The beloved father-son duo Kratos and Atreus returned Nov. 9 in “God of War: Ragnarök,” continuing their journey together as they await the cataclysmic destruction of their world and battle with the almighty Odin. Originally slated for its release in 2021, Sony Santa Monica Studio faced some delay in their development of the game due to the COVID-19 pandemic and their lead voice actor’s health issues. As the ninth installment of the franchise, “God of War: Ragnarök” is a sequel to 2018’s “God of War,” a notoriously praised game that left fans questioning how the Norse saga of the series will come to its end.
The sequel is set four years after Kratos (Christopher Judge) and Atreus (Sunny Suljic) murdered the two sons of Thor (Ryan Hurst). As they prepare for war, the father and son find themselves becoming more and more distant. While Atreus seeks the answers to his identity as Loki and longs for independence, Kratos struggles as a father and husband who still grieves his late wife, Faye (Deborah Ann Woll). After Atreus discovers his tragic prophecy, he convinces his father to find Týr (Ben Prendergast), an imprisoned god that they believe will help them stop the events of Ragnarök. On their quest they are pursued by Freya (Danielle Bisutti), a witch who seeks vengeance for the death of her son after he was killed by Kratos in the previous game. The father and son make peace with the grieving mother, and they all band together to recruit and unite other forces to defeat their common enemy, the almighty Odin (Richard Schiff).
The sequel plays like a seamless continuation of the first game, replicating the atmosphere and feel with its recurring characters and fan favorites. “God of War” ended with a cliffhanger; Atreus has a vision that he and his father will soon be visited by Thor, who seeks vengeance for the death of his two sons. After a few hours into the sequel, the game subverts its players by having the exact scene unfold early on. To the player’s surprise, the rest of the story is much more grand in scale and bigger than its preview. “Ragnarök” does not disappoint and truly precedes the epic journey that our beloved characters embark on.
Lately, the strained relationship between a stoic, murderous father and his hopeful child has been a common trope in the entertainment and media industry. We’ve seen this before in shows like “The Mandalorian,” but it has also traversed to the realm of video games as well with Naughty Dog’s “The Last of Us.” But what “God of War: Ragnarök” does with its reinvention of its characters sets a new bar for storytelling in video games.
It utilizes the lore of Norse mythology and creatively manipulates these infamous tales to tell a story of its own. A central component in this sequel that’s far more emphasized here than in any of its predecessors is the idea of one’s own prophecy. Early on, Atreus learns that his prophecy is to abandon Kratos and serve Odin instead, leaving his father to die without his son by his side. Desiring his own independence, Atreus goes off on a self-seeking journey and suffers from his own guilt. He resents his father for his overprotective nature yet will do everything he can in his power to prevent his impending death. However, the game powerfully asserts that one can defy their fate and rewrite the endings to their own stories.
Just like Atreus’ harrowing prophecy, the game also shows with its characters that appearances can sometimes be deceiving. Kratos begins to revert back to his old, malicious ways in order to retrieve his son from Odin. However, he learns that although he assumes the form of a god, it is not within his nature to act like one. Kratos gradually realizes that in order to prevent his son’s looming betrayal, he must learn how to trust him, a universal message that many parental figures can relate to. The sequel achieves many milestones with its unique storytelling and characters, but its most noteworthy feat is Kratos’ character development. In this game, we see the god of strength in a different light — the killing machine that has once been consumed by rage has evolved into a much more caring, sympathetic father for his son. The growth of Kratos as a character feels organic and succeeds as the game’s biggest highlight. Whether it’s a slow sigh or a stifled sob, Judge’s motion-captured performance embodies the complex emotions and growth of this character as a broken man, especially after an extensive franchise that spent over 17 years depicting him as a ruthless killer.
In terms of visual and gameplay presentation, the sequel excels in every way, shape and form. From the snowy, isolated lands of Midgard to the overgrown, lush foliage of Ironwood, the environments of ancient Scandinavia are visually breathtaking. As Kratos and Atreus travel across the nine realms of Norse cosmology, players are treated with the game’s colorful hues, dynamic lighting and photorealistic graphics. The sequel borrows most of its gameplay mechanics from the previous 2018 release with the addition of a few new weapons and heightened abilities. Kratos is even given unique combat animations to aid him in every epic boss fight, which the game generously drops on its players when they least expect it. Simply put, the gameplay is fun and extremely stimulating.
The game also toys with the player’s agency and perspective, using fluid shots and impressive camerawork to shift the perspective from character to character. As players switch back and forth between Kratos and Atreus, the audience witnesses how these adverse events and hardships have allowed these two beloved characters to see eye-to-eye as father and son.
As a sequel, the game hits all the checkboxes with its immaculate visuals, immersive gameplay and powerful storytelling. These multi-dimensional characters feel larger than life, and the stories they tell carry universal elements that many can relate to. As a masterpiece of a sequel, “God of War: Ragnarök” concludes the series’ final chapters of its Norse saga, brimming with breathtaking adventures and heartbreaking tragedies.
Raymond Dinh is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the fall 2022 quarter. He can be reached at raymontd@uci.edu.
