God of War Ragnarök: Gravitas, Knowledge, Hubris
Severity brims beneath acts to protect loved ones. Decisions weigh heavy. These characters may be gods but face human problems: loss, legacy, denial. Dare say, they encounter our hardest challenge. Seeing your blind spots and opening your eyes to a different view.
Kratos and son, Atreus, vigorously believe their paths are right; They beam with great conviction. More fervor than the visceral and very well constructed combat of Ragnarök. Shields, literally and metaphorically, deflect danger, yet create barriers and doubt between one another. Whether his stoicism, grief, trauma, or all of the above, drive Kratos to mask danger from his growing son. Does it consume him? Can he change? Will his hubris pass to Atreus?
This game answers, beautifully, "Knowledge is not always a burden."
It ain't easy being a god of war. They may be gods, but their humanity overflows; flaws and all.
Combat is frenetic. An axe swings, strikes, and launches combatants upward. The more powerful the stroke, the greater the fear Kratos feels to protect Atreus from danger.
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| Those would tell you to leave before meeting my axe, but they cannot |
Struggle manifests as Atreus comes of age. He etches his path, becomes a greater participant on his world's stage. To Kratos' chagrin, friction erupts. Atreus ventures. He denies Kratos the details, believing his actions give him the best chance to protect his father's well-being.
Father and son, suffering the same flaw out of the love to protect one another.
Only through sharing their knowledge, they acknowledge individual boundaries, move past their respective stubbornness, and overcome their shortcomings.
Mythology drama at its finest. I said cinematic. Not only in story, but for the medium. It delivers top-tier character growth. Like a good book, it will leave an impression. Well beyond this console's generation.
I must admit how aloof at combat I was at first. There are intricate combat and leveling systems at play here. By no means degrading, rather, they interplay and stack with one another. There is a learning curve, but I felt proficient by the endgame. Equipment and skill upgrades lead to a certain style of play. Would an 'Idiot's guide to leveling' have helped? Yes, but there is something to be said for a bit of struggling and learning how to use this 'high performance' leveling system. Choose wisely and feel out what works for you.
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| Choose wisely |
Gameplay is not inaccessible by any means. Eventually, you will flow through combat button executions and understand how Kratos became known as a 'god of war'. Chaining combinations of moves is extremely satisfying.
Thoughtful development features are implemented to promote accessibility. Can't see subtitles? Change the text color or make it bigger. They are numerous customizable settings here to play with and help foster your God of War experience. This is a game for everyone integrating welcoming additions to accessibility.
Voice acting is masterclass. Masterclass meaning the performance, not the online course series. The depth and sincerity of each character's words are alive. There are no weak links to this cast. Like an all-star game, you feel you are getting the best of the best; Nothing shallow or inauthentic here. Conversations revolve around deep ethical or serious topics. This may be an action game, but conflict boils to the surface as characters wade through their challenges in front (and also behind) them. Never thought I'd say this about a game, but this would make an excellent play I'd want to see in person. |
| "Like a rolling thunder chasing the wind" |
The environment is stunning to traverse. The nine realms look good, despite Fimbulwinte or a really bad winter without summer. Midgard might be plagued by a winter akin to Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back, but like Star Wars, each realm has a set environment, desert, jungle, etc. My playthrough on a launch edition PS5 is easy on the eyes.
Gameplay sections with larger explorable areas lets the game breathe more, despite my frustration with having to retrace my steps. I lost my way a few times, therefore, ending a gaming session to rally my efforts next time in finding an optional objective point. Yes, there is a game map. I sadly had trouble and was in need of a 'google maps'-like tool to help find my way.
Some of the 'explorable' level sections felt confining. Specifically, I'd hit the end of a map but wanted to explore beyond the invisible boundary. It's not bad. It took me out of the story in spurts, but I think there is an opportunity to innovate. Maybe for the next installment?
Great acting, dynamic combat and a high performing leveling system, in conjunction with a deeply thoughtful narrative about family makes God of War Ragnarök truly worthwhile. Lastly, but not least to forgot, there is brilliant writing here. There are lines are about life that really make you think. Check out dialogue from Faye; She enlightens and brings wisdom to Kratos.
Simply put, this game is special.
