Is it a true sequel❓

Let's get this straight, everyone knows that Ragnarök is an amazing game. There have been numerous 10/10 reviews and it's clear that Sony's Santa Monica Studios have nailed it again.

However, people always find a way to be negative about things. That is why some gamers are expressing their opinion and believe this game to be no more than DLC for 2018's Game of the Year, God of War. Even if Ragnarök is just DLC that was repackaged into a new game, a continuation of one of the best games ever created is not a bad thing at all. However, I believe it to be more than just DLC.

In today's video, I will explain why I not only think that God of War Ragnarök could bring home another Game of the Year award but also why this title is worthy of being called a true sequel. I will have some of my gameplay to go along with this, most of which is spoiler free.

This is a direct continuation following the end of 2018's God of War. Kratos, Atreus aka Loki, and Mimir gather once again to explore one of the most gorgeous worlds to ever be featured in a video game. This time, their battle is to survive the impending doom of Ragnarök.

In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of events, including a great battle, foretelling the death of numerous great figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, and Loki), natural disasters, and the submersion of the world in water. After these events, the world will rise again, cleansed and fertile, the surviving and returning gods will meet and the world will be repopulated by two human survivors. ^Source

Fimbulwinter is a prophesied winter event in Midgard. It is a three-year-long period of heavy snow and blizzards which serves as a foreboding occurrence for Ragnarök, the total annihilation of all the Nine Realms.

Some locations return from 2018's God of War, but they usually look totally different and certainly are not just copied and pasted. There are also new realms to explore which were forever locked in the previous title. Not all realms are covered in heavy snow as you might assume. Each realm is affected differently by Fimbulwinter and you can bet there is some insane variety between all of the various realms.

I've only visited 4 of the 9 realms so far, but each has had me in awe. Midgard is where Kratos' and Atreus' home is located. Svartalfheim is the home of the dwarves. Alfheim where the light and dark elves are locked in an unending conflict centered around the Temple of Light. I most recently arrived in Ironwood which is a hidden location and the home of the Giants. I still need to visit Niflheim, Jotunheim, Muspelheim, Vanaheim, Helheim, and Asgard. Who knows, maybe the game will surprise me with other locations. I've already experienced what seems like an astral plane of sorts.

There are many returning characters, but also lots of new ones. You may have seen trailers where a rather pudgy and unattractive version of Thor is featured. He is just one of many great inclusions of Norse mythology. This game may be one of the best representations of Norse mythology to ever exist. God of War goes about it in a different way than say Marvel or other movies and tv shows that rely at least somewhat on Norse mythology.

Boss battles are just as epic as ever in Ragnarök, but now there are quite a few more mini-boss battles, which also pack a pretty serious punch. There is no shortage of over-the-top cinematic sequences mixed with truly engaging and powerful combat. There are some new additions to the combat which make it even more exciting than before. You even get the chance to fight as more characters than just Kratos himself. For instance, since Atreus is now older, you get the chance to control him. Let's just say his combat is much more fun than you may imagine and they do an amazing job of mixing his bow with some melee.

I'm a mere 10-15 hours into this game so far and it's expected to take anywhere from 40-60 hours to complete it 100%. That's my goal, but it will be a long battle, one that I will surely enjoy every second of.

Another thing to note is that this game can be pretty difficult if you want it to be. I'm talking extremely hard. I'm not the type to enjoy putting myself through such pain, but there are 5 difficulties that give you plenty of options in terms of self-torture. I myself have been swapping between the 2nd and 3rd difficulty, depending on whether or not I get stuck on certain boss battles.

I only have a few minor gripes with the game so far. Luckily there are zero major issues and it's pretty great to see a game launch in working condition.

The first negative is that the game launched without a photo mode. The devs have said one is coming in a future patch, but no telling how long that will take. It doesn't make sense to me why there wasn't one at launch considering there was already one in 2018's title.

Secondly, some of the puzzles can be very difficult or tedious, depending on how you look at them. It's always satisfying when you figure out an intricate puzzle, but having to look up a guide on how to finish can be a bit annoying. I've had to do this multiple times already. The game will sometimes give you audio clues that are supposed to hint, but oftentimes that just isn't enough for my poor little human brain.

Other than that, I am absolutely enthralled by what Is God of War Ragnarök brings to the table. I find myself attempting to put the game down for a bit, but then I'm drawn right back in by one of the next plot points. I am enjoying the storytelling in this game just as much as the combat and exploration. Everything has been weaved together so perfectly and I think the devs over at Santa Monica Studio may have earned themselves yet another Game of the Year award. The only other serious competitor for that would be Elden Ring, a game that I still haven't even played.

It's hard to say what exactly will end up happening in the story of God of War Ragnarök, but one thing is for sure, I am in it for the long haul. A game like this deserves to be played from start to finish in its entirety. It just isn't that often that a game this polished, gorgeous, and fun to play is released.

Have you played any of God of War Ragnarök yet? ❄️🪓

It is a cross-gen game, meaning it is available on PS4 and PS5. I have been playing on PS5 and I can say that the game runs great in performance mode. Personally, I couldn't fathom playing this game in resolution mode, it's just so choppy that way. Another huge benefit of the PS5 version is the inclusion of some pretty cool DualSense features involving the haptics and adaptive triggers.

Leave your comments below and let me know if you think God of War Ragnarök is a true sequel or a mere DLC reshaped into a full-priced game.

Thanks for watching!

My NFTs: https://inji.com/@daltono/nfts