User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8959 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Dec 20, 2022
    6
    I`m a huge fan of the God of War series and i get why they made the last one more for everyone, but, i didn´t expect they would cripple it like that.
    Graphics are amazing, gameplay is good, production is good, but everything else, is very very bad.
    Map designs are bad, back then, everyone hated games for doing this, remember Final Fantasy 13? Got smashed for it, now it seems to be ok for
    I`m a huge fan of the God of War series and i get why they made the last one more for everyone, but, i didn´t expect they would cripple it like that.
    Graphics are amazing, gameplay is good, production is good, but everything else, is very very bad.
    Map designs are bad, back then, everyone hated games for doing this, remember Final Fantasy 13? Got smashed for it, now it seems to be ok for some reason.
    Only 3 weapons, enemies are reused and the variety is again very small, barely any big boss fights again which everyone loved from the old games.
    And the cherry on the cake, the characters and dialogues.
    I mean....wtf??? I dislike every single character in this game, except maybe Mimir. Everyone is touching everyone with velvet gloves, apologizing constantly for everything and everyone is a loser in some way. It feels like a big therapy group and everyone is making sure not to trigger the others, a pathetic showcase of gods, giants and badasses!
    They even treat the player like a little kid with the constent comments they make.
    It makes me so sad, that it seems to be so easy these days to make "a masterpiece", but this, this is NOT a masterpiece, at all!
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  2. Jan 9, 2023
    5
    Technically very impressive, but also quite boring.

    The game takes you to some really neat looking areas and then has you walk, canoe, or otherwise travel around them, while characters just vomit exposition at you. It's like one long cutscene after another, except you're technically playing because you're controlling the walking/traversal. The main combat can be fun, but there's
    Technically very impressive, but also quite boring.

    The game takes you to some really neat looking areas and then has you walk, canoe, or otherwise travel around them, while characters just vomit exposition at you.

    It's like one long cutscene after another, except you're technically playing because you're controlling the walking/traversal.

    The main combat can be fun, but there's not enough of it.

    The boss fights can be quite enjoyable, but there aren't all that many of them, compared to how much time you spend with the boring parts I mentioned.

    I had high hopes for this, but found I spent the majority of the time bored.
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  3. Nov 21, 2022
    7
    A disappointment from the first, minimal improvements too much clutter (effects, runes, resources etc). Insane amount of handholding an linearity. Feels more like a Ubisoft game than a Sony game…
    And worse writing with some cringeworthy dialogues in some place and fantastic writing in some other places.
    The combat feels dated etc. Also piss poor PS 5 and dual sense implementation. The last
    A disappointment from the first, minimal improvements too much clutter (effects, runes, resources etc). Insane amount of handholding an linearity. Feels more like a Ubisoft game than a Sony game…
    And worse writing with some cringeworthy dialogues in some place and fantastic writing in some other places.
    The combat feels dated etc. Also piss poor PS 5 and dual sense implementation.
    The last 1/4 get a lot better, but still has problems in terms of some awful bosses (Svipdagr the Cold and the Sisters of Illska etc).
    Also there is a insane amount of clutter and junk in the armor/ upgrade system worse than a Ubisoft game. The lvl system must one of the worse in any moder game too date. Overall a disappointment and definitely no masterpiece.
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  4. Nov 20, 2022
    9
    Epic game but lacking the scale due to limitations of the ps4, gameplay hugely improved upon, story is very nice and engaging. Kratos finally becomes the God everyone needed without him even knowing it. Can't wait for their ps5 only adventure
  5. Dec 12, 2022
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Massive disappointment and a watered down follow up to the 2018 classic. Back in 2018 Kratos was still powerful and you always had the feeling his angry powerful self was still there, he is just trying his best to hide it. Fast forward to Ragnarok and Kratos is completely neutered...needs help finishing fights against powerful foes and doesn't even want to fight to begin with. Midway through he also wants to give up and go home. He needs other characters to make decisions for him in fear of upsetting them if he made them himself.

    I honestly don't even know why Kratos is part of this game in the first place...the entire game you run around with Atreus and Freya's objectives in mind. They could easily have left Kratos out of the game and the story would not have changed. Expect tons of talking about feelings...even mid war as you storm down on Asgard, the supposed highlight of the game, Kratos finds time to preach to Atreus he needs to be himself and care about others. To tell him to be better for the 20th time...I mean seriously.

    What happened to the serious, god conquering hero we grew to love up until now? Furthermore, cool lines like "don't be sorry, be better" in the 2018 classic is repeated so much and watered down I ended up hating the line and not ever wanting to hear it again. In the last mission alone the phrase "be better" must've been repeated 25 times. This game is your typical new age no accountability, political corrected, everyone has their reasons so nobody is really bad nonsense. To top it all off, Atreus does more damage to enemies swinging his bow than Kratos does with a magical axe, magical spear and the blades of chaos...WTF!!

    Kratos has been reduced to a grunt to do the heavy lifting and do others dirty work but this game was just about Freya's redemption and Atreus' story. Kratos has 0 story in this game except for trying to be a sensitive father. The best part of the game was when Atreus left at the end so I can only play as Kratos. The production value is great, soundtrack boring and twists predictable. Graphics are really good and the world's are fantastic.

    However, they tried making God of War an emotional relatable game and characters...something it never was. When Brok died I couldn't care less because we never had an emotional connection with him. It is incomparable to a moment such as Vesemir dying in Witcher 3...a character you actually cared about. The dwarves are also way too involved and I can't help but think this game was fan service to be cool with its over the top humor, most which is not funny, playing as Atreus and Kratos caring waaaaay too much. It is worth a play, but don't expect to be wowed by the over the top action and epic don't care attitude of a powerful god of war Kratos like the first games.
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  6. Jan 1, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What a disappointment

    After 4 years of development we got reused animations rehashed levels copy paste combat same crappy camera.

    The story sucks big time here after all the buildup that is the excellent God of War 2018 there is nothing like that it in this game.

    Atreus is still an annoying b*tch even worse you have to play as him multiple times which ruïnes the pacing

    Enemy design is still bland no big enemies to fight like in the old games, bosses feel samey and boring you never have to change tactics.

    And when you finally reach the final level (Asgard) it is over in like 15 minutes of fighting the same enemies you have been fighting for the past 20 hours and fight Thor who you don't even get to kill (gets killed in the cutscene) and then fight odin who dies in like 5 minutes and the credits.

    This game is an unfinished mess
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  7. Dec 10, 2022
    9
    God of War Ragnarok is the epitome of Sony's cinematic approach to gaming. It is well produced, has great game play and is a story well told. However, this type of AAA game, the bread and butter of their 1st party efforts always have a certain degree of limitations and sameness. Yup. Here goes the cuts ends and QTE galore. As we move to the next generation, this formula may need toGod of War Ragnarok is the epitome of Sony's cinematic approach to gaming. It is well produced, has great game play and is a story well told. However, this type of AAA game, the bread and butter of their 1st party efforts always have a certain degree of limitations and sameness. Yup. Here goes the cuts ends and QTE galore. As we move to the next generation, this formula may need to evolve. Hence, many consider Elden Ring superior in this regard. Expand
  8. Feb 28, 2023
    8
    I expected more, but it's a good and beautiful game.
    Artistically and visually very beautiful, quality soundtrack and impactful narrative.
  9. Jan 8, 2023
    6
    Good game, but story is incredibly dissapointing. It's not an epic adventure in any way, it's just a chore list the characters have to complete. Ending is completely rushed, and there is no sense of spectacle. All the bosses in this game are just lazy arena fights with almost no spectacle at all. I play these games for the story and the awesome battles, there is one cool boss and its theGood game, but story is incredibly dissapointing. It's not an epic adventure in any way, it's just a chore list the characters have to complete. Ending is completely rushed, and there is no sense of spectacle. All the bosses in this game are just lazy arena fights with almost no spectacle at all. I play these games for the story and the awesome battles, there is one cool boss and its the first. This is the biggest waste of potential I've ever seen. It actually makes me sad that this is the story they put out for God of War Ragnarok. The story has some good and heartwarming moments, but it just feels so lazy and rushed for me. The developers will never have another chance at making a game about these characters in the ragnarok setting. Don't get me wrong its a good game, but lower your expectations for the story. The gameplay is also the exact same as the last game, you even have to unlock the same abilities again! People have tried to give an explanation for this, but it is still monkeybrain game design. But yes the combat is the exact same with like one minor addition, in fact I actually feel like the combat doesn't hit as hard as the previous game. I actually feel like everyone giving this game a 10/10 or calling it a masterpiece are borderline delusional and just consume **** without thinking about it. Expand
  10. Nov 21, 2022
    10
    A truly masterful achievement. SMS managed to subvert expectations. Although I personally prefer the first game's more condensed story, Ragnarok's grandure is a sigh to behold.
  11. Jan 7, 2023
    6
    pros:
    - okay story, twists
    - okay characters
    - good music

    cons:
    - only slightly changed mechanics, feels like the same game as GOW 2018
    - forced sentimental moments
    - puzzles are spoiled by the NPCs
    - invisible walls, fake open world
    - ps4 game with ps4 graphics, zero use of dual sense, no next gen vibe
    - boring, repetitive enemies, grinding
  12. Dec 27, 2022
    5
    Constantly the same snot that Sony has been serving as a "game" for years. Unfortunately, it's more of an overpriced movie. Full of anticipation I started God of War Ragnarök and was allowed to play about 10 minutes in the first hour of play. That means I was allowed to make a difference to Kratos and trigger some Quick Time Events. This has nothing to do with GAming but watching a movie.Constantly the same snot that Sony has been serving as a "game" for years. Unfortunately, it's more of an overpriced movie. Full of anticipation I started God of War Ragnarök and was allowed to play about 10 minutes in the first hour of play. That means I was allowed to make a difference to Kratos and trigger some Quick Time Events. This has nothing to do with GAming but watching a movie.

    The graphics are very good for Playstation 5 conditions and look very detailed at first. Unfortunately, however, it is only decoration. The graphics do not hide the emptiness of the game world and the lack of depth. From time to time you see some birds and abandoned fruit stands and the like. Many objects are really just decoration. They cannot even be destroyed and have been used again and again in the manner of copy past.

    Also, the game doesn't offer much of a game. The levels are tube-like. The game offers little urge to discover. On the contrary: It leads you completely through the game world. If you really do not know how to get ahead, your companion will immediately comment on what to do. Sony doesn't trust its gamers to face even the slightest challenge. And these situations hardly occur, because almost everything that is relevant in the game world has been highlighted in color or flashes.

    From time to time you get into a kind of pseudo open world in the game world. Don't be fooled. There are small sections that you then leave, collect your collectibles and complete boring side quests that offer no appeal.

    The combat system is solid and basically the same as its predecessor. The enemy variants are unfortunately very banal and are rather low. This reinforces the feeling that you are constantly experiencing the same thing in God of War Ragnarök. Run a few meters, some enemies pop up, you knock them down, collect the same loot over and over again, level skills that are rather trivial and improve your equipment. The only thing that carries the game is the Story.

    The story here is still the best thing about the game. One would like to know what Kratos, Artreus and his mother are all about. Unfortunately, Sony is exaggerating here again. Yes, violence is part of God of War but in some situations you think Kratos the macho just wants to prove to another macho how great he can be. Some story plots in the game are probably only there to satisfy children's fantasies of a bully.

    It's bitter what happened to the Sony Playstation under Jim Ryan aka Lie Cry.

    After Horizon Forbidden West had already disappointed me immensely and the game felt like a DLC or ADD ON. God of War Ragnarök makes the same mistake. Sony has been making the mistake here for years. One can only hope that those responsible at Sony will finally step down and that Sony will finally allow MORE DIVERSITY and INNOVATION in their games. Here you can only praise Microsoft and Nintendo. Whether new game series, new gameplay mechanics or simply more variety of genres.
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  13. Jan 29, 2023
    7
    Pros:
    + Good combat
    + Interesting hub worlds

    Cons:
    - Story falls apart in second half
    - I want to play the game, not watch cutscenes for 90% of a quest and then play for the remaining 10%
    - Lack of fists combat (my favorite skill tree in GoW 2018)
  14. Mar 10, 2023
    8
    While I loved the first God of War, the sequel doesn't quite measure up. The graphics, acting and score are 10/10, the integration of the story and engine is perfect, but the story feels hurried, as if the game shipped with a middle segment cut out. I can identify the moment when things went downhill for me - it's the beginning of the final arc, helpfully pre-announced by charactersWhile I loved the first God of War, the sequel doesn't quite measure up. The graphics, acting and score are 10/10, the integration of the story and engine is perfect, but the story feels hurried, as if the game shipped with a middle segment cut out. I can identify the moment when things went downhill for me - it's the beginning of the final arc, helpfully pre-announced by characters pointing out that this might be the last chance to do something.

    Up until that moment, the sense of wonder, exploration and a compelling story with nuanced characters was almost flawless.

    Afterwards, we see quite a bit deus ex mahina moments and unmotivated behavior by characters, for example a pointless giant battle that lacks setup and, quite frankly, motivation for the characters.

    It felt a bit like a let-down, following the tear-inducing and touching end of the first game, as if the directors had simply capped the series with a spare cliche ending from the box of big production games they kept in the closet.
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  15. Nov 21, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing, my best player experience in 2022! It greatly improved several features over the previous title! Expand
  16. Jan 28, 2023
    8
    Достойное продолжение GoW, которое ставит точку в скандинавской дилогии
  17. Dec 17, 2022
    6
    Combat is ok but not great, exploration is mostly boring, too many mindless tasks (opening chests/ repetitive puzzles and the NPCs just tell you the solution within 30 seconds anyway), story is paced very badly. This game is at its best when you're fighting massive bosses. It should have leaned more into that than boring sandbox exploration. Some of the best boss fights are hampered by theCombat is ok but not great, exploration is mostly boring, too many mindless tasks (opening chests/ repetitive puzzles and the NPCs just tell you the solution within 30 seconds anyway), story is paced very badly. This game is at its best when you're fighting massive bosses. It should have leaned more into that than boring sandbox exploration. Some of the best boss fights are hampered by the camera's very narrow field of view.
    Feel like I've played this kind of game 100 times before. Nothing new or unique, but to be expected from a AAA exclusive, I suppose.
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  18. May 6, 2023
    6
    Visually. This game is a 10. Incredibly middling otherwise. There was a period mid game where atreus and a new character ride a yak around a marsh. It felt like the game was straight up wasting my time. Boring story, boring characters, not enough kratos. It felt like an average marvel movie script, right down to the villain and surrounding npcs. I miss old god of war, but this game is soVisually. This game is a 10. Incredibly middling otherwise. There was a period mid game where atreus and a new character ride a yak around a marsh. It felt like the game was straight up wasting my time. Boring story, boring characters, not enough kratos. It felt like an average marvel movie script, right down to the villain and surrounding npcs. I miss old god of war, but this game is so cucked in its "story telling" that we'll never get a game like the original series again. Expand
  19. Nov 14, 2022
    10
    With Horizon Forbidden West this is the most beautiful game i ever seen. Congratulations to Playstation studios to make some of the best videogames ever made! Piece of art and Blockbuster mega hit!
  20. Jan 29, 2023
    9
    Amazing journey from start to finish. Not much changed from the last game, but that game was near perfect too.
  21. Jan 29, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Another amazing game from Sony Santa Monica. It is an excellent sequel. Feels familiar and yet still fresh and exciting without messing too much with things that already worked well in the first game. Some part of the story can be a little bit dragging like Atreus' side quests with her friend but most of them are pretty well paced. Puzzles and exploration are very good and still feels rewarding and satisfying to do. Overall one of the best Playstation games out there. Expand
  22. Dec 11, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So this game is AMAZING.... when you get to play as Kratos! It was hard to put a number on this one since you have to put aside the very high expectations along with some of the more disappointing choices made for this game. I do think the 2018, God of War was better, but its a bit unfair to compare as this one is a sequel and obviously borrows heavily from its predecessor rather than being completely created from the ground up like the previous game.

    So starting of with the problems with this game so I can get my gripes out of the way. The reason I said the game is amazing when you play as Kratos is because you don't get to the entire time. The game forces you to play as Atreus in long portions. This would be fine if it wasn't the fact that he plays like a side character and these were by far the weakest parts of the game. Whoever in the writing room said hey our players love playing as this jacked out god of destruction lets force them to play as a child for a quarter of the game is a moron. I have the bad feeling they are pushing this series to drop Kratos and I have to say thats going to be a bad idea. Also the story is another part I would have to say has some issues. The story does have some awesome moments and overall is good, but there are plenty of sections where the story meanders or gets off track. Also there was a lot of controversy this game would suffer from a lot of the issues with "modern writing". I am happy to say for the most part this isn't the case, but it does feel like God of War has been "sanitized" for a lack of a better word. It does seem like the sexuality and violence has been toned down compared to the original trilogy of games. It may sound weird talking about an overly violent game anyways, but it does feel like this has been toned down to appease a certain audience. Lastly I would say there are a few tooo many puzzle in this game. I don't mind them and they can be a nice change of pace, but they could be cut down by about 40%. I'm playing this game for the action and cool combat encounters and most of the puzzles are so basic they just feel like they are adding time to the game for no reason.

    So now what this game does right. The combat is smooth and fun and its nice this time you have a couple more weapons to work with that are both fun and have their own fun unique abilities. Obviously this game looks amazing I usually think of graphics as secondary, but this game was so pretty I can't lie. The story is good overall despite some odd choices at times and the vast majority of characters feel real with great personalities and attributes you feel for and get attached to.

    Anyways that's my take on GOW: Ragnarok. A great games, but some odd choices hold this game back from being a 10/10. Hopefully the series continues Kratos's story and they continue this series in the right direction.
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  23. Jan 29, 2023
    10
    One of my favorite games ever. The story is so compelling and it bolstered by amazing gameplay and combat.
  24. Nov 21, 2022
    10
    Tão bom quanto o primeiro. Uma ótima sequência pra história. Melhor jogo de PS5 até aqui.
  25. Nov 25, 2022
    6
    Unpopular opinion maybe, but I think it’s a little boring. They reused too many assets from the first game. There is too much of the same look and feel. Somehow, the axe combat isn’t as satisfying, which was one of the best things about it. There is WAY too much Atreus, who is now playable. It seems like a way to sell more copies by targeting a younger generation. Grab the old God of WarUnpopular opinion maybe, but I think it’s a little boring. They reused too many assets from the first game. There is too much of the same look and feel. Somehow, the axe combat isn’t as satisfying, which was one of the best things about it. There is WAY too much Atreus, who is now playable. It seems like a way to sell more copies by targeting a younger generation. Grab the old God of War fans and the kids, more $$$$. The graphics are not actually that great, unless you’re on a PS4 and seeing it pushed to its max potential. For a next gen game, it’s pretty dated, despite reviews saying it’s a technical marvel. All that said, it’s mostly executed just as well as the first game. If you never played it, play that first. Expand
  26. Mar 11, 2023
    6
    Fun but very inferior to the first one. They should have deleted all side quests and exploring and just give the linear story as a DLC for the first game.

    Soundtrack is meh compared to the first one. The story and visuals are great. I wanted to master every combat tactics in the first one, in this one I wanted to avoid all fights cause they were overwhelming and redundant. Maybe im
    Fun but very inferior to the first one. They should have deleted all side quests and exploring and just give the linear story as a DLC for the first game.

    Soundtrack is meh compared to the first one. The story and visuals are great. I wanted to master every combat tactics in the first one, in this one I wanted to avoid all fights cause they were overwhelming and redundant. Maybe im getting older but lot of it felt botched. I mean almost every enemy explode when they die, they all have missile attack and unbreakable move and it felt poor, very poor compared to the first game. I also didn't care about the godzillion runes or useless items. The menu screen is really ugly and side-quests, lore and exploring too rigid. I played the first one twice and this one I will skip chests, some side-quests, didn't care about reading stuff and will not play it again. Not looking forward to the next entry in the series unless they evolve it to a more mature and rpg oriented experience.
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  27. Nov 13, 2022
    9
    Ragnarok is a better version of its predecessor. Better combat, better story telling and acting, new skill tree…
    Graphics are not top tier. The performance is stable in PS5. The only problem is it doesn’t give a new game feeling, its better but its new. In overall its a great game and probably the best of 2022.
    -5= Graphics.
    -5= Being better but pretty similar with GoW 2018.
  28. Nov 14, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Semejante obra de arte este nuevo título al principio lo veía un poco pesado pero despues tiene mucho más que dar que el anterior título con. El cambio de juego de Atreus Woow un nuevo aire al juego y la saga increíble!!... Se merece el GOTY ganadisimo Expand
  29. Jan 27, 2023
    10
    This game isn't perfect but I give it a 10 because it is amazing, it captured my imagination from the start and it was an insane rollercoaster, I had so much fun. I think that this is a brilliant sequel to the original.
  30. Jul 29, 2023
    7
    God of War Ragnarok is a good game, but like GoW 2018 is NOT a perfect game and is unfortunately criminally overrated. As much as that fact angers Sony blowhards and paid critics, God of War Ragnarok is a decent game with both strengths and weaknesses. As a first party Sony exclusive, the graphics are fantastic on PS5, with both graphics and performance modes looking great. The writingGod of War Ragnarok is a good game, but like GoW 2018 is NOT a perfect game and is unfortunately criminally overrated. As much as that fact angers Sony blowhards and paid critics, God of War Ragnarok is a decent game with both strengths and weaknesses. As a first party Sony exclusive, the graphics are fantastic on PS5, with both graphics and performance modes looking great. The writing also sees improvement from the first game, with witty dialogue getting a chuckle from me every now and then. However, just as the first game, the puzzles are monotonous and repetitive with very little variety beyond "freeze the water" or "throw the axe" . As far as the combat goes, nothing has changed since the first game. The combat is just as convoluted, with far too many forgettable skills, runes, etc. The locked camera is still asinine and is incredibly aggravating when I'm trying to pick up a health-stone and I have to fight the camera to let me pick it up. There is also incredibly inconsistent difficulty, why are the regular enemies able to deliver boss level attacks that take half my health? It gets to the point where I've died more to an enemy hoard than to the actual bosses, especially since there can be 3-4 enemies attacking you at once. The bosses have improved from the first game, with more variety, however, who needs bosses when one regular enemy can kill you in two hits. The story has improved since the first game, with a special attention to the characters, however, most of the Atreus sections feel like filler, especially the berry picking mission. This game feels like it's been stretched thin to fill an arbitrary 30 hour campaign length. Overall, God of War Ragnarok is a good game, but nowhere near the heights of a 10/10 game that paid game critics and Sony blowhards would say it is. Expand
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 141 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Negative: 0 out of 141
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 25, 2024
    100
    I can't help but tip my hat to the entire Santa Monica team. The deeper you delve into the game, the more you'll be drawn into the stunning story of a father and son against the backdrop of perhaps history's most horrific war. Throw in some casually endearing humour, great and fluid gameplay, and wrap it all up with an amazing audiovisual experience. [Issue#323]
  2. Dec 8, 2022
    95
    Thanks to an amazing cast that’s doing an outstanding job, a compelling story told through the eyes of multiple characters, and top-notch combat, this epic and heartfelt journey strikes all the right chord. It’s impossible not to recommend God of War Ragnarok, but just in case you had any doubts, I strongly advise anyone mildly interested in gaming to play Santa Monica Studio’s latest masterpiece.
  3. Dec 1, 2022
    80
    It’s a satisfying conclusion to the modern God of War saga, but it’s hard to walk away and not feel like this could have been something greater.