God of War: Ragnarok

 PlayStation 5
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8959 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6,820 out of 8959
  2. Mixed: 600 out of 8959
  3. Negative: 1,539 out of 8959
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  1. Ryanm42
    Dec 9, 2022
    4
    Bigger is Not Always Better
    Let me start by saying this was a GREAT Game. God of War (2018) is one of my favorite games of all time. Ragnarok was a great game, but not the masterpiece that 2018 was. God of War 2018 was art. This game was not art.
    The story in this game was strange. It was overly long and drawn out in some sections, while being too slight and shallow in others.    Bigger is Not Always Better
    Let me start by saying this was a GREAT Game. God of War (2018) is one of my favorite games of all time. Ragnarok was a great game, but not the masterpiece that 2018 was. God of War 2018 was art. This game was not art.

    The story in this game was strange. It was overly long and drawn out in some sections, while being too slight and shallow in others. Characters and backstories were introduced and expanded, and then never re-visited. This game was not directed by Cory Barlog, and it seems to be missing his finer touch. I have finished the campaign and yes the game is longer than 2018, but since the storytelling was a bit uneven it also feels "shorter" or "lighter" than the first game.
    My biggest gripe about this game is how certain story elements from the first game are completely changed or ignored in the name of "setting your own destiny" in the second one. This is an interesting idea, but knowing that certain story parts of 2018 are ignored in Ragnarok makes the big reveals in 2018 lose their power. It deflates the story of the first game because the big moments don't actually carry into Ragnarok the way you thought they would. This feels lazy to me and gives the impression that the writers wrote themselves into a corner and could not get out of it. Again, I wonder how much Barlog's lack of direction played a role here. This game felt much less like a labor of love and more like a video game.

    The level design was also strange. Yes they were visually breathtaking. No argument here! Wonderful! However, they felt very linear. Very constructed. Each level is a series of separate rooms that require you to slide through cracks in the wall that mask loading times. This disrupts your traversal and makes it constantly feel like a video game. Again, missing Barlog's love of the series makes Ragnarok feel more like a video game and less like a wonderful story.
    I found myself getting turned around or lost several times throughout this campaign. This can of course be linked to my incompetence, but I never remember this happening during 2018. There were also puzzles to solve and chests to open that required tricks I never would have figured out if I hadn't gone to YouTube. I never had to do this in 2018. There is a line between "engaging to figure out" and "cannot be figured out" that 2018 walked so well. This game unfortunately misses that line at times.

    The level-up process was also very strange. The load-out menu has been completely changed. It is annoying and cumbersome. I often found myself accidentally closing out the menu when I was just trying to go back one section. Relics and runes are hard to understand because you can only use a few at a time rather than spread them out across your armor. The load-out menu also looks cramped and poorly designed. Armor does not show all its stats on one screen, you have to scroll and then it reorganizes the armor based on strength. It is very annoying and hard to understand. Minor, but certain words in the menu are abbreviated rather than spelled out. This takes you out of the game experience. And what if new played don't know what the abbreviations stand for?    … Expand
  2. Rusikovski
    Nov 30, 2022
    4
    A tedious game with monotonous gameplay and dumb companion tips as if I'm 6 years old. The graphics are certainly good. But this is not what I expected to see after going through part 1
  3. finnianr
    Jan 21, 2023
    4
    The game was great until the Angrboda character appeared. Suddenly felt like I was watching a cutesy Disney teenage romance movie. Nothing about either the writing or character or casting was consistent with the reimagined God of War of 2018 . Angrboda was just as jarring as if she appeared in the game Ghost of Tsushima. Was Santa Monica studios raided by the diversity and inclusion policeThe game was great until the Angrboda character appeared. Suddenly felt like I was watching a cutesy Disney teenage romance movie. Nothing about either the writing or character or casting was consistent with the reimagined God of War of 2018 . Angrboda was just as jarring as if she appeared in the game Ghost of Tsushima. Was Santa Monica studios raided by the diversity and inclusion police and got a bad report so they felt the need to blackwash a Scandinavian story. Think I will go back to playing Ghostwire Tokyo, which at least had some cultural consistency. But then the GOW franchise as a whole has a problem deciding what it wants to be. In a way the paint employed by Angrboda is symbolic of what happens when you randomly apply different colors. You don't get art, just an aimless mess. It's a pity to see a great game vision ruined by some external influence.… Expand
  4. Superpagal
    Jan 30, 2023
    4
    God of war, ragnarok. I just finished the game but I won't spoil it for you. Let me just begin with this, the title closer to last of us or uncharted without guns than older God of war titles. Too much story, too much cutscenes. Remember when Kratos used to be a crazy motherf@@cker filled with rage killing titans God's, heroes. That's over. Now it's a duo of a sentimental father and sonGod of war, ragnarok. I just finished the game but I won't spoil it for you. Let me just begin with this, the title closer to last of us or uncharted without guns than older God of war titles. Too much story, too much cutscenes. Remember when Kratos used to be a crazy motherf@@cker filled with rage killing titans God's, heroes. That's over. Now it's a duo of a sentimental father and son without any real purpose. They just happened to be in norse mythology when ragnarok was about to begin. Remember when kratos actually had combos, upgrades, taking godly weapons,? Well forget about it. Was eager to fight thor in a over the top crazy fight like i was ? Well you can fight a middle aged alcoholic out of shape irishman instead . After 10 hours I kept playing because I payed it and for no other reason. It saddens me that hod of war became another uncharted for broader audiences. If you liked last of us you probably like this title too. If you are a fan of combat focused games like from software title's, devil lay cry and of course older God of war titles. Then you'll be disappointed. I never expected to write a negative review for god of war. It had such potential, do beautiful graphics and very nice performance. Can't we have a game that's combat focused? Why everything had to become a generic last of us clone,??? … Expand
  5. CPFantastic
    Nov 14, 2022
    4
    Disappointing. It's a rushed and unfinished game and it needed to be a trilogy. You don't even feel like you are fighting with gods anymore. They said it's accurate to Norse Mythology but Where in the Norse Myth Odin was like an American politician with short beard? They made a joke out of Thor too. We before fought Poseidon, Hades, Ares and Zeus and they all felt like a GOD. Here in theDisappointing. It's a rushed and unfinished game and it needed to be a trilogy. You don't even feel like you are fighting with gods anymore. They said it's accurate to Norse Mythology but Where in the Norse Myth Odin was like an American politician with short beard? They made a joke out of Thor too. We before fought Poseidon, Hades, Ares and Zeus and they all felt like a GOD. Here in the last boss fight, it's like you are fighting with mini boss from a random anime game.

    The entire game you only get one new weapon which is absolutely disappointing. The game is joky and it has lost its serious tone. 50% of the game is with Atreus and it's very meh. Is this even God of War? They have ruined the franchise. Also when we talk about Dragons, Nidhogg is the first thing that comes to mind. This dragon is so powerful that Kratos needs to activate his whole power to be able to killing it. The design and the fight itself is very weak and washed.

    The inside of Asgard is very disappointing and it's like a generic village of Assassin's Creed. You can't even compare it to that glorious and crazy Olympus that they made in God of War 3. The Ragnarok itself with all its hype is very disappointing, rushed and generic. They really dropped the ball in this God of War.

    The old greek God of War trilogy is remained the best and i don't need to see another God of War anymore after this mediocrity.    … Expand
  6. Pigofiend
    Dec 7, 2022
    4
    Sony Santa Monica got the same disease that made Naughty Dog create the horrible TLOU2.

    The devs played it safe, most of the people will gulp a sequel up even if sheeet hurling monkeys have been the norm and would be satisfied in the end, so in a sense they do whatever they want. The game will sell a lot, and they will make a new GOW game 5 years later and everyone will forget what a    Sony Santa Monica got the same disease that made Naughty Dog create the horrible TLOU2.

    The devs played it safe, most of the people will gulp a sequel up even if sheeet hurling monkeys have been the norm and would be satisfied in the end, so in a sense they do whatever they want. The game will sell a lot, and they will make a new GOW game 5 years later and everyone will forget what a terrible abomination they created back then. I'm just not sure there is a way back for SSM after what they have done.

    Everything was subpar compared to the previous game. There are a lot of subtle things that made the overall atmosphere out of place.

    Mimir... he was doing the same as before, just more of it. It became boring. He had zero substance to what he had to say and also the mystery is lost, like writers' block assaulted the story writers.

    They added a lot of things/variety from the previous game, that wasn't needed at all. Atreus wasn't annoying, he was just plain naive. Atreus was dethroned by Freya as the most frustrating/annoying sidekick, like an old hag who has to run her mouth no matter what. Angrboda... is the TLOU2 kindergarten element of the game, out of place, unnecessary, ruined the overall pacing.

    Parts where you had to go with Atreus... like someone was sleep deprived and forced to create that part of the game. Unnecessary, filler content.

    Where is the violence? Why is Kratos acting like a lapdog instead of a rabid dog? Why is he swallowing his pride and endure all kinds of trash from retards? Why can't I butcher down I don't like and put the Disney squirrel in a bag, kick it into the nether, then lie to Atreus that Ratatoskr left because he was looking for the ultimate acorn tree?

    The new weapon? Like you are fighting with a needle. Old weps have been mutilated too. The boring aspects and runics are left in, the cool ones removed or modified to be uncool.

    Lots of repugnant characters. Mostly uninteresing new monsters, borderline annoying little retardations one hitting you and the like. Goofyness maxed out, violence zeroed.

    Zero chance to shape the main plot thread, maximum linearity.

    Berserkers? Filler bosses.

    I just don't like when someone forcible defecates down in my throat. This fu**ing with the fanbase thing is the latest norm and to be honest quite dispiriting. There is enough evil sh*t going on in the world, but now that it is also making rounds in gaming space is something that is not taken lightly. AAA games are dead. GOW as a franchise got zeroed for me. I will not replay this abomination that's for sure, and I'm not even sure I'm gonna finish the game. I'd rather play the previous game another time.

    All the negative reviews are the real thing. This game was made by incompetents or the same people and deliverately made it terrible.    … Expand
  7. Greatot
    Nov 10, 2022
    4
    Very era inappropriate writing that fails to immerse or capture the setting. Characters speak, behave and swear like the most normal, distinctly modern people, with their divinity and unique existence as gods being almost completely ignored. Immortal gods are made to deliver some of the strangest, most casual lines like walking into someone's home and saying "Nice place." or complainingVery era inappropriate writing that fails to immerse or capture the setting. Characters speak, behave and swear like the most normal, distinctly modern people, with their divinity and unique existence as gods being almost completely ignored. Immortal gods are made to deliver some of the strangest, most casual lines like walking into someone's home and saying "Nice place." or complaining about their "moms" and how typical they are. Words like yep, yeah, kinda, sorta, pretty are used just like in the modern day. This is a strong contrast versus the original trilogy, and 2018's God of War.

    Casual writing can have its place to break the tension or as comedic relief, but in Ragnarok the villains, main characters and side characters all engage in this kind of dialogue, making everything feel constantly comedic.

    The graphics are gorgeous and the combat remains as good as in the previous game, but a game this focused on dialogue and story leaves ultimately little of value when the writing fails this much.    … Expand
  8. MGS_1
    Nov 10, 2022
    4
    Are you kidding me! 94

    Same gameplay
    Same graphic
    Same melee
    Same level design

    I swear to real god if you've played GOW 2018, you don't need to buy Ragnarok.
  9. Lambda22324
    Nov 21, 2022
    4
    The 2018 GOW was a masterpiece. This game is not, not even close. Character development is so bad it is laughable. Story is simplistic and predictable - and with plot holes, no less. Level design is soo boring.
    There were reports developers panicked half a year ago, being convinced the game was trash - well, it's not trash, but it is very average at best.
  10. gegvazq07
    Nov 12, 2022
    4
    This game is nothing compared with the one release in 2018. But if yo wana watch a good movie this game is for you. Santa Monica we want a game not movie
  11. ninjacommando
    Jun 21, 2023
    4
    Copy paste from the first god of war on ps4, this is just boring , i haven't finish the game and won't finish it.... even if the story is fine,but were are the new thing ? the weapons ? the combos ? This is a shame that this game as such a big score .... realy disappointing
  12. Zquaranteneuf
    Nov 17, 2022
    4
    Does what it does correctly, but the hand holding is inexcusable. Devs need to stop catering to the lowest common denominator and realize that most people can actually grasp very basic logic in puzzle solving. Prompting the player literally seconds after a small challenge presents itself is baffingly bad.
  13. Decime28
    Nov 11, 2022
    4
    Después de GOW 2018, arruinaron el gameplay por completo, me parece horrible el rumbo que tomo la saga y este juego no es la excepción, una buena historia con jefes aburridos, enemigos sosos y sin ninguna escena epica que lo haga memorable, al contrario de GOW I, II y III
  14. toerikni
    Nov 12, 2022
    4
    Well what to say this 70 dollar expansion ok i guess but don`t feel like a step up from the first of the new god of wars story is mhe at best really no huge improvement on graphics
  15. Madjona
    Nov 14, 2022
    4
    Juego muy lineal..con varios fallos.. muy aburrido y predecible ..musica mala y combate sin nada nuevo .
  16. DAVIDRB
    Nov 11, 2022
    4
    Bon jeu mais sans plus…rien de révolutionnaire, une suite fainéante ! Aucune évolution niveau gameplay, expression faciale à revoir, ergonomie très médiocre, animation moyenne..,. Si vous avez aimé celui de 2018, faites le, pour les autres, passez votre chemin !!!
  17. Pizarrator
    Nov 18, 2022
    4
    Este juego es un copia y pega del primer God of War. De hecho es que la versión de PS4 y PS5 son idénticas. No entiendo por qué Sony sigue sacando los juegos que claramente son de PS4 a 80€.
    La ley del mínimo esfuerzo como siempre.
  18. DaweHolzer
    Nov 26, 2022
    4
    I didn't like the 2018 God of War game. They stripped away so many gameplay mechanics from the og. GOW games and didn't replace them with anything new. I also didn't like the story because it seemed poorly written with a forced character arch for Atreus and with a boring Kratos. This game is just a total rehash of that with similar flaws and full of reused assets.
  19. Rains067
    Nov 10, 2022
    4
    It's not a bad game but you can tell its mostly a ps4 game. It just feels like nothing special has been added to the actual game. It's just a long DLC. Not to mention the cutscenes. I want to play the actual game not sit and watch a movie.
  20. woaimiyabi
    Nov 10, 2022
    4
    I really liked the previous work and thought that it would bring about breakthrough progress, but I was disappointed. In the same situation as the previous work, I was very upset that the decryption and map running became more and more. It seemed that I was playing with the Assassin's Creed. It was strange that many of the materials were reused in the plot arrangement.
  21. Gamm0n
    Nov 24, 2022
    4
    I gave it a solid playthrough bit it's another over hyped Mid game at best. Time they tried something new
  22. BearBearMan
    Nov 13, 2022
    4
    Veeeeeery boring game, a lot of "Cinematography" things, gameplay bad like in 2018 game.
  23. Junanelle
    Jan 19, 2023
    4
    The game is filled to the brim with bugs and just interruptive and bad enemy design. When playing you feel far more anger than fun. Riddles are nice but thats not the point of a god of war game. The characters are bland and annoying. To justify a "part 2" the equipment gets stuffed with new "pseudo pieces" that feel just unneccessary. The game in of itself is a big step back from itsThe game is filled to the brim with bugs and just interruptive and bad enemy design. When playing you feel far more anger than fun. Riddles are nice but thats not the point of a god of war game. The characters are bland and annoying. To justify a "part 2" the equipment gets stuffed with new "pseudo pieces" that feel just unneccessary. The game in of itself is a big step back from its awesome first part.… Expand
  24. gallen1
    Nov 10, 2022
    4
    PS4 version is poor. Even in PS4 Pro. Is not running god at all. Textures, bugs, multiple crashes… all in. Gameplay: Boring Puzzles, Repetitive Enemies, The same complains as 2018, Menu and Map ubisoft like
  25. SunsetNebula
    Jun 26, 2023
    4
    The game is an absolute wonder in terms of world crafting and beauty in graphics. The characters are very well done and the story is absolutely intriguing from the start. The combat is much like its predecessors but with a lot more combos and experimenting. That said however, there are glaring issues in the story which show signs of lazy writing and rushed story beats. Many plot points andThe game is an absolute wonder in terms of world crafting and beauty in graphics. The characters are very well done and the story is absolutely intriguing from the start. The combat is much like its predecessors but with a lot more combos and experimenting. That said however, there are glaring issues in the story which show signs of lazy writing and rushed story beats. Many plot points and details from the first game are never expanded upon in this game and many character motivations (mainly Freya) are quickly abandoned for story convenience. Many major threats and enemies like Odin or Thor whose immense power is alluded to in the first game, are lackluster and boring. This game's narrative simply could not live up to the hype and worldbuilding its predecessor built for it. The ending, While I won't get into too much conveys this perfectly. The time travel story element is never expanded upon is just an a**pull and the entire ending sequence boils down to a blackout, where you the player do not get to see anything. The combat is more fleshed out and gives you a lot more experimentation. That said, however, coming from the previous game's uninteresting enemies and most notably the absence of cool finishers and set pieces (think the god of war 3) God of war Ragnarok does not address these issues either. One thing I greatly wish they improved upon was exploration. Exploration is largely the same, while the levels are more fleshed out, they are empty and void of any interesting characters apart from the same souls providing fetch quests and the enemies of course. Some side bosses do have a sliver of that energy found in pre reboot God of war. Needless to say, If you did not like the combat in the previous game, there is not much for you here in God of War Ragnarok. Lastly, this game is clearly a PS4 game. Looking at exclusive PS5 games like Demons Souls or the new Final Fantasy 16, this game pales in comparison. The art direction is wonderful, cinematography and dialogue are great, but ultimately this game was a victim to what the notion it's predecessor built for it. In conclusion, God of War Ragnarok showcases impressive world crafting and graphics, but suffers from lazy writing, rushed story beats, and unexplored plot points. The lackluster enemies, disappointing ending, and unchanged exploration further detract from its overall experience. While the combat sees some improvements, it fails to reach the level of excellence set by its predecessor and other exclusive PS5 titles.… Expand
  26. UmbraSon
    Nov 10, 2022
    4
    There are games that push the envelope, GOW ragnarok is not one of them, boring gameplay and nothing much changed from 2018
  27. sytech73
    Nov 10, 2022
    4
    Overrated, very boring game, poor gameplay, same scenarios again and again. It looks designed for PS4 only.
  28. Merlin-84
    Nov 11, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It is most certainly a DLC of the 2018 game. I, like many others had great expectations for GOW Ragnarok. However I was very disappointed. It’s has the same hack and slash element as the 2018 version, but some some new additional moves/combinations. I was expecting it to be on par graphically as say, Horizon forbidden west, it’s not.
    The bosses feel numb and un-rewarding when beaten. The only time I enjoyed this game, was when briefly you get to play as additional characters. Personally, I got bored of this game within the first few hours. It is most certainly a dlc of the 2018 game. Marketed as more. Genuinely dissatisfied and feel like £70 down the drain. Of course this is my opinion.    … Expand
  29. HazukyRuben
    Nov 11, 2022
    4
    Practicamente no ha evolucionado ni en gráficos ni jugabilidad pero para la gente y revistas es el goty del año
  30. 303900616
    Nov 14, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. No hay diferencia la versión del play 4 al play 5, los escenarios son similares a la versión del 2008, los gráficos no son de buena calidad mucha caída de los FPS, muchos bugs, juego secuencia repetitiva. Lo bueno la trama del juegos y los jefes creo que el juego pudo haber sido mejor le faltó bastante… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2022
4
#4 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 141 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 140 out of 141
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 141
  3. 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. Softpedia
    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.
    Read full review
  3. GameSkinny
    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.
    Read full review
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