Despite the ostensibly modern tone, God of War’s Norse revival has always seemed retro by nature.
The result is a curious tension.
In Ragnarok that tension continues.
But, crucially, this is a tension Ragnarok aims to resolve.
The result is big and silly - and deliriously satisfying.
Parental wrath is, unsurprisingly, a running theme here.
Others feel like crossovers from the Twilight Saga, all pallid and pompous and unnervingly West Coast.
This bloat is without doubt the biggest problem for Ragnarok.
This is part of the natural tension with games like God of War: Ragnarok.
I love God of War’s puzzles.
This goes here, put that on that, turn this and, tada!
I never tire of it, and there are more than ever in Ragnarok.
“Maybe that lever could help, brother!”
The lever I’m pulling right now?
You don’t say, Mimir!
after the fact, for good measure - often spoils the fun.
Crucially, though, there is an awful lot of fun.
The one where you’ll get to pet wild animals!
You’ll meet your favourite heroes.
Do they have some secret online grid of mascot tunnels?
Multiple actors in the same costumes?
I mean this as a compliment.
Combat, similarly, retains much of its structural rigidness, which in this case is a slight shame.
There’s no risk of repetition in Ragnarok.
There are far more designs, but variety comes with more depth than that too.
They also improve dramatically as time goes by.
You’ll stand silhouetted, jagged, cartoonishly angular in front of them.
Its own heroes prove to be just the tonic.
