Theories about what role Thor would play and how his story would play out in God of War Ragnarok were rife before the game came out, and by and large, there were some things that many believed were almost a given. As it turns out, however, Thor’s story in Ragnarok has more than a few surprises. His character arc and its conclusion surprise in many ways, defying expectations in some of the best ways possible.

There’s several reasons for that, both big and small, but ultimately, it boils down to three key areas where Thor’s story diverges significantly from the most popular pre-launch theories. Here, we’re going to discuss those areas- starting with the most obvious one…

NOTE: There are major spoilers ahead for God of War Ragnarok (and parts of its post-game content). Proceed at your own risk.

MJOLNIR

As soon as it became clear four and a half years ago that Kratos would be locking horns with Thor in the next God of War game, one thought immediately entered almost everybody’s mind- we’re gonna get our hands on that hammer. The legendary Mjolnir, a crunching weapon imbued with magical powers and crackling electricity. Throughout the God of War franchise, Kratos has had a knack for killing his foes and picking up their weapons to use them for himself, from Icarus and Medusa to Hermes and Hercules (to name just a few), so to most people, it was beyond obvious that in God of War Ragnarok, Kratos would kill Thor and take his hammer.

After all, it even made sense from a gameplay mechanics standpoint. God of War (2018)’s Leviathan Axe was the game’s primary weapon, and in turn, being able to throw it and recall it was one of its primary attributes- which, of course, is word for word one of Mjolnir’s primary attributes as well. Add to that the potential to add electricity as a third element alongside Frost and fire to further spice up the game’s combat, and it seemed pretty much guaranteed that Kratos would claim Mjolnir for himself at some point in Ragnarok.

Well, he didn’t.

Make no mistake, Kratos does get his hands on a new weapon in the game. The Draupnir Spear is added to your arsenal deep into God of War Ragnarok, and it’s an absolute blast to use, not only thanks to its unique “throw and explode” mechanics in combat, but also because of its applications in exploration and puzzles. But that’s the only new weapon you get. Yes, Kratos battles Thor, and yes, Thor is eventually killed (though not by Kratos- more on that in a bit), but Mjolnir remains unclaimed. In the post-game, it is revealed that Thor’s daughter Thrud takes the hammer.

Of course, many will be more than a little disappointed about that. To some extent, I am as well. I would have loved the chance to be able to use Mjolnir in combat as Kratos, and if someone were to say that not including that in Ragnarok was a missed opportunity, it would be hard not to see the logic in that. But its exclusion does make some sense. Narratively, killing Thor and taking his weapon probably wouldn’t have fit in very well with the character arc that Kratos has in the game. Meanwhile, from a gameplay perspective, maybe Santa Monica Studio didn’t want to have two throw-and-recall weapons- maybe the axe and Mjolnir would have been too similar. And the spear is undeniably badass, so at least we got an excellent alternative.

FINAL FATE

How Thor’s story concludes is also something that not many would have expected before God of War Ragnarok launched. Most took it for granted that with Odin serving as the game’s ultimate big bad, Kratos and Thor’s final fight would be sometime before the climax, and would see Kratos killing him. It seemed so obvious that many did not even consider the possibility that that might not happen. And of course, that is exactly what did not happen in the end.

Kratos and Thor do fight- twice. Once, at the very beginning of the game, at which point Thor obviously wasn’t going to die- there was no way he would have such a small role in the game. And once, right towards the end of the game, in the build-up to the final boss fight against Odin. Kratos does defeat Thor, but of course, by that time, his personal arc has hit a point where he’s no longer as blasé about killing his enemies as he has always been. He wants to set a better example for Atreus, he sees some of himself in Thor (again, we’ll get to this in a bit), while Atreus’ friendship with Thrud is another factor that deters him. After their battle is over, Kratos’ first instinct isn’t to strike the killing blow, but to try and make Thor see reason.

And he does see reason. God of War Ragnarok does an excellent job of building up Thor’s character to show exactly how he gets to the point where he actually agrees to lay down his arms and stop fighting for his father (his wife Sif and Thrud have a big hand in that), but even so, actually witnessing that turn is a surprising moment. Of course, just as surprising is watching Odin instantly swoop in and kill Thor with no remorse.

So yeah, Thor did die, which means his story ultimately ended where everyone had predicted it would- but almost no one could have predicted how it would get to that point.

PARALLELS WITH KRATOS

This is something that we spoke of here at GamingBolt in the lead-up to Ragnarok’s launch, so it isn’t particularly surprising. Even so, it’s a fascinating subversion, and one that doubles down on the God of War franchise’s newfound love for character-driven storytelling. Based on everything that we found out about Thor in the 2018 game, the parallels between him and Kratos’ own murderous past self were clear to see, but Ragnarok takes that even further.

From Thor’s personal struggles to his insecurities about how he is treated by his father to how he struggles constantly with feeling like he’s letting down his wife and daughter, there’s a lot in his personal arcs that establishes very well that he’s not in a good place (to say the least), and that a lot of it comes down to Odin. His sons, Magni and Modi, are killed, and yet Odin doesn’t seem to care all that much. Instead, he is constantly ordered around by his father like a lapdog, frequently berated, and firmly told time and again that his purpose is to kill and follow orders, not to think or ask questions. He’s bound in servitude to an uncaring, rampaging, destructive master, which in turn has led him down a path of constant violence. And being full aware of everything that he’s done, he’s become convinced that there’s no way back for him, no chance at even a shred of redemption- and so, he sinks deeper into that cycle of violence.

That particular dilemma is something that Kratos is all too familiar with, and it’s fascinating to see him come to that realization, to see the game make that connection the way it does, and to see significantly that ends up changing his story.

All of these factors (and more) come together in incredible ways, arguably making Thor’s arc one of the most engaging in the entire game- and one of the most surprising. And above all, his arc is a perfect example of how much more nuanced and textured God of War’s storytelling has become in the series’ current era.

Of course, while universally beloved among fans and critics, it’s not quite perfect. Oh so close, but there are a few complaints that have emerged. While none of these dulls the overall sheen of the experience (at least, not too heavily), they stand out from time to time. Let’s look at ten things players dislike about God of War Ragnarok.

Major spoilers for the story, ending, and post-game follow, so beware if you still haven’t played the game.

Muspelheim Challenge Requirements

Muspelheim returns, and unlike the first game, it isn’t a straight run of challenges until you fight the Valkyrie at the peak. Instead, you can complete various challenges at three different “swords”, from knocking enemies into the lava to slaying foes within the time limit. Upon completing all of them, each of the swords gains a third challenge to complete.

But the main attraction is the six new challenges in the center. These are much tougher, like surviving against a never-ending onslaught of foes while surrounded by lava or a boss rush against Elite enemies. It’s pretty fun… until you realize that you must redo challenges from the previous swords in different combinations for the center challenge of choice to appear.

Not only is this tedious, but remembering which challenge has been completed – based on whether a pair of Runes is glowing in the center or not – can be initially confusing.

The Final Battle

After several years of waiting, players finally go head-to-head with Odin. The Allfather, the King of the Nine Realms at last. However, the first phase of the fight sees him relying on Bifrost and projectiles, along with a weird area attack that necessitates jumping between sections. The second phase is a bit better with Freya joining Kratos and Atreus, and the spectacle of all three beating down Odin is pretty cool. All in all, however, it’s pretty tame. Dodging his rain of projectiles is easy, and the slow-moving fireballs feel pretty inconsequential. For the final story boss of the Norse Saga and the Allfather himself, something a bit more grandiose was expected.

Lack of Scale in Boss Fights

Odin aside, there are some truly bombastic fights throughout Ragnarok, whether you’re taking on Thor for the first time, fighting against Nidhogg, or going toe-to-toe with the hard-hitting Berserkers. They’re challenging and fun, but unfortunately, in terms of scale, they don’t quite approach the previous games. There’s no Cronos to navigate across and systematically dismantle like in God of War 3, for example. It’s fine since the Norse saga is its own thing. However, we can’t help but miss the scale from some of the previous trilogy’s boss fights.

Pacing Issues

For all of the incredible action and emotional story-telling moments, some sections suffer from pacing issues. Jotunheim, more specifically Ironwood, where Atreus meets Angrboda for the first time, is perhaps the best example. What feels like a destined meeting and an incredible revelation about the Giants gets stretched out. Granted, it does offer an opportunity to become familiar with Atreus’s abilities and Rage form, so there is that. It would have been nice if there was more to discover in the post-game, though.

Rushed Ending

After Odin is defeated, Ragnarok shows up. You’d think that this is the real boss fight, but no. Instead, Angrboda appears and helps everyone to escape. Asgard is destroyed, though many residents managed to evacuate. And then it feels like an epilogue of sorts. Atreus goes off with Angrboda to seek more Jotnar while Kratos becomes the new Allfather of the realms. He then ventures across the Nine Realms with Freya and Mimir to help get things back on track. It’s nice to see everyone getting a happy ending (well, almost everyone), but Odin’s downfall and Ragnarok itself feel like they’re over way too soon, especially after all the build-up throughout the game.

Who Blew the Horn?

For all of the things the sequel answers, there are a few things which remain a mystery. Who blew the horn in God of War (2018) and summoned Jormungandr? This occurs after Atreus becomes ill, so it isn’t him. Before the sequel was released, some theorized that it was Angrboda since she spoke the Giants’ language. However, this is left unconfirmed. Perhaps irrelevant in the greater scheme of things, but it’s still a loose end that will nag us for a while.

Freya Makes Peace

When Freya finally breaks her curse in Vanaheim, she arrives at a crossroads concerning Kratos. Ultimately, while not completely letting go of her anger at his killing her son Baldur, she understands that he’s not the one who must die. After all, it was Odin who was responsible for all her suffering.

Kratos isn’t forgiven, and it’s seemingly something that he doesn’t want. Instead, the two come to a mutual understanding. Still, it’s somewhat odd to see them working together without any disagreements or bitter moments, especially after the curse is broken. Things seem oddly chipper. Maybe it’s because the rest of the game needs to happen, but it can feel jarring at times.

Not Wielding Mjolnir

When Ragnarok ends, Thor and Odin are both dead. Thor’s daughter Thrud inherits Mjolnir in the epilogue, and she takes off to make her father proud. While it’s somewhat fitting for Mjolnir to pass to his daughter, it also feels like a missed opportunity to give the weapon to Kratos. You could debate the whole “worthiness” aspect of inheriting it, but since Kratos is to become the new Allfather (and Odin was more than capable of using Mjolnir), it may have been possible. Maybe it would have been far too powerful for the post-game, or there wasn’t enough time to implement it.

Too Many Hints

Throughout the story, your companions provide hints and guidance on where to go next. This can escalate to outright indicating what to do next in some puzzles or even in combat. While the hints can be appreciated, especially when you’re stuck, they may also be annoying for those who want to do things on their own. Similar complaints were levied against Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West when it came to puzzle-solving, especially since there was no way to disable or tone the hints down. It’s more or less the same case in God of War Ragnarok. Your mileage may vary, but it’s been an issue for some players.

Freya as a Companion (Initially)

After Ragnarok is over, Atreus sets out with Angrboda to look for the rest of the Jotnar. He and Kratos say their farewells, and ultimately Freya becomes Kratos’ travelling companion for the rest of the game. While it makes sense, especially given the puzzles in the post-game that require her abilities, she doesn’t initially feel as effective in combat as Atreus. Maybe it’s because it takes some time to get used to her abilities, which can root enemies, inflict poison, and even use her Valkyrie form to cause damage. Maybe we’re just so used to seeing Atreus by our side. Either way, we’ll miss the boy.

Kvasir’s Poems are found in Alfheim, Midgard, Vanaheim, and Svartalfheim. There are 14 in total, which include:

• The Sunrise of Nothingness
• Large Society Ground Orb, The Performance
• We Who Remain, Part the Second
• Tool and Bang
• Afterlife Abandonment
• Visions After Rest
• Spirits Within Walls
• Celestial Construct
• Upon Pursuing a Place Not Marked On Maps
• Trip
• Eastern Spectre
• An Organisation: In The Future
• Sanguinity
• The Dead Do Not Ride

Some of the references are pretty easy to guess – Eastern Spectre is Ghost of Tsushima and We Who Remain, The Second is The Last of Us Part 2. As for their locations, check out the video by Backseat Guides below:

All Yggdrasil Rifts and Their Locations

The Yggdrasil Rifts will be familiar to fans of the first game. Not only did these contain treasures and useful crafting materials, but spawned enemies. All this applies in Ragnarok as well, and you’ll encounter new enemies like the Lindwyrms, which must be captured to complete “The Lost Lindwyrms” Favor for Ratatoskr.

There is one Yggdrasil Rift in Alfheim, three in Midgard, seven in Svartalfheim, and four in Vanaheim. For details on their locations, check out the videos below by WoW Quests and ZaFrostPet on YouTube.

God of War Ragnarok is available for PS4 and PS5. Check out our official review here.

As such, there’s no proper way to farm Hacksilver in God of War Ragnarok. You’ll find a good amount in the post-game, while the first Muspelheim combat trials provide about 1000 Hacksilver each. The final six combat challenges are tough but reward 20,000 Hacksilver and crafting materials, so they’re worth undertaking at least once.

Otherwise, exploration is your best bet for finding Hacksilver throughout the game. Look for small and large chests, and smash any pots, barrels and crates – they’ll always have Hacksilver in them (the Nornir Chests only contain health and Rage upgrades). It’s also found on corpses, lying on the ground, and so on. Some side quests (also known as Favors) also provide Hacksilver and other useful items, so it’s worth going out of your way to complete them.

Increasing your Luck stat will result in more Hacksilver and crafting resources looted from chests, so prioritize that whenever possible. You can also permanently increase Luck and other stats by finding Yggdrasil Dew.

Make sure to sell any Artifacts that you find as well – these can fetch a pretty decent amount at Brok and Sindri if you turn in enough at once. Finally, if you find better armor and don’t have any use for older gear pieces, you can sell the latter. It’s a good way to get some returns on Hacksilver invested.

God of War Ragnarok is available for PS4 and PS5. Check out our official review of the game here.

Along with Christopher Judge, who acts as the English voice for Kratos, the spotlight is given to Ricardo Juarez (Brazilian Portuguese voice actor), Hesham El Shazly (Arabic voice actor) and Kenta Miyake (Japanese voice actor). They all talk about the process of being a father and how Kratos cares for Atreus, even if he can’t express it in words.

Judge talks about standing more firmly when mo-capping Kratos since everything the character does is with a “definitive objective” in mind. Stunt coordinator and Kratos stuntman Eric Jacobus also discusses the “chaos” in the character’s combat actions. “There’s a moment, and I always clock it, from about 90 degrees this way to 90 degrees that way. When I do that attack, it’s like, I throw my entire body into it. And there’s a little bit of chaos, and I catch myself at the end.”

In the end, Judge is excited for players to experience the game. “My youngest son, who is one of my harshest critics, said, ‘Daddy, I didn’t want it to end.’ Well, neither did I.” He admitted to missing “every day that I wasn’t with this collaboration of folks.”

God of War Ragnarok is out now on PS4 and PS5. It’s the series’ biggest physical release in the UK, with launch week sales beating out Elden Ring, Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Check out our official review here.

These include fixes for a rare crash that may occur after the first boss fight concludes, one that occurred randomly while playing, and another that happened when using the Platinum Wireless Headset. Those in Poland who purchased the game on disc can also avail of Polish language audio support.

The game must be fully installed and patched before enabling the language option. Failure to do so will result in no audio or subtitles for the dialogue. To fix this, close the game and restart it once the installation and patch process is complete.

PS5 players don’t have anything to look forward to besides “service adjustments.” Stay tuned in the coming days for more updates. Check out our review for God of War Ragnarok in the meantime.

Patch Notes [v. 02.02]

[Game Version 02.02]

PS5 Specific

• Service adjustments.

PS4 Specific

Stability and Performance

• Fixed a rare crash that could occur at the end of the first boss fight. Already fixed for PS5 in patch v02.01
• Fixed a crash that could appear randomly during gameplay. Already fixed for PS5 in patch v02.01
• Fixed a crash when using the Platinum Wireless Headset. Issue not applicable for PS5.

Polish Language Support

• Added Polish language audio support for players that purchased the game on disc in Poland.
• Note: Please ensure that the game is fully installed from the disc or network and patched to version 2.02 before enabling Polish language in the Speech Language settings.
• If the game is not fully installed there will be no audio or subtitles for the in-game dialog.
• To correct, please close the app and restart once the game is fully installed and the patch install is complete.

First-week sales surpassed that of Elden Ring, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Pokemon Legends: Arceus (which previously held second place). The PS5 version encompassed 82 percent of sales, while the PS4 version made up 18 percent. About 12 percent of PS5 sales were from the PS5 bundle, which made up 60 percent of all PS5 consoles sold in the region for the week. This makes it the console’s biggest week in sales for 2022, as per Gfk market research company director Dorian Bloch.

Insanely enough, digital sales haven’t been factored in, so the overall sales figures could be even higher. Compared to God of War (2018), Ragnarok sold 51 percent more units in its first week and is already the third-best-selling title in the franchise. It also ranks second among the series in revenue.

For more details on God of War Ragnarok, check out our review here. Stay tuned for official sales figures from Sony in the coming days.

One of those things is the one shot camera, which God of War (2018) introduced. Ragnarok’s narrative director Matt Sophos has confirmed that the sequel will be another one-shot game, with the entirety of the experience being a single unbroken short from beginning to end, just like its predecessor. Of course, it’s not the only upcoming game to be attempting this- the Dead Space remake is also going to be a one-shot experience.

God of War: Ragnarok launches for PS5 and PS4 in 2022.

One, unbroken shot like 2018.

— Matt Sophos (@mattsophos) September 9, 2021