There’s a lot to look forward to in God of War Ragnarok, which launches on November 9th for PS4 and PS5. Thanks to various new previews, we know a bit more about the opening hours, which feature new abilities, new shields, and much-needed quality-of-life features. As PlayStation Blog notes, though, you’ll have a big battle against Thor.
This isn’t the last time Kratos and the God of Thunder will cross paths. But one needs to be careful of Thor’s “combo of grabs, lightning-infused Mjölnir blasts, area-of-effect volleys, and more.” The battle occurs across “multiple frozen landscapes,” with Thor trash-talking Kratos throughout.
Other notable enemies include Raiders, both melee and ranged variants, and a bear called a Björn, which serves as one of the initial boss fights. In addition to swipes that can be parried, yellow circles denote blockable attacks that still cause some damage and red circles for unblockable attacks. Nevertheless, it’s a forgiving fight.
There’s the Dreki, a quadrupedal “crocodile-like dragon beast,” which we’ve seen before. It can dish out electrical attacks when it’s not attacking with its maw and tail. Finally, there’s an Einherjar that can deal Bifröst damage. When hit, a section of the HP bar turns purple. If you get hit a second time, the affliction “detonates,” and you lose “a significant chunk” of HP. Parrying and dodging are important for survival.
One of the new abilities that Atreus receives is the Sonic Arrow. This can blast objects apart, leading to hidden chests or new areas and solving puzzles. In terms of side content, there’s a lot available. One side quest involves a dwarf who reveals mining rigs that Mimir championed and which have since caused a mess.
You can complete the Favor for a reward, but if you don’t, it’s always available to come back to later (which Atreus reminds the player of while traveling). There’s also the new Dwarven Compass, represented at the top of the screen, which is good for tracking side quests.
God of War Ragnarok will release for PS4 and PS5 next month, with reviews going live on November 9th. Along with a 60 FPS mode, it also offers 4K/40 and 120 FPS modes on PS5.