Kratos' journey was initially believed to have ended in 2010's God of War III. But eight years later, he made his return in God of War (2018). Finished with Greece, Kratos settled down in Scandinavia in a game that serves as both a sequel and a reboot for the beloved series. Kratos married again and had a son named Atreus. After Kratos' wife passed away, he and Atreus journied to the highest peak of the nine realms to spread her ashes.
God of War (2018) proved to be a highly successful return for the God of War series en route to becoming the best-selling, and one of the most highly-rated, PlayStation 4 game of all time. Understandably, its sequel God of War Ragnarök has been one of the most anticipated games since its announcement in 2020. Santa Monica Studio has provided players with plenty of information about Kratos and Atreus' next adventure.
10 Ragnarök Is Coming
In God of War (2018), Kratos and Atreus are opposed by the Norse god Baldur, one of the sons of Odin. Baldur's defeat triggers the Fimbulwinter, or "great winter," that precedes Ragnarök. Three years later, the long Fimbulwinter is coming to a close.
Ragnarök is a cataclysmic event in Norse mythology that sees the fall of major Norse figures such as Odin and Thor as well as natural disasters that flood the world. Kratos and Atreus will travel to all nine realms to find a way to subvert prophecy, put a stop to Ragnarök, and save the world from impending doom.
9 God Of War Ragnarök Will End The Norse Saga
Those hoping for an expansive trilogy of Kratos' time in Norse territory may be disappointed to learn that the Norse saga will be a duology. God of War Ragnarök will serve as the ending to that Norse saga.
The biggest reason Santa Monica Studio elected to conclude this era of Kratos' life was due to the scale of development. They didn't want to spend almost two decades developing games that tell a single story arc, given the development times of God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök. While God of War Ragnarök could've been split into two games, sticking with one game ensures the story isn't spread thin, which will make God of War Ragnarök as massive and as epic as possible.
8 Kratos And Atreus Will Encounter New Friends And Foes
Given that God of War Ragnarök concludes the Norse saga, Santa Monica Studio is not pulling any punches with its roster of new characters. One major Norse figure set to appear is Thor. Thor briefly appeared in the post-credit scene of God of War (2018) seeking revenge for the death of his brother Baldur and his sons, Magni and Modi.
Kratos will also meet his Norse counterpart, the Norse God of War Týr, who allies himself with Kratos after being imprisoned by his father Odin. Kratos and Atreus also meet Angrboda, the mother of Fenrir and Jörmungandr. Jörmungandr, the World Serpent of the Lake of Nine, appeared in God of War (2018) while Fenrir, the giant wolf, is heavily featured in God of War Ragnarök.
7 They Will Also Be Reunited With Old Allies
Kratos and Atreus are again joined by Mimir in their pursuit to stop Ragnarök. Not that Mimir has any choice, considering he's a severed head. His knowledge base has already proven to be an invaluable asset for Kratos as he learns more and more about the world around him. Kratos and Atreus will also reunite with dwarf brothers Brok and Sindri, whose smithing services provided Kratos with much-needed weapon and armor upgrades.
Another former ally returning in God of War Ragnarök is Freya. "Former" is the key word, as the Witch of the Woods is hunting down Kratos and Atreus for the death of her son, Baldur.
6 Kratos' Combat Arsenal Is Ever Expanding
If Kratos is going to stop Ragnarök, he'll need a few new tricks up his sleeve. Beyond more combo possibilities, Kratos also has a falling slam technique that will allow him to do an Earth-shattering blast when leaping off a ledge that can extend into a combo.
Kratos also has new weapon options that allow the player to tune Kratos to their playing style. For example, Kratos can use shields that favor parrying over blocking, and vice versa. Players can also switch out weapons when going for a combo finisher, allowing players more freedom in how to finish off an enemy.
5 Atreus Is Growing Up
At the start of God of War (2018), Atreus was feeble. A task such as hunting a deer initially proved to be overwhelming. Over the course of God of War (2018), Atreus became less of a burden to Kratos and more of a partner.
God of War Ragnarök shows that the three years between adventures haven't gone to waste for Atreus, who was previously revealed to be Loki at the end of God of War (2018). Atreus is older and more independent. Atreus' improved skillset and assertiveness will be more helpful to Kratos and the player, providing more team-up opportunities both in combat and in puzzles.
4 More Enemy Types And Mini-Bosses Keeps The Experience Fresh
One of the biggest complaints many players had about God of War (2018) was the lack of enemy variety and mini-bosses. Santa Monica Studio actively worked to alleviate this complaint for God of War Ragnarök.
God of War Ragnarök will feature are a far greater variety of enemies as well as mini-bosses. Kratos and Atreus will have to contend with enemies that are not just larger and more varied than ever, but also fight on more vertical battlefields. The overall combat philosophy is to treat combat like a puzzle that the player will have to discern a proper strategy to overcome.
3 God Of War Ragnarök Features Numerous Performance And Accessibility Options
God of War Ragnarök expands on the performance and accessibility options from God of War (2018) as well as the growing push to make games more accessible. God of War Ragnarök allows players to play in 4K with 30 FPS locked, 4K with 40 FPS locked, 60 FPS, and a high frame rate Performance mode that syncs with 120hz monitors.
On the accessibility front, God of War Ragnarök will include 60 accessibility options to customize the game to fit the player's needs. Features such as improved controller remapping, auto-sprint, audio cues, and full subtitle customizability are just a few of the many features made available in God of War Ragnarök.
2 God Of War Ragnarök Offers A PlayStation 4 To PlayStation 5 Upgrade
God of War Ragnarök will release for both PS4 and PS5 with minimal differences between the two versions. The PS5 version will see faster loading times, haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, 3D audio, and more visual fidelity and options.
God of War Ragnarök on PS5 will cost $69.99, while the PS4 version will cost $59.99. God of War Ragnarök does feature an upgrade system for PS4 to PS5, but it will cost $10 to upgrade. This will prevent the scenario Horizon: Forbidden West encountered where the PS4 version was $10 cheaper, but the upgrade was made free after backlash. Players had little incentive to buy the more expensive PS5 version.
1 When Does God Of War Ragnarök Release?
God of War Ragnarök will release on November 9, 2022. Players who preordered the digital version of God of War Ragnarök can preload the game starting November 2nd. Players who preordered God of War Ragnarök will receive the Snow Armor and Snow Tunic for both Kratos and Atreus.
Players can also purchase the Deluxe Digital Edition, which includes a digital soundtrack composed by Bear McCreary, a digital art book from Dark Horse, a PlayStation Network avatar set, and cosmetics. The digital deluxe edition is priced at $79.99 and includes both the PS4 and PS5 versions of God of War Ragnarök.