God of war Ragnarok review in 2023 Release

 GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK REVIEW 

God of War Ragnarok is a lavish production with pristine visuals, jaw-dropping scale, crunchy combat that is as satisfying as it is brutal, and a world that begs to have its every corner and crevice explored. It's a spectacular blockbuster, but these are the least of its achievements.

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In a game where a hulking god rips all manner of creatures limb from limb, the most shocking moments aren't bathed in blood, but carried by poignant words and heartfelt emotions. They are a former God of War--known for mercilessly killing his kin--finding the words to empathize with loss; a despondent child emploring a father to break a self-destructive cycle; a moment of tenderness in the life of a boy that has the weight of the world on his shoulders.

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God of War Ragnarok's most impressive achievements are its exploration of loss and love; grief and growth; determinism and defiance. It's an astoundingly well-written game that deconstructs the mythology of Norse gods and rebuilds it as an odyssey about families. Its story isn't about the end of the world, but those that have a hand in it. They're revered as mythical gods but are characterized by deep flaws, twisted by skewed perspectives, and corrupted by questionable motivations in the same way the people they preside over are. And yet, some also have redemptive qualities. In that respect, Ragnarok's story is told from a grey area where nuances blur the line between heroes and villains; good and evil. By constantly challenging you to reconsider who they are and the factors that drive their actions, these characters remain compelling throughout.

There are moments when characters you're not supposed to be rooting for reveal the trials and tribulations that have shaped them, or the demons they battle. This alone is enough to humanize them, but Ragnarok also mirrors the struggles of the protagonists in the antagonists, forcing you to ask yourself, "If I'm willing to empathize with the good guys because of what they're going through, shouldn't I do the same for the bad guys?" The answer, it turns out, is very complicated, and that's what makes the story so captivating.

Although Kratos and Atreus are the stars of the show, almost every character is in the midst of their own complicated journey. For some, it's one that will lift them from a pit of despair or pull them from darkness and onto a brighter path. For others, it's one that fuels obsessions that could be the undoing of everything and everyone. This is best illustrated by Kratos and Atreus who, by killing Baldur at the end of the last game, act as the harbingers of the end times.

The consequences of this moment weigh differently on them, and what they feel is their responsibility because their actions pull them in different directions. Kratos, who has finally learned to guide his son through love instead of fear, focuses on steering him away from conflict and the affairs of the Aesir gods, but does so with the knowledge that his son is prophesized to play a part in Ragnarok and he is destined to die. Atreus, meanwhile, is compelled to prevent Ragnarok and find out who he is as Loki–the name he was given by the Giants–and sets off to find Tyr, the Norse God of War, to achieve his goals. This complicated dynamic serves as the conflict between them: a man that wants to avoid war at all costs, having learned the toll it extracts firsthand, versus a boy who believes war is the only way to unseat a power that has ruined the lives of so many.

God of War Ragnarok is a long game, but at every step of the journey, the writing and characterization make it count. It justifies that runtime by cultivating an intimacy with the characters that is only possible by spending hours and hours with them, learning how they see the world, and what influences their thinking. And pretty much every character is fascinating, but especially the Aesir gods, who can be a cruel bunch at the best of times. With the looming threat of their demise, however, each of them begins to unravel in different ways. For some, their nature becomes concentrated further, which has unfortunate repercussions. Others, however, are forced to rethink what truly matters to them.

Kratos and Atreus's battles takes them across all nine realms, which is a change from the previous game where two of the realms were locked away. One of the most interesting parts of God of War Ragnarok is how it reimagines areas that were in the original game. Fimbulwinter is used as a narrative conceit to give these familiar locales new life. In Norse mythology, Fimbulwinter, which translates to "the long winter," serves as the prelude to Ragnarok. In-game, it affects the nine realms in different ways. Midgard for example is besieged by a bitter cold, so when you return to the Lake of The Nine once again, it has completely frozen over. Key areas of the lake that you may have become intimately familiar with in the last game may now be inaccessible as new parts of it open up. A cold wind sweeps across the icy surface of the lake and at the center of it all, Tyr’s temple is now barely recognizable under the buildup of snow. In the distance, icy mountain peaks serve as a backdrop to a single lighting strike, frozen in place as the mark of an intense battle. Naturally, navigation is completely changed since you can no longer sail the waters. Instead, Kratos and Atreus get around on a sled that is pulled by their trusty pet wolves, which is a nice way to mix up the way you get around. At certain points, you can even use their keen sense of awareness to sniff out objectives, which is a nice touch.

Svartalfheim, by comparison, looks picturesque from the outskirts, with its bright blue skies. But as you venture deeper into its wetlands, it becomes more desert-like, with craggy rocks awkwardly jutting out and collapsed wooden mining equipment filling the spaces in between. There's an unpleasant, arid atmosphere to it, and yet at the same time, it's quite the visual spectacle to behold, rich in detail and intricate in its construction. Vanaheim, home of the Vanir, is a verdant forest that has reclaimed much of the landscape; trees gently sway in the wind; moss has settled atop the water, and vegetation snakes along stone floors and up onto manmade shrines. And if you take a moment to stop and look around, you'll find wildlife nestled amongst all the green. It's a place that is very alive, which makes it a nice contrast to the coldness of Midgard or the glistening majesty of Alfheim's architecture. There are other areas I won't spoil, some of which have a good amount to see and do, while others serve a specific function.

No one area in God of War Ragnarok comes across as big as the Lake of the Nine, but it seems like this is a symptom of how you're constantly moving around a variety of locations as opposed to repeatedly returning to one. Regardless, each realm has a grand sense of scale and, as you move between them, the scope of the world as a whole far eclipses what came before. While the main story campaign moves Kratos and Atreus through all nine realms, there are plenty of side quests to undertake in each of these locations. Yet another testament to the writing is that these quests are never a distraction and always present a good reward, whether that be an item or crafting materials, at the very least. However, most of the time they also deliver some piece of lore, further flesh out a side character, or give Kratos, Atreus, and Mimir something new to bond over.

Going anywhere with these characters is an exciting prospect, and I often found myself just wandering around to let conversations play out or hoping that new ones would start. In most cases, they did, and I was treated to valuable character growth. In Ragnarok, Kratos is now more inquisitive, Mimir is always ready and willing to offer his insight, and Atreus takes the opportunity to make jokes at both their expense. And that's something I definitely didn't expect. God of War Ragnarok is a funny game--there are more than a few laugh-out-loud moments that endeared me to this new family unit that developed over the last game and flourishes in its sequel.