The return to Midgard and the remaining nine realms is drawing near. God of War Ragnarok launches on PS5 and PS4 on his November 9th. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to scout and experience his PS5 version of Kratos and Atreus’ ongoing journey first-hand.
There’s a lot to talk about in terms of pure gameplay, visuals, original new enemies, locations, etc., so there won’t be any major spoilers in this article. , says it doesn’t take long to deliver memorable and unexpected moments with its diverse cast of mythical characters.
Learn about God of War Ragnarok’s familiar and fresh combat, deadly new enemies, exotic locations and more.
Immerse yourself in mythology on PS5
wonder of winter – The world of Midgard shines on PS5 thanks to crisp 4K visuals and smooth framerates (I played in performance mode). Fimbulwinter stalks the land, including the homesteads of Kratos and Atreus. As the character walks through it, the snow is shattered and small ice crystals catch the light on the surface of the snow. Frozen waterfalls stand like intricate, towering works of art. The atmosphere of this snowy Midgard perfectly captures the serenity of a winter walk in the woods.
haptic immersion – Santa Monica Studio takes full advantage of the DualSense wireless controller haptics. One sequence involves fleeing a violent avalanche on a dog sled. The tactile feel of the DualSense controller thumped in my hand, conveying both the deep roar of the earth beginning to murmur and the light rolling clumps of snow. During combat, Leviathan’s ax wields an additional visceral punch, and when the boomerang weapon is recalled, the tentacles gradually expand and the ax lands in his hand with a fleshy thud. Different tactile sensations bring texture to subtle moments, such as Kratos laying his tired body on the bed.
Versatile Combat Options
calm down – I admit it took me until late in God of War (2018) to master the new combat mechanics. In contrast, reclaiming Kratos’ Ax and Blades of Chaos at the beginning of God of War Ragnarok filled me with confidence and a desire to fight. Having both weapons at the beginning allowed me to use Kratos’ arsenal more fully.
death from above – Kratos can now sprint off cliffs and smash into enemies below. The new combat options are a strong example of God of War Ragnarok’s emphasis on verticality within the environment.
stay frosty – Holding down the triangle button used to equip and recall Leviathan Ax will apply the Frost Awaken effect to your next melee or ranged attack. Pressing R1 during Frost Awaken will perform Frozen Breach. Holding R1 while aiming while in Frost Awaken will perform a Frozen Spike. This is a quick throw of the Leviathan Ax that causes a Frost explosion on impact. Kratos’ expanded elemental attack range injects fresh new options into each encounter.
chaos flame blade – Similar to Leviathan Axe’s Frost Awakened, you can perform Flame Whiplash by equipping Blade of Chaos and mashing the triangle button. This charges Kratos’ chained tools with fire, perfect for melting down enemy ice defenses. More importantly, Kratos looks undeniably cool as he spins his chain of blades and stirs up flames.
Huldra Homestead – Kratos and Atreus visit Brok and Sindri’s shop and home to get ready. While there, I upgraded Leviathan Ax to level 2, greatly increasing its damage and unlocking new tiers of skill tree abilities. Atreus is also equipped with new armor. My favorite detail is the inclusion of chests with lost loot. The Haldra Brothers store resources that players may have accidentally left behind on the battlefield.
gear customization – Again, you can customize your weapons and armor, including slotable gems for Kratos’ Leviathan Axe. After battling a ferocious stalker named The Huntress, he acquired Winter’s Bite, a light rune attack that creates ice clumps around Kratos’ ax for extra damage. The other applies a flaming uppercut style attack to Blades of Chaos. I’ve found both moves useful as a quick escape card from prison when surrounded by enemies.
shield of choice – Kratos’ Guardian Shield is damaged in combat and Brok offers to create additional defenses while repairing. Players can choose between two new shields for him at the start. The Stone Wall Shield, which specializes in absorbing and countering attacks, and the Dauntless Shield, which specializes in high-risk, high-reward parries. Eventually, players will be able to rake in enough resources to craft all of their shields.
Dauntless Shield test drive – I chose Dauntless Shield in hopes that my experience in mastering narrow parry windows in action games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will help me. Hooray! A carefully timed tap on his L1 against an incoming strike will dodge the attack and generate a flash of light that stuns the enemy. This is very useful for crowd management and enjoys an incentive to study enemy attack patterns better.
territorial threat
tall slowdown – If you liked the bombastic encounter with Balder at the start of God of War (2018), you’ll look forward to clashing Thor with his ax and hammer in an equally spectacular battle. Unleash combos like grabs, lightning-infused Mjolnir blasts, and area-of-effect volleys. Two gods wrestle and soar through the skies as battle rages across multiple frozen landscapes. Thor’s attacks are non-stop, and he’s careful to cut his insults to Kratos’ parenting skills when he’s not fully attacking.
Raider Rumble – Hardy and violent Raiders wander the Wild Woods and attack Kratos. These melee and ranged enemies are easy fodder to hone your melee skills and satisfying test dummies to boot.
Battle of Bjorn – A powerful bear attacks in one of the first boss fights. Brawny Animals starts with predictable swipes for Kratos to parry, but also introduces additional cues, such as yellow circles that indicate Kratos can block but take damage, and red circles that indicate attacks that can’t be blocked. . The bear’s attack pattern has a ferocious yet generous opening, hinting at a tough battle ahead.
drake brawl – One of my favorite fights from this part of the game pits our duo against Dreki, a crocodile-like dragon beast. The quadrupedal creature snaps with its massive mouth, swipes with its scaly tale, and unleashes an electric attack that forces the player to keep moving. Dodging zaps is natural and satisfying.
Bifrost damage – Towards the end of the preview session, new bloodthirsty enemy types emerge to defend something deep within the Dwarven Mines. His Einherjar with pale tattoos unleashes a heavy attack that deals his Bifröst damage to Kratos, represented by the purple section of his HP bar. Bifröst’s damage is harmless at first, but when these enemies are hit by his second hit, they explode in affliction and have significantly reduced HP. Watch your back, dodge quickly, and be ready to parry to survive the weaponized Bifrost.
explore the area
realm lockdown – Odin blocked off the realm at the start of God of War Ragnarok, so Kratos can’t move using Bifrost. Thankfully, Brok and Sindri have reconfigured the mystical gateway into another mode of transportation.
Wintering at Svartalfheim – The Fimblewinter enveloped Midgard in cold and snow, but had a different effect on other realms. I’m putting Mimir, the wise, talking head strapped to Kratos’ belt, also mentions that a powerful stench pervades the land.
Mysterious Platforming – Navigating the kingdom requires clever use of Kratos’ tools. In one instance, a pillar blocking the road had to be moved. This required first throwing Leviathan’s Ax to smash the logs supporting the pillar, then brandishing the Chaos Blade to pull the pillar away from the path. It’s all about manipulating the watery obstacles in Svartalfheim’s realm with clever use of traits…but I’ll leave it up to you to discover them.
sonic arrow – In the dwarven town of Nidavellir, Sindri equips the bow of Atreus with new sonic-powered strings. Tuned to explode objects that emit a turquoise pulse. Atreus’ ability to destroy this glowing substance injects a deeper layer of collaborative environmental puzzle-solving and navigation for the pair.
Exploration and sidequests – Fans who love turning every stone in the kingdom can rest assured that exploration is plentiful and rewarding in this sequel. Kratos and Atreus meet Mimir and a dwarf with history while adventuring through a charming yet unwelcoming dwarven town. The dwarves state that the mining equipment that Mimir once defended caused chaos in these lands. If the player chooses to pursue this grace, they can correct Mimir’s past wrongs and reap the rewards. Later, while canoeing across a vast, bright blue lake, I spotted columns of black smoke rising from these mines. I decided to go ahead with the main quest his path, but was relieved when Atreus organically stated that I could return later to complete the favor.
Dwarven Compass – Sindri gives Kratos a “beautiful gift”. This is a compass that allows players to track objectives on the map and follow the compass at the top of the screen to their destination. Great for efficiently tracking objects such as favors and other side quests.
The opening hours of God of War Ragnarok are jam-packed with exciting story moments and first-rate combat encounters. These are just some of the first few moments and details that make you so excited to dive deep into combat, explore the realm, and find out what your heroes’ destinies await.
Wait now – God of War Ragnarök launches on PS5 and PS4 on November 9th.
