God of War Ragnarök is an action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studio and released on November 9, 2022, for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. As the ninth entry in the legendary God of War series and the direct sequel to the 2018 reboot, it continues the gripping story of Kratos and his son Atreus, now set within the deep, mystical world of Norse mythology. The death of Baldur in the previous game sets off a chain of events that leads to the fall of the gods and the arrival of Ragnarök.
With this powerful backdrop, the game unfolds into an epic journey packed with myth, emotion, and relentless action across realms both familiar and new.
A World Transformed by Fimbulwinter in God of War Ragnarök
To understand the world players explore, we must first look at the setting after Baldur’s death. The story resumes three years later, with Midgard gripped by Fimbulwinter, the legendary winter that marks the beginning of the end.
The Lake of Nine has frozen solid, forcing Kratos to traverse the icy terrain using a sled pulled by wolves. This new mode of travel reflects the harsh conditions and growing tension that surrounds them.
Beyond Midgard, players now gain access to all nine realms of Norse mythology. While returning to Alfheim, Helheim, Jötunheim, Muspelheim, and Niflheim, players can now journey through Svartalfheim, Vanaheim, and Asgard during the main story. The Valhalla expansion adds even more, introducing a haunting warrior afterlife where Kratos confronts illusions tied to his Greek past.
Refined Combat and Expansive Exploration in God of War Ragnarök
With the world now fully realized, gameplay brings it all to life through intense combat, strategic exploration, and layered puzzle-solving. Players control Kratos from a third-person perspective, enhanced by a cinematic no-cut camera that keeps the experience immersive from start to finish.
Weapons of a God
Kratos wields three primary weapons, each offering a distinct elemental identity. The Leviathan Axe delivers precise ice attacks. The Blades of Chaos bring fiery, fast-paced aggression. The Draupnir Spear introduces explosive ranged control. Every weapon supports light and heavy rune-based magic attacks and can be customized to suit different playstyles.
Combat expands further with special environmental abilities, like leaping from elevated platforms or slamming enemies using nearby objects. These mechanics turn every encounter into a cinematic, strategic battle.
Combat Depth and RPG Systems
Beyond raw weapon variety, the game deepens its systems with customizable shields. Some are built for quick parries while others provide powerful knockbacks. The Spartan Rage mechanic evolves into three forms. Fury delivers raw melee damage, Valor offers healing and parrying, and Wrath unleashes devastating weapon-based strikes.
Atreus plays a larger role in battle, supporting Kratos by firing magical arrows, summoning spectral animals, and even becoming playable in certain story chapters. His abilities bring a fresh rhythm to the combat, combining ranged attacks, magic, and shapeshifting elements.
RPG mechanics let players upgrade armor, gear, and runes. Side quests and environment-based puzzles offer a constant sense of discovery, making the gameplay as layered and rewarding as the story itself.
An Epic Tale of Prophecy and Choice
The Winter of Fate Begins
The story opens during Fimbulwinter. Kratos and Atreus return home from a hunt, only to be ambushed by Freya, still grieving Baldur. Soon after, Atreus’s beloved wolf Fenrir dies. His grief spirals out of control, triggering a violent transformation into a bear.
Kratos calms his son, but peace doesn’t last. Thor and Odin arrive with an offer. Odin proposes a truce if Atreus stops seeking out Týr. Kratos refuses, leading to a fierce battle with Thor that ends in a stalemate.
Groa’s Prophecy and a Hidden Truth
Kratos and Atreus journey to Alfheim, where they uncover the long-lost prophecy of the seer Groa. They learn that Ragnarök is destined to destroy Asgard alone, not the entire world. Moreover, Loki seems to play a central role in this prophecy.
This revelation heightens the tension between father and son. Kratos seeks to avoid prophecy, while Atreus becomes increasingly drawn to his identity as Loki and the fate it implies.
Echoes of the Giants
Atreus travels to Jötunheim, where he meets Angrboda, a young Giant who reveals the rest of his hidden heritage. She shows him a prophetic mural that depicts Kratos’s death and a future where Atreus serves Odin.
Despite this ominous vision, Atreus embraces his path. He transfers a Giant spirit into a snake, an act that gives birth to Jörmungandr, a crucial step in Loki’s mythological legacy.
Forging a New Destiny
Fearing for Atreus’s life after the Norns predict Heimdall will kill him, Kratos defies fate once more. He commissions Brok to forge a new weapon, the Draupnir Spear, something Heimdall cannot foresee or counter.
This moment marks a turning point. Kratos, once driven by vengeance, now acts out of love. The spear becomes a symbol of free will and defiance against destiny.
Odin’s Betrayal and Brok’s Fall
As the group works together to complete the mysterious mask, Týr begins to act suspiciously. Brok eventually unmasks him, revealing Odin in disguise. Odin murders Brok and vanishes, devastating the group.
Sindri, heartbroken, retreats into grief and fury. His trust shattered, the path to war becomes inevitable.
The Call to Ragnarök
With no other choice, Kratos accepts war. He sounds the Gjallarhorn, summoning armies from all realms. Once a feared destroyer, Kratos now rises as a wise and noble leader, a god transformed.
The Fall of Asgard
The final battle begins. The Nine Realms descend upon Asgard in a cataclysmic war. Jörmungandr battles Thor. Thrúd and Sif turn against Odin. Sindri leads the assault, smashing the defenses of the realm.
In the chaos, Odin murders Thor after his son refuses to kill Kratos. Ultimately, Kratos, Atreus, and Freya defeat Odin and trap his soul in a stone. Sindri shatters it without hesitation. Meanwhile, Surtr, reborn as Ragnarök itself, consumes Asgard in fire.
A New Dawn Rises in God of War Ragnarök
In the aftermath, Kratos and Atreus discover one final mural, left by Faye. It shows them that their fate was never set in stone. They have the power to choose their own path.
Atreus decides to find the remaining Giants scattered across the world. He says goodbye to Kratos, now ready to walk his own journey.
Kratos, finally at peace, embraces his role not as a god of war but as a god of hope. With Freya and Mímir by his side, he begins to rebuild what was lost. The game ends with Brok’s funeral, a moment of grief, yet also of quiet renewal and a future yet to be written.