök is a powerhouse. The game is playable and beautiful on PlayStation 4, but on PS5 it pushes back the boundaries of what we thought was possible. Detail, lighting, scale, animations and more congeal into a feast for the eyes. It grounds the outlandish setting in a brutal, intimate reality where giant bosses and creatures of folklore come to life.
If you’re into Norse mythology, you’ll be rewarded at every turn. And returning fans will be happy to see a broader depth of environments and settings as they experience Kratos’ new journey. Most notably the massive Dwarven realm of Svartalfheim.
But, yes, God of War is at its core an action game. Despite the two protagonists, it’s a single player experience with Kratos taking the lead. Yet Atreus is no mug in battle, the AI able to hold his own in close quarters combat, but most effective from range where he can fire arrows to help his father mop up the masses. Arteus’ toolkit does expand in some interesting ways, too. For example, he can summon a spirit elk to mount and ride into battle.
The thrill of playing as Kratos is how fluidly the deep combat mechanics come together. He flows through a battlefield like a ballerina of blood. As you come to understand the combat and progress your available arsenal, the litany of attacks, counters, blocks, weapons and special abilities fuse together in a manner that never feels predetermined. The battle bows to your quick thinking, and does so with a brutality that lets the power of Kratos flow through the controller and into your hands.
A huge part of why it works is the way combat and traversal are intimately linked. Whether you’re grappling up to higher platforms to slingshot into enemies, leaping down on foes below, diving out of harm’s way or pushing back opponents to give yourself a chance to reposition, it all feels cohesive. And setpieces seamlessly transition from cutscene to gameplay. The result is not just immersive, but the purist form of fun.
Like its predecessor, God of War Ragnarök is must-play gaming and one of the best arguments for choosing a PlayStation 5 as your console of choice. Don’t miss it.
PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Plus is the online service for Sony’s consoles. Up until June 2022, there was only one version. For $79.95/year it granted you access to online play, a few free games to download each month, cloud storage and discounts. But it has since changed. There are now three tiers.
The Essential plan remains unchanged from what you would have experienced previously. However, you can now also get an Extra plan for $134.95/year. As well as the above access, it also gives you entry to a virtual library of around 400 games from across the history of PlayStation to play whenever you like. This includes the 2018 God of War entry, so is a great way to catch up. You also get access to the Ubisoft+ Classics collection, which is quickly approaching 50 games.
There is then a third Deluxe tier at $154.95. This adds in the ability to trial some of the newest releases for a limited time before you buy them.
By CHRIS STEAD
For the full article grab the November 2022 issue of MAXIM Australia from newsagents and convenience locations. Subscribe here.
