God of War: Ragnarök (PS4)

Lediglich als Technikwunder für die PS5 taugt God of War: Ragnarök im Test nicht ganz, dafür ist es das schönste aller PS4-Spiele. Und auch eines der besten Games, denn die Geschichte um Kratos läuft zu Höchstform auf und auch die Action überzeugt auf ganzer Linie.

The last game's thoughtful approach to exploring fatherhood was unexpected, Ragnarok somehow manages to feel like an even more personal tale about the complicated nature of families and the people that make them up. For every moment of brutality, there is one of genuine and relatable emotion. How they land will vary from person to person, but there were multiple that left me with tears welling up. If nothing else, God of War Ragnarok further cements Sony Santa Monica's narrative team as one of the best in the business.

God of War Ragnarok is a fantastic showcase of what this series has to offer, and a sterling example of how it still has life left in it. While not everything lands with the sequel from a story perspective, the core of the original is preserved, with some new twists and turns to go down. I’m still fully on board with whatever Sony Santa Monica comes up with next.

The latest step in Kratos and Atreus’ father-son dynamic is just as touching as the one before it was in its predecessor, and the slight amendments to the gameplay make this the sequel the series deserved. Ragnarok is both the PS4’s final swansong, and the best of what the PS5 has to offer, and right now, one of, if not the best cinematic gaming experience you can buy.

God of War Ragnarök feels a lot like God of War (2018), which is a compliment considering how fantastic that game is. Sony Santa Monica was right to not break what wasn’t broken and it has expertly continued the story threads that were left hanging from the previous game. Any complaints about the overall experience (familiar combat, collecting and leveling up equipment isn’t particularly interesting) are quickly forgotten in the face of the compelling narrative, believable character relationships, and incredible visuals and animation.

Kratos has come a long way since first flinging himself into the Aegean all those years ago. God of War, as a series, has come a long way too, pushing the boundaries of hack and slash action to their goar-soaked limits, then breaking free of a years-long slumber to become one of the biggest names in modern gaming. As our own winter approaches, God of War Ragnarok makes for the perfect adventure to lose yourself in.