Early Impressions
God of War (2018) formed a unique and intriguing approach for the franchise meanwhile completely praising all that had taken place in the past of Kratos’ saga. We have been introduced to a unique insight into Kratos’ hard living and his effort to create a different life. Everything ended up pretty OK while keeping plenty of loose ends for gamers to argue and speculate about throughout the following four years. We have already spent some time in the Ragnarök gameplay demo and are happy to discuss our experience. We don’t have a goal to reveal the main storyline (so we won’t), but we are excited to share our thoughts on whether players should be ready for the upcoming part.
So actually, every God Of War fan must be excited about this point.
Ragnarök starts right from the end of the last game, and the story remains promising, similar to the original, very first God of War scenario.
The opening scene instantly reveals the high standards of experienced designers and artists, with various sequences explaining why these epic games took years to create. New characters, as well as old ones, will show up. At the same time, the gameplay will include the most vivid experience that only a top-ranked game can provide.
The old camera angle feature also reappears and immediately shows its importance. This feature has succeeded in previous parts, giving the user the feeling of having real-time gameplay as never before. That’s still the case here, even with new techniques to convey the story in a different, entertaining way.
First impressions of in-game action were mostly familiar from previous games. Still, many improvements are worth discussing. You may remember the storyline of the last chapter, but the battle system is the main object of interest right now. Compared to the previous part, Kratos begins with a wider weaponry, and it is most pleasant to feel the Leviathan weapon in the heat of battle.
The limitation of foe variability was among general issues about the previous part, so Santa Monica Company developers considered all comments seriously to improve their upcoming game. I have slain more foes and faced more mini-bosses with specific defeat skills and appearances in five hours than in the last God Of War. Indeed, not all the new creatures are fascinating – I dispatched a bunch of fleeing snakes with a single strike. Still, I appreciate the diversity, specifically with the more giant monsters.
I also discovered a couple great features, where Kratos may grasp surrounding objects: boulders and tiny trees, tossing them to deal massive amounts of damage. Such mechanics is not a big deal, but pulling a tree from the ground and wielding it as a sword, is impressive. As I think I’ve made clear, I won’t reveal any plot details, but the conversation still gives me unforeseen pleasure. This time Mimir accompanies the player from the start, not halfway through, as you can remember from an older game. The bond among the main characters – a strict parent, a gifted but enthusiastic child, and a wise uncle, give reliable guidance. This time you can feel strong relationships forming as long as you advance in the story. The outcome of the current trio of interrelated characters is surprisingly funny at times. Kratos appears as a quintessential ruthless hero with little room for happiness, while Mimir’s personality is made for staying positive. I listened to every dialogue, perhaps more carefully than ever before.
Thus, unexpected humor continues to some sort of diary in which Kratos writes comments upon that adventure and provides facts about people you have met previously. For instance, Kratos references Brok in one chapter, and he refuses to confess he respects him. Meanwhile, his thoughts will appear in the journal as “I consider him decent company.”
Rest assured, Ragnarök has fulfilled the unjust hopes we’ve placed on its vast shoulders. The early gameplay demo was remarkable, and it seems we are only at the beginning of the great innovation in this franchise. I was really waiting for this game. I recognize the well-known characters, I am learning to know some recent characters, and have re-learned how to use my weapons. Furthermore, I’m now prepared to watch the complete adventure and spend countless hours in this game.