God of War Ragnarok PC Review: An Epic and Bloody Gaming Experience

After an arduous wait spanning two long years, Sony’s God of War Ragnarok has finally arrived on PC. Having consciously avoided all spoilers for this game, my anticipation to delve into this latest installment of the acclaimed franchise was palpable. The wait proved to be worthwhile, leaving me with a profound sense of satisfaction after concluding the transformative journey of Kratos and Atreus.

While I was confident that the story of God of War Ragnarok would impress, I had lingering concerns about the stability of the PC port. Thankfully, Jetpack Interactive has exceeded expectations, delivering a port so stable that my experience was marred by hardly any hitches as I ventured into Ragnarok.

Navigating through personal conflicts and self-acceptance is never easy. Even with the looming threat of Ragnarok, the game primarily focuses on Kratos and Atreus as they grapple with their true selves, confronting numerous internal struggles to uplift each other. Featuring deception, unexpected plot twists, and an appropriate amount of brutality, God of War Ragnarok establishes a compelling tone for this chapter of the Ghost of Sparta’s saga.

God of War Ragnarok PC Port: A True Tribute to the Spartan God-Killer

Upon booting the game, the first requirement is to link a PSN account. Initially, this process mildly annoyed me, but my enthusiasm for witnessing Kratos’ fiery and brutal exploits quickly overshadowed any irritation. Once I completed the account linking, I was pleasantly surprised to find a button on the home screen labeled God of War Story Recap, which served as an excellent refresher as it had been years since I last played.

With the recap behind me, it was finally time to unleash some violence, perhaps mixed with a semblance of chaos.

Story: A Dance of Deception, Conflict, and Acceptance

Describing how Kratos’ turbulent past haunts him and clouds his judgment is an understatement. What he perceives as rational actions often conflicts with Atreus, particularly as the latter struggles with his identity as Loki.

Kratos views prophecies as merely instruments of pain and deception, a belief grounded in his harrowing past. However, instead of explaining this reasoning to Atreus, he projects it onto him. This tendency, combined with his naturally gruff personality, lacks sensitivity or understanding.

While Kratos strives to protect Atreus, his demeanor inadvertently alienates his son. Atreus, eager to gain his father’s approval, fosters conflict as he learns of the prophecy predicting Kratos’ demise during Ragnarok, prompting him to pursue a divergent path.

Significantly, Atreus experiences substantial character development in God of War Ragnarok, evolving from merely a supporting character to a protagonist in his own right. Players will have the opportunity to control Atreus on separate missions, enriching the narrative with deeper insight into his motivations and actions.

Although some of Atreus’ choices might not resonate with all players, they are rooted in the perspective of a young boy grappling with his expectations. Odin exploits this tension, widening the rift between father and son.

The game showcases numerous unpredictable plot twists, often tracing back to Odin, the primary antagonist. He is far from your typical villain; instead, he embodies a self-serving and cunning deity who manipulates those around him to further his ambitions.

Puzzles also see significant enhancements in God of War Ragnarok. With increased interactivity, players will need to engage their minds to solve them. However, I found that some hints could be quite misleading. Notably, Atreus might exclaim “Father, up there”when the solution is located just slightly above a natural eye level, causing confusion rather than aid.

An array of tense moments are balanced with heartfelt scenes of reconciliation, acceptance, and forgiveness throughout the gameplay. The character expressions convey powerful emotions, allowing players to share in their experiences from the comfort of their screens.

Combat: Mastering Three Weapons Simultaneously

The combat in God of War Ragnarok is exceptional, and the PC port preserves its exhilarating mechanics brilliantly. The primary weapons, the Leviathan Axe and the Blades of Chaos, have seen refinements that enhance the combat system with new combinations, runic attacks, and interactions that build on the predecessor’s impressive experience.

The Leviathan Axe retains its essence, while the Blades of Chaos enjoy marked improvements in utility and versatility. They serve not just as combat options but also as multifunctional tools. Swinging across ledges or climbing, the nostalgia of the original Ghost of Sparta was palpable.

The addition of a third weapon, the Draupnir Spear, brings an interesting dynamic, even if it generally plays second fiddle to the other two. I primarily used it for parkour, being a competent ranged weapon ideal for tackling climbing foes. In melee combat, however, it felt somewhat lesser compared to the Axe and Blades of Chaos, which outperformed in reaction-based damage interactions.

The impressive combat mechanics don’t stop there. There’s a weapon mastery system allowing players to enhance a skill after repeatedly using it, with skill trees experiencing worthwhile upgrades across all weapons and characters like Atreus and Freya.

One minor issue I encountered with the target lock feature arose during combat with multiple enemies. The camera occasionally shifted focus between foes, resulting in chaotic teleportation scenarios—rendering it nearly impossible for Kratos to block, dodge, or counter effectively. Fortunately, this resolved itself after a few seconds, but it could be frustrating during intense encounters.

Performance of God of War Ragnarok on PC: A Remarkably Crafted Port

In my view, Jetpack Interactive has truly excelled with this PC port. Drawing lessons from their previous endeavors with the God of War franchise, they have provided a remarkably stable build for Ragnarok. Even at 1080p with high settings, I hardly experienced any FPS drops, allowing for consistent, smooth gameplay on my 3060Ti alongside a 12th-generation i5 processor.

The combat flowed effortlessly, the graphics were sharp, and the sound quality was excellent. I had virtually no performance issues—except in a certain part of Alfheim where I encountered a notable glitch repeatedly.

Within the Alfheim Barrens, a sled pulled by dual “Gulons” features in the game. While the mechanics function adequately, I found an issue occurring if I exited the game in the desert. Upon re-entering, I returned to my last autosave point, but the sled would often be missing from my vicinity.

This problem manifested more than once, leading to my character being stranded in the desert without my sled. Following a tough battle, I would often encounter frustrating screen stutters, reverting me to a previous autosave location automatically, placing me back on the sled. After experiencing this twice, I chose to avoid exiting the game while in the desert.

Aside from this issue, overall performance was flawless, allowing me to savor the rich experience God of War Ragnarok has to offer. By the conclusion of the game, a bittersweet sadness enveloped me, yet I found a unique sense of fulfillment that I hadn’t anticipated.

In Conclusion

God of War Ragnarok masterfully encapsulates the emotions of each character, with the PC port faithfully preserving this essence. Jetpack Interactive has done commendable justice to Kratos, appealing to both long-time fans and newcomers to the series. The two-year wait, coupled with my efforts to avoid spoiling the storyline, rendered the experience immensely rewarding, especially as no significant issues tarnished the gameplay.

Although the PC port does feature a few minor quirks, they scarcely detract from the overall gameplay satisfaction. It’s undoubtedly one of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s more successful PC ports, and stands as one of Jetpack Interactive’s best works. Its gripping narrative, dynamic combat, and breathtaking visuals render it an essential play for both fans and gamers new to the series.

The journey of Kratos and Atreus offers a fitting denouement to their saga, imparting a lasting impression that players will cherish long after the credits roll. Additionally, players can extend their journey with the Valhalla DLC and new game plus content for a more immersive God of War experience.

God of War Ragnarok PC

Reviewed on: PC (code provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Platform(s): PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Windows PC

Developer(s): Santa Monica Studio, Jetpack Interactive

Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment

Release date: September 19, 2024

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