‘God of War’ Comes of Age in the Year’s Best Video Game
By the time credits rolled on God of War: Ragnarök, I had already cried several times. This is not necessarily a commentary on anyone’s fate in the game (and no, I will not reveal any fates). Instead, it’s a commendation. The new installment in the PlayStation game franchise isn’t just a fantastic game in itself—one of the year’s best—but Ragnarök is also an unforgettable story about the woes of growing up.
This game is incredibly violent, as any game called God of War should be. Ragnarök is even surprisingly funny at times. And it is a lot of fun to play. But it is also a gripping story, ruminating on fate, the consequences of our choices, and what truly defines the future. These themes are lurking around every corner over the game—just as was the case with its predecessor, 2018’s God of War, which delved into heavy topics such as loss and the weight of parenthood. With Ragnarök, they are even more strongly represented, their intensity elevated. The stakes are higher. The emotions run deeper. And the story is even richer.
When we first met war god Kratos (Christopher Judge) and his son Atreus (Sunny Suljic) in the previous game, the father-son pair were laying their wife/mother, Faye, to rest, before setting off on a journey to fulfill her final wish: spreading her ashes at the highest peak in all the realms. As Kratos, players slashed their way through enemies while learning more about his mysterious backstory and the truth about who Atreus really is.