Introduction

God of War: Ragnarok was released for the PS4 and PS5 on Wednesday, and it is considered to be the most significant PlayStation exclusive release since The Last of Us Part 2 in 2020. It was well worth the wait, as Ragnarok turned out to be one of the most impressive games of 2022. The God of War sequel presents players with magnificent kingdoms and intense action, but its narrative may be its most compelling component. This story is built on the friendship that exists between Kratos and his son Atreus. Together, they face the threat of Ragnarok, the conflict that will end all wars.

Anyone who has the stomach for it will appreciate the game’s combat, which has some graphically impressive and intellectually challenging problems. Anyone who can play the game will like it. To fully appreciate the narrative, though, you will need to refresh your knowledge of ancient history. Before venturing into the chaos that is God of War: Ragnarok, veterans of the series may find it helpful to refresh their memories on certain crucial aspects of the story, while newcomers to the series should make it a point to familiarise themselves thoroughly with the backstory of the franchise.

It is helpful for players, especially newbies, to have prior knowledge of the fundamental principles of God of War Ragnarok’s fighting, exploration, and narrative cycle. This information can assist players to ease into the game. The following is a list of five things that each player should be aware of and keep in mind when playing God of War: Ragnarok.

1. Swordplay and shield-fighting

While firearms are useful, Kratos is a deity with superhuman reflexes and power who is just as effective when utilising his fists. Kratos’ fists have the added benefit of doing stun damage considerably more quickly than the weapons.

In addition to his bare hands, Kratos also makes use of his Guardian Shield, which not only deflects and parries blows but also deals significant damage thanks to the offensive skills that can be unlocked for it. Santa Monica Studio expanded on the shield system in God of War: Ragnarok by offering players access to a variety of shields, each of which requires a unique strategy.

2. Ability progression for allies and magical conjuring

In God of War: Ragnarok, Kratos is more than capable of taking care of business on his own, but his son Atreus is no slouch, either.

In God of War (2018), Atreus’s archery powers were given their own branch of the skill tree, complete with various elemental benefits and a distinct runic summons feature that allowed him to call upon spirits that greatly benefited him in battle.

In God of War Ragnarok, which takes place a few years after the events of the last game, Atreus has matured into a competent warrior in the mould of his father. Players of God of War Ragnarok, especially those taking on the game’s harder settings, would be wise to remember that Atreus and their other allies can make all the difference in the outcome of certain battles.

3. Don’t rush things and enjoy the game

While God of War: Ragnarok is, at its core, a hack-and-slash action game in the vein of the series’ earlier entries, players should take their time with this one because of its strong narrative. The best approach to play the first two God of War games is to take your time, soak up the setting, travel to new realms, and learn fascinating facts about the Norse world and its many fascinating inhabitants.

4. Quests and favours on the side

The God of War games had traditionally focused on mindless action and featured a linear story and gameplay that did not allow for many detours. Instead of a traditional character-action offering, Santa Monica Studio created God of War (2018) as an open-world action-adventure game. The game isn’t an open-world game per, but it plays like one in that it provides a variety of optional activities (called “favours”) to complete between story missions.

Some of the best runic attacks, enchantments, talismans and upgrade materials in God of War (2018) can be found in the game’s supplemental content, which also features a substantial amount of story and some genuinely unforgettable tales. Simply put, God of War Ragnarok 2 is a masterpiece in its own right, and gamers should not skip over the optional DLC.

5. Combos and weapon changes

The God of War series has never been about anything but intense and rewarding fighting. The original games in the series enabled players to try out different weaponry, much like in any other character-action series. Players may string together light and heavy attacks with a variety of weapons on the fly, resulting in some truly impressive and lethal combos.

However, due to the Leviathan Axe being the only weapon available for the first half of the game, God of War (2018) does not provide much room for tactical exploration. As soon as Kratos obtained the Blades of Chaos, opportunities for multi-weapon combinations arose, but players were denied access to them for a sizable chunk of the game’s length.

However, in God of War Ragnarok, players will have the Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos available to them almost immediately, in addition to certain critical talents that will make the game’s beginning significantly more exciting than the previous titles. Combat requires constant switching between the two weapons, but it’s also a lot of fun because players can use both the regular and runic attacks to create longer combos.

Conclusion

The fact that God of War Ragnarok is the concluding entry in Kratos’s Norse mythology means that players should not make any hasty decisions on when they want to view the game’s ending. Instead, they should take their time with it and finish all of the side quests, favours, optional boss fights, and other activities before finally making their way to the concluding chapters of Kratos and Atreus’ journey.