Summary
God of War Ragnarokrecently dropped an expansive DLC epilogue that parades as a roguelike but is actually a fairly introspective look at Kratos’ past. There are some truly tough challenges to overcome in Valhalla between new Greek foes andthe real Tyr as an evolving bossat the end of each run, and it’s great to see Kratos rending and eviscerating enemies in his path while he continues to wrestle with the mistakes of he’s made, reconciling those events with Mimir, Helios, and Tyr now around to help him come to terms with closure and a newfound sense of hope.
Kratos has already come a long way since the tribulations he endured in the original trilogy, becoming a considerate father to Atreus and putting in the work in Valhalla to hopefully finally move on from the ugly self-image he confronts at the end of theGod of War RagnarokDLC. That said, a lighthearted and hopeful Kratos shouldn’t require him to retire his axe, blades, or spear, nor should he ever quit beating enemies to pulps.God of Warno longer needs to be a tale of bloodlust for Kratos, but to tone down the character’s satisfyingly gruesome violence in combat would be a huge mistake.
God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC Can Make Kratos Hopeful, But Not Soft
God of War’s Combat without Its Brutality Would Be a Backslide
Each newGod of Warstory that perpetuates the theme of Kratos becoming a better individual comes with the unnerving thought of Kratos pulling his punches in combat. There fortunately hasn’t been anything to suggest that he’ll be any less prominent as a protagonist inthe future of theGod of Warfranchise; however, Kratos’ actions in battle not being defined by rage any longer would presumably mean he won’t be as vicious and merciless when it comes to tearing a wulver open by its jaw or repeatedly shanking a bergsra.
Atreus’ gameplay inRagnarokwas able to be much more creative and stylistic due to him being younger and taking on a much different skill set with magic, but when he’s a bit older and possibly leading his ownGod of Wargame in the future, it would be excellent and necessary for him to continue this trend of brutality in combat, whether it’s traced back to emotional stakes being high or not.
God of War Needs to Stay Gory Even if Kratos isn’t Bloodthirsty
The violence associated withGod of War’s combat needs to be a mainstay due to how beautifully it’s discerned in each finisher animation, similar to how gratifying it is to perform a glory kill inDoom. Santa Monica may be looking at how to reimagine the series further and have the IP even transition fromGod of WartoGod of Hopesomehow, but bludgeoning enemies in any mythology’s landscape should never feel restrained or censored.
Moreover, if Santa Monica ends up remakingthe originalGod of Wartrilogy, it would only make sense to maintain macabre finisher animations to reflect a classic Kratos when he truly was a bloodthirsty fiend on the battlefield, and that could even give Santa Monica an excuse to lean into that graphic combat.
Still, the tone of the game and Kratos’ characterization determining how cathartically he demolishes enemies would likely be underwhelming. Kratos fully acknowledges that being irate and leading with a heart full of anger isn’t right while continuing to shout angrily in battle and tap into his Spartan Rage, and that’s a wonderful balance that the series will hopefully retain for as long as it’s around.
God of War Ragnarok
WHERE TO PLAY
Embark on an epic and heartfelt journey as Kratos and Atreus struggle with holding on and letting goFrom Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018). Fimbulwinter is well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms.
