PlayStation Plus Just Quietly Added the Most Epic Action Game of the Decade
Embrace the rage.
Video games have always been so good about letting players embrace a power fantasy, taking you out of the doldrums of everyday life and into the shoes of unstoppable heroes. That’s a big part of why anyone plays video games, and if there’s one game that perfectly harnesses the feeling of letting you be an unstoppable force, it’s God of War Ragnarok. Kratos, the Ghost of Sparta, has become an infamous part of video game history, and he’s at his best in Ragnarok — a superb action game that truly lets you feel like a rage-fueled god unable to be stopped by anything, both mortal and mythical. Ragnarok is one of the best PlayStation exclusives in a decade, and now PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium users can jump on it for free.
God of War Ragnarok is a direct sequel to the 2018 game, simply titled God of War. After the events of those games, things have turned catastrophically worse as the entire pantheon of Norse gods now sees Kratos and his son, Atreus, as tremendous threats. If you’d like to jump right into Ragnarok that’s entirely possible, as the sequel has a lengthy story recap — but you’ll undoubtedly lose out on a lot of the emotional heft of the story if you haven't been through the 2018 game.
Despite all the game’s brutality, Ragnarok still has some quiet moments and beautiful vistas to absord.
That being said, Ragnarok is a markedly different experience from the first God of War, in terms of tone, pacing, and narrative. If you think of both as theme park attractions, God of War is the bumper car ride, while Ragnarok is the iron-clad roller coaster looming behind it.
The stakes are instantly sky-high from the very start, as Kratos comes face-to-face with the iconic God of Thunder, Thor. It’s an unforgettable battle that sets Kratos and Atreus on a quest to stop the titular Ragnarok, an apocalyptic event that would bring an end to the nine realms of Norse mythology.
2018’s God of War had a lot of quiet, emotional exploration of Kratos’ character, and his relationship with Atreus. While some of that is present in Ragnarok still, it’s more easily comparable to a Marvel movie than something trying to emulate The Last of Us. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just means that Ragnarok focuses much more heavily on big action set pieces, and pacing that moves the story along at a breakneck pace.
Ragnarok has a multitude of weapons that allow you to really fine-tune your combat experience.
Luckily, Ragnarok improves on absolutely everything the first God of War did in terms of combat and gameplay, so that heightened pace gives you a lot to love. You primarily control Kratos from a third-person view, although you’ll occasionally swap to other characters. Using an array of weapons you’ll beat and bludgeon thousands of hapless creatures, from centaurs and wyverns to stoic einherjar warriors and the gods themselves.
Ragnarok’s weapon and ability systems are astoundingly versatile, and the single best improvement the sequel makes. While you have the mainstays like the Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos, you’ll unlock a wealth of others that let you truly craft unique builds and approaches to combat. The Draupnir Spear is a versatile weapon that gives Kratos both range and intense piercing power, while also letting him reach higher areas. The Onslaught Shield lets you turn enemies' own attacks against them, using parries and defense to turn the tides. You’ll also need to take into account the elemental attributes of your weapons, swapping between things on the fly to adapt to situations.
It’s hard to express just how satisfying combat feels in Ragnarok, everything simply flows and fits together exceptionally well, like clicking those perfect puzzle pieces together. Compared to the first game you have far more options for combos and customization, and every single weapon feels seamless to use — with very little learning needed, but a lot of depth. Ragnarok is simply one of those games where you get in the “zone,” and before you know it, dozens of enemies lie at your feet and you’re hanging on by a scrape of health.
Some of Ragnarok’s boss battles need to be seen to be believed.
Even the lowliest of battles feel like pulse-pounding affairs, and that only get turned up to ridiculous degrees during boss battles. The ground cracks and splinters into great chasms as Kratos and Thor exchange blows, and magical embers flit through the air as you take on Heimdall. Ragnarok’s attention to detail is impeccable, and those boss fights are some of the most memorable you’ll find in any action game.
On PS2 and PS3, the God of War franchise felt like the gold standard for action games to meet, and Ragnarok feels like it managed to do that yet again. It’s an experience filled with relentless brutality and action, going from 0-100 and never slowing down. If you like a healthy dose of adrenaline to keep life exciting, God of War Ragnarok is the game for you.
