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God of War Ragnarok, without a shadow of a doubt, was this year's most anticipated title and genuinely delivered on players' expectations in terms of both the narrative and gameplay. While the sequel's gameplay and combat are based on the fundamentals established by the 2018 original, it takes a lot of cues from the classic God of War games, with an increased emphasis on aggression, mobility, and verticality.
The combat in God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok is made even more enjoyable this time around with the fun new twists developer Santa Monica Studio added to Kratos' weapons, giving players a host of new options when it comes to active weapon skills, passive buffs, and combos.
While the weapons Kratos wield in both God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok are entertaining to use, they also hold impressive history and lore attached to their origin. This is something the games only passively convey. The following section briefly dives into the Norse weapons and their mythos in God of War Ragnarok.
Note: This article contains spoilers for God of War Ragnarok and God of War (2018).
The impressive history behind all of Kratos' weapons in God of War Ragnarok
Leviathan Axe
The iconic frost axe, which has now become one of the most notable weapons ever created in gaming, initially did not belong to Kratos but to his wife Laufey the Just or Faye. Forged by the talented blacksmith duo - the Huldra brothers, Brok and Sindri, the Leviathan Axe is the single most capable weapon that could stand against Thor's Mjolnir and the All-father's Gungnir.
During the events of God of War Ragnarok, it was revealed that Faye, the very last of the Giants, wielded the Leviathan Axe against the mighty god of thunder, Thor. The clash between the two legendary weapons was so decisive that it caused a permanent remnant on Vanaheim's soil, leaving a massive crater in its wake and a lightning bolt shaped like the Yggdrasil as a reminder of the ferocious battle between Faye and Thor.
The axe was later passed down to Kratos on Faye's death to protect Atreus from the wrath of Aesir, as well as a piece of Faye herself for Kratos to remember her with and reminisce over her memories. Much like Thor's Mjolnir, the Leviathan Axe is bound to its wielder's soul allowing Kratos to call the axe back into his hands, much like the iconic hammer.
Guardian Shield
The Guardian Shield is another one of the gifts that Kratos received from his wife, Faye. While the weapon is more geared towards defense than outright offense, it is still an essential element of Kratos' arsenal. Forged by the Hulddra brothers, the Guardian Shield was gifted to Kratos by Faye on the anniversary of the night the two met.
While not related in lore, the Guardian Shield is much like the Golden Fleece from the classic games, featuring similar blocking, parrying, and projectile redirection functions. The Golden Fleece was a powerful tool in Kratos' arsenal, capable of even deflecting the strikes of the Balde of Olympus.
In God of War Ragnarok, while fighting with Thor, the Guardian Shield gets shattered, rendering it virtually useless during combat. It is later fixed and improved by Brok and Sindri, allowing Kratos to expand its usage during combat by using "Ronds" while keeping the general moveset and attributes of the shield intact.
Blades of Chaos
The iconic twin blades of Kratos and the Blades of Chaos have been the weapons that the Ghost of Sparta has used since his oath to Ares. The Blades of Chaos has undergone various transformations and changes throughout the years, giving the twin blades entirely new movesets, skills, and elemental affinities.
However, their core design and implementation in combat have seen little to no change, even in the new Norse saga. In the classic games, Kratos' twin blades go by many names, Blades of Anguish, Blades of Exile, and Blades of Athena, offering new elemental properties that Kratos can use during combat and platforming sections.
With the Norse saga, however, Santa Monica Studio chose to stick with the weapon's original form and title. The Blades of Chaos is a painful memory of Kratos' past as the Greek God of War and a powerful tool he is ultimately forced to wield once again to protect those he calls his family and his friends.
Draupnir Spear
The Draupnir Spear is a newly added weapon in God of War Ragnarok, featuring completely new and fascinating moveset, skills, and runic attacks. Forged by and blessed by Brok, the Draupnir Spear is meant to defeat the seemingly undefeatable watchdog of Aesir - Heimdall, who was prophecized to kill Kratos' son Atreus, also known as Loki.
The Draupnir Spear, as its name suggests, is built out of the Draupnir Ring, which was gifted to Odin by the Huldra brothers as a gesture of goodwill from the Dwarves. However, it was later "ungifted" by the Dwarves as they saw Odin no longer fit to wield the Draupnir. The Draupnir Ring is said to have the ability to multiply itself inexplicably, requiring a whole dungeon-sized storeroom to store the ring.
The Draupnir Ring's ability to multiply translates well as a weapon since, upon being transformed into a Spear by a mysterious Mermaid in Svartalfheim, it can generate multiple spearheads. Kratos can detonate them at will. Additionally, the Draupnir Spear can also siphon off the magical abilities of the enemies for a short period.
Due to the multiplicative and arcane properties of the Draupnir Spear, it becomes an invaluable weapon that allows Kratos is the best Heimdall. As a nod to the classic games, the Draupnir Spear features a similar-looking red cloth wrapped around its neck that was present in the Arms of Sparta in God of War: Ghost of Sparta.
