The 10 BIGGEST Changes in God of War Ragnarok

10 Biggest Changes in God of War Ragnarok

Welcome to MojoPlays and today we’re gearing up for the end of days to bring you the 10 biggest changes in God of War Ragnarok.

For this list, we’ll be looking at not just the biggest changes in mechanics but also how the many characters have changed and evolved since 2018’s God of War.

What are some of your favorite changes in God of War Ragnarok? Let us know down in the comments.

Familiar and Unfamiliar World

Although we knew going into Ragnarok that we would finally be able to explore the realms that were originally locked off, we had hoped to see new sides of realms we had already become familiar with, and thankfully we weren’t disappointed. The familiar realms have been opened up in new and interesting ways, expanding beyond the confines of the original and allowing us to see new sides we didn’t even know existed. Alfheim is a great example of this as we explore the lower levels of the Light of Alfheim before briefly revisiting the platform in which Kratos entered the light. Even the Lake of Nine, now frozen over, unveils new areas as we explore while still remaining familiar to those who spent countless hours exploring its many shores and landmarks.

Characters

Whereas 2018’s God of War was a mostly solitary adventure focused mainly on Kratos, Atreus, Baldur, Freya and the Huldra brothers, Ragnarok understandably expands its roster of side characters considering the expanded scope of the game. In nearly every realm, Kratos and Atreus will meet numerous new allies and enemies and each have their own distinct personalities that either quickly endear them to the player or make them loathe every second you spend with them. Looking at you, Heimdall. What’s especially surprising is the interactions with the various Aesir gods. During Kratos’s time in the Greek pantheon, nearly all the gods he encountered were despicable, only caring about their own boastful egos and becoming nothing more than punching bags in Kratos’s path. The Aesir in Ragnarok are much more three dimensional and far more likable than anyone would have originally expected.

Accessibility

We know that we keep talking about the accessibility options in nearly every new Sony first party release, but with every new game they manage to top themselves with the number of options available. Besides what has now become standard in Sony exclusives, such as countless audio and visual options so all can explore the Nine Realms no matter their handicap, there are also new options for all players that may feel daunted by the larger scope of Ragnarok compared to its more Metroidvania predecessor. One of our favorite new options is undoubtedly Navigation Assist, which by clicking the right analog stick, the camera will swing in the direction Kratos needs to go in order to progress in the current mission. While this initially might seem like it puts the game on “Easy” mode, we found the best use for this option helped us not overlook extra treasure and other secrets hidden off the beaten path.

Enemies

Heading into Ragnarok, we knew that the variety of enemies would be greatly improved over its predecessor, but we couldn’t have imagined just how much of a difference it would be. From the human Berserkers to the Grim and the ethereal wisps, there’s no shortage of new dangers and each new enemy has their own variations to constantly keep the player on their toes and switching tactics just to come out the other side the victor. New dangers like the Dreki and the Stalkers provide a more significant challenge for those brave enough to face them and while not all of the new additions are welcome - don’t even get us started on the wretches - the amount of variety from one encounter to the next is by far one of the greatest new additions to Ragnarok.

Traversal

Although Kratos might not have been as nimble and double jumping around in God of War 2018, the world he and Atreus explored rarely called for it, although we’d be lying if we said we didn’t still miss it in some instances. In God of War Ragnarok, with the Blades of Chaos firmly in hand from the start, Kratos can now reach higher vantage points and even use the blades in puzzles to open up new pathways. This is in addition to the goodest girls Speki and Svanna who even Kratos comes to love and respect as their bond with the aging God of War grows throughout their journey. We’d also be remiss if we didn’t at least mention Freyr’s magic flying boat which we hope we get to use more than just to reach the Crater in future entries.

Combat

Although the core combat remains largely unchanged from God of War 2018, there have been numerous meaningful changes that help with not only the flow of combat but also its effectiveness. The ability to use the environment and destructible objects opens up new strategies for dealing with powerful foes, while the addition of the Draupnir Spear and its numerous applications, not only in combat but also exploration, gives players a new unending arsenal from which to assault the various new threats they encounter on the road to Ragnarok. Some new forms of enemy even occasionally act as combat puzzles forcing Kratos to figure out what weapon or power is most effective against these new adversaries.

Atreus

Given Atreus was just starting out in his training at the beginning of God of War 2018, he quickly proved to be a fast learner and by the time Ragnarok came around, he was more than capable of heading out into the world on his own. While clearly not as strong as Kratos, his skills with a bow and budding use of magic make him a very capable warrior when faced with any number of challenges. Kratos bears witness to the boy’s progression, as does the player. The sections in which you control Atreus easily could have been a chore when compared to the brute strength of Kratos players had become accustomed to, but thanks to Atreus’s mobility, he offers enough variation in combat and traversal that although brief, his solo missions aren’t something we begrudgingly deal with.

Brok & Sindri

The Huldra Brothers were easily the standout characters in 2018’s God of War and in the years since that game’s conclusion, they have only become closer to Kratos and Atreus with each favoring themselves to one of the brothers. Atreus and Sindri became close confidants and Brok’s gruff no-nonsense attitude endeared him to Kratos. What’s more is that on numerous occasions the brothers will actually venture out of the shop with one or the other, giving players a chance to see them outside their comfort zone but also getting to witness them engage in combat using their numerous gadgets. Getting to spend extra time with each of them only makes future events that much more heartbreaking as now just like Kratos and Atreus, they’ve become part of the family.

Defensive Maneuvers

With the evolution of Kratos’s combat in God of War 2018 came the introduction of his shield, and many players who had adapted to Dark Souls in Kratos’s years away instantly felt at home with the new defensive options available while old school players still mostly dodged out of the way of incoming attacks. With God of War Rangarok, Santa Monica Studios found a balance for both with the introduction of the Dauntless and Stonewall shields. Both shields open up more combat scenarios but are also crucial to many encounters. Many enemies have attacks that charge up and using the shield, Kratos can interrupt the enemies' more devastating attacks and leave them vulnerable for a counterattack. This is such an integral part of the new flow of combat, companion characters will often call out and remind you to use your shield should Kratos be facing down a barrage of attacks.

Kratos

God of War 2018 already marked significant growth for Kratos as a character and Ragnarok managed to take him even further. Whereas in 2018 Kratos was stoic and reserved and undoubtedly he is here as well, the walls have begun to come down and we see him connect with Brok and Sindri and especially Mimir, even calling him a friend and confidant in his journal entries and on occasion referring to him as brother the same way Mimir does to him. We see Kratos willing to accept outside help and to trust in others around him and we especially see this in his interactions with Atreus. While in 2018 he was cold and distant, here Kratos gets to be the father he always wanted to be, never even once referring to Atreus as “boy”. Quite a far cry from the bloodthirsty god who brought down the entire Greek Pantheon.