God of War Ragnarök Reviews
God of War Ragnarok fittingly closes out the 2022 releases with a sequel that is no match for its predecessor. With a compelling narrative, a masterful audio compartment, and fun gameplay, it has all the makings of one of the top titles for the PlayStation. Santa Monica Studios has packaged a little gem, raising the bar in action/adventure games.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The team at Santa Monica Studios have caught lightning in a bottle twice in a row now. God of War Ragnarok is an incredible masterpiece, and an experience I have no issue recommending to anyone looking for a great video game. It’s story is driven by a stunning cast of characters and elevated by industry leading art, music and character writing. The game itself bleeds quality. I can only imagine the pressure the team had to follow up the legacy of the last game, but they’ve managed to improve on God of War (2018) in every way, while maintaining true to everything that made the game great. Ragnarok is certainly going to be in the mix when the next ‘game of the generation’ discussions happen again in the coming years.
It’s safe to say that the PlayStation 4 is going out with a bang. God of War Ragnarok is the last generation swan song and will be remembered as the final masterful sequel to one of the most important Sony franchises in history.
While not as shocking of a change as 2018?s God of War reinvention, God of War Ragnarök has proven itself a fantastic follow-up over the 40+ hours I?ve spent playing it. Ragnarök, like a good, traditional sequel should, expands upon ideas and mechanics from God of War in ways that feel like a natural evolution of the 2018 game. Kratos and Atreus’ journey across the Nine Realms is fully realized here, making for a fantastic visual and gameplay feast that is sure to please the many fans that God of War: Ragnarök's predecessor gained.
God of War Ragnarök weaves a great blend of fast paced, challenging combat, great characters and beautiful environments in the world of Norse mythology.
Santa Monica Studio has brought the Norse chapter of Kratos' life to a close... We've finally reached the destination - for some, it may not be an ideal one - but all things considered, it's still a journey worth taking.
The end result is a God of War Ragnarök that stands among some of the best PlayStation games, but falls ever-so slightly short of the greatest. This is far from a disappointment. But it doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of what came before.
There are some games that you play primarily for the story, others more for the action and sense of adventure. GoW Ragnarok is one of those rare games that does it all incredibly well, and there are perhaps no other games that can match the ways in which it effortlessly blends storytelling with gameplay mechanics. Although I wished for a more satisfying end to the story, I can’t fault the developers for their continued commitment to small details in both graphic and sound design, and there are countless aspects of the narrative which are as well-crafted and memorable as any from the previous game. The core mechanics are expanded in constructive ways, and you can do more than ever with different combat options. In short, GoW Ragnarok is a fitting sequel that is well worth your time.
I could go on and on about God of War Ragnarok, I really could. My closing thoughts continue to be about what an incredible journey this game is. It’s near flawless, in every way, and any criticisms are nit-picks, rather than genuine weak points. The Game Of The Year, right here, and to be honest, in my humble opinion, by a country mile.
God of War: Ragnarök manages to improve even more its original proposal, bringing one of the best titles in the Kratos saga.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
As for the future of the God of War franchise, I’m not sure what to expect. Ragnarok leaves a few open threads that provide opportunities for DLC expansions. Kratos found an appropriate and redeeming end that I would hate to see taken away from him to just to continue the series. I’m not confident that Atreus would be the right fit to carry the future of the franchise, at least not without a significant time jump and growth of abilities. But whether or not Santa Monica Studios buts the IP to rest or releases new games will be revealed in time.
God of War Ragnarok is the end of times, God of War Ragnarok is the best of times. You will not want to miss this final chapter.
There are many ways to leave a mark on a player, whether it is by a character that captivates you, a breathtaking world, or a story that grabs you until you know what happens at the end. God of War: Ragnarok was patient in its arrival, but delivers in all the ways I have listed, leaving an axe in the middle of the arena for those who try to challenge it.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If Ragnarök spells the end of God of War, as both its themes and talk from Santa Monica Studio suggest, then it will serve as a fitting end for Kratos. Not just because it would make an impressive swansong for the God of War, but because that level of weariness and relief that Kratos feels from completing his lengthy endeavours is, by its end, projected onto the player, completing theirs.
God of War: Ragnarök is nothing short of a divine experience, on every level. It somehow manages to improve on everything from the phenomenal 2018 entry. The story, gameplay, environmental design, technical consistency, performances – it's all absolutely flawless. This work of art is challenging, it's impactful, it's exciting, it's touching and it's beautiful. For all that and more, this is a title that deserves to join the pantheon of one of the best works in our industry. There are no perfect games, but damn if God of War: Ragnarök isn't incredibly close to that feat.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
God of War Ragnarok ties up the story in a satisfying way, and the journey it takes you on to get there is memorable. But God of War is also a video game. It’s not a movie, and only some of its game elements hold up.
In sum, God of War Ragnarok is the perfect case of a game that’s impeccably designed in all aspects of its presentation and writing, that still fails to have the necessary focus and drive to keep me engaged. It’s unnecessarily long and drags too much to hold my attention like the original game did. And it’s a shame, because there’s surely plenty to be enjoyed all throughout it, and I’m positively ecstatic to get more of the excellent setting that started four years ago. But having to wade through so much to get to that is driving me absolutely nuts!
A continuation game that takes over to polish and improve the original and become an essential classic for any PS5 user and an inevitable excuse to acquire a PS5 when possible.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
God of War Ragnarok raises the bar for blockbuster storytelling in gaming - a reminder of what single-player games can be in today's standards.
Googling Ragnarok before “Santa Monica Studio” announced their sequel to the incredibly received God of War (2018), you’d see a flurry of Marvel references or even Wikipedia pages devoted to Norse mythologies version of the Apocolypse. Now you google Ragnarok, and most links, news, and images all refer to the incredible 2022 God of War: Ragnarok.