To be completely fair, it’s not that God of War Ragnarok looks visually bad by any means – but that it does fall short of what many fans may be expecting from the game. Much of the visual make-up – rendering techniques, post-processing pipelines, and art direction seem to be a natural evolution of what we have already seen in the first game. All in all, it looks a lot like God of War 2018 on the PS4, but that just might not be as bad as many might think of it. 

God of War Ragnarok was supposed to be a cross-gen title from the beginning, and development has to be done keeping in mind the technical limitations of the comparatively weaker hardware. Developers generally tend to get the game running comfortably on the minimum spec machine, and then work for better visual fidelity on the higher-end variant. God of War 2018 is arguably one of the best examples which showcased the peak of the PS4’s technical capabilities which obviously doesn’t leave a lot of room for improving the core technical framework and visual feature set for a sequel. This is precisely why the lighting, character models, environments don’t have stark changes from the original; unlike the jump from say The Last of Us to Part 2. 

But again, God of War Ragnarok isn’t a slouch by any means – it looks like a proper AAA game that’s pushing for the cutting edge in terms of visual presentation. There’s a ton of detail in the environments, character models, alongside impeccable attention to the facial animations and writing which all contribute to the overall presentation in a plethora of ways.

A problem with being one of the best studios in the industry is that fans can sometimes have unrealistic expectations – which is unhealthy for both the developer and the fanbase. Game development is a daunting task, and pushing through to the finish line in such unprecedented circumstances is an achievement in enough itself. Many studios – including Santa Monica itself – have found themselves in a rock and a hard place for delaying their games, and adding another burden of being the best-looking game on the market on top of it all is too much to handle. Studios like CD Projekt Red and even 343 Industries have found themselves on the shorter end of the stick when it comes to the technical quality of their titles, although Halo Infinite has improved a lot since its original showings. Of course, given the current scarcity of information on how the game will utilize the processing power of the PS5, and Santa Monica’s penchant with creating games within the genre, it gets to have the benefit of the doubt that God of War Ragnarok – despite the many difficulties the team may have encountered during development – would be a smash hit. 

Santa Monica has made the right decision to streamline the more technical aspects for God of War Ragnarok in favor of new and interesting gameplay ideas. Much like in the visual department, God of War Ragnarok‘s combat also looks to be a natural evolution of what fans saw with the original. God of War 2018 has one of the best melee combat systems, which took a ton of work and fine-tuning over a long period of time to get it right. Everything from the sharp rumble of the Leviathan Axe throw to a powerful chain of strikes from the Blades of Chaos has a carefully curated balance to it, which contributes to God of War‘s outstanding combat system in interesting ways. Building up on top of that for the sequel is a challenge that Sony Santa Monica has taken upon themselves, and I think it’s more important to deliver new avenues for gameplay in a sequel rather than trying to cram exponentially more polygons in a single frame – although the latter is certainly appreciable too. 

From what’s seen in the trailers, there’s a new form of traversal – Riding Sledges. As the game and the narrative proceedings escalate towards Ragnarok, Fimbulwinter will freeze the Lake of Nine to ice, which will, of course, render boats useless, although there are some scenes that indicate it will still be usable at least in some places. But for other places, Kratos and Atreus will have to resort to other techniques of traversal for the time, which is where the sledge-riding mechanic comes into the equation. The trailer also shows Kratos battling Baldur’s mother Freya aboard the sledge, which hints at a greater usage of the mechanic in both boss fights and set-pieces. 

There’s also a general improvement to the combat as well- with the most notable addition being the ability to grab onto ledges using Kratos’ Blades of Chaos. In addition to being useful in general combat sequences, this new mechanic could also be used in platforming and puzzle sections which could definitely use some variety and improvements from the original.

With Brok and Sindri returning to assist the father-son duo in their adventures, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to imagine that the trailer is only a hint of the additions that are to come in God of War Ragnarok. Sony Santa Monica has shown a great amount of skill for crafting a dynamic combat system using the close to the shoulder camera perspective, and there’s a high likelihood that God of War Ragnarok will take those developments further. 

Of course, the most endearing part about this Norse saga is the story. Fans are already looking forward to the myriad of twists and turns expected from the sequel. Sony Santa Monica’s twisting of the Norse myths to reach the conclusion is an enchanting aspect of its storytelling, and fans are naturally excited to witness Ragnarok in all of its Norse glory. 

Thus, what can be pieced from the gameplay reveal is that graphics are only a part of Ragnarok’s presentation, which while may look a bit stagnant to some is perfectly fine by all means. Given how hard getting a PS5 has been and will be for the foreseeable future, it’s great that fans of the original can enjoy the game on the PS4, with noticeable visual improvements likely being offered to those who manage to procure the PS5. Taking all aspects of the presentation into account, God of War Ragnarok is shaping up to be a worthy follow-up to the original – which is reflective in the general consensus surrounding the discussion for the game. Concerns surrounding somewhat of an underwhelming graphical presentation are valid in a way, but shouldn’t dampen any hopes or excitement for the game. In the long run, however, gameplay is king, and Ragnarok doesn’t seem like it will disappoint. We are at least a year away from the game’s release and we don’t even know what more the developers have up their sleeves.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

June was a big month for gaming, thanks in no small part to E3 2018. However, it was a big month in the UK as well, as games like FIFA 18 and God of War battled for supremacy. In the end though, it was EA Sports’ title that came out on top, thanks to the recent free World Cup update as revealed by GFK/UKIE (via MCVUK).

The fact that the update arrived on May 29th while the World Cup took place in mid-June also helped with sales being up 67 per cent month-on-month. The Xbox One version saw sales increase by 203 per cent month-on-month. God of War was in second place and only saw a 30 per cent decrease in sales month-on-month.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy made it to third place thanks to a multiplatform re-release. The PS4 version even saw an increase in sales month-on-month by 16 per cent. Detroit: Become Human came in fourth place, followed by Far Cry 5 and Fallout 4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe scored seventh, as Mario Tennis Aces came in at eighth place. Vampyr and Grand Theft Auto 5 rounded out the June 2018 best-sellers chart for the UK.

God of War is about to be unleashed upon the waiting masses, bringing an entirely new take on the God of War series within Norse mythology. Director Cory Barlog continues to drop small bits and pieces of info about the game over Twitter to tease more about what we can expect.

Responding to various users on Twitter, Barlog revealed some smaller bits of information such as the ability for a single profile to have multiple save slots, and that the game will include alternative modes besides the campaign. The user asked if the game will have the Challenge mode seen in past titles, or any other modes. Barlog only answering with a “yes” kind of leaves up in the air what those are, but it’s good to see there’s some extracurriculars.

The game launched on April 20th on the PlayStation 4. Are you looking forward to the game? Let us know in the comments below.

Yes.

— golrab of the frost (@corybarlog) April 4, 2018

Yes.

— golrab of the frost (@corybarlog) April 3, 2018

God of War is almost upon us, and it looks abundantly clear that things are changing massively for the series. Everything from the combat, to the way Kratos behaves, to the way the camera is positioned looks so vastly different from what’s come before in the series, and more and more people have been likening the game and its design philosophy with the Dark Souls games. In a Q&A with the official PlayStation blog, game director Cory Barlog spoke a bit about these comparisons.

Barlog was asked about several things, from the combat with Kratos now having a shield, to how the levels seem to be mazes that wind on and around themselves, and how both those things seem to mimic what one might usually see in Dark Souls. Barlog, however, said that these things have always been part of God of War in some way, shape, or form.

“In all of God of War history, we’ve had those sort of interwoven levels,” Barlog said. “Whether it’s in the early God of War games with the Architect’s temple on Cronos’ back [in the first God of War] – spoilers f0r anyone who hasn’t played that – or when you get to the Island of the Fates [in God of War II] and you kind of have those areas that are circling around themselves.”

“We like that idea of things folding in on themselves, giving you a little bit of that exploration,” he continued. “Because a big part of this game was, we want to keep broadening it. As you play the game, it just keeps getting more and more broad, and your exploration and your curiosity is rewarded, even more as you branch out on an unmarked path.”

Barlog also mentioned the shield, speaking about how this isn’t actually the first time that players will be equipped with one in a God of War game- remember the Arms of Sparta (the spear and the shield) in Ghost of Sparta? God of War launches on April 20 for the PS4. Not long to go now. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for continued coverage on the game.

We’re hopeful that this year’s God of War will continue that tradition, but we obviously won’t know for sure until we’ve actually played the game. So rather than praying to the dead Gods of Olympus that boss fights in Scandinavia are just as amazing as they were in Greece, we thought we’d instead look back at what we’ve already experienced. Here in this feature, we’re going to take a look at the fifteen best boss fights in the God of War series. If you disagree with any our our picks, feel free to let us know in the comments section below.

Without further ado, let’s begin.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead.

#15. BARBARIAN KING- GOD OF WAR II

After a five year hiatus, Kratos is now coming back, with God of War making its PS4 debut- and things are looking very different. Gone is the fixed camera, gone the Greek mythological setting, gone the infamous QTEs, gone the Spartan’s trademark chained blades. The upcoming sequel, titled simply God of War, seems to be a more thoughtful, intimate and mature take on the series, and as such, a lot of things are going to be changing.

In this feature, we’re going to take a look at fifteen of what we feel are the most vital pieces of information you need to know about God of War. We have plenty to talk about, so let’s jump right in.

UNCHAINED COMBAT

The series has become synonymous with Kratos’ chained yoyo blades over the years, so it came as a bit of a shock when it was first revealed the the upcoming PS4 sequel would see the Spartan sporting a much different kind of weaponry. In the upcoming game, the Spartan will be equipped with an axe (called the Leviathan) and a shield, which means the combat is probably going to be very, very different from fans of the series might be used to. Interestingly, Kratos will also be able to throw his axe at enemies and then summon it back to his hands, like Thor and his hammer, and in the time that he’s without his axe, he’ll be pummelling enemies with his shield and his fists. That said, we’re just hoping there’s still a Square-Square-Triangle combo in there. And who knows, maybe the chained blades might just end up making an appearance…

Kratos is a changed man in the upcoming God of War. Not only does the newest game in the action-adventure series promise to reinvigorate and reinvent the franchise as a whole, it also promises to reinvent the character of Kratos as well. We remember him as an angry, murderous freak, but Kratos is going to be a father now, and it looks like he’s trying to put his rage-fuelled days behind us (though not entirely, we hope).

In an interview, the game’s director Cory Barlog spoke about the character and how the team at Sony Santa Monica dealt with making sure that the character’s changes make sense. “There is so much history, so much life with this character,” Barlog said. “This is a character at a different time in his life. A character that has changed so dramatically. So when trying to stay true to who he his, but also give him give the breathing room to change… in the early portions of the game, we were trying to find what he sounds like. ‘What does Kratos sound like as a dad?’ And we failed so much, man.”

“Talk about the team being a harsh critic,” Barlog said. “People were giving notes like, ‘this game is so hard to play, it’s like playing a child abuse simulator. I hate Kratos, he’s terrible’. And we were like, ‘alright, cool, that was too far this way’. And then we do another round, and they’d be like, ‘oh man, he sounds like Ben Kenobi now, it’s ridiculous, this is not Kratos’. And we were like, ‘cool, now we go this [other] way’. So [it was about] finding that middle road, that keeps him in sort of the pocket of what we want to do but stays true to who he is.”

God of War launches next year for the PS4. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more updates on the game.

God of War II is arguably the best game in the famous action-adventure series, so when it was announced last year that the director of that game, Cory Barlog would be returning to direct the comeback of Kratos in the upcoming God of War, the news was met with a lot of positivity. However, as it turns out, he wasn’t Sony Santa Monica’s first choice for that role.

While speaking during the God of War E3 2017 Coliseum panel, the studio’s head Shannon Studstill said that when the studio was thinking about the future of the God of War franchise, she had two people in mind that she wanted to serve as the director for the new game. The first person Sony Santa Monica thought of was David Jaffe, who was the creator of the God of War franchise and directed the very first game.

As it turned out, however, David Jaffe was busy with other projects at the time, and he had to turn down the offer, at which point the studio turned to Cory Barlog, who had earlier worked on God of War II. If the footage we’ve seen of the game so far is anything to go by, the choice has probably paid off. The game looks stunning so far. You can watch the game’s latest trailer from Sony’s E3 2017 conference here.

The development team over at Sony Santa Monica that is currently working on the upcoming God of War is thrice as large as the team that worked on 2007’s God of War II, according to game director Cory Barlog. He spoke at length about the process behind the game’s development and how it differs to what he experienced ten years ago during the game’s E3 Coliseum panel.

“The process has changed tremendously,” Barlog said. “We have teams that are three times the size now. So trying to get that many people to agree on something- it’s like getting three people together and asking them where they want to go for dinner,” he quipped. “This is 270 people all agreeing on a creative concept.”

“It’s very difficult,” he continued. “It is a constant management of expectations and keeping people in the loop.” It definitely sounds like God of War is shaping up to be a large, ambitious project. And it shows, if what we’ve seen of the game so far is anything to go by. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for continued coverage on God of War.

Ever since God of War a brand new trailer was revealed at E3 last year, and then after it received yesterday at Sony’s E3 press conference, while most of the reaction to the game has been extremely positive, some people have had some concerns. And one of those is whether Kratos’ son, who will be accompanying the player for the entirety of the game, will be a bit of a burden during gameplay sections- kind of similar to the concerns people had before The Last of Us was launched.

However, during the God of War panel at the E3 Coliseum, the game’s development team, including the game director Cory Balrog, proceeded to ensure fans that the boy is actually built on a very capable artificial intelligence. The development team ensured fans that the boy won’t be a liability to players, and even cited some instances of how his AI managed to get around issues related to everything from movement to combat during development.

Clearly they’ve considered that it can be a real issue in the final game, so it’s good to notice the fact that they’ve put work into ensuring that that isn’t the case. You can watch the new trailer from Sony’s conference through the link above to glimpse some of the gameplay including combat and how Kratos’ son will be involved in those scenarios.

Stay tuned to GamingBolt for continued coverage on God of War.