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In preparation for God of War Ragnarok, I spent last weekend powering through Kratos and Atreus' maiden voyage for the first time since 2018. Despite remaining familiar with the action brawler's mainline story beats, I was surprised by how much of its minutiae I'd forgotten in the interim – which made reacquainting myself with Freya, Jormungandr, and the game's litany of larger-than-life baddies all the more enjoyable. The word 'epic' is overused in casual parlance these days, but it really is the best way to describe the showdowns that involve hulking dragons, screen-filling Norse gods, and ripping the heart from the gatekeeper of Hel's rib cage, to name but some of the memorable conflicts in God of War.
I'm well aware that, for whatever reason, the difficulty level you choose to play video games on is a big deal to some people; that if you don't play on Bastard Hard mode you're not experiencing the game properly. Or something like that. I'm never quite sure of the exact gripe. But, honestly, I will never play games like God of War Ragonarok on anything but easy mode, because the nitty gritty of combat isn't why I'm here.
God's sake
God of War Ragnarok review: "For the most part this is exceptional"
Don't get me wrong: I love the fights in God of War. And, after reading our God of Ragnarok review, I'm certain I'll feel the same about its sequel. I've got it downloading right now, and I'm already excited to storm the battlefield with my Blades of Chaos in-hand, and my older, more mature pal Atreus by my side. The ways in which Sony Santa Monica Studio effortlessly weaves heartfelt narrative through its games' combat and world-building is up there with the best; near-seamlessly moving Kratos from profound conversations with kin and comrades, to exploring unfamiliar territory before burying his Leviathan Axe in the bloodied skull of a fire-infused Troll in the space of just a few minutes. The mere sight of something of blockbuster proportions lurching across your path, knowing you're on the cusp of a Hollywood throw down is so exciting, evoking everything from Shadow of the Colossus, to The Hive Mind in Dead Space, Gears of Wars 2's Riftworm, and pretty much every boss fight in Dark Souls and Elden Ring.
Unlike FromSoftware's games, though, combat in God of War, to me, feels secondary. I recently passed the 250-hour mark in Elden Ring, and am a dyed-in-the-wool Soulsborne fanatic who loves nothing more than tussling with uber-challenging AI baddies and Fight Club player-controlled combatants alike. I do not care one bit for the tired 'Git Gud' culture that still encompasses these games, but in the same breath, I feel like I've more than served my time in this space. I see God of War and its ilk, however, through a totally different lens – as something more reflective of an interactive narrative game, whereby each combat set-piece is the equivalent of flicking a page in a graphic novel, and a means of transporting me to the next story twist or turn.
You cried
"Everyone should play video games as they please, in any way that they please, and you should absolutely do you".
The brilliant learn-by-dying combat systems in Dark Souls and Elden Ring frame just about everything these games do, against their interpretive, story-light makeup. The entirely different but equally stellar rhythmic combat systems in the likes of Insomniac's Spider-Man and Rocksteady's Batman Arkham series help elevate these games' narratives and image – as superhero tales where the protagonists embark on a steady ascent towards a built-up final fight, saving their respective cities from disaster thereafter. But in God of War, I have never felt gripped by its combat mechanics in the same way. I love the concept of its epic battles as they relate to the game's story, but am less enthused by their minute-to-minute moments with my fists raised.
Moreover, death in Elden Ring is invariably your fault – a result of your inability to predict an enemy's next move, or to choose the right time to dash or dodge in attack and defense. Death in Spider-Man is often a result of becoming overwhelmed by a gang of fast-firing bad guys, whereby you've failed to fully lean on the myriad special powers that Peter Parker or Miles Morales have at their disposal. But, for me, death in God of War can be a flow-breaking pain in the backside – so much so, that while I've never felt battles should be skippable altogether, I've never once felt compelled to up the game's difficulty settings from its base level and raise their challenge.
But, listen, if you want to play at the highest level, or chase down all those Valkyries once the credits roll, that's wonderful! Everyone should play video games as they please, in any way that they please, and you should absolutely do you. But for me, I'm here for the ups and the downs, the highs and the lows, the smiles and the cries. Just Give Me a Story, as God of War's title screen says, and I'll let easy mode carry me to Valhalla.
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