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The year 2018 was massive for gamers, as they got to play titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Dark Souls Remastered, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, & more. However, no game came close to the 2018’s Game of the Year award winner, God of War. The new reimagination of Kratos’ journey into Norse mythology had everything from a great story to timeless combat design & a lengthy campaign. Some would say it was perfect.
That said, God of War Ragnarok is out now & is taking the world by storm. Some players praise its visuals, while others love its narrative. However, most people agree that God of War Ragnarok it’s a brilliant sequel to the 2018 masterpiece for different reasons. Let’s take a look.
10/10 Multiple Shields Make Defense Interesting
Shields have been a major part of video games over the last three decades. Starting all the way from games like The Legend of Zelda to recent titles like Elden Ring. However, not many players have thought that shield would become a major part of a game like God of War, especially since the series became popular for its cinematic-style fixed-camera hack-&-slash gameplay mechanics.
When Kratos arrived in Norse mythology, Santa Monica Studio took the game in a new direction, making it a more up-close & personal experience. Hence, the shield became a central element of the combat design in the 2018 title. Fortunately, the sequel God of War Ragnarok only takes it to another level by introducing a variety of shield upgrades & types, further enhancing the combat.
9/10 Boss/Enemy Variety Keeps Things Fresh
When Santa Monica Studio built the 2018 game, they ensured the combat remained interesting by creating various enemy types. These included ice-infused monsters Hel-Walkers, Revenants, rocky Ancients, floating Nightmares, Draugrs, & more. However, there was still not enough variety compared to the game’s scale, & there were too many troll fights.
Fortunately, the developers have fixed all that in God of War Ragnarok. In the sequel, players face a wide variety of enemies, each unique to their own different words. Moreover, almost all bosses are distinct, & Trolls have taken a back seat.
8/10 Overhauled Upgrade System But Simplified U.I.
God of War won the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards. However, it doesn’t mean it was perfect. In fact, the 2018 game had many issues, especially relating to its user interface. The first game in the Norse saga introduced the new weapon & armor mechanics, which was a complete overhaul to the simple orbs-based upgrade system of the classics.
Sadly, the new system was too crowded with data, making the upgrade menu confusing for players. Fortunately, God of War Ragnarok fixed that by minimizing the details on the screen, making its menu much easy to underst&.
7/10 Weapon Use Extend Beyond Attacking
When Kratos became part of Norse mythology, he ditched most of his old stuff for an axe his wife gave him. While that may sound like a downgrade, this new weapon held enough variety to keep players happy for the rest of the game. If that wasn’t enough, developers also gave players the iconic chained blades.
God of War Ragnarok takes everything that Kratos had in the 2018 game & amplifies its uses. Now, players can use the chained blades to swing around faster, use the axe to freeze in a combination of companion’s powers & be highly creative with the weapons.
6/10 Overwhelming Amount Of Companions
God of War 2018 is a nicely balanced game. It has just the right upgrades, a good skill tree, & a straightforward narrative. Moreover, the journey is mostly centered around Kratos & his kid Atreus, which keeps the storyline closely knit.
God of War Ragnarok builds up on that & features a story where players can team up with various characters during the storyline. These include the Norse God Tyr, the Goddess Freya, Brock, Sindri, & the grown-up Atreus. Each character has their own moves, with unique abilities & use cases.
5/10 Extended Use Of Spartan Rage
The Spartan Rage was one of the most significant powers in God of War 2018, as it showcased the true power of Kratos throughout his fights with Baldur, Thor’s sons, Dragon, & more. However, it was pretty limited in terms of moves & underwhelming during regular battles.
Fortunately, God of War Ragnarok fixes that by adding a huge list of things players can do while in Spartan Rage. Now, players can use Kratos’ special ability in a passive way for healing, aggressively for attacking, & more.
4/10 Quicker Animations Result In Faster Gameplay
There’s no denying that God of War 2018 is a cinematic game with a good amount of slow-paced cutscenes & climbing sections. It is also a game that uses realistic animation to bring Kratos & Loki’s every move to life. Sadly, the cinematic approach slows the game down during the exploration sections, which was a tradeoff.
Thankfully, God of War Ragnarok changes that by carefully tweaking the old animations to be faster. Whether taking out the boat or climbing a mountain with a push of a button, most things are now fast, impacting the game’s overall speed. Moreover, the exploration is now less clunky than before.
3/10 Better Puzzle Design
While God of War was a brilliant game in 2018, it had a few things that left players underwhelmed. These include the tank-like controls, the lack of orbs, & the inability to revisit certain locations. However, the biggest thing that disappointed long-time fans was the lack of challenging puzzles.
Most of that is now fixed in God of War Ragnarok. Moreover, the developers have built new mechanics for players to use, move platforms, & mix up their abilities with their companion’s powers to uncover secrets. It is safe to say that the new game definitely makes players think.
2/10 Dual Protagonists
God of War Ragnarok lets players experience the story in the most diverse way possible. Not only does it offer a good variety of companions, but it also shakes things up by allowing gamers to play as Loki.
This time, Kratos comes with a huge skill tree & various upgrades, & so does Atreus. Moreover, the son of the Greek God of War has his own unique special ability, which lets him turn into a wolf & eviscerate the enemies into dust.
1/10 Additional Brutal Finishers
One of God of War 2018’s best features was the finishing moves that made Kratos seem like an authentic badass. He could tear enemies apart, crush their heads under his feet, gut them with the blades, or simply split them into two. Still, the animations got repetitive for most players after a while, which was a problem.
God of War Ragnarok fixes that issue by exp&ing on enemy variety & adding way more finishers in Kratos’ arsenal. Now, he looks badass & attacks like the true monster he has become over the years.
God of War Ragnarok is available on PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5.
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Source link gamerant.com
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