When God of War rebooted in 2018, it was a very different offering from anything we had seen in the original run of games. Happily, it was a brilliant effort from Sony Santa Monica Studio, and one that thrust the series forward into the modern day in a big way, with an impressive narrative and brutal gameplay to match.
The sequel was marginally less well received, but it was still a tremendous game in its own right, and one that’s well worth playing if you’re yet to give it a go for some reason. Happily, if you are planning to give it a go as a PlayStation player, you might not have to part with your hard-earned money to get started.
In case you weren’t aware already, God of War Ragnarök is available at no additional cost to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium/Deluxe subscribers, as part of the ongoing catalog. While it isn’t guaranteed to remain there forever, as the output of a first-party studio, it would be astounding to see it removed any time soon.
If you’re wondering what it’s all about, the blurb for the game reads as follows on the PS Plus website:
“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.”
If you’ve played the first game, then you’ll recognize the heartwarming relationship between Kratos and his son, which returns in spades here. Gameplay is largely the same, and you’ll recognize the writing style, though there are some minor differences to the game’s systems which you might notice if coming across from the first release.
The future of the God of War series is a little up in the air right now, with some rumors circulating that Kratos may not be the character heading up the next main game in the series. That’s a decision that would prove highly divisive among the fan base, but at least the further rumors of a Faye spin-off and remasters of the original trilogy give the community some reasons to be positive while there isn’t a lot of concrete information around.
- Released
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November 9, 2022
- ESRB
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M For Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
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Santa Monica Studio
- Publisher(s)
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Sony
- Engine
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Proprietary Engine
