# God of War Ragnarok

> God of War Ragnarok is an action adventure and action rpg game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, first released on 9 November 2022 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC. It takes about 21 hours to finish the main story and around 51 hours to complete. We scored it 9.2 out of 10.

Source: https://gamingpickz.com/games/god-of-war-ragnarok/
Publisher of this page: GamingPickz
Reviewed by: Ranjeeth, Editor, after undefined hours played
Last updated: 30 August 2026
Wikidata: Q99397916
Verified: no, this entry is a draft and is not indexed

## Key facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| First released | 9 November 2022 |
| Developer | Santa Monica Studio |
| Publisher | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Genres | Action Adventure, Action RPG |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC |
| Players | 1 player |
| ESRB rating | M for Mature 17+ |
| Main story length | 21 hours |
| Completionist length | 51 hours |
| Monetisation | premium |
| Our score | 9.2 out of 10 |

## Verdict

A confident, unusually well-written sequel that improves almost everything about the 2018 game, held back only by an over-familiar structure.

## Overview

God of War Ragnarok is the second half of a story that the 2018 reboot only set up. Where that game was about a father learning to talk to his son, this one is about a son deciding he no longer needs permission. That shift changes what the game is doing minute to minute, and it is the reason Ragnarok holds together across a runtime roughly a third longer than its predecessor.

Santa Monica Studio has not reinvented the formula. This is still an over-the-shoulder action game built around a small set of weapons, a companion who fights alongside you, and semi-open regions strung together by narrow traversal corridors. What has changed is density. There is more to do in each region, the combat has more depth at the top end, and the writing is doing considerably more work.

## Story and setting

Fimbulwinter has been running for three years when the game opens. Kratos and Atreus are living in hiding, Atreus is old enough to resent being protected, and Asgard has stopped pretending it wants peace. The prophecy that hung over the first game is now a countdown.

The smartest decision here is splitting the perspective. You play long stretches as Atreus, and those sections are not throwaway. He fights differently, he talks his way through situations Kratos would simply end, and the game uses his sections to show you parts of the world Kratos would never be allowed into. It also lets the script make an argument rather than just deliver a plot: Kratos believes the future is fixed, Atreus believes it can be argued with, and the game genuinely does not decide who is right until very late.

The supporting cast carries far more weight than in 2018. Freya's arc in particular is given the room it needs, moving from an antagonist who could easily have been a one-note revenge plot into the most complicated relationship in the game. Odin is written as a manipulator rather than a monster, which is a harder and more effective choice.

The pacing does sag. There is a long middle stretch where the critical path asks you to fetch a thing, then another thing, then a third, and the game knows it, because the dialogue starts commenting on how long this is taking. It recovers, but the recovery takes a few hours.

## Gameplay

Combat is the clearest upgrade. The Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos both return with expanded skill trees, and the new addition is a skill mastery system: use a move often enough and it permanently gains a bonus effect you can then swap between. It is a quiet piece of design that rewards the way you actually play rather than the way a build guide tells you to.

The shield is now a real choice rather than a fixed tool. A Dauntless Shield rewards timed parries with a stagger burst, the Stone Wall Shield lets you absorb damage and release it, and there are more besides. Picking one meaningfully changes your defensive rhythm, and the game builds encounters that punish you for choosing badly.

Enemy variety is the single biggest fix. The 2018 game leaned hard on a small roster of draugr and trolls. Ragnarok has a wider bestiary, more enemies that demand a specific answer, and far more encounters that mix types so you cannot solve everything with one pattern. Higher difficulties get genuinely demanding without feeling unfair.

Traversal and puzzle design are still the weakest part. You will squeeze through a lot of gaps, and the environmental puzzles rarely ask more than identifying which surface takes an axe throw and which takes a Sigil Arrow. Accessibility options are extensive, including a wide set of combat, navigation and subtitle settings, and they are among the best in the genre.

## What works

- The best written story Santa Monica Studio has produced
- Combat depth increases substantially without adding complexity for its own sake
- Enemy variety fixes the loudest complaint about the 2018 game
- Atreus sections are real content, not a gimmick
- Exceptional accessibility options
- Free New Game Plus and a free roguelite expansion post-launch

## What does not

- A slow middle act built on fetch objectives
- Environmental puzzles are still simple and repetitive
- Structurally very close to its predecessor
- Endless gap-squeezing as a loading disguise

## Release dates by platform

| Platform | Release date | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PlayStation 5 | 9 November 2022 | Lead platform, with performance and quality display modes |
| PlayStation 4 | 9 November 2022 | Cross-gen release, upgrade path to the PS5 version |
| PC | 19 September 2024 | Steam and Epic Games Store, with DLSS and FSR support |

## Performance modes

| Platform | Mode | Resolution | Frame rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PlayStation 5 | Favour Quality | Native 4K | 30 fps |
| PlayStation 5 | Favour Performance | Dynamic, up to 4K | 60 fps |
| PlayStation 5 | Quality, high frame rate | Dynamic 4K | Up to 120 fps, 120Hz display required |
| PlayStation 5 | Performance, high frame rate | Dynamic 1440p | Up to 120 fps, 120Hz display required |
| PlayStation 4 | Standard | Dynamic 1080p | 30 fps |

## PC system requirements

| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-6600k or AMD Ryzen 5 2400G | Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 1650 4GB or AMD RX 5500XT 8GB | NVIDIA RTX 2060 8GB or AMD RX 5700 8GB |
| Memory | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage | 190 GB SSD recommended | 190 GB SSD |

## Where to buy

| Store | Platform | MSRP | Current | Type |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PlayStation Store | PlayStation 5 | $69.99 | not checked | official store |
| PlayStation Store | PlayStation 4 | $69.99 | not checked | official store |
| Steam | PC | $59.99 | not checked | official store |
| Green Man Gaming | PC | $59.99 | not checked | key reseller |
| Fanatical | PC | $59.99 | not checked | key reseller |
| Humble Store | PC | $59.99 | not checked | key reseller |
| GOG | PC | $59.99 | not checked | affiliate |
| Amazon | PlayStation 5 | $69.99 | not checked | affiliate |

## Community sentiment

Community discussion is strongly positive on combat and writing and strongly negative on two specific design habits, the gap-squeezing and the puzzle hint timing, which come up in almost every thread regardless of the topic.

Recurring praise:

- The shield system and the expanded skill trees are consistently singled out as the biggest improvement over the 2018 game
- Writing and voice performances, particularly Odin, Freya and the Mimir banter, come up more than the combat does
- The accessibility settings are held up as a benchmark other studios get compared against
- The free Valhalla expansion was received far better than a free post-launch mode usually is

Recurring complaints:

- The constant squeezing through narrow gaps to hide loading is the single most mocked thing about the game
- Companions solving environmental puzzles out loud before the player has had time to think is a near-universal complaint
- The middle act is widely described as a stretch of fetch objectives that outstays its welcome
- Opinion splits sharply on the Atreus-controlled sections, roughly along the line of whether players wanted more Kratos

## How it was made

The game was first shown as a title card at the September 2020 PlayStation 5 showcase, more than two years before release, with no footage and no gameplay.

Development ran through the pandemic with a largely remote team, which the studio has publicly cited as the reason for moving the release out of 2021. It shipped on both PS4 and PS5, a cross-generation decision made late in the previous console cycle.

Engine: Proprietary Santa Monica Studio engine

Team size: Roughly 350 across the studio and support teams

## Official videos

- God Of War Ragnarök - PlayStation Showcase 2021 Reveal Trailer | PS5 Games (reveal, PlayStation): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE-4GvjKcfs
- God of War Ragnarök - State of Play Sep 2022 Story Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games (gameplay, PlayStation): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfJ4Km46A-0
- God of War Ragnarök - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games (launch, PlayStation): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wr0DfV73E

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need to play God of War 2018 first?

Yes, or at least watch a recap. Ragnarok opens three years after the first game ends and does almost nothing to reintroduce its cast or its central relationship. There is a built-in story recap in the main menu, which covers the plot but not the emotional groundwork.

### How long does God of War Ragnarok take to beat?

Around twenty to twenty-five hours for the main story. Roughly fifty hours if you complete the Favours, explore each realm and take on the optional bosses.

### Is God of War Ragnarok on Xbox or Nintendo Switch?

No. It is a PlayStation and PC release only. Santa Monica Studio is owned by Sony, and there has been no indication of an Xbox or Switch version.

### Is there multiplayer or co-op?

No. It is entirely single-player. Atreus and your other companions are controlled by the AI and cannot be taken over by a second player.

### Is the PS4 version worth playing?

Yes, if that is the console you own. It is a complete, stable port at 30 frames per second. You will notice softer image quality and longer loading, but no content is missing.

### What is God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla?

A free roguelite expansion released in December 2023. It is a self-contained epilogue set after the main story, built around repeatable runs rather than a linear campaign, and it is included at no cost with the base game.

## Sources

- Santa Monica Studio, official site: https://sms.playstation.com/
- PlayStation Store product page: https://store.playstation.com/
- ESRB rating summary: https://www.esrb.org/

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Content by GamingPickz. Cite as: GamingPickz, "God of War Ragnarok", https://gamingpickz.com/games/god-of-war-ragnarok/