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God of War Ragnarök G|OT|Y

Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
Atreus is kind of frustrating me, you would think he would grown more mature and more wiser but I feel like he just got dumber for some reason, he does most stupidest things that I’m starting question if he even related to Kratos.
 

Vick

Gold Member
The level design feels like a slog though like players can’t be trusted to have a section without any combat so much of the combat feels like filler as you aren’t getting these big arena battles but three or four trash mobs. Walk and talk, crawl through gap, small fight, rinse and repeat until the next big set piece.

I just think the above stuff really throws off the pacing as they have chosen to present 99% of the story from the characters POV in walk and talk sections and thanks to the one shot camera they can’t cut away to explain something. But because there are so many walk and talk sections they have felt the need to add a mini combat arena every few minutes so it really feels like a slog at times.
I will never understand these takes.

There should be combat every few seconds in a goddamn God of War game. Add all you want in the game, polish it as much as you need, put ever filler necessary to make the story more interesting/impactful, but at the end of the day you have to make me fight something every few minutes or even less because that's the goddamn reason I purchased the game.

Encounters in a game with such combat mechanics is and should always be the damn core of the game. If anything give me even more waves.

This kind of abysmal takes ruined Uncharted.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
Ok, the game is awesome. I apologise if I triggered anyone. I do have my gripes and still prefer the original 2018 one but I am really getting into it. Feels so good to be back.

Pros:
- Looks awesome for what is clearly a PS4 game.
-Combat is great after unlocks
-Loving that classic 2018 feeling of adventuring and doing all side quests. The side content is awesome.
-Troll joke.
-Amazing acting and direction from the team. Camera shots etc are brilliant.
-Overall Vibe of the game.
-music / effects (outside of some poor audio mixing)
-Lighting - The GI or whatever it is mindblowing in some areas.
-Awesome fights against normal enemies and mid sized bosses. Feel epic using all weapons including just going pure fists.


Cons
-Loot system and menus AT FIRST! I have now got used to them and they are fine but deffo felt really bad and confusing at first.
-UI is messy.
-Clearly a PS4 game which affects scale, all combat arenas feel like small circles so far with slowly timed spawning enemies.
(I think id prefer twice as many enemies with half the health on each but I am guessing thats a PS4 restriction?)
-Loading sections - Going under water bridges - through cracks seems more than any other action game in recent memory.
- Too much communication from partners and hints for puzzles - its frustrating.
- bit too much focus on Atreus for me....I'm a KRATOS man lol.

The game is excellent, but I am missing some of the wow I got from Elden Ring this year. (going down the lift into the under area for the first time etc and not even expecting it - the sense of amazement at the world and what felt like constant surprises) Its an absolutely brilliant game but not quite on that level for me personally, still loving it though and deserves a lot of the praise it has received.
 

Big Baller

Al Pachinko, Konami President
Vick Vick
Youre takes are annoying as hell. You haven't even finished it your damn self but keep defending with your life. And stop bragging about how good you are.

Stop It GIF
 
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Vick Vick
You're takes are annoying as hell. You haven't even finished it your damn self but keep defending with your life. And stop bragging about how good you are.

Stop It GIF
He's on ignore so I didn't see his reply to mine until your post but yeah his takes are absolutely laughable. It sounds like he wants the same thing I want where the game lets you focus on the combat but he's so defensive that he can't admit it.

The walk and talk - easy and impossible to lose filler fight - more walk and talk is bad game design. Give me as much story as you want but put most of it in cutscenes and ferry me to massive and worthwhile combat encounters where you are hanging on for dear life not this filler shit. It's why the slow bits in TLOU2 work as you've just had some intense combat sequence and you are glad for the break but here the intense combat sequences are in the minority and most of it is junk encounters.
 

Vick

Gold Member
Came to say there's no:

Dark Elves

Anymore apparently and what replaced them are much easier to fight, but stumbled across the above posts. Fucking NeoGAF man.

Big Baller Big Baller If you want to be left alone trying to shape the narrative you just have to ask. I'm afraid it's a helpless fight anyway as game already sold gangbusters apparently and people actually playing it enjoying it, but who knows, maybe there's a couple of oblivious users you could convince.
All I can suggest is either do as your rat friend did and put me on ignore, or alternatively play some games you like on your systems as I'm sure they're much better than this game anyway. In case there's shortage of them you could always join others like you to leave a 0 on Metacritic, it might achieve something in the end and I'm sure it will give you the thrill you're looking for, so why not. Best of luck pal.
 

rofif

Can’t Git Gud
Gameplay wise does everything that GoW 2018 did, but expands on them. So that parts no mystery. As far as the story is concerned, it's definitely a downgrade from 2018. I'm pretty far in the game, and I'm not at the final act yet, so we'll see if my opinion changes. However when I think about the highs of GoW 2018's story, these come to mind:

Kratos digs up his past and retrieves the Blades of Chaos
Kratos and Atreus bonding and drinking wine.
The sequence with Atreus giving into his selfish darker side.
Kratos visiting Helheim and being confronted by his memories.
The end where they scatter Faye's ashes and Kratos undoes his wraps, releasing what's left of his former life.

Those are just what I can think of off the top of my head. So far I'm 30+ hours in, doing most of the content, there's been really good moments but nothing so far has matched the great moments from the last game. GoW 2018 was a very personal character driven story, and it's obvious that story was birthed from the creative spark Cory Barlog had. He wanted to tell a story of a father and son's journey and he focused on them the entire time. God of War: Ragnarok on the other hand not only has Cory stepping back from his Director and Writing role, but the story is bigger in scale, focusing more on the world, it's factions, and the upcoming war. Which that in itself is fine, and probably the direction I'd go in too, but the execution has left something to be desired.
Yeah visiting helheim for example was a big surprise and quite an event in 2018. Here it’s like going to a supermarket. Although that later helheim mission is pretty good!
I am sure something else will happen. I am nearing the final act and so far it sends me around to do crap even in main story :p
The game needlessly expands on all of it mechanics by just adding more. I would’ve preferred tlou2 route honestly. They expanded on level design. Not added crapton of mechanics and levelling like in horizon2

The sigil is the worst, most inconsistent mechanic to burn stuff ever. It’s annoying to use and barely works.

People comparing the game mechanics to uc4 are crazy. In uc4 climbing feels like an actual free form mechanic and not a loading screen. Nathan moves hands and grabs rocks naturally. Ledges and grabs are hidden and you feel like looking for a path. Here, even rocks and everything is painted over as interaction and it’s always the same canned animation.
 
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GooseMan69

Member
Just played the first hour.

Firstly, the DLC narrative is pure garbage.

Secondly, if this is cross gen, then holy shit.

And thirdly, can't wait for the rest of the game.

The DLC argument is probably the worst take in the history of this forum. Just absolute clown shoes stuff. If anything, it’s one of the more radical sequels that I’ve played.
 

cormack12

Gold Member
I'm a fucking moron.

I've been playing with level 1 axe/blade runes, because I couldn't see a menu to upgrade them. Fuck sake.

You have to press r2 until the next level is highlighted then you can spend the XP. Why that isn't default is a mystery but then the whole fucking menu system is an atrocity against mankind.
 

TonyK

Member
I'm a fucking moron.

I've been playing with level 1 axe/blade runes, because I couldn't see a menu to upgrade them. Fuck sake.

You have to press r2 until the next level is highlighted then you can spend the XP. Why that isn't default is a mystery but then the whole fucking menu system is an atrocity against mankind.
And the minimum font size is bigger than my TV! And in options you can only make it even bigger!!

However, worse UI offender is the compass. Thanks God you can hide it in options.

It's like if the UI was designed for poor eyesight people by default.
 

skit_data

Member
I don’t know how far into the game I am yet, but it’s crazy how it just keeps getting better and better. I think I have all the upgrades that you need in order to get around the obstacles so right now I’m just cruising around and checking out the Nornir chests I could see earlier in the story while killing enemies I come across.

Anyone care to answer how far into the main story I am in terms of percentage?
I just
Killed Heimdall
Should I just keep progressing or is it time to start checking out the sidequests and optional areas?
 
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rofif

Can’t Git Gud
I'm a fucking moron.

I've been playing with level 1 axe/blade runes, because I couldn't see a menu to upgrade them. Fuck sake.

You have to press r2 until the next level is highlighted then you can spend the XP. Why that isn't default is a mystery but then the whole fucking menu system is an atrocity against mankind.
It's not your fault. The UI is kinda trash...
... ok it is your fault
 
Atreus is kind of frustrating me, you would think he would grown more mature and more wiser but I feel like he just got dumber for some reason, he does most stupidest things that I’m starting question if he even related to Kratos.
Well, he's around 15 now, he is more independent and more reckless.

For how Loki related to Kratos, if we go by name you can learn it from Norse mythology.
 

Ulysses 31

Member
So if Odin was Tyr this whole time does that mean Tyr is actually dead and Odin was in two places at once?
Nop, you can find the real Tyr after you've killed Odin and they speculate Odin needs the ones he impersonates alive.
 

TonyK

Member
Hence that part where they tried to pull a Left Behind type of level and failed big time. The majority of players hated that level, including me.
Worse part of the game by miles. And I quote you because I thought the same parallelism with Left Behind and I'm glad other people feel their intentions and how they failed on it.
 

cormack12

Gold Member
And the minimum font size is bigger than my TV! And in options you can only make it even bigger!!

However, worse UI offender is the compass. Thanks God you can hide it in options.

It's like if the UI was designed for poor eyesight people by default.
What is worse is that I have to upgrade Atreus through the wardrobe in ironwood and that big place. So I've been waiting for them to activate in the dwarf bench.

We've made it so accessible no one can fucking use it. Equality!
 

Vick

Gold Member
Fucking hell the new:

Elves soldiers

Are brutal. Maybe I should really STFU afterall.
People comparing the game mechanics to uc4 are crazy. In uc4 climbing feels like an actual free form mechanic and not a loading screen. Nathan moves hands and grabs rocks naturally. Ledges and grabs are hidden and you feel like looking for a path. Here, even rocks and everything is painted over as interaction and it’s always the same canned animation.
I agree, comparisons with U4 climbing in general always make me scratch my head.
But would you really want deep climbing mechanics in this? Should have SSM focused on trying to achieve those here? Wouldn't you rather just take a few second to reach the locations you're headed to?

You ask for deep climbing mechanics in a game where you traverse areas in seconds with the Blades, and then complain about too many mechanics for combat? It will take another 5 years at best to see another God of War, how are legit options to differentiate playstyles and increase variety a bad thing? You think all that stuff won't be used by people like Game Breaker God?
You're not forced to use them here just like you were not in Forbidden West.

That usually works for people as far as I have read about the issue. Let's hope there's a fix for this in the next patch.
I played the first 5 or 6 hours with DTS selected because I had read here PCM only output stereo, then someone said that's not true, changed to PCM and get surround all the same. It must depend on one's receiver.

On this note, met

Jormungandr

Yesterday and the whole damn house was shaking. Woke the lady full of pregnancy hormones up and was forced to go to bed after. lol
 
Much of the story stuff could have been stuck in a skipable cutscene
Nope, I definitely prefer to have it hidden in gameplay... however, the chattering becomes too much sometimes (even if it's well written).
The level design feels like a slog though like players can’t be trusted to have a section without any combat so much of the combat feels like filler as you aren’t getting these big arena battles but three or four trash mobs.
I was thinking the exact opposite, they keep me on my toe and I found that the exploration in 2018 was sometimes a little too barren of fights... However, more significant encounters would probably be good as well.
 
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reezoo

Member
The rollercoaster ride I am going through while playing this game...and it's not because of the game's story, thats the best part of GOW games...

Combat: When it works its at souls game tyr, but when it doesn't, it pushes me very close to breaking my controller. Best part in games are boss fights and this game has some really good but those minions put with most of the bosses / mini bosses really f**k up everything. The game is like 'here is this the boss, learn its patterns, find out best way to defeat it with your moves that can take you in to zone... haha just kidding, deal with these mini-f**kers scattered all over to keep you distracted'.

Puzzles/Exploring: Some really good level design paired with god tyr awful mechanics of sigil. How that even not got rejected during design phase? mind bogling.. looks to be something retro fitted within the game.

Story: Awesome as always, I think I am 40% through game and already saw few moments as good as GOW2018.

Character Design: This game should be a case study in character design, all new characters most of which already realized in almost all media cant even come close to what SM has done with Thor/Odin/Tyr.
 
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Gerdav

Member
Atreus is kind of frustrating me, you would think he would grown more mature and more wiser but I feel like he just got dumber for some reason, he does most stupidest things that I’m starting question if he even related to Kratos.
It’s called being a teenager, if a fictional game character is frustrating you wait until you have teenagers of your own.
 
About 10 hours in and I´m also finding the constant backseat driving from the peanut gallery really annoying. The game desperately wants Atreus to be the center of attention and I desperately want him to shut the fuck up for just 1 minute.
 

SLB1904

Banned
Are we going to have a spoiler thread?

Because uts gard to talk about the awesome stuff without spoiling.

I can't believe they really did ps2 scale battles with this graphics. I wanna talk about 3 epic battles so bad lol
 

Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
Finished watching the rest of the story online because I can't force myself to go through this slog anymore. Odin is by far the best part and absolutely hilarious.

I might pick it up in the future if I'm in the mood for that kind of game but this is so far removed from God of War (and the 2018 game already was) that I can't say that I care much about the game anymore. The 2018 game did a better job at balancing story/action with a much slimmer cast of characters. You could almost count the number of characters on one hand. This one just went balls to the walls with story and dialogue, and as a result, action and combat take a backseat a lot of the time.

Again, not a bad game. Just wished they'd give me more of what I play GOW for. Not more cinematics and talking and walking and climbing.
 
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Vick

Gold Member
I agree very bery annoying
Got it. I'll try to keep appreciation or disagreement posts for myself from now on, same for inputs on the game difficulty. To help me better filter my opinions, where my gripes with the game posted earlier fine for a pleasant GAF browsing, or should I find something else to do altogether during these smoke breaks?
 
Just finished the game after ~40 hours.
I tried to do all the sidequest as much as i can before the game end but honestly the story goes so fast at the end (in a good way) that i just want to get back to the main quest.

Pro:

- Amazing story. Amazing character. I like every new character they introduced.
- Great combat of course.
- Awesome sidequest. Big improvement from the previous game for sure!
- Music are great.
- Enviroment is crazy beautiful. I'm not talking about graphic. I'm talking about how they design the world, design each realm. It's so beautiful and full of details, color and lighting. It's one of the best looking game right now. But it's weird that Alfheim is my favorite realm in GOW 2018 but now it looks pale compare to other realms lol.

Some nitpicks:

- Combat is great but it's same move set you have from previous game. I think it'll be much better if they change some moves, add more new animation,..
- They cut a lots of bare hand moves which are my favorite moves in previous game.
- Not really sold on the 2 type of shields. I use the default shield the most. Not really like how some shield skill from previous game now is attached to different shield.
- Camera which is not a problem for me in 2018 GOW but now i found sometime it's harder to control. Because i think enemy number in combat are bigger.
- I don't mind those 'squeeze through' at all. I just don't like the climping cliff and climping the chain. It's so slow compare to other ways.

Overall i think i enjoy it much more than 2018 GOW. Goty for me.

Is there any spoiler discuss thread btw...
 

Ulysses 31

Member
Finished watching the rest of the story online because I can't force myself to go through this slog anymore. Odin is by far the best part and absolutely hilarious.

I might pick it up in the future if I'm in the mood for that kind of game but this is so far removed from God of War (and the 2018 game already was) that I can't say that I care much about the game anymore. The 2018 game did a better job at balancing story/action with a much slimmer cast of characters. You could almost count the number of characters on one hand. This one just went balls to the walls with story and dialogue, and as a result, action and combat take a backseat a lot of the time.

Again, not a bad game. Just wished they'd give me more of what I play GOW for. Not more cinematics and talking and walking and climbing.
How far were you into the story?

I saw a lot of the story too and was wondering why the game is called "God of War" with the amount of quiet and personal moments cut scenes there are in this game.

Don't help there's a quest to pick flowers after the story too. 👀
 
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Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
How far were you into the story?

I saw a lot of the story too and was wondering why the game is called "God of War" with the amount of quiet and personal moment cut scenes there are in this game.

Don't help there's a quest to pick flowers after the story too. 👀
Just finished
Asgard
I'm glad I at least got to see all the 9 realms.
 
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Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
And he's not self aware either lol
Oh, would you look at this.

This is you on Thursday, a day after the game came out:

Gow got this. It will be close but gow will have more overall.
The story is Holywood as hell the fights are pretty bombastic. And is easier.

If I had to pick I would Gow. I'm really getting tired of the die a billion times just to progress in Souls game, and story is pretty much non existent.
Even saying that elden ring is a masterpiece.
And this was you on Wednesday, the day of release.
Dude what you talking. You literally at the beginning. I'm in alfhein doing a side quest. and the area you have to go around with those dogs to explore
Gow is arena combat always was what do you expect?
Developers already confirmed the gaps is to prevent the player to leave the combat area like literally every single action game...
Alfheim is what, 10 hours into the game and you were already declaring it GOTY and with 20+ hours, I can't? lol, GTFO. You're just a troll who's angry someone doesn't think this is the best game ever.
 

Topher

Identifies as young
Played for a couple of hours. Dont get the love for this game yet.

Feels like DLC. Liked everything in the 2018 version more than what I have now. Not going to spoil anything. But so far it’s rather meh. All that keeps me playing is the great combat system. But that’s nothing new. Curious if I’ll change my mind.

You are way too early in the game.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but expectations are sky high when it comes to SSM, ND, Nintendo ED, Rockstar..
Gamers hold these developers in such high esteem, that they tend to be overly critical of their products, pointing out issues thst would go unnoticed, were similar titles to be launched by less prestigious teams.

Yeah, I think so. First party games in general I think get a higher level of scrutiny.
 
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Vick

Gold Member
Man that Alfheim fight was a fucking mess.. died more than 10 times. Fuckers are even worse than in the last game.
From complaining about the game being too easy to be afraid of what's next in the span of a single fight.
 

Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
Man that Alfheim fight was a fucking mess.. died more than 10 times. Fuckers are even worse than in the last game.
From complaining about the game being too easy to be afraid of what's next in the span of a single fight.
Which fight, the one against the
new elf queen
?

I find the difficulty in this game to be more manageable than in the first one. The enemies are less spongy early on and the generally larger combat arenas with multiple layers give more escape options. If you're in a pinch, you can often run away, grapple to a ledge and heal and rethink your strategies.
 
Really enjoying my time with the game so far (about 15 hours). I'm playing on quality 40Hz with VRR and I'm awestruck by the amount of polish in this game. Truly an example of video games as an art form.

A small detail that I enjoy is how companion characters will comment on the player straying from the path or breaking objects to grab some loot. It's a bit comical from their perspective that you have a stoic god like Kratos just breaking shit to go grab a shiny object lol.
 

Topher

Identifies as young
I'm a fucking moron.

I've been playing with level 1 axe/blade runes, because I couldn't see a menu to upgrade them. Fuck sake.

You have to press r2 until the next level is highlighted then you can spend the XP. Why that isn't default is a mystery but then the whole fucking menu system is an atrocity against mankind.

Have to agree on the UI. Not intuitive at all. I'm getting around it eventually, but half the time I'm wondering if I'm missing something. Every time I go to upgrade I feel like I'm having to figure it out all over again.

Worse part of the game by miles. And I quote you because I thought the same parallelism with Left Behind and I'm glad other people feel their intentions and how they failed on it.

Someone is going to have to explain the parallelism with Left Behind (use spoiler tags obviously)....

Is it the fact that it is a narrative with two young teens that takes place outside of the main story? What "intentions" are we talking about? Just not seeing anything other than more story that while it was a bit too long, ultimately there was some crucial story points revealed.
 
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