You remember the hype. It was everywhere. People were practically screaming about the "end of the world" in 2022, and honestly, Santa Monica Studio delivered something that felt massive. But now that we're a few years removed from the initial chaos, looking back at God of War Ragnarök feels different. It isn’t just about the button-mashing or the brutal finishers where Kratos splits a monster in half. It's about the fact that they actually let a god grow up.
Kratos changed.
If you played the original trilogy on the PS2 or PS3, you know that version of him was basically a walking personification of a middle finger. He was angry. He was loud. He was simple. In God of War Ragnarök, he’s tired. He’s a dad trying to figure out if he can stop his kid from becoming a statistic of destiny. That shift is why the game didn't just sell millions of copies—it stayed in our heads.
The Prophecy Trap in God of War Ragnarök
Everyone focuses on the combat, but the real villain of the game isn't actually Odin. It’s the idea of fate. For hours, the game beats you over the head with this mural from the 2018 prequel. It shows Kratos dying in Atreus’s arms. It felt inevitable. Most games would have leaned into that for a cheap "heroic sacrifice" ending.
But God of War Ragnarök does something smarter.
It argues that your nature isn't your destiny. Angrboda and the Norns (those creepy sisters in the well) tell Kratos and Atreus that they are predictable because they refuse to change. Odin is the same. He’s obsessed with knowledge because he’s terrified of what he can’t control. The game basically tells the player: "You only die because you keep making the same mistakes."
When Kratos finally decides to be better—to be a general who cares about his soldiers instead of a destroyer—the prophecy literally breaks. It’s a meta-commentary on how we play games. We expect the loop. We expect the tragedy.
Odin Was Kind of Right (From a Certain Perspective)
Let’s talk about Richard Schiff’s performance as Odin. He wasn't a soaring, lightning-bolting Zeus. He was a guy in a bathrobe who sounded like a weary detective. He was a manipulator.
The All-Father didn't want to destroy the world for the sake of it. He wanted to see into "The Rift." He was looking for answers about what happens after death for gods. In a weird, twisted way, Odin was the ultimate scholar. His tragedy was that he was willing to burn every single Realm to the ground just to satisfy his own curiosity.
He wasn't a mustache-twirling villain. He was a cult leader. He made Thor feel like a "broken tool" and convinced Baldur he was helping him. This psychological depth is why the confrontation at the end of God of War Ragnarök feels so personal. It’s not just a fight; it’s an intervention for a family that’s been abused for centuries.
The Atreus Problem: Playing as the Boy
When the game first forces you to play as Atreus in Ironwood, a lot of people hated it. It felt slow. The combat was "floaty" compared to the weight of the Leviathan Axe.
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But looking back? It was necessary.
You had to feel the difference between the father and the son. Atreus is fast, agile, and magical. He’s also a teenager who makes terrible, impulsive decisions. Going to Asgard was a move of pure teenage rebellion mixed with a hero complex. If we hadn't spent those long hours walking through the woods with Angrboda, his eventual departure at the end of the game wouldn't have hurt as much.
He didn't just leave for a sequel hook. He left because he grew up. Kratos, the man who once said "Close your heart to it," finally opened his heart enough to let his son walk away. That’s the real "Ragnarök"—the destruction of the old family dynamic to make room for something new.
Combat Mechanics That Actually Mean Something
There’s a lot of talk about "synergy" in game design. Usually, that’s just corporate speak for "the buttons work." In God of War Ragnarök, the combat reflects the story.
- The Draupnir Spear: This wasn't just a third weapon. It was a weapon of a general. It allowed Kratos to control the battlefield from a distance. It represented his growth from a brawler to a leader.
- Runic Attacks: These aren't just "magic spells." They are legacies of the people Kratos has met. Using Freya’s powers or the Dwarves’ technology ties the gameplay to the alliances you've built.
- Shield Variety: You could play aggressively with the Dauntless Shield or defensively with the Stonewall. It allowed for a level of expression that the older games lacked.
The Valkyrie fights in the 2018 game were hard, but the Berserker gravestones in Ragnarök? Those are a different level of pain. King Hrólf Kraki is a legitimate wall for many players. But even these optional bosses have lore. They aren't just "stat blocks." They are remnants of a failed age of kings, serving as a warning to Kratos about what happens when you lead through fear instead of justice.
The Valhalla DLC Changed the Conversation
We have to mention the Valhalla expansion because it was a free masterclass in how to handle a character’s legacy. It turned the game into a "roguelite," but the story was the star.
Kratos literally has to face his past. He sits on the throne of his younger self. He looks at the head of Helios—the god he brutally decapitated in God of War III—and has to reckon with it. It wasn't just a "Greatest Hits" tour. It was a therapy session with a high body count.
By the time Kratos walks through that final door, he isn't the God of War anymore. He’s a God of Hope. It’s a full circle that took nearly 20 years of real-world time to complete.
Technical Mastery and the "One-Shot" Camera
The "no-cut" camera is a gimmick, sure. But it’s a gimmick that works. In God of War Ragnarök, the camera never leaves the action. There are no loading screens disguised as elevators (mostly). When the scene shifts from Kratos to Atreus, the camera follows a bird or a breeze to find the other character.
It creates a sense of intimacy. You are always "there."
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When Thor lands in Kratos's front yard in the beginning, the lack of cuts makes the threat feel immediate. You can't look away. You can't breathe. This technical achievement, powered by the PS5’s SSD, makes the Nine Realms feel like a cohesive world rather than a series of levels.
Real Talk: Is It Better Than the 2018 Game?
Some fans argue the 2018 game was tighter. It was a smaller, more focused story. God of War Ragnarök is messy. It’s huge. It has a lot of characters—Tyr (or "Tyr"), Heimdall, Lunda, Birgir, Hildisvíni.
But life is messy.
The sequel takes the "father-son road trip" and turns it into a world war. While the middle section in Vanaheim can drag a bit, the emotional payoff in the final act is unparalleled in the "prestige" gaming genre. The way the music—composed by Bear McCreary—swells when the horns of Ragnarök finally blow is enough to give anyone chills.
What You Should Do Next
If you’ve finished the story and think you’re done, you’re probably missing about 30% of the game's actual meat. The "Post-Game" isn't just cleaning up collectibles.
- Visit Niflheim: There is a specific prison area that opens up after the credits. Go there. It changes your entire perspective on a certain character's fate during the main campaign.
- Complete the "Across the Realms" Quest: It’s a simple favor, but the story behind it—dedicated to a developer who passed away—is one of the most touching moments in the franchise.
- Play the Valhalla DLC: If you haven't, do it now. It’s free. It’s the actual "ending" Kratos deserves.
- Experiment with the "Shattered Star" Shield: Most people stick to the basics, but learning the timing on the shield-shatter mechanic completely changes the flow of high-level combat against the Berserkers.
The journey through the Nine Realms is officially over for now, but the impact of God of War Ragnarök remains. It proved that you can take a 2D violent caricature and turn him into a deeply relatable, grieving, hopeful man. That’s a miracle in any medium, let alone gaming.