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God of War Ragnarok is just moments away from release, and is set to deliver a mesmerizing and satisfying conclusion to the Ghost of Sparta, Kratos', Norse saga. The game has received glowing reviews from critics so far, with perfect scores across the board from most highly reputed gaming publications.
God of War (2018) not only revitalized the franchise with a heartfelt narrative, but it did so while staying true to the visceral combat that the series is known for. God of War Ragnarok is built on the foundations laid down by that title. However, instead of rehashing the same combat system with barely any noticeable difference, developer Santa Monica Studios have made some really noteworthy changes to almost every aspect of it.
From extended combos to an even bigger and much more varied skill trees for both Kratos and Atreus, God of War Ragnarok will offer a completely fresh experience for both veterans of the previous title as well as newcomers to the series.
While the game doles out new and exciting gameplay and narrative beats at a steady pace throughout its entire runtime, players might get a bit intimidated at first by the number of systems, menus, skills, armor options, and more.
Thus, having prior knowledge of the basic systems of God of War Ragnarok's combat, exploration, and narrative loop can help players, especially newcomers, ease into the experience. Here are five things every player should know and remember while playing God of War Ragnarok.
From weapon skills to armor upgrades, five things to remember during God of War Ragnarok's runtime
1) Weapon switching and combos
The God of War games have always been about the visceral and satisfying combat system. Much like any other character-action franchise, the classic titles allowed players to experiment with multiple weapons. Stringing light and heavy attacks using different weaponry on-the-fly allowed players to come up with some really cool and brutal combos.
However, with God of War (2018) offering just the Leviathan Axe for the first half of the game, it did not allow for much combat experimentation. Avenues for multiple weapon combos opened up once Kratos got access to his iconic Baldes of Chaos, but players did not get to use them for a significant portion of the game's runtime.
With God of War Ragnarok, however, players will have access to both the Leviathan Axe and the Blades of Chaos pretty much from the start, along with some crucial skills that will make the opening stretch of the game exponentially more enjoyable than the previous title.
Switching between the two weapons during combat is not only necessary, but also super fun since players can basically extend their attack combos, using the standard as well as the runic attacks.
Switching between the two weapons was a crucial aspect, especially during late-game boss fights in God of War (2018), and the same applies to God of War Ragnarok, but right from the start. Thus, players should not hesitate to experiment with both the weapons, instead of relying on just one.
2) Bare-handed and shield combat
While weapons are fine and dandy, Kratos, being a god with superhuman reflexes and strength, is equally as lethal using his bare fists as he is with his weapons. Using Kratos' fists also has the advantage of building up stun damage much faster than the weapons.
Alongside the bare-handed attacks, Kratos also uses his Guardian Shield, which is not only effective in blocking and parrying incoming attacks, but can also deal massive damage, thanks to the offensive skills that players can unlock for it.
In God of War Ragnarok, Santa Monica Studio took the shield combat even further by giving players multiple shield types, which drastically change the way players approach combat.
3) Side quests and favors
The God of War series has always been about mindless action with a linear narrative and gameplay structure that did not leave much room for side quests. However, with God of War (2018), Santa Monica Studio structured the game more like an open-world action-adventure title rather than a linear character-action offering.
While the game isn't an open-world title per se, it is structured like one, giving players multiple side content called "favors" to indulge themselves in-between the main narrative quests.
The side content in God of War (2018) not only gave players access to some really cool runic attacks, enchantments, talismans, upgrade materials, but also provided a healthy dose of narrative and some truly memorable stories.
Suffice to say, players should definitely not miss out on the side content when playing the sequel to the 2018 masterpiece, God of War Ragnarok.
4) Companion skill tree and runic summons
While Kratos himself is more than capable of getting things done in God of War Ragnarok, his son Atreus is no slouch and can be very effective in certain combat scenarios.
In God of War (2018), Atreus had a section of the skill tree dedicated to his archery capabilities, including different elemental buffs as well as a separate runic summons aspect, allowing him to call for spirits that massively aided combat.
With God of War Ragnarok being set a few years after the previous title, Atreus has grown to be a rather skilled combatant, much like his father. Players should definitely not underestimate the importance of Atreus and other companions in God of War Ragnarok, since they can be crucial to winning or losing certain combat encounters, especially on higher difficulties.
5) Take your time with the game
While God of War Ragnarok is technically a hack-and-slash action game, much like the classic games in the franchise, at heart it is a narrative-driven action-adventure title that players should definitely not rush to finish.
Taking in the atmosphere, exploring the realms, finding new and intriguing lore about the Norse land and its many equally interesting denizens, is the way to play the previous and the latest God of War.
Given God of War Ragnarok is the final chapter in Kratos' Norse saga, players should definitely not rush to see the conclusion of the game's story. Instead, take their time with it, completing side quests, favors, optional boss fights, and more, before they finally make their way to the final chapters of Kratos and Atreus' story.
