Latest from TechRadar in God-of-war-ragnarok

'Death was supposed to be the end' — Kratos' wife Faye returns as protagonist of new God of War game, Laufey

Demi Williams — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:42:07 +0000

God of War Laufey has been announced as the next God of War game
Laufey will star Kratos' wife Faye as its protagonist
Faye will battle through the afterlife of the gods and encounter mythological deities from various cultures

Sony Santa Monica has revealed God of War Laufey, the next game in its mainline God of War series starring Kratos' wife Faye.

The announcement closed out Sony's State of Play for June 2 with 20 minutes of uninterrupted gameplay, confirming that Faye, played by actress Deborah Ann Woll, who died before the events of the 2018 game, will be the playable protagonist as she battles through the afterlife of the gods.

"Death was supposed to be the end, but for Laufey (Faye), warrior and wife to Kratos, a new adventure is just beginning. Awakening unexpectedly in a strange land after her funeral, Faye discovers the plans she put in place to protect Kratos and Atreus are now at risk," the studio said in a PlayStation Blog post.

"To save the ones she loves, Faye must fight through the afterlife of the gods — the Everywhen — where ruthless gods from across mythology vie for power in a land overflowing with dangerous magic."

Like the past God of War games, combat looks fast and brutal, and Faye, who was a warrior in her past life, can also wield magic and can clearly take a hit just like her husband.

In the gameplay walkthrough, Faye encounters two mythological gods in the Everwhen, Sekhmet and Begtse, who have seemingly disrupted the natural flow of magic in the afterlife, and Faye must navigate the new realm while ensuring Kratos and her son Atreus stay on their path.

On her journey, Faye will also be joined by companions Phranque, a cosmic cube played by Jack Quaid, and Rue, played by Perlina Lau, who is the enchanted ribbon guardian tasked with safeguarding a powerful sword that Faye can wield.

Ariel Lawrence, who has worked at Sony Santa Monica since 2003, will be leading the project as game director, alongside narrative director Jimmie Myers and lead writer Elize Morgan.

God of War Laufey will also explore "the humanity, strengths, and flaws of the person whose legacy was beloved in the minds of many," as well as "What happens to the gods when they die?"

Sony Santa Monica has confirmed that Laufey is not a prequel but its own single-player adventure that takes place concurrently alongside the events of the first God of War game.

God of War Laufey will launch exclusively for PlayStation 5, but a release date hasn't been announced just yet.

God of War actor Christopher Judge seems to tease Santa Monica Studio's next project — 'You’ll be hearing about what we’re doing probably in late summer'

Demi Williams — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:49:11 +0000

Actor Christopher Judge has seemingly teased the next Santa Monica Studio's game
Judge, who plays Kratos in the studio's games, says fans will hear about "what we're doing in late summer"
The Kratos actor also revealed that the God of War Trilogy Remake features a new fighting system

God of War actor Christopher Judge has reportedly teased Santa Monica Studio's next major project, which he suggests will be revealed this summer.

As reported by VGC, a fan streaming at the Fan Expo in Vancouver, Canada, approached the Judge to discuss the recently announced God of War Trilogy Remake and asked whether he was going to be involved.

Judge, who plays Kratos in Santa Monica's God of War and God of War Ragnarok, confirmed he wasn't because the original voice behind the character, T.C. Carson, is returning, which we already knew.

It's unclear if the actor is aware that the conversation is being recorded, and then goes on to say the remake will feature a new fighting system, but didn't offer any further details.

Judge then adds, "And then you’ll be hearing about what we’re doing probably in late summer."

The actor doesn't elaborate on what he's talking about, but it seems like he's referring to Santa Monica Studio's and its next game, which Judge may be starring in. The third God of War game? We'll have to wait and see.

God of War Ragnarok launched in 2022, almost four years after God of War, so the timing for an announcement sounds about right.

In the meantime, you can now play Gods of War Sons of Sparta, a 2D sidescrolling spin-off featuring Kratos as a young boy, which Sony shadowdropped during last week's State of Play presentation.

With the God of War trilogy remake confirmed, I need something to help tide me over until it releases — and Sons of Sparta is starting to do exactly that

rob.dwiar@futurenet.com (Rob Dwiar) — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:10:14 +0000

Santa Monica Studio has confirmed that the God of War Trilogy Remake is in very early development
The trilogy comprises the three original Greek mythology-based games of God of War, God of War II, and God of War III
God of War Sons of Sparta is out now from the studio, offering a Kratos origin story in 2D action game form

PlayStation's Santa Monica Studio has confirmed that the original God of War trilogy is getting the remake treatment - and I am hyped for it.

Sadly, though, we don't know anything apart from the fact that the game is "still very early in development" according to the official PS Blog post. However, Sony does promise a "big" update next time something is shared about the game, and TC Carlson himself in the reveal video stated that "next time we're coming back, we're coming with something big."

While folks have been ruminating about where the series could go next after 2022's God of War Ragnarök, whispers of - and wishes for - the original games from the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 have floated about for a while, too.

Who knows if these remade games will shift perspectives and adopt the over-the-shoulder perspective that the recent Norse-series games do, but I get the impression that this is a big re-look at the iconic PlayStation series.

(Image credit: Sony/PlayStation/Santa Monica Studio/ShopTo )

If that got your juices flowing, like me, and you're now champing at the bit for more God of War, then Santa Monica Studio had something else just for you — and I've already played some.

God of War Sons of Sparta was a surprise instant release as of yesterday's State of Play presentation. It's a new take on the behemoth series, but the change of perspective to be a 2D one, and the big step to a pixel art-y kind of aesthetic, brings freshness and a new way to engage with the series.

The writing is done by those who produced the fantastic stories and narratives in God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok, so I'm holding out hope that there'll be something memorable there while I go about my business of smashing up monsters with a Spartan spear.

Having replayed all of the original God of War games that got a PlayStation 3 release on that console back in 2023, Sons of Sparta is the perfect new game to help tide me over - along with a playthrough of God of War 3 Remastered. It'll be the perfect mix of the new and the old to get those Greek mythology juices flowing, and I'm already committed and excited to see how the story sets up one of the most iconic and famous of PlayStation characters.

However, being a PlayStation gamer of a... certain age, it's the OG trilogy getting the remake treatment that's really the main attraction here. How deep will that go? Will there be a focus on PS5 Pro performance? Remasters only go so far, and if these really are getting fully remade, then we could be in for a huge treat.

Watch out, gamers – the Steam Autumn Sale has arrived early, and these 4 discounted games make it dangerously tempting

Isaiah Williams — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 13:41:10 +0000

It's sales season on some of the best PC games of 2025, with Valve's Steam Autumn Sale well underway, and to some gamers' surprise, it's running two months earlier than its usual yearly schedule.

All of the titles I've picked out are ones I've spent hundreds of hours in each. When combined, that's almost a thousand hours and, as you may have expected, a few in particular are some of the biggest games over the past few years.

You'd better hurry, though, because the sale only lasts until October 6, and I doubt you'd want to miss any of them.

Resident Evil 4

Well, that's... intimidating (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

I genuinely don't think there is any Steam sale that will go by without me recommending Capcom's 2023 huge hit, the Resident Evil 4 remake, a title I now have 354 hours in. Yep. It's a level of replay value that I don't think I've seen another game in its genre match in a long time.

It's now available for $19.99 / £17.49 / AU$29.97 thanks to a huge 50% discount, which happens to be during Capcom's TGS deals, and I can't recommend this game enough. With an endless amount of content available via NexusMods and game randomizers on BioRand IV, which quite literally change enemy positionings, spawns, and more, there's so much fun to be had in the Resident Evil 4 remake on PC.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Talk about hot breath... sheesh (Image credit: Sega)

If you own a Steam Deck, any other handheld gaming PC, or even a powerful desktop gaming PC, you're going to love Sega's Shinobi: Art of Vengeance. It's one of the best 2D action platformer games I've ever played, with an art style that absolutely blossoms on any display – and playing this on an OLED is the stuff of dreams.

It's currently available for $23.99 / £19.99 / AU$38.36, and I'm shocked to see that it isn't getting more attention. While incredibly challenging and sometimes even downright frustrating, it's so refreshing and satisfying to overcome tough bosses and obstacles, to ultimately find secrets to help strengthen the protagonist, Joe Musashi, and defeat the Oboro Clan.

It's a magnificent achievement by the devs at Lizardcube, and I can't wait to see what's next in store.

God of War Ragnarok

'Boy! Be ready!' (Image credit: Sony)

If you love incredible narrative-driven action-adventure titles, and you haven't played God of War Ragnarok already, what exactly are you doing? It's quite literally one of my favorite games of all time, doubling down on everything great from the Game of the Year award-winning God of War (2018), and it provides an exceptional end to the Norse saga.

It's now available for $47.99 / £39.99 / AU$75.96, and while I think the discount should be a little steeper considering the game's 2024 PC release, I still believe it's worth every cent. Since I've played the title on both my PS5 and PC (combined total of 158 hours), I've not been able to keep my hands off it since the initial 2022 release.

The addition of the roguelite Valhalla DLC adds an extra level of replay value that's already present thanks to the title's New Game Plus mode. You don't want to miss it.

Cyberpunk 2077

Aren't you cold, V? (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

CD Projekt Red has been at work for literally half a decade on Cyberpunk 2077, refining the game into the critically acclaimed and beloved title it is today, with numerous updates still being released to this day. I've never fully watched any of the Blade Runner movies, but I've seen enough to realize that if you wanted a video game equivalent in terms of setting and atmosphere, then Cyberpunk 2077 is your answer.

For the Ultimate Edition, which I would recommend since it comes with the Phantom Liberty DLC, it's available for $38.62 / £32.18 / AU$57.90, and it's a title I find myself frequently returning to for different playthroughs that are made even better with surprise updates from the dev team and community mods.

And surprisingly, it runs well on a wide range of handhelds, including the Steam Deck, with reasonable graphics setting adjustments, so nobody is left out with this one.

Prime Video’s God of War series has locked in key details, but 3 brutal things still need to happen after its creative overhaul

jasmine.valentine@futurenet.com (Jasmine Valentine) — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 14:29:40 +0000

Prime Video’s live-action God of War series will officially begin filming in 2026 and will adapt the Norse era of the video games, showrunner Ronald D Moore confirmed to Collider at San Diego Comic-Con. The focus will be on Kratos and Atreus, although scripts for season 1 are still being written at this stage. There will be 10 episodes to binge, which the game’s creative director Cory Barlog is “actively involved” in, Moore said.

We’re not likely to see any completed episodes until 2027 at the earliest, but for now, any concrete details are good progress. Amazon initially announced that the project was greenlit back in 2022, but pre-production slowed to a halt for unconfirmed reasons. Allegedly, scripts needed reworking (via KitGuru), adding another three years onto the development process.

I’m not sure whether the fact that the scripts still aren’t complete is a good or bad thing, but I know exactly what I want to see from the new Prime Video TV series regardless. Just like me, fans have a set vision for how God of War should look on screen, and that means not negotiating on three essential details that could turn brutal into boring.

Prime Video’s God of War series needs more co-creators who have obsessively played the games

Kratos and Atreus in God of War: Ragnarok. (Image credit: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Among the clarity of essential details (which is great), one new development sticks out in my mind as a potential red flag. On an episode of The Sackhoff Show with Katee Sackhoff, showrunner Ronald D Moore admitted that he’s never played any of the video games because they’re “too complicated”. “Press R1. Which one’s R1? Oh, I’m dead! I can’t quite get a hold of that,” he explained. It doesn’t take a genius to see why alarm bells are ringing here. How do you understand the bones of something you’ve never properly experienced?

Obviously, it’s great news that Barlog is somehow involved, but I worry this is akin to how often Superintendent Chalmers visits Springfield Elementary in The Simpsons (read: not much). In order to be a surefire success, God of War’s adaptation needs an on-the-ground team that lives and breathes its gameplay, understanding what happens in its lore better than anybody on the internet. We’re not looking for a scene-by-scene recreation here, and nor should we. But it’s not too much to ask for a consistent presence of creators who just get what they need to do.

There should be a nod to the Greek era

Ancient Greece in God of War. (Image credit: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Take a quick look online and you’ll see an outcry of fans who can’t believe that the Norse games like God of War Ragnarok have been chosen over the Greek era. This is arguably where the franchise packs its biggest punch, operating on a much bigger scale with its gore, violence and basically everything explicit that the Greeks would deem as a normal day out. It’s a much cooler setting, but Prime Video has played it safe by sticking with the Norse era, which is basically devoid of scandal (and not to mention, likely a lot cheaper to replicate).

God of war 2018 DOES NOT WORK without the Greek era happening. So it’s strange the TV show isn’t doing a Greek season. Maybe it will be in flashbacks but it’s still strange. Someone said it’s like adapting lord of the rings but only return of the kings.July 29, 2025

Sure, this makes the franchise much more family-friendly and appealing to commercial producers who might now be on board. But is God of War missing the point of why we love it so much? At the very least, I want to see the live-action series honor the games that came before Norseology, whether it be through flashbacks or simply word of mouth myths. If you’re not giving fans the Greek era outright, make sure it’s appreciated in a roundabout way at the very least.

Kratos’ casting needs to be a slam dunk

Kratos in God of War: Ragnarok. (Image credit: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment.)

If I’m being flippantly honest, any young little thing can come along and play an extremely convincing Atreus, but Kratos has a lot more riding on him. Prime Video could go one of two ways: bring in a heavyweight A-lister like Pedro Pascal in The Last of Us, or go for someone nobody has ever heard of. I’d say a smart idea is to cast Kratos’ voice actor Christopher Judge, but that doesn’t seem likely to happen.

So, if God of War won’t go with a pre-existing Kratos expert, they need to pick someone who looks exactly like him. Names like Alan Ritchson, Henry Cavil and Jason Momoa have all been tossed around the internet, but nobody can seem to agree on a talented actor who also looks enough like Kratos, and that’s before we even get to this distinctive voice. If you’re asking me, I think Dave Bautista has an outside chance (he was brilliant in Glass Onion but totally won me over in The Last Showgirl).

The next Sony Santa Monica game reportedly won't be a new IP 'but it might feel like one', says industry insider

Demi Williams — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:56:56 +0000

Sony Santa Monica's next game is reportedly the studio's "next big thing"
Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier responded to speculation, claiming that the studio's new game isn't a new IP, "but might feel like one"
Schreier also claimed that the sci-fi game rumors are not true

The next game from God of War developer Sony Santa Monica reportedly won't be a new IP, "but might feel like one".

That's according to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier (via Eurogamer), who responded to speculation on ResetEra after initially writing about the studio's next project.

"Cory Barlog’s game is Sony Santa Monica’s next big thing," Schreier said. "Last time I spoke to anyone about it (a month or two ago) it was going well."

After sharing this tidbit, fans went on to theorize that the game could be a new IP, which Schreier has now denied.

"I'll put it this way: it's not a new IP but it might feel like one," Schreier explained. "Maybe that's why people are confused. Please don't ask me more questions about this - if I wind up reporting more information at any point in the future it'll be in an article, not on a forum."

There's also been speculation over the years that Cory Barlog, the director of God of War, will be making a sci-fi game next at Sony Santa Monica, but Schreier claims that this isn't correct

"And that the sci-fi stuff (that people have apparently believed for years now?) is nonsense," he said.

Rumors of Sony Santa Monica developing a new IP sprang up last year, but there's no official word from the studio on what it's currently working on.

A third God of War game is also a possibility, but the studio hasn't confirmed if it plans on continuing the series after launching God of War Ragnarok in 2022.

The God of War 20th anniversary vinyl box set contains so many discs I'm not sure that I could even lift it

dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood) — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 14:00:10 +0000

New details regarding the recently announced God of War 20th anniversary vinyl box set have been revealed
It costs $300 / £250 to pre-order now
Three limited edition double LP releases are also on the way

Laced Records has revealed new details regarding the recently announced God of War 20th anniversary vinyl box set.

It features a whopping 13 discs, with 150 remastered tracks from across the series. This includes the original soundtrack for God of War, God of War 2, and God of War 3 in addition to the 2018 reboot God of War and its sequels God of War Ragnarok and God of War Ragnarok Valhalla.

On top of this, there are a selection of songs from spinoffs God of War: Ascension, God of War: Chains of Olympus, and God of War: Ghost of Sparta. There are even some from the God of War Ragnarok: Lofi Beats to Journal to promotional album.

The box set features a dual rigid board outer slipcase, with a leather effect and gold foiling to give it a sleek black and gold look. Each set of discs comes with widespined outer sleeves, plus a printed inner sleeve with artwork from Santa Monica Studio.

Pre-orders are open now via the Laced Records website and cost $300 / £250. With that high price tag, this is definitely an item for the most dedicated collectors.

In addition to this, three limited edition double LP releases are also on the way. They feature the God of War, God of War 2, and God of War 3 soundtracks respectively, and come in at $42 / £36 each so could be a fantastic alternative if you don't want to drop $300 / £250 on the whole package.

The God of War 20th anniversary is almost here with a new update for Ragnarok and loads of merch, but not the remaster that I wanted

dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 10:59:00 +0000

The 20th anniversary of the God of War series takes place on March 22
It will be celebrated by an update for God of War Ragnarok, new merch, and more
No new game or remaster has been announced yet

PlayStation has unveiled its plans for the 20th anniversary of the God of War series, which takes place on March 22, but the rumored remaster is nowhere to be seen.

As outlined by a recent PlayStation Blog post, the event will be commemorated with a new update for God of War Ragnarok. This will release on March 20 for both PlayStation 5 and PC and adds the 'Dark Odyssey Collection' of cosmetic items.

These will be available from any Lost Items chest in the base game or automatically while in Valhalla. The skins are inspired by the black and gold appearance unlocked when you beat God of War 2 on God Mode difficulty.

The full list of new items is as follows:

Dark Odyssey Armor & Appearance for Kratos
- Dark Odyssey Kratos Appearance
- Dark Odyssey Armor Set for Kratos (Dark Odyssey Breastplate, Dark Odyssey Bracers, Dark Odyssey Belt)
Dark Odyssey Companion Armor
- Dark Odyssey Vestment for Atreus
- Dark Odyssey Witch Frock for Freya
Dark Odyssey Weapon Appearances & Attachments
- Dark Odyssey Leviathan Axe [Appearance] & Dark Odyssey Knob [Attachment]
- Dark Odyssey Blades of Chaos [Appearance] & Dark Odyssey Handles [Attachment]
- Dark Odyssey Draupnir Spear [Appearance] & Dark Odyssey Hind [Attachment]
Dark Odyssey Shield Appearances & Rond
- Dark Odyssey Guardian Shield [Appearance]
- Dark Odyssey Dauntless Shield [Appearance]
- Dark Odyssey Stone Wall Shield [Appearance]
- Dark Odyssey Shatter Start Shield [Appearance]
- Dark Odyssey Onslaught Shield [Appearance]
- Dark Odyssey Spartan Aspis Shield [Appearance]
- Dark Odyssey Rond

The update will introduce the ability to edit the appearance of your weapon attachments and shield rond too, which is a nice touch.

Elsewhere, a comprehensive fan kit is being released for all platforms. Right now, this means you can download a series of free social media assets (such as banners and icons) in addition to some desktop and mobile wallpapers. On March 20, these will be joined by anniversary themed items in the Steam Points Shop and a free PlayStation Network Avatar for all PlayStation users.

There is a limited time collaboration with Gallery Nucleus in Los Angeles, California too, which lets fans explore a collection of artwork inspired by the God of War series plus concept art and memorabilia. It is open now and will run until March 23.

Pre-orders are now open for a new God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective book - a two-volume set filled with developer interviews and a behind-the-scenes look at the games. On March 18, pre-orders will also go up for a series of special anniversary art prints.

An adorable Jormungandr by merch company Fangamer has been also unveiled, measuring a whopping 67in / 170cm, with pre-orders set to begin on March 19.

For vinyl collectors, Sony has partnered with Laced Records to create a 13-disc limited edition vinyl set spanning the entire God of War series. Furthermore, double LP sets featuring music from the first three games in the series will be up for grabs.

The blog post also confirmed that a collection of God of War t-shirts will be sold by Insert Coin, with pre-orders opening on March 21.

Finally, if you're new to the series then now might be a great time to experience as God of War Ragnarok has been added to the PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra game catalog at no extra cost. For PC users, both God of War and God of War Ragnarok will be on sale until March 20th.

PSN accounts will now be optional for some PlayStation games on PC, but there will be 'incentives' for users who link them

Demi Williams — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 11:05:20 +0000

PSN accounts are no longer required to play some PlayStation games on PC
Games affected so far include Marvel's Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered,
Users who do link a PSN account will receive in-game rewards

Sony has announced it will be dropping the PlayStation Network account requirement for some PC versions of its games.

The company shared the decision in a recent PlayStation Blog post, explaining that the linking of a PSN account will no longer be needed starting with the release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on PC today (January 30, 2025).

"An account for PlayStation Network will become optional for these titles on PC. Players who still opt to sign into a PlayStation Network account will also enjoy added benefits like trophies and friend management," the post reads.

The games that no longer require a PSN connection so far include Marvel's Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, the latter of which is set to launch on PC on April 3.

Although account linking is no longer required, Sony has said there will be "incentives" for players who do opt to sign in the form of trophies and in-game goodies.

The content includes two spidey suits for Spider-Man 2, new armor for God of War Ragnarok, and an outfit for Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered will also receive gameplay bonuses, as well as Jordan's jacket from Naughty Dog's next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

Benefits for players who link their PSN account:

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 - Early unlock suits: the Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit and the Miles Morales 2099 Suit
God of War Ragnarok - Gain access to the Armor of the Black Bear set for Kratos at the first Lost Items chest in the Realm Between Realms (previously only accessible in a New Game+ run) and a resource bundle (500 Hacksilver and 250 XP)
The Last of Us Part II Remastered - +50 points to activate bonus features and unlock extras Jordan’s Jacket from Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet as a skin for Ellie
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered - Gain access to Nora Valiant outfit

Sony added that it will also continue to work with developers at PlayStation Studios to bring "more benefits to players who sign up for a PlayStation Network account", so it's likely more PC games will be affected by the change down the line.

Naughty Dog welcomes God of War Ragnarok's former art director Raf Grassetti

Demi Williams — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 13:31:28 +0000

God of War Ragnarok's former art director Raf Grassetti has joined Naughty Dog
Grassetti was at Sony Santa Monica for 10 years before leaving to work at Netflix Games' Team Blue, which shut down in October
Grassetti will likely be working on Naughty Dog's next, as yet unannounced, game

Ex-Sony Santa Monica developer Raf Grassetti has joined Naughty Dog to presumably work on the studio's new game.

The announcement comes from Grassetti himself over on X / Twitter, where he simply wrote "New chapter" accompanied by an image of the Naughty Dog logo.

Grassetti has previously worked as the principal art director on Sony Santa Monica's God of War and then the art director on God of War Ragnarok.

The developer left the studio in 2023 after 10 years to lead the art department on a AAA game at Netflix Games studio codenamed Team Blue, alongside industry members like Halo Infinite's creative director Joe Staten and Chacko Sonny, who previously worked as an executive producer on Overwatch.

In October, Team Blue was shut down following a wave of layoffs, ultimately killing the mystery AAA project.

It's unclear at this time what game Grassetti will be working on for Naughty Dog, or in what role he will be serving.

Naughty Dog co-president and The Last of Us director Neil Druckmann confirmed earlier this year that there are "multiple single-player" projects in development at the studio.

Development remains quiet, however, new insider information about the secret project was reported by MinnMax founder Ben Hanson in October who claimed that a source "very in the know, who worked on the game" told him that the game will feature "a lot of player freedom".

The studio was also expected to release a new The Last of Us Online game, a multiplayer spin-off that was in development for four years, but it was canceled in December 2023 following concerns that it would impact the studio’s future single-player games.

PlayStation: The Concert is a new video game music show coming in 2025, and will feature famous scores from Sony's most iconic games like The Last of Us and God of War

Demi Williams — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:08:34 +0000

Sony has announced PlayStation: The Concert, a world tour kicking off next year and featuring music from some of its biggest games.

In collaboration with RoadCo Entertainment, GEA Live, Senbla, and RG Live, PlayStation: The Concert will tour UK arenas in April 2025, calling at Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow, and London.

The global tour will begin with its premiere on April 15, 2025, in Dublin, Ireland, before heading to over 200 cities across Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, and further.

The live music event will feature a state-of-the-art production, merging music and visual technology, and showcase soundtracks from multiple Sony titles, including God of War, The Last of Us, Ghost of Tsushima, and the Horizon series.

Scores from the games' respective composers - Bear McCreary, Gustavo Santaolalla, Ilan Eshkeri, and Joris De Man - will "reach new heights, offering fans a unique, deeply immersive live concert experience."

Attendees will be faced with a multi-screen design, combining advanced LED and projection technologies that will enhance the event's music and imagery.

"Coupled with surround sound, the show delivers breathtaking visual and audio depth, creating an immersive experience that will allow the audience to relive their gaming adventures like never before," Sony said.

Tickets for PlayStation: The Concert are set to go on sale on October 18, 2024, at 3pm BST here. VIP packages will also be available. You can check out the UK Tour dates below.

PlayStation: The Concert - UK Tour Dates:

Birmingham Utilita Arena - April 21, 2025
Manchester Co-op Live - April 22, 2025
Leeds First Direct Arena - April 23, 2025
Newcastle Utilita Arena - April 24, 2025
Glasgow OVO Hydro - April 25, 2025
London OVO Arena Wembley - April 27, 2025

God of War Ragnarok at 8K makes me question the point of the PS5 Pro and RTX 5090

matthew.hanson@futurenet.com (Matt Hanson) — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Our 8K test system

PC built by Stormforce Gaming

Motherboard: Asus PRIME Z-790P LGA 1700
Processor: Intel Core i9-13900K, 24 Cores / 32 Threads
CPU Cooler: Corsair iCUE H100i 240mm ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
Storage: 1.0TB Seagate FireCuda 530 M.2 NVMe SSD
Case: Corsair iCue 5000X RGB
RAM: Corsair Vengence 32GB DDR5 4800MHz
Screen: LG 55NANO966PA

God of War Ragnarok is now available on PC, and with other PlayStation 5 games that have made the leap to the best gaming laptops and gaming desktop PCs, the latest installment in Kratos' epic adventure comes with some excellent PC-exclusive features.

Unlike the previous game, which I played on the PS4 Pro before going through it again on PC, I've not had a chance to play God of War Ragnarok ahead of its PC release, as I've been holding off buying a PS5 in the hope that the almost-inevitable PS5 Pro announcement would get me to jump back into console gaming.

So, with God of War Ragnarok now in my Steam library, I was keen to see if it could live up to its excellent predecessor, while also seeing how well it could run at 8K on our Stormforce Gaming test system.

Considering that the PC is a few years old, the results were extremely impressive - so much so that it's killed any interest I had in a PS5 Pro - or even the rumored Nvidia RTX 5090, which will likely be announced soon.

Instead, it reminded me just how much of a beast the RTX 4090 graphics card remains, two years on from its announcement.

Coupled with software improvements, thanks to Sony Interactive Entertainment and Santa Monica Studio teams behind the game getting more adept at developing the title for PS4 and PS5 hardware, along with Jetpack Interactive, the team that ported God of War Ragnarok to PC (they also ported the previous game) getting more experienced, and the constant evolution of upscaling tech like Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR, it really feels like there's little need to upgrade, especially if you have a high-end rig.

Playable 8K out of the box

Back when I started testing the possibilities of 8K gaming in 2019, it felt like we might never see games at 7680 × 4320 resolution running at remotely playable frame rates. Any kind of 8K future certainly seemed a long way off as I struggled to get Red Dead Redemption 2 running at ultra-ultra high resolutions with a $2,499 Nvidia Titan RTX graphics card and a $3,000 Dell UltraSharp UP3218K monitor.

Back then, artificial intelligence still felt like a sci-fi concept, and DLSS was just a twinkle in Jensen Huang's eye.

In the five years since, we've come a heck of a long way, with hardware getting more powerful - and even more affordable.

While the RTX 4090 will never be considered a cheap GPU, its launch price of $1,599 (about £1,359, AU$2,300) was still a lot less than its RTX Titan grandparent. Meanwhile, 8K TVs may still be far from mainstream, but they do exist, and can cost a lot less than the specialist Dell monitor we used to rely on.

Perhaps the biggest sign of how far technology has come is that right out of the box, at native 8K resolution and graphics settings set to 'Ultra', God of War Ragnarok averaged 35fps (frames per second). Even a few years ago, with the advent of DLSS and armed with an RTX 3090, getting to a playable minimum of 30fps felt like a distant goal.

So, to have such a graphically-impressive and ambitious game such as God of War Ragnarok running at above 30fps at 8K (which is four times the resolution of 4K) without any tweaking is very impressive.

Still, 35fps isn't ideal, and the game comes with a lot of tools to help bump that up, so I was keen to see how much tweaking would be required to hit 60fps.

(Image credit: Sony)

AMD FSR 3.1

When turning on upscaling, the first tech option is for AMD's FSR 3.1 technology. This is the latest version, with AMD putting a lot of effort into improving image quality through this release, with particular focus on reducing shimmering and blurry ghosting graphical artifacts that had been a distracting presence in previous versions.

Unlike Nvidia's rival DLSS technology, FSR 3.1 doesn't use AI (though there's rumors that's coming in FSR 4), and while that means I've found it doesn't quite match DLSS when it comes to results, it also means that it's less stringent on the kind of hardware it runs on. FSR doesn't need an AMD graphics card to run - Intel and Nvidia cards can make use of it as well.

This is particularly good news for people with older Nvidia cards that have missed out on DLSS goodness.

Even better news is that with God of War Ragnarok, AMD FSR 3.1 offers up some excellent results. Setting the FSR preset to 'Quality', which minimizes the amount of upscaling performed (in this case, a native resolution of 5120 x 2880 gets upscaled to 7680 × 4320) to preserve image quality, the game hit 55fps on average - tantalizingly close to the 60fps goal. Image quality was indeed very good - and there certainly was less noticeable artifacts.

Switching to 'Balanced' dropped the native resolution to 4512 x 2536, which means the hardware has to do more work upscaling the image to 8K, and it was here that I hit 59fps - essentially the 60fps I was after (at the moment 8K screens and HDMI 2.1 can only do 8K at 60fps maximum, and that sometimes results in 59fps being recorded as the average frame rate by the benchmarking software we use).

The game still looked great (graphical presets remained on 'Ultra'), and the leap from 35fps to 60fps meant the game felt much smoother and more responsive - which is particularly important in a game like this, where quick reactions are essential.

By already hitting the 60fps milestone, I was ready to try out the other upscaling options, but out of curiosity, I gave the 'Ultra Performance' mode a go. Again, this maxed out the framerate at 59fps, but image quality was noticeably impacted, with a very washed out look. It's not too surprising, as the native resolution the game is rendering at is 2560 x 1440. These days, the 1440p resolution is considered quite low, and with FSR working hard to upscale that to 7680 × 4320, it's inevitable that image quality will be impacted.

Still, it shows that with a mid-range graphics card, you could feasibly play God of War Ragnarok at 8K and 60fps. I'd suggest you don't try it, but it's nevertheless impressive.

(Image credit: Sony)

Intel XeSS

Next up was Intel's XeSS. While this is designed to run with Intel Arc graphics cards, it is not exclusive to Intel hardware, which like FSR is a big plus for people who don't have the latest Nvidia GPUs.

Since its launch, I've been impressed with XeSS, and it once again did a great job with God of War Ragnarok. It offers 'Ultra Quality+' as a preset, which renders the image at 5904 x 3320 before upscaling it to 8K. This is higher than the Quality preset of AMD FSR 3.1 and that means less upscaling is needed.

Image quality was excellent, but the performance boost was more muted, with the game hitting an average of 45fps. That's a decent 10fps bump over native 8K gaming, but when set to 'Ultra Quality', which lowers the native resolution to 5120 x 2880, the same as FSR's 'Quality' preset, the game managed 57fps on average. Basically the same as FSR 'Quality', if a tiny bit faster.

Going down to 'Quality' on XeSS got me to that magic 60fps (well, 59fps) average. Image quality still looked very good, with a native resolution of 4512 x 2536. Interestingly, this is essentially the 'Balanced' setting on AMD FSR with the same resolution and performance. One could argue that Intel is overselling XeSS by having three levels of 'Quality', but I do like having the option of the additional Ultra Quality+ preset that AMD lacks. However, I do think AMD is being more honest when it describes this resolution and level of upscaling as being balanced between image quality and performance.

(Image credit: Sony)

DLSS

Finally, we get to Nvidia's DLSS 3. This is the most mature of the upscaling options, and traditionally it's the one I've found to offer the best results. However, unlike AMD and Intel's offerings, DLSS is only compatible with Nvidia's recent RTX graphics cards (and DLSS 3 is exclusive to the very latest RTX 4000 series of GPUs).

While this isn't a problem for RTX 4090-toting PCs like our test rig, it does limit the availability of this exciting tech.

As if to prove DLSS' supremacy, I only had to turn on its first preset, 'Quality', to hit 59fps on average. It uses the same native resolution of 5120 x 2880 that XeSS and AMD FSR's 'Quality' settings use, but offers a higher and more stable frame rate.

Conclusion: DLSS works its magic again

As with previous recent 8K tests, DLSS has come out on top, offering excellent performance and image quality, effectively doubling the frame rate the RTX 4090 is capable of when running God of War Ragnarok at a demanding resolution of 7680 × 4320.

I didn't even need to touch the lower DLSS presets, nor drop the graphics setting below 'Ultra', or enable frame generation (another bit of AI-powered goodness that can help smooth out frame rates).

That said, if you can't get DLSS 3, both XeSS and AMD FSR 3.1 both did really well, with Intel's tech just edging out AMD's thanks to slightly more resolution options.

With any of the three upscaling technologies turned on, God of War Ragnarok looked incredible at 8K.

The game's impressive performance at such high resolutions does have a few caveats. For a start, God of War Ragnarok was a cross generation game, launching on both the PS5 and the PS4 - which is now 11 years old.

It also doesn't feature advanced lighting effects such as ray tracing. But don't get me wrong: this is still a gorgeous-looking game. And, when you play it on PC at the more achievable 4K resolution, it runs even better at a native resolution that means image quality isn't compromised.

Still, the power of these upscaling tools leaves me - and many other gamers - with a bit of a quandary when new hardware comes out. Is it worth upgrading? It's clear that backed by DLSS, the RTX 4090 remains an astounding GPU that will continue to handle new games at high resolutions for years to come.

It also means that if I want the very best experience when playing PlayStation games, I don't need to buy a PS5 Pro, all I need to do is be patient as Sony's exclusives finally make their way to PC.

God of War developer Santa Monica Studio is working on a new IP

Demi Williams — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 11:01:40 +0000

A Santa Monica Studio developer has confirmed that the studio is currently working on a new intellectual property.

As spotted by a ResetEra user, God of War developer Glauco Longhi recently took to LinkedIn to share that he has been acting as a supervisor at the Sony owned studio looking at character development on a "new IP".

"Santa Monica Studios presented the opportunity of coming back as Character Supervisor, looking after the entire Character Development pipeline, on their new IP, so here I am, thrilled to be back, working again with the crew and pushing Characters in videogames together," the full post reads.

According to Longhi's "about" section on his LinkedIn profile, he has worked as a senior character artist on Naughty Dog's Uncharted 4, as well as on Santa Monica Studio's 2016 God of War.

The developer has also worked as a lead character artist on God of War Ragnarok, which launched in 2022, but left the studio later to work on The Calisto Protocol as a character and art director at Striking Distance Studios.

He re-joined Santa Monica Studio earlier this year after working for less than a year as an art director at the Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment.

At the moment, we don't have any information about this "new IP", however, there have been rumors that the studio is potentially looking to produce a space-themed game following cryptic posts from Santa Monica Studio's creative director, Cory Barlog back in 2019.

Although currently unannounced, a third God of War game is also a possibility. Following Ragnarok's launch, the Santa Monica went on to release the free Valhalla downloadable content (DLC), an extended epilogue roguelike that takes place after the events of the sequel.

God of War: Ragnarok could be the next PlayStation exclusive to come to PC

Demi Williams — Fri, 10 May 2024 16:28:25 +0000

It looks like God of War: Ragnarok could be the next PlayStation exclusive to get a PC port.

According to reliable PlayStation Store leaker billbil-kun for Dealabs, Santa Monica Studio's action-adventure game is reportedly "one of the next PlayStation exclusive titles to be ported on PC" (via GamesRadar).

Billbil-kun, who has previously shared confirmed leaks on Mortal Kombat 1 and the latest PlayStation Plus line-ups, didn't have a release date to offer, but did say that an announcement is set for May.

Sony itself has yet to announced a State of Play showcase, but rumours suggest that is scheduled for late spring or early summer. If this is the case, a God of War: Ragnarok PC port announcement would line up perfectly for the occasion.

Over the past few years, PlayStation has been porting its games over to Steam one at a time. The first exclusive to make the leap was Guerrilla Games' Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition in 2020, and was later followed by Insomniac’s Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part 1.

The most recent former PlayStation exclusive to be ported was Horizon Zero Dawn's sequel Horizon Forbidden West, which arrived in March and also featured the Burning Shores expansion.

Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut by Sucker Punch Productions is set for a PC release on May 16 with pre-orders now available via Steam and the Epic Games Store. The original game first launch in 2020 for PlayStation 4 and later received an expansion featuring a new island to explore. The base game and the update were compiled into the Director’s Cut, which was then released in 2021 for PS4 and PlayStation 5.

God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla gets difficulty and balance updates in latest patch

Demi Williams — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 17:00:48 +0000

The latest God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla patch is now live, addressing ongoing bugs while balancing difficulty and combat in the DLC.

With patch 05.03, Sony Santa Monica has increased the difficulty of some arena challenges while also tuning The Forum "to make difficulty more appropriate," a small balancing change but a welcome one considering Valhalla's roguelike elements.

The difficulty of the first Týr battle while playing on the 'Show Me Will' setting has also been reduced, while balance updates have been rolled out across the rest of the DLC more widely.

Several issues revolving around specific fights have also been addressed, as well as the crashing problems that would occur when opening certain chests or rifts, and thankfully, Kratos should no longer fall through the world including when walking through a Mystic Gateway.

The studio has noted that players should ensure that both the main game and Valhalla have been updated before accessing the game and has added a 'Download in Progress' screen so players are aware if they attempt to launch the DLC before the base game has fully finished installing. You can read the full patch notes below.

God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla version 05.03 patch notes

PS5 USERS

Please ensure that both God of War Ragnarok and God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla have been updated before accessing the game again.

Cinematics

Fixed an issue where audio would not play and characters would be out of sync during the first cinematic after death
Cleared lingering Draupnir Spear particles when cinematic starts

Gameplay

Reduced difficulty of first Týr fight on the 'Show Me Will' difficulty setting
Increased difficulty of some arena challenges
Tuning adjustment to 'The Forum' to make difficulty more appropriate
Slightly reduced health gain and chance of proc on Spear kill perk while in Valhalla
Various combat tuning and balance updates
Fixed an issue where Greek Labyrinth Mastery would not increase in the "Open Greek Chests" value if Kratos forfeited a reward selection after spending Fleeting Echoes to open a chest
Fixed an exploit when using the Spear against Ormstunga
Fixed an issue with the encounter not ending when kicking Einherjar outside of the arena
Fixed an issue where Týr would teleport away and not come back
Fixed an issue where not all Hunter armor pieces were available
Fixed an issue where encounter would not end if Nightmare was ejected from a creature near the arena boundary
Fixed an issue where Kratos could erroneously stay in Spartan Rage when interacting with Shield Maidens

General Stability

Resolved multiple crashes including when opening certain chests or rifts, non-English language specific crashes, and memory leak on PlayStation 4
Fixed an issue where Kratos would be falling through the world
Fixed an issue where Kratos would fall out of the arena when interacting with a rift on the Aegean Ship
Fixed an issue with Kratos falling through the world after walking through a Mystic Gateway
Fixed some issues with textures not streaming in properly when entering arenas

UI/UX

Fixed an issue with the "Time Extended" message displaying in timed challenge trials when it should not
Fixed an issue with subtitles overlapping UI when in vendor menus
Fixed some instances of the navigation assist pointing to incorrect locations
Fixed an issue where the timer would overlap the Warrior Soul health bar
Fixed instances where the "Elites Killed" counter would remain after timer expired
Corrected the "Costly Damage" burden to show appropriate duration in description
Fixed the King of the Hill challenge timer overlapping progress bar
Fixed an instance when the timer would never reach zero on the Aegean Ship encounter
Fixed an issue which would cause a screen reader to read the Tablet of Reflection prompt twice in a row
Fixed instances where subtitles were not formatted properly
Fixed an issue where "Flawless Kills" and "Flawless Parries" Challenge UI updated any time Kratos was hit
Added a 'Download in Progress' screen if attempting to launch God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla before God of War Ragnarok is fully installed
Fixed an issue with the options menu displaying when opening the glyph tutorial for the first time

God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla is available for free on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 for those who already own God of War Ragnarok.

For more, check out our list of the best story games, along with our list of the best PS5 games you can play in 2023.

God of War Ragnarok free Valhalla DLC is a 'celebration of the franchise'

Demi Williams — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 16:03:20 +0000

God of War Ragnarok co-directors Mihir Sheth and Bruno Velazquez say the game's Valhalla DLC is a "celebration of the franchise."

Valhalla - which is available now for free on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 - is an extended epilogue roguelike that takes place after the events of Ragnarok and features Kratos, accompanied by Mimir, on a new journey who will experience new trials.

The co-directors told IGN in an interview that this new story for the character is "intimate," as they went on to discuss the DLC's inspiration, the growth of the series, and how players will react to Valhalla's "surprises."

Touching on the DLC's roguelike elements - which give Kratos a maxed-out skill tree and abilities - Sheth said that Sony Santa Monica is "taking an inspiration from a genre that's not really 'what we do,'" but that Valhalla is "still very firmly a God of War experience."

The developers later added that Sony always planned for the DLC to be free and that it's a "gift" to all God of War fans before the end of the year.

"This is a celebration of the franchise, its players and its history," Sheth said. "The character of Kratos is the culmination of all of this, but celebration was a theme... We need our fans to come with us because we are taking them on a journey that's quite unique in this regard.

"We want everyone, again, I stress this, if you've ever been a part of this franchise, this is for you."

Following the DLC's announcement at The Game Awards 2023, Velazquez explained in a YouTube video that Valhalla was a location that the studio wasn't able to explore in Ragnarok, and said: "In true Santa Monica Studio fashion, we had a lot of fun creating a new take on Vahalla for you to explore."

Sheth went on to say that players can expect an "unraveling adventure" that will "reframe God of War," and that no singular run will be the same, taking full advantage of the roguelike genre.

For more, be sure to check out our list of the best story games, along with our list of the best PS5 games you can play in 2023.

God of War Ragnarök free DLC releasing next week

Catherine Lewis — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 02:01:34 +0000

Surprise! Free DLC for God of War Ragnarök has been announced during The Game Awards. Simply titled Valhalla, it’ll be available to download on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles from next week.

Specifically, it’ll be available from December 12, at 12pm ET / 9am PT / 5pm GMT, which is 4am AEDT on December 13. The trailer has shown off Kratos walloping a whole bunch of enemies, but the story is said to be “deeply personal and reflective” too. You can take a look at the trailer below.

“Embark with Kratos to Valhalla on a deeply personal and reflective journey towards a future he never thought possible,” the trailer’s description reads on YouTube. “Master challenges of mind and body on an unraveling adventure that blends the beloved combat from God of War Ragnarök with brand new elements inspired by the roguelite genre.”

The PlayStation Blog sheds more information, claiming that a defeat in Valhalla will see Kratos waking up outside of the doors to Valhalla ready to give things another go.

"During each attempt, you will learn and adapt to the challenges Valhalla has to offer. The more you overcome, the more resources you’ll gain that can be put towards permanent upgrades that affect both Kratos and even Valhalla itself." says the blog.

It's not the only PlayStation exclusive to get a roguelike mode, The Last of Us 2 Remastered is coming with its own roguelike-inspired mode, too.

God of War Ragnarök was a big winner at 2022's The Game Awards, snagging wins for Best Narrative, Best Score and Music, Best Audio Design, Best Performance (for Christopher Judge), Best Action / Adventure and Innovation in Accessibility. But really, gamers won because of Christopher Judge's speech.

For more amazing games to play right now, be sure to check out the best PS5 games, as well as the best PC games.

New PS5 owners based in the U.S. can redeem a free first-party game - here's how

Kara Phillips — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:54:26 +0000

Sony is currently offering PS5 owners in the U.S. the chance to redeem one of 12 first-party releases on the console completely free of charge. The offer is valid for PSN account holders aged 18 or older and will run until October 20, 2023. So, if you’ve purchased or activated a new console it might be worth checking your eligibility.

Those looking to redeem their free game will need to head to the PS5 store after activating your new console, where a banner will state that you are eligible to redeem a title. By selecting this banner, you will be taken to a section within the store showcasing the available titles. From here, select your title of choice and hit download to add it to your library completely free of charge.

There are 12 games available as part of this deal, including some of the best PS5 exclusives and some of the best games on PS5. The complete list is as follows:

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered
God of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Demon’s Souls
The Last of Us: Part I
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Returnal
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
Death Stranding: Director’s Cut

More details on the offer can be found on the official PlayStation website where the promotion was initially shared, including a more detailed description of when the deal is running as well as terms and conditions on game redemption.

However, if you’re not a new console owner, or you’re not based in the U.S., there are still ways you can access a rotating selection of free games each month. Similarly to Game Pass, Sony offers a subscription service through PS Plus Tiers, where free games are on offer each month - including some of the titles listed above.

If you’re on the hunt for savings on your next big adventure, it’s worth checking out the best free games. It’s also worth turning your attention to the Epic Store free games each week, too, for some stellar titles at no extra cost.

This UK PS5 bundle is cheaper than the console by itself - and bags you God of War Ragnarok

Rhys Wood — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 10:33:14 +0000

Finally, Amazon's Prime Day sales event has delivered a PS5 bundle deal worth celebrating. Not only does it include God of War Ragnarok, but the bundle is also cheaper than the console on its own.

Right now, UK shoppers can pick up the PlayStation 5 Console + God of War Ragnarok bundle for just £453.99, down from the usual £539.99. That's a huge £86 saving that can go towards some of the best PS5 games or a PS Plus subscription. For added context, the bundle includes the disc-based PS5 console, which in the UK, normally costs £479.99 on its own.

Now, it's worth noting that the bundle has dropped in price in the region before, as early as a month or two ago. However, it only ever matched that £479.99 price of the console itself. What we have here is an unprecedented saving for the PS5 and a digital copy of God of War Ragnarok. It's easily one of the best Prime Day gaming deals we've seen so far, and certainly cream of the crop when it comes to Prime Day PS5 deals.

With that in mind, we'd highly recommend snapping this deal up as soon as you can if you are planning on picking up a PS5 at this sales event. Stocks rarely last for the console and we think that this will be no exception.

Today's best PS5 bundle deal in the UK

PS5 God of War Ragnarok bundle: ~~was £540~~ now £453.99 at Amazon
Save £86 - This Amazon Prime exclusive PS5 bundle deal gets you not only a PS5 console but also God of War Ragnarok for a cheaper price than the console itself. Heads up, though, as this one could be claimed quickly.

US deal: PS5 + God of War Ragnarok bundle: $499

Price check: Game (console only): £479 | Very (with Modern Warfare 2): £479 | PlayStation Direct (with God of War Ragnarok): £479

Buy it if: You want current-gen gaming at a reduced price - and one of the best games you can play thrown in for free. This PS5 bundle includes one of its best games and is currently cheaper than the console by itself.

Don't buy it if: You'd prefer an Xbox Series X|S or Nintendo Switch. Or, you may want to shop for bundles for alternative titles, some of which are available at our price check links above.
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Today's best PS5 bundle deal in the US

PS5 God of War Ragnarok bundle: $499 at Walmart
This Walmart deal for the PS5 + God of War Ragnarok bundle is competitively priced. Not quite as strong as the offer Amazon shoppers in the UK are currently seeing, but this is nonetheless a top price for this bundle overseas.

Price check: Target: $499 | GameStop (Digital Edition console): $459
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More of today's best PS5 deals

Interested in more offers on PS5 offers this Prime Day? Look no further. Our price comparison technology pulls through all the current and deepest discounts it can find on some of our favorite PS5 accessories and gear, no matter where you're based.

We recommend keeping a close eye on tomorrow's Prime Day PS5 deals for more on Sony's latest console as well as the Prime Day video game deals for offers on software, too. What's more, the Prime Day gaming chair deals could score you a seat at a price that's hard to argue against.

The PS5 God of War Ragnarok bundle just got its first-ever price cut in the US

alekshamcloughlin@outlook.com (Aleksha McLoughlin) — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 15:08:59 +0000

Amazon is currently offering the God of War Ragnarok PS5 bundle for the cheapest-recorded price right now. It's the first time that this package has enjoyed a price drop, making now the ideal time to pick up the system with one of the better games available.

You can get your hands on the God of War Ragnarok PS5 bundle for only $509.99 (was $560) for a full $50 off the sticker price. For context, this is only $9.99 more than the standalone price of the PS5 console. That means you're getting one of the best PS5 games for an incredibly competitive price today.

We absolutely love God of War Ragnarok for its immersive game world, exciting combat, and compelling story. If you're looking for a starting point with the system then this really is the best introduction to what makes the PS5's DualSense controller such a joy to use. In our review, we said: "It’s a sequel that is often as brutal as it is poignant – and a fitting next chapter in Kratos and Atreus’ journey."

Once you've got your shiny new console, we're also bringing you all the best PS5 controllers, as well as the best PS5 accessories, and the best PS5 headsets, too.

Today's best God of War PS5 bundle deal

PS5 God of War Ragnarok bundle | ~~was $560~~ now $509.99 at Amazon
Save $50 - This is the historic lowest-ever price on the God of War Ragnarok PS5 bundle since it launched back in November. With this discount, you're getting one of the best PS5 games for only $10 on top of the price of the system on its own.
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More of today's best PS5 deals

Interested in more great PS5 deals? Our price comparison technology pulls through all the latest and greatest offers available on a wide variety of games, accessories, and hardware where you are.

Want more space for games? Check out the best SSDs for PS5 in 2023

The PS5 God of War bundle just hit its lowest Aussie price yet

james.cutler@futurenet.com (James Cutler) — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 00:04:19 +0000

It feels like only yesterday that PS5 stock was a lot like the Loch Ness Monster – elusive, rarely seen, but almost certainly real. Now though, we’re finally seeing consistent stock of the current-gen PlayStation, and there’s also opportunities to save some cash when buying one as well.

As proof in the pudding, this sweet deal on a PS5 bundle featuring the disc edition of the console and digital download of 2022’s mega-hit God of War: Ragnarök will see you pay just AU$779 via eBay, saving you AU$125. Given the RRP of the console alone sits at AU$799, this deal manages to save you cash on the console and get one of the best PS5 games thrown in for free.

PlayStation 5 disc edition console + God of War: Ragnarök bundle | ~~AU$904~~ AU$779 at eBay (save AU$125 with code)

Pairing a PS5 console with a digital copy of one of 2022’s best games, this bundle is a great way to get started with the latest PlayStation console. Already discounted from AU$904 down to AU$829 via Big W on eBay, adding the code FEBSNS23 at checkout will save you an extra AU$50 on top, and you don't even need to be an eBay Plus member to get what is the lowest price we can remember seeing for the bundle.

If you’re willing to shell out a tiny bit more, this bundle can also be had for just AU$795 on Amazon AU.View Deal

First arriving in early November 2022, God of War: Ragnarök is the latest entry into one of the PlayStation’s most popular first-party franchises, seeing series protagonist Kratos returning to the world of Norse mythology first introduced to the franchise in 2018’s God of War. Like the game before it, Ragnarök is a hack-and-slash adventure with RPG elements set in an expansive and utterly gorgeous game world.

Also like the previous game, Ragnarök sees Kratos journeying with his son Atreus and the animated head of Mimir, with the former particularly playing a more prominent role in this latest entry as one of the keys to either preventing or triggering the world-ending Ragnarök event.

Nominated for Game of the Year and Best Narrative award winner at 2022’s The Game Awards, the latest adventure for Kratos and company earned top marks from TechRadar, with our review saying: “Building upon the themes of its predecessor, God of War: Ragnarök’s emotive narrative shines in its subtler moments, while clever evolutions to combat introduce welcome changes that advance gameplay without oversaturating it.”

So if you've been keen on the game itself and in been waiting patiently for a PS5 price drop, this opportunity might be just be the ticket.

Read more on why the latest God of War is worth all the hype

Get a PS5 and God of War Ragnarok for a new low price with this mega trade-in deal

james.pickard@futurenet.com (James Pickard) — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 17:15:28 +0000

Game has launched a brand new trade-in deal for the PS5 that gives you the opportunity to bag Sony's latest console and a copy of God of War Ragnarok for £399.99 or less. In order to pay this record-low price, you need to hand over your existing PS4, Xbox One X, or Nintendo Switch console when buying the PS5.

Specifically, the £130 saving is applied when trading in any original or Slim PS4 with either 500GB or 1TB of storage, an Xbox One X 1TB, or an Xbox Series S. Others are also included in the promotion, but the trade-in credit is higher or lower depending on the console.

In most cases, though, it's one of the best PS5 deals we've seen since launch. Not only do you get what we think is the best console this generation according to our PS5 review, but there's also one of the best PS5 games along with it for the lowest price yet - as long as you have a console to trade in.

PS5 trade-in deal at Game

PS5 God of War Ragnarok bundle: was ~~£539.99~~ now from £399.99 at Game
By trading in your PS4, Xbox One X, or Nintendo Switch, you can get the most recent PS5 God of War Ragnarok bundle for as little as £399.99. Other consoles can be traded in as part of this promotion to get a larger (or smaller) discount, but you can check all prices at Game. If you have a console to trade in, it's a fantastic price and one of the best deals we've seen yet for the PS5.View Deal

For example, trading in a standard Nintendo Switch drops the price of the PS5 bundle by an extra £10 to £389.99, while parting with a PS4 Pro 1TB discounts it even further to £369.99. Meanwhile, you get less off with an Xbox One S or Nintendo Switch Lite. You can check out the full table below to see the price you pay depending on which console you trade in.

(Image credit: Game)

We've had a quick look around other second-hand stores to see how their trade-in prices compare to Game. The money you'd get is very similar at places such as Cex, but that's only for boxed consoles – and if you take their voucher option, that must be spent in-store.

If you choose to trade in at Game, there's no requirement that the console is supplied in its original box, but it must have an official controller, HDMI cable, power cable, controller charging cable (where applicable), and dock (for the Nintendo Switch). Of course, the console must also be in good working order, be in satisfactory condition and pass a number of tests.

By choosing to trade in at Game, too, you end up with a brand new PS5 with God of War Ragnarok instead of a second-hand one. It seems the best way to go from our perspective, especially now that the hunt for a PS5 restock is past us, as the console is widely available now.

Once you've got your fresh console, be sure to browse through our PlayStation Plus deals hub so you can sign up for Sony's gaming subscription service for the lowest price and get access to dozens of games as part of your membership. We've also got pages dedicated to finding the cheapest PS5 games and best PS5 SSD deals, and you can look forward to the upcoming Presidents' Day sales event.

God of War Ragnarok doesn't shy away from ugly family truths

victoria.hood@futurenet.com (Vic Hood) — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 17:00:25 +0000

I remember the first time I saw my dad cry. I was a teenager, in the midst of a bad patch, and he was driving me home. As we danced around what was going on with me, as he always did, his eyes began to well up. He was worried – and I was stunned. I didn’t quite understand then what had sparked this emotional seepage, my dad had been a military man and we rarely spoke about feelings but, on this occasion, he couldn’t contain his concern. I felt for him.

I buried that memory. Yet, God of War Ragnarok brought it to the surface. It made me have more than a couple of emotional seepages of my own. Perhaps that’s because my journey with Kratos and Atreus to the highest peak in the Nine Realms had made me emotionally invested in their turbulent and often heartwrenching relationship. Maybe it’s because I saw the same expression my dad had on his face that day on Kratos’ throughout Ragnarok and I finally understood it. It’s probably both.

God of War Ragnarok’s exploration of parental themes is nothing new. God of War sowed the seeds of stormy father/son relationships with poignancy. Ragnarok, however, expands upon this by exploring how the bonds between parents and children can make or break us and how trauma can seep through a family. But, this time, the focus isn’t simply on Kratos and Atreus.

Spoilers for God of War and God of War Ragnarok ahead.

The sins of the father

(Image credit: Sony)

When we pick up with Kratos and Atreus in Ragnarok, there’s a noticeable difference in the pair’s relationship. The scared, often annoying, Atreus we once knew has been replaced by a confident, competent teenager, who no longer needs his father’s help in the way he once did – or so he thinks. Kratos, too, has undergone a change. Having grown more empathetic towards his son on their journey to the Nine Realms, Kratos’ trust in Atreus seems only to have grown. At times, even he seems taken aback by how his once center-stage role has been sidelined somewhat by Atreus’ newfound capability.

In Ragnarok, it’s clear Kratos looks back on his old life as a series of mistakes – and they hang like a millstone around his neck.

The events of God of War Ragnarok put that relationship to the ultimate test. There’s a constant back and forth between the two throughout the game as the adolescent Atreus strives to prove he is a man now – while Kratos must remind him that he still has much to learn. This tension grows to an eventual breaking point, with Atreus ultimately running away to Asgard when Kratos’ desire to protect his offspring against Odin overrides his ability to trust him. Both father and son are right and wrong.

It’s achingly familiar. I too remember, in my early teens, the constant fights with my mother as I began to push the boundaries. I was convinced that I was old enough to do things that I absolutely wasn’t and the result was me lying about where I had been. I felt she was stifling me, she knew a 14-year-old shouldn’t be drinking under a bridge like a pubescent troll.

Like my mother, Kratos’ desire is to protect his son from an unkind world. Where he once was too harsh with his boy, he has now gone to the other extreme, wrapping him in cotton wool in fear. It’s understandable, too. Kratos himself didn’t exactly have the best upbringing. By his own admission, life as a young Spartan was challenging and violent. After all, warriors aren’t born, they’re built.

In Ragnarok, it’s clear Kratos looks back on his old life as a series of mistakes – and they hang like a millstone around his neck. His thirst for blood back in Sparta ultimately saw him accidentally slaughtering his first wife and child. When he later got remarried to Faye and had Atreus, flashbacks show that he was reluctant to become attached to his infant son out of fear of hurting him, but promised his wife before her death that he would protect him.

It’s understandable then that, when Kratos finally let his emotions for Atreus in, they aren’t exactly measured. But while his swaddling parenting intends to prevent history from repeating itself, it instead ultimately pushes him away – and sows some less-than-healthy seeds in his son around having feelings in general.

Keep it in the family,

(Image credit: Sony)

But it’s not just Kratos dealing with parental troubles in Ragnarok. The thundering Thor also struggles with raising his teenage daughter Thrúd, who desires to become a Valkyrie. Thor, and his wife Sif, however, are less than thrilled with the prospect. Thor has already lost two children, Magni and Modi – slain by Kratos in God of War.

We get the sense that Thor and Sif weren’t great parents, with storyteller Mimir telling Atreus that Magni and Modi were raised “brutally” by the pair. According to the Mimir, Thor “thrashed” discipline into Magni and Modi time and time again, as his father did to him, passing a “poisonous notion of manhood” down through generations. When Atreus responds that both Sif and Thor have stopped drinking, likely due to the love they have for their daughter, Mimir replies the explanation for Sif going “straight” is probably “in hopes that raising a good daughter will redeem their past failures”, while Thor likely “struggles” with it.

This conversation is quietly one of the most poignant scenes in Ragnarok and once again taps into the theme of parents trying to rectify their past mistakes. And, like Kratos, we certainly do see Thor struggle with sobriety and coming to terms with his past mistakes, with Thrúd having to drag her drunken father out of the longhouse at one point. He’s a grieving parent but is making a whole new host of mistakes, with his daughter this time, based on the guilt he feels about the death of his sons. No one said being a parent was easy.

Making matters all the more challenging, Thor has his own toxic father to contend with, who berates him constantly and isn’t squeamish about putting the heads of his own family members on the chopping block to fulfill his whims. Thor is Odin’s attack dog, poisoned with the toxic notion of manhood Mimir spoke about. It’s this the god of thunder passed on to his own sons, never truly breaking the cycle. It’s “a grim inheritance, leaving them all the poorer,” as Mimir tells Atreus.

Reconciliation

(Image credit: Sony)

While Odin never quite redeems himself, both Kratos and Thor ultimately find a way to come to terms with their past mistakes to become better parents. Kratos learns through his own actions that tightening the reins on Atreus only causes him to struggle more while Thor learns, through his journeys with Atreus, that his family shouldn’t have to bear the weight of his past mistakes and that he can be the one to end toxicity passed down by Odin.

Ultimately, it’s the children of Ragnarok that see the world with the most clarity – with a clean, unjaded slate. While they’re not always right, Thrúd and Atreus are the catalysts for the growth of these battle-hardened warriors. Ragnarok’s journey to break these generational cycles isn’t always pretty, but that’s families for you.

These are the best PS5 games you can play right now

Hurry! This PS5 Black Friday deal is one of the best bundles yet

Rhys Wood — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 15:03:01 +0000

This PS5 Black Friday deal is the one for you if you're still looking to pick up the console. And best of all, it comes with one of this year's best games.

Black Friday deals have been strong this year, but this Black Friday PS5 deal is among the cream of the crop. At Walmart, while stocks last, you can pick up a PS5 bundle that includes God of War Ragnarok for $559. (Not in the US? Scroll down for the best prices in your region).

This is a fantastic PS5 Black Friday deal if you've been struggling to pick up the console this past year, and better yet, includes one of the best PS5 games you can play today.

Today's best PS5 Black Friday bundle deal

PS5 God of War Ragnarok Bundle: $559 at Walmart
Historically speaking, PS5 bundles are a less competitive way to get yourself the console. We're hoping that this bundle could be a faster way of getting in your hands on the system and one of the best games of the generation, too.View Deal

It's worth noting that PS5 restocks typically sell through very quickly, meaning that if you're in the market for Sony's current-gen flagship, it's best to act as soon as you're able to take advantage of this excellent PS5 deal.

As for God of War Ragnarok, we gave the game a perfect 5 stars in our review, citing its fantastic story, satisfying gameplay and wonderful usage of the DualSense Wireless Controller as standout features in the 2022 sequel.

More Black Friday PS5 deals

Scroll down for more Black Friday deals in the US and UK.

More US Black Friday deals

Amazon: 50% off TVs, AirPods, clothing & toys
Apple AirPods Pro 2: down to $199 at Amazon
Best Buy: up to $700 off TVs, laptops & iPads
Cheap TVs: $79.99 smart TVs from Best Buy
Christmas trees: prices starting at $38.99
Dell: laptops from $299.99
Dyson vacuums: $150 off cordless vacs
Gifts ideas: 40% off holiday gifts from Amazon
Home Depot: 50% off tools & appliances
Lowe's: $750 off appliances, decor & tools
Macy's: coats, sweaters & boots from $10
Overstock: 70% off decor and furniture
Nectar: up to $500 off mattresses + free gifts
Nordstrom: 50% off UGG, Nike & North Face
Samsung: $2,500 off TVs & appliances
Sephora: 50% off makeup, perfume & gifts
Target: 45% off toys, TVs, Keurig & more
Toys: 50% off best-selling toys at Walmart
Ulta: up to 50% off makeup, hair & perfume
Verizon: get the iPhone 14 Pro for free
Walmart: 60% off toys, TVs, vacuums & laptops
Wayfair: up to 80% off sitewide, + free shipping

More UK Black Friday deals

Amazon: up to 60% off TVs, laptops, and more
Adidas: up to 50% off trainers and clothing
AO: deals on appliances, headphones and TVs
Argos: up to 1/3 off toys and big TV deals
Boots: half-price fragrances and make-up
Box: up to £1,000 off TVs, laptops and PCs
Currys: 40% off TVs, laptops and vacuums
Dell: up to 45% off laptops and desktops
Dyson: save £100 on the Dyson Cyclone V10
EE: up to £300 gift card with select phones
Game: PlayStation and Xbox games from £4.99
John Lewis: up to £400 off TVs and appliances
Lego: 25% off dozens of sets
Ninja: save up to £90 on air fryers and pans
Peloton: up to £500 off
Reebok: up to 50% off sitewide
Samsung: up to £250 off phones and tablets
Shark: up to £220 off cordless vacuum cleaners
Sonos: 20% off portable speakers and soundbars
Very: offers on TVs, Lego and fashion
Virgin: broadband deals from £25 per month
Wayfair: furniture, lighting and mattress deals

I don't need a PS5 to be happy with God of War Ragnarok

elie.gould@futurenet.com (Elie Gould) — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:16:44 +0000

It’s November 9, and here I am, sat with no God of War Ragnarok and no PS5; what a sorry sight.

God of War Ragnarok's launch has been a much-anticipated date for fans. Marked in their calendar months in advance and a beacon of light raising their spirits and encouraging them to get to the end of the year. Unfortunately, as God of War Ragnarok’s release date approached, my blood pressure was the only thing that rose.

I have been plaguing myself with the question: “should I finally get a PS5 in time for God of War Ragnarok?” The truthful answer is that I still don’t know. In my messy internal debates, I’ve seemed to land myself between a rock and a hard place where I don’t have God of War Ragnarok or a PS5.

With the Black Friday 2022 deals approaching with the possibility of getting some great Black Friday PS5 deals, I still haven’t ruled out purchasing a PS5. However, I will not force myself into financial ruin just for nicer graphics.

Bad eyes or bad graphics?

The reality of playing on a PS4 isn’t as bad as it first may seem. In my quest to determine whether I should purchase a PS5, I did what any self-respecting fan would do: beg their friend to let them play a little bit of God of War Ragnarok on their PS4.

I was pleasantly surprised. If you're playing on a PS4 Pro, God of War Ragnarok looks similar to its PS5 counterpart. Maybe I’ve gotten used to bad graphics on my old, dusty PS4 Pro, or I need to check my eyes. But just for the visuals alone, I wouldn’t pay the fee of $499.99 / £479.99 / AU$799.95 to get my hands on a PS5.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though. Despite the graphics looking pretty spick and span, there are some drawbacks to playing on the last-gen console. All in all, the complete experience of God of War Ragnarok seems better on a PS5.

First, the current-gen console and haptics add to the immersion and experience in God of War Ragnarok. No surprise there, then, as one of the PS5's best features is the DualSense controller. You’ll also have a wonderful time with the audio, thanks to the PS5 Pulse 3D Wireless headset. After a PS5 update, these PS5 wireless headphones are a must-buy. Now you can create your own audio mode preset and gear up for some booming base and great 3D audio.

With a PS5, you’ll fly high at 4K resolution at 60fps

The real kicker, though, is the frame rate. With a PS5, you’ll fly high at 4K resolution and 60fps. Unfortunately, for those using the PS4 and PS4 Pro, like myself, you will be locked at 30fps. That's a pretty big difference. Some may not see this as a problem but for games like Gotham Knights, having the game stuck at 30fps impacted player immersion in a negative way.

Will Black Friday convince me?

In reality, it’s not just the prospect of financial ruin holding me back from getting a PS5. In recent months, the next-gen console has been like stardust, as it’s increasingly hard to come by. Hopefully, we’ll see more PS5s grace our shopping pages as Black Friday gets closer, but you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled on the PS5 restock page for that.

(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Due to shortages, the base price for the PS5 has increased for UK and Australian buyers. On release, it cost £449.99 / AUD$749.95, and now sits at £479.99 / AU$799.95 for the past few months. Even though this doesn’t seem like a massive hike, you must be aware of how low these deals go. Without a serious price drop, buying a console for the benefit of one game doesn’t seem like a good investment to me.

However, if you have $500 to spare, then a PS5 is a good long-term investment. With God of War Ragnarok and Ghost of Tsushima receiving special treatment on this next-gen console, you’ll have plenty to be in awe of. The upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake is a PS5 exclusive, which may mark the beginning of the end of Sony exclusives being released on PS4.

If you’re dead set on getting a PlayStation console, then PS5 is the best choice or go for the cheaper PS5 Digital Edition that sits at $399.99 / £389.99 / AU$649.95. Despite the PS4 holding up with games like God of War Ragnarok, thanks to Sony discontinuing production of PS4 Pros they aren’t reasonably priced and will soon be outdated. We’re all going to have to upgrade someday.

God of War Ragnarok true ending: how to unlock the final cutscene

One Excel spreadsheet was the backbone of God of War Ragnarok

Elie Gould — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 15:55:31 +0000

God of War Ragnarok is nothing to sniff at. With players clocking in anywhere between 20 to 50 hours of gameplay, this venture into Norse Mythology is expansive and pretty hard to plan.

Organizing the story, fights, and exploration in God of War Ragnarok would give anyone a headache. In an interview with Game Informer God of War, Ragnarok director Eric Williams explained how he and his team overcame this enormous task.

The solution to all of this was simple: creating one Excel spreadsheet that will rule them all. This spreadsheet broke down every single moment of the game and “how much time you’re going to spend in them,” said Williams.

Despite the size of the spreadsheet, it only ended up predicting “10% of the final product”, Williams added. Even after pages and pages of content, it still proved especially difficult to reign in the God of War.

Excel-lent planning

Over the course of making God of War Ragnarok, Williams learned that he had Aphantasia

Some may think a master Excel spreadsheet of this size is pretty intimidating. However, it turns out that this detailed planning was crucial for Williams as the director of God of War Ragnarok.

Over the course of making God of War Ragnarok, Williams learned that he had Aphantasia. This describes the inability to form a mental image of an object that isn’t right in front of you. Williams described it as if you tell him to “think of a green apple.” I can't see it. I can't picture anything in my head”.

This is why the extensive Excel spreadsheet was so groundbreaking for Williams. “I had to compensate for this with a crazy ton of reference,” Williams said; I need “images for everything”.

Hiero-gif-ics

There were certainly images for everything in this spreadsheet. From fight scenes to dialogues, if you could think of it, it was probably in there. But the icing on the cake was the terrifying amount of GIFs.

(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)

In the end, the spreadsheet housed around 6,000 GIFs. One of the best moments was when Williams described through images and GIFs the exact kind of roundhouse kick he wanted in a fight scene. When his team told him they already knew what a roundhouse kick looked like, he replied, “yeah, but not this one”.

Some of the devs even accused Williams of “taking all the creative fun out of” making fight scenes. It took some time for both parties to get comfortable with each other. “They had to acclimate to me because it's completely different than Cory [Barlog, director of God of War 2018],” Williams said. At first, he thought, “why are they being so difficult?” until he realized that his love for GIFs and extensive Excel spreadsheets was not the norm.

Luckily, everyone was able to work through their differences, and the final product is something we thought was truly memorable. It turns out that Williams' need for spreadsheets and GIFs may have been the best thing to happen to God of War Ragnarok, as the game has an incredible sense of identity and direction.

God of War Ragnarok's inspirations come from a surprising source

God of War Ragnarok's inspirations come from a surprising source

Rhys Wood — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 15:31:24 +0000

God of War Ragnarok might be a fantastic showcase of modern AAA gaming, but its gaming inspirations run deep.

God of War Ragnarok director Eric Williams discussed the games that helped shape his vision for the PS5 action adventure in an interview with IGN. All five are NES titles, some of which you can play right now via Nintendo Switch Online's streamable NES library.

Williams' picks range from predictable, to some rather deep cuts. He opens with The Legend of Zelda, stating that "playing in the woods as a kid made this game feel so familiar and fantastical all at the same time."

His other choices are actually a good deal more interesting, though. Williams also cites Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, SNK slugger Baseball Stars, cult classic brawler River City Ransom and – perhaps controversially – Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest, a game series fans consider to be the early black sheep of Konami's kooky spooky franchise.

Feeling inspired

(Image credit: Sony Santa Monica)

Williams' selection of inspirations might seem odd at first glance, but he does explain his reasons behind each one more than adequately. "This game had a salary system that taught me the fundamentals of stats and economy systems, he says of Baseball Stars, for example.

Other picks don't come as much of a surprise. River City Ransom (known generically as Street Gangs in Europe) was quite ahead of its time. The game featured a non-linear world, unlockable moves and upgradeable stats. Its influence can be found to this day in works like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and the series' successor River City Girls.

Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest was similarly thought more outside of the box for its time. But arguably not for the best. The game feels pretty archaic by today's standards with its confusing overworld, cryptic progression and an infuriatingly-coded day/night cycle. Still, the game wasn't without promising ideas that would later be fully realized in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and other 'metroidvania' style games.

These NES games might be as old as the hills by today's standards, then, but it's clear they're still deeply influential. Even for modern AAA games that couldn't be further removed in terms of scope and budget. We're sure that many more of the best PS5 games took some retro inspiration, too.

Control 2 has been announced, great news for all supernatural shooter fans

Some vegetables were harmed in the making of God of War Ragnarok

Elie Gould — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 11:26:10 +0000

God of War Ragnarok is on a roll; from its immersive story to its jaw-dropping graphics, it’s safe to say Kratos has stormed his way into our hearts again, swinging his axe and messing up Hel-walkers.

As you and your axe rip Odin’s allies limb from limb, the sound of tearing flesh and popping joints echo through your PS5’s headset. But, with Norse monsters in short supply, have you ever stopped to think about what’s behind the deathly sounds of those countless enemies you have destroyed? What are the God of War Ragnarok sound designers up to? And do we need to call the police? After all, this is the developer who once staged a goat sacrifice at a press event.

Thankfully we don’t need to report anyone today, as the sound designers kept their blood and guts on a strictly vegan diet.

This time the sound designers and foley artists, used green bell peppers to create the sound of Kratos shredding his enemies and pulling apart Hel-walkers like they were slow-roasted pork.

Among my favorite moments working on God of War Ragnorak: creating bloody (but vegan) source with the Bob Ross of Gore @schapps, crafting harmonic overtone source for Mjolnir using Jeff Darby’s axe blanks from GOW 3. Our global Foley efforts don’t belong to any one person… (🧵) pic.twitter.com/dL0shSYYLJNovember 9, 2022

Peppers and pugs

You may think that this is an odd stand-in for audio recordings, but the truth is 343 Industries used something far stranger and fluffier than bell peppers when recording the aliens for Halo Infinite.

This something strange was the technical art director's pug, and his scoffs, snarls, and snorts are thought to be the backbone of the Covenant grunts and jackals or Promethean warriors. If 343 doesn’t bring Gyoza back for future games, then another studio interested in aliens needs to pick up this fresh new talent right away. I’ve never met an alien in real life, but I could imagine them sounding a little like the loveable, heavy-breathing pug.

Ultimate tech

The truth is that it’s not just the green bell peppers behind the excellence that is God of War Ragnarok’s sound design. It takes a massive team to edit and sync all these weird and wonderful sounds, and they did a masterful job. One of the best parts of God of War is its immersive sound design that brought the world to life. Not just the satisfying sound of ripping through enemies but also the whistle of the wind and the crunch of leaves under your feet.

I find it incredibly endearing that despite technological advances, AAA gaming studios still need to rely on the talents of peppers and pugs. It brings me great relief that, while robots will take over all our human jobs, at least Gyoza and green bell peppers will always be gainfully employed.

God of War Ragnarok ending explained: a spoiler-filled look at what it all means

God of War Ragnarok ending explained: a spoiler-filled look at what it all means

victoria.hood@futurenet.com (Vic Hood) — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 14:00:27 +0000

God of War Ragnarok is a dramatic and emotive piece of storytelling that doesn’t shy away from exploring themes including relationships, identity, and death.

These themes culminate in Ragnarok’s epic ending, which sees the seeds planted by developer Sony Santa Monica throughout both Ragnarok and God of War coming to fruition, bringing God of War’s Norse Saga to an epic yet poignant close.

A lot was packed into God of War Ragnarok’s dramatic ending and, as a result, there are a lot of threads to unravel. So we’re going to dig into what exactly happened at the end of Ragnarok, what the events mean for the characters involved, and what they mean for the future of the God of War franchise. Make sure to check out how to unlock the God of War Ragnarok true ending after this, to get the game’s final cutscene.

Be warned, there are major spoilers for God of War Ragnarok ahead. So proceed with caution.

God of War Ragnarok ending: what happened?

(Image credit: Sony)

God of War Ragnarok’s ending really begins when you start The Realms at War chapter. Ahead of the battle of Ragnarok, Kratos and his closest allies set up camp at Týr’s temple in Midgard. Knowing what lies ahead, Kratos and Atreus retire to their tents for the night, leaving Mimir with former Valkyrie Queen and lover Sigrun.

As Kratos attempts to drift off, he has a visitor. Atreus, while much more mature than he once was, crawls into his tent to sleep, clearly frightened by what’s to come and in need of his father’s support. He asks Kratos to tell him a story to help him fall asleep. Kratos begins the tell the tale of an old man who had to carry heavy logs of wood every day. The logs were so heavy, Kratos says, that the man wished for death. And then, one day, Death arrived. Kratos cuts his story short as he realizes Atreus is asleep. In the quiet tent, he starts to cry as he watches his son sleep. If the seer Groa’s prophecy is true, Kratos will die at Ragnarok, leaving Atreus alone.

Finally drifting off to sleep, Kratos’ dream seems to be a memory. In it, he follows his late wife Faye around Midgard as she dips her hands in yellow paint and puts them on trees – explaining the yellow handprints we see in God of War. As she does so, Faye expresses her last wishes to Kratos. She explains that when she dies, she is to be burned on a pyre, and then Kratos and Atreus must spread her ashes from the highest peak in the Nine Realms, the premise of the previous game.

Upon waking, Kratos knows the time has come – it’s up to him to set the epic series of events into motion and defeat Odin once and for all. After a rousing speech to his allies in the Realm Travel Room of the temple, Kratos blows Gjallarhorn, the horn he procured when he killed the cocky god Heimdall, summoning his allies across the realms to Asgard for the ultimate battle against Odin and the Aesir. In Norse mythology, Heimdall himself is meant to blow the horn when he sees the Giants approaching Asgard, signaling to the gods that the great battle of Ragnarok has arrived at their door.

From the moment Kratos and his closest allies arrive in Asgard, it’s chaos. God of War Ragnarok’s war of the realms is the epic crescendo the whole game has been building towards. It’s not Týr, however, serving as the general in this battle but Kratos – with us finding out earlier that Týr has been Odin in disguise all along. There’s no time to spare and Kratos heads straight for Odin’s war machines, the ones built by the Dwarves, with Freya at his side.

In the background, we see the great snake Jörmungandr falling in battle, while Fenrir (now in the body of Gorm) pounces on Hel-Walkers and Valkyries dart through the air.

(Image credit: Sony )

Atreus quickly realizes the horrors of war, worrying about the innocent Asgardians Odin’s placed in his front line to slow the charge against him – he wants to help them but remembers what his father always tells him: “close your heart to it”. Surprisingly, Kratos admits he was wrong to teach Atreus that. He must open his heart to it and all things, as that is what Faye wanted. “We did not come to sacrifice the innocent,” he tells Atreus. “We will die seeking justice, not vengeance.” At his command, the Asgardians are taken to safety.

With the Dwarves refusing to join the battle, a sultry Sindri takes it upon himself to tackle the war machine. With one hit of a hammer, they go down, and he (still blind with anger over Brok’s death) runs off into battle in search of a fight – followed by a very apologetic and worried Atreus.

After keeping Sindri safe, Atreus has another angry friend to worry about: Thrúd. Thor’s daughter isn’t happy that Loki has betrayed them and that he’s hellbent on bringing down her grandfather who, in her eyes, can do no wrong. Just as Thrúd is ready to unleash Hel on Atreus, her mother, Sif, steps in to set the record straight. The only reason Sif had tried to stop Thrúd from becoming a Valkyrie, she explains, was that she didn’t want her daughter to fight for Odin. Thrúd is convinced by her mother’s pleas and joins Atreus, Kratos, and Mimir on the hunt for the All-Father.

(Image credit: Sony)

There’s just one problem: her father. Thor isn’t best pleased with Atreus or Kratos for luring his daughter over to their side. He’s got a chip on his shoulder about his own father, Odin, who treats him like an attack dog – and Kratos is the one he wants to pay the price. After a tough battle against the God of Thunder, Kratos decides to spare him “No more,” Kratos says. “For the sake of our children, we must be better.” Thor agrees.

Odin’s not very happy that his son no longer does his bidding, not killing who he wants him to kill. So unhappy, in fact, that he thrusts a spear through Thor, killing him.

Then begins another difficult battle, this time against Odin. When Kratos takes Odin down, Freya appears and wraps a binding spell around the All-Father’s neck. She’s got a bone to pick with her ex-husband and has waited some time for her revenge. Right now, however, she simply wants him to bow to her. Odin throws a raven at Freya, freeing himself from her spell. Once defeated, Odin desperately asks Atreus to put on the mask he had him searching for – the one that will allow him to look through the world tear and find infinite knowledge.

(Image credit: Sony)

Torn, Atreus looks to Kratos, who tells him that ultimately it is his choice what he does. Atreus breaks the mask and, after much pleading from Odin, places his soul into the Loki Giant marble Angrboda gave him earlier. Keeping to his promise to let her be the one to kill Odin, Kratos hands the marble to Freya, who decides she doesn’t want it. Someone else does, though: Sindri grabs the marble and smashes it with his hammer before disappearing.

But it’s not quite over yet. Ragnarok, the monster fire giant Surtr transformed into, is still rampaging. Fenrir appears from a tear he’s ripped in the realm, with Angrboda at his side. To allow time for everyone to escape, Freya’s brother Freyr sacrifices himself by holding back Ragnarok. Not wanting to see Freyr left behind, Atreus pushes Kratos through the tear to stay with Freyr. It’s unclear exactly what happens.

Atreus is then woken up by Valkyrie Eir. He’s in Hoddmimis Holt and must find his father. As he looks for Kratos, he passes his surviving allies, including Thrúd, Sif, Lúnda, and Mimir. He can’t stop too long with any of them, his father is looking for him, they say.

Upon reaching Angrboda and Fenrir, Kratos finds Atreus. Great, because she has something she wants to show them both. As the father and son follow her, Atreus asks for the ending of the story Kratos was telling him as he was falling asleep. Kratos explains that though the old man wanted death, when Death finally arrived, he realized he did not want it. Instead, the man asked Death to help him lift the heavy logs onto his back.

(Image credit: Sony)

They finally reach what Angrboda wanted to show them. It’s another Giant shrine, but this prophecy is a bit different than the one they saw before. This one shows what actually came to be: their victory at Ragnarok.

(Image credit: Sony)

It’s time for Atreus to come clean to his father about the Giants. He wants to go in search of them, but it’s something he has to do alone. “Does it frighten you?,” Kratos asks his son. “Yeah,” Atreus responds. “That is why you must do it,” his father tells him. “Like you taught me, yeah.” Kratos tells his son that it was his decisions that allowed them to survive Ragnarok and that he believes he is ready to go solo. “Loki will go,” Kratos states. “But Atreus remains.”

(Image credit: Sony)

Atreus sets off on his own, leaving Kratos with the shrine Behind it, he finds another panel that shows a large depiction of him, being worshipped as a god. He breaks down in tears, telling Mimir and Freya that he has seen “a path he never imagined”.

“There is much to do, much to rebuild,” he tells the other two. Will you join me?” With that, the credits roll, as you set off to clean up the remaining side quests and collectibles.

God of War Ragnarok ending: what does it all mean?

(Image credit: Sony)

There’s a lot to dissect there but if you have been paying attention to the breadcrumbs Sony Santa Monica laid down throughout both God of War and God of War Ragnarok, things make a bit more sense.

The hidden prophecy

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The main takeaway from Ragnarok’s ending is that Kratos was The Champion all along, not Atreus – and Faye knew it. In fact, to stop Atreus and Kratos from finding the real prophecy, and therefore protect them, she went against her people and destroyed the shrine in Jotunheim. Why? Because she wanted them to forge their own fate.

It’s a theme that’s come up again and again in Ragnarok: prophecy isn’t everything, we decide our own fate. Whether it’s with Thrúd trying to become a Valkyrie against her parents' wishes, Angrboda continuing to help Atreus after her role was seemingly complete, or Týr ultimately playing no role in the battle of Ragnarok, not all prophecies come to pass, and so we shouldn’t be beholden to them.

Kratos is emotional about the hidden prophecy because, by his own admission, it’s not a path he saw for himself – but Faye knew what he was capable of all along.

Kratos and Atreus

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Kratos and Atreus’ relationship has been through a lot. The father and son shared largely tense exchanges in God of War as they essentially got to know one another, before establishing a bond by the time they spread Faye’s ashes. At the start of God of War Ragnarok, a few years after the end of God of War, we find the pair have a much stronger relationship, with Kratos grumblingly trusting Atreus and allowing him to stretch his wings.

Throughout Ragnarok, however, we see that newly strengthened relationship being seriously tested as Atreus pushes the boundaries (as all teenagers do) in an attempt to discover how his role as Loki fits into his identity. Atreus’ determination to prove he no longer needs his father’s guidance, alongside Kratos’ overly cautious attempts to protect his son, takes their relationship to breaking point. But it’s something that ultimately brings them closer together, allowing them to appreciate each other more.

By the end of God of War Ragnarok, the two have mutual respect and understanding for one another. Kratos has admitted his prior faults and embraced the sentimental aspects of Atreus that he previously felt contempt for, while Atreus appreciates the teachings of his father that he once resisted.

This culminates in the final scene of the main storyline, when Atreus knows it’s time for him to set off on his own – and Kratos supports him. Kratos finally has trust in his parenting capabilities, he’s raised a warrior who is as fierce as he is empathetic. He’s done a better job than he probably ever expected. It’s now time to trust that what he taught Atreus will keep him safe when Kratos isn’t there.

The flashback with Faye

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While it takes Kratos time to come to terms with the fact he is a good father, it’s something that his late wife Faye never seemed to doubt. During the flashback where she puts her handprints on the trees, it seems Faye may know something Kratos doesn’t – that she’s going to die sooner than he might think. “The culmination of love is grief,” she tells her grumbling husband, before asking him to keep Atreus protected and safe. Kratos is visibly uncomfortable with the conversation, having explained in an earlier flashback that he fears for Atreus and thinks it's better his son does not know him, but agrees anyway.

Faye never seemed to doubt Kratos would be a good parent. She seemed to know that he would have the evolution that we see through God of War and Ragnarok, perhaps because of the prophecy shine revealed at the end of the game or maybe simply because she knew her husband wasn’t simply the grumbly warrior that everyone else saw.

The old man story

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The tale Kratos tells Atreus to help him fall asleep isn’t simply a bedtime story but is almost a premonition of coming events. The old man in the story represents Kratos, with the heavy logs representing his past mistakes – which haunt him every day.

Regretting mistakes is a big theme in Ragnarok. Kratos expresses to Faye, in flashbacks, that his past mistakes make him reluctant to get close to his son, while Atreus beats himself up over the mistakes he made as a young warrior. “Mistakes are impossible to sail away from or to forget,” Kratos tells Atreus earlier in the game, when his son talks about sailing away from his own mistakes on Freyr’s paper boat. “I have tried,” Kratos tells Atreus. “If you sail, do it towards somewhere.”

The old man wishing for death is an important element of this story, particularly at the time in which it’s told. At this point in Ragnarok, we don’t know whether Kratos will survive the ultimate battle or not. Groa’s prophecy suggests that the Spartan may not make it out of the war alive and Kratos seems very aware of that. There seems to be a mix of emotions on his face as he tells the first part of the story: regret, relief, fear, and, most importantly, concern for Atreus. It’s a side of Kratos that’s rarely seen and one that’s heartbreaking to watch.

The first part of the tale ending on a cliffhanger leaves us on edge too. What happens when Death comes? Does the man (in other words Kratos) die? Fortunately, that’s not all of the story.

After Ragnarok, when we see that Kratos has made it through the war of the realms, he finishes the story. Death arrives and the old man realizes he doesn’t want to die but instead asks Death to help him lift the logs onto his back. Kratos’ past mistakes are heavy logs to bear, sure, but being faced with Death has helped him to make peace with them and has given him the fuel to keep going – even if it’s hard.

Other characters

Ragnarok's ending not only explored the relationships between Kratos and Atreus, but brought to a head the connections between the game’s other key characters.

Thor, Sif and Thrúd

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Let’s start with Thor, Sif, and Thrúd. From the moment Atreus lands in Asgard, we see how Thor and Sif’s daughter Thrúd struggles against her parents to pursue her dream of becoming a Valyrkie. Thrus and Atreus relate to one another, both have somewhat overbearing parents that are trying to shove them into a mold they don’t feel like they fit.

There are some key similarities between Thor and Kratos too. Both are warriors who have grown up around much bloodshed, turning them into harsh parents. While Kratos isn’t the stoic father he was in God of War, Thor also seems to be trying to be a better father. We learn throughout Ragnarok that he was particularly brutal with his late sons Magni and Modi and, as a result, stopped drinking and became more protective over his daughter Thrúd. Like Kratos, however, he became almost too protective.

By the end of Ragnarok, Thor realizes (with Kratos and Atreus’ assistance) that his remaining child is more important than the anger and grief he clings to. Thrúd is capable of becoming a Valkyrie, and it’s up to him to protect both her and his wife from Odin’s tyranny. It’s a move that costs him his life, but it’s heartwarming to see him stand up for what he believes in. What’s more, if you explore a bit after the game’s ending, you’ll find Thrúd taking up Mjölnir herself.

Freya

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It’s not just Thor who learns to let go of anger. When we first start Ragnarok, Freya is hellbent on revenge against Kratos for killing her son Baldur (even though he was going to kill her first). Eventually, she agrees to let go of her vendetta temporarily to work with Kratos and Atreus to take down their real enemy: her ex-husband Odin. She calls a truce with Kratos until Odin is dead, agreeing she can kill the Spartan afterward if she so chooses. She doesn’t, however, nor does she choose to kill Odin when it comes to the crunch. More death won’t bring back Baldur. Instead, Freya chooses to join Kratos on his adventures and she seems much happier for it.

Mimir

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Mimir mostly provides comic relief in God of War but, in Ragnarok, we find out about some of his (quite dark) past mistakes. Back when his head was still attached to his body, the smartest man alive assisted Odin in some pretty atrocious acts, including chaining up an innocent creature and majorly screwing over the dwarves. While Mimir’s story isn’t the focus of the main story, several of Ragnarok’s side quests delve into Mimir’s mistakes. Unfortunately, they can’t all be fixed. It’s nice, then, to see him reunited with his love before Ragnarok before continuing to journey with his friends.

Sindri

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Oh Sindri. Poor Sindri. Ragnarok wasn’t particularly kind to our favorite nervous dwarf. Ragnarok began with Sindri assisting Atreus in his sneaky adventures, with the pair becoming extremely close. But after Brok is killed by Odin, the dwarf’s grief fills him with fury towards his teenage friend. Brok’s death wasn’t necessarily Atreus’ fault, but try telling Sindri that. Even after the game’s true ending, it’s unclear what the future holds for Sindri, who now isolates himself in Týr’s abandoned temple.

Angrboda

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We’re pretty sure we’re going to see Angrboda again. After all, in Norse mythology, she’s Loki’s wife. Ragnarok certainly seems to set her up as a romantic interest with the hormone-fuelled Atreus, so we imagine that she’ll make an appearance in his future adventures.

God of War Ragnarok ending: what's next?

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We know that God of War Ragnarok marks the end of the series’ Norse saga but what isn’t clear is where it goes next. God of War has already explored both Greek and Norse mythology but, with so many mythoi out there, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the theme might be next – if there is one.

What the end of Ragnarok does hint at, however, is that Atreus could be the main protagonist of a future entry. After all, when we see him last he is heading off to find the giants by himself. Perhaps he is the next God of War? Kratos’ journey does seem to have come to a conclusion at the end of Ragnarok. This is just speculation, however, and we could well see us picking up with Kratos another few years down the line when an adult Atreus has returned from his journey. With Death not having earned Kratos quite yet, anything is possible.

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God of War Ragnarok true ending: how to unlock the final cutscene

victoria.hood@futurenet.com (Vic Hood) — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 14:00:07 +0000

Wondering if there’s a God of War Ragnarok true ending to unlock? There absolutely is and it’s not one you’ll want to miss.

God of War had a secret ending that saw Kratos and Atreus visited by the electrifying Thor after returning to their home in Midgard – hinting at what was to come in the sequel. So we expected God of War Ragnarok would have one too. And we weren’t disappointed.

God of War Ragnarok’s true ending takes place after the initial credits scroll you see when Ragnarok’s main questline is finished. This first credit scroll appears over gameplay, but the real ending cutscene is followed by a proper credits screen.

Read on for how to unlock the God of War Ragnarok true ending, and make sure to check out our God of War Ragnarok ending explainer for an in-depth look at the main questline’s final chapter.

There are major spoilers for God of War Ragnarok ahead, so proceed with caution.

How to unlock the God of War Ragnarok true ending

(Image credit: Sony)

Once you finish The Realms at War chapter, and watch what appears to be the final cutscene, credits will begin to roll over gameplay as Kratos, Freya, and Mimir make their way back through Hoddmimis Holt.

Like me, you may be tempted to head back to Midgard, to Kratos and Atreus’ house, in search of the true ending – after all, that’s where it was in God of War. However, all you’ll find there are some mementos Atreus left on the table from his own journey.

Instead, visit Lúnda at a dwarven workshop in any of the realms (she’s taken over from Brok and Sindri). She tells Kratos that there’s a memorial planned for Brok at Raeb’s tavern in Svartalfheim if he, Mimir, and Freya wish to pay their respects to the late dwarf. This starts the Favor ‘ A Viking Funeral’.

Head to the tavern in Svartalfheim, the closest mystic gateways are Niðavellir or Niðavellir West. When you get there, you’ll see Brok laid out on a table while Lúnda (she moves fast), Durlin, and others reminisce about him – Sindri, Brok’s brother, is notably absent. After listening to the others tell their stories, a cutscene will trigger that sees Kratos, Mimir, and Freya individually paying their respects to the slain dwarf.

Final goodbyes will be said to Brok at Sverd Sands, so make your way over there next. Take one of the nearby mystic gateways to Aurvangar Wetlands and then take the pully ferry nearby (not a boat) across the water. It’s the same ferry you used when you broke pretend Týr out of his prison earlier in the game.

Meet up with the party and the God of War Ragnarok true ending cutscene will begin (I won’t spoil exactly what happens here). When it’s over, you will get the real credits screen, after which you’re able to continue exploring the realms.

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God of War: Ragnarok is balanced and focused – and should be a lesson for AAA developers

james.cutler@futurenet.com (James Cutler) — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 02:55:18 +0000

2022 hasn’t been an especially great year for AAA games, with many of the year’s most anticipated releases delayed into 2023 or beyond. Two notable exceptions, however, came by way of PlayStation exclusives Horizon: Forbidden West and God of War: Ragnarok – debuting in February and November, respectively. Predictably for new releases in such popular, acclaimed franchises, both games were met with considerable excitement from gamers and sales results to match.

But for me, Horizon: Forbidden West and God of War: Ragnarok do more than just sit at opposite ends of 2022’s release calendar, with the pair also sitting on opposite sides of a particularly thorny problem that continues to plague so many modern AAA games – an overabundance of ‘content’.

We’ve all heard the expression 'size isn’t everything'. More than just a saying though, these three words are a particularly handy lesson that many of today’s AAA game developers would do well to learn – and a lesson Horizon: Forbidden West in particular failed to heed.

The size problem

Loading into Horizon: Forbidden West, it doesn’t take long for players to take note of how exceptionally expansive this world is. As an ambitious imagining of a post-apocalyptic Western United States, there is a lot of setting you’re tasked with digesting when stepping into Aloy’s shoes for her latest adventure.

To the credit of developer Guerrilla Games, the setting of Horizon: Forbidden West looks undeniably gorgeous. From swamps to deserts, ruined cities to tropical beaches, Forbidden West does a valiant job of catching the eye. And if a game were judged solely on the way it looked, this year’s discussion of candidates for Game of the Year would almost certainly look a little different than it currently does.

(Image credit: Sony)

But for all its size, Forbidden West suffers due to its falling into a problematic habit increasingly found almost everywhere you look with modern AAA game releases. In theory, the idea that a game is bigger and therefore longer to play through sounds good, but in reality bigger and longer are not efficient measures of quality when it comes to video games. If a game’s size is prioritized over substance that is worth remembering or sticking around for, that game will ultimately become repetitive, predictable and ultimately boring.

Unfortunately for Horizon: Forbidden West, it ticks all of these boxes, and by the time it ends it feels as though it has far outstayed its welcome.

Horizon isn’t alone in suffering this problem, of course, with the preoccupation of size over substance having become a recurring problem for AAA games over at least the last decade. Franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry have become particularly notorious for it, while recent releases like Dying Light 2 and Saints Row are other examples of games to suffer from the issue.

Even the latest Halo game fell prey to the size over substance issue, with the single-player campaign for Halo Infinite arguably the most forgettable experience of the entire franchise even as it dipped its toes in the waters of open-world (and despite reportedly cutting its original world size by two thirds).

The substance solution

As a direct example of how to avoid the size problem plaguing AAA games, newly released GOTY candidate God of War: Ragnarok has emerged as a valuable demonstration of how to populate a game world in a way that provides a more fulfilling overall playthrough. The way that Ragnarok manages to commit itself to prioritizing substance over size alone allows it to present players with what is a balanced and ultimately memorable experience.

It isn’t that Ragnarok especially lacks size, either. It's not the kind of tight, linear game of yesteryear which might take only 8-10 total hours to complete, even when accounting for side quests and collectibles. The world of Ragnarok is generously sized and features a diverse variety of biomes not all too different to what Horizon: Forbidden West does. The crucial difference between Ragnarok and Horizon, however, is how the Kratos-led adventure populates its game world compared to its PlayStation stablemate.

The characters of God of War: Ragnarok are probably the most meaningful place to start when discussing the substance that allows the game to so effectively stand out. Kratos and Atreus as primary leads carry on with the winning dynamic that they demonstrated in the franchise’s previous title – even if there is much less “boy” this time around. And as with its predecessor, at any moment when it seems as if Kratos’ gruffness might tip over into the territories of feeling forced or needlessly annoying, Kratos’ supporting cast (or even one of his many mythical foes) will step in to right the ship.

(Image credit: Sony)

Naturally for a title with such memorable and enjoyable characters, the story of God of War is also a highlight (as it has truthfully been with most of the franchise’s titles). Drawing on the mysticism and drama of authentic mythology, Ragnarok’s story is well-developed and thought out, in turn encouraging players to see the story through. The game’s main and side quests never feel overly repetitive, the puzzles are varied enough to not outstay their welcome (even if sometimes too simplistic) and there’s layers of additional non-essential lore that a player can choose to engage or not engage with at their leisure.

The combined might of all of these elements is what allows God of War: Ragnarok to stand out, with a game world that players actually want to exist in. The comparative lack of substance like this, meanwhile, is what leads Horizon: Forbidden West and the many other games guilty of similar sins to become forgettable at best – or frustratingly dull at worst.

Another of 2022’s Game of the Year candidates, Elden Ring, is yet another example of how substance can allow a game to stand out both through a first playthrough and long afterwards. That FromSoftware’s latest manages to achieve this while providing players with such a generously sized game world might be what allows it to ultimately edge out God of War: Ragnarok for Game of the Year honors, but both should serve as valuable examples for AAA game developers to learn from.

Following the map to AAA treasure island

To say it plainly, a game’s size is rarely – if ever – what makes a game memorable, let alone good. In fact, one might argue that the larger a game is in size, the greater chance there is that it will fail to deliver on sufficient substance. That’s certainly the case with Horizon: Forbidden West, where in-game fields of empty desert so often feel like rendered reminders of how little the game offers in terms of memorability and overall value.

Every corner of the world in God of War: Ragnarok, by comparison, feels genuinely vibrant and worthwhile. Even the unplayable areas I’ve encountered manage to capture the attention and spark a curiosity to know what it is that I might be missing. This is because the world of Ragnarok feels alive with substance, benefitting from how it has been populated with variety, character and an overall commitment to understanding what makes a game truly great.

I know which game I’ll remember most fondly a year from now, and it’s certainly not the one with the bigger package.

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All the devs 'can see are the flaws' in God of War Ragnarok

Elie Gould — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 13:22:22 +0000

After the incredible success of God of War in 2018, Ragnarok has seemed to surpass this. But what did this success cost the developers?

The God of War Ragnarok collector’s edition has already sold out just one day after release. As the Jotnar Edition is also almost impossible to get your hands on.

The fact that copies are hard to come by, coupled with all the raving reviews, shows how massive this game is. While this success is great for fans who love the series and Santa Monica Studios, who spent so much time perfecting the game, it only did so well because of how hard the developers had to work.

(Image credit: Sony)

A marathon

In a GQ interview, Cory Barlog and Eric Williams, the game’s creative and game directors, talked about what it was like to make Sony’s biggest game of the year.

Going beyond the scope and success of God of War 2018 is no small feat, especially after the game surpassed 23 million copies sold earlier this year. The stakes were raised for Ragnarok, and it was all left up to the devs over at Santa Monica Studios to deliver a game that would step beyond its predecessor.

“It’s tough”, says game director Eric William. “The team's already kind of burned [out], and you're asking a lot of them at a place where they're already pretty fragile”.

But that didn’t stop the team from pulling out the stops daily, going above and beyond to ensure Ragnarok would be in its best shape. “I have probably played the game ten times since April, all the way through, and on every different setting we have”, says William.

It wasn’t just the pressure of living up to expectations that hit hard, but like many, Santa Monica Studios were thrown out of the norm by lockdown and forced to adapt to remote working.

“Working from home is a big wrinkle”, said William. “Wandering by somebody's desk and seeing something cool was dead”. Split up, the team found it hard to bounce off one another and make the most out of the creativity that comes with working in a group.

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Not the first

“If I don't feel like I'm scared, like I'm literally gonna get fired every day because I screwed up”, said William. “I don't feel like I'm doing it right”. While this demonstrates the fantastic work effort and mentality you need to keep improving a game to the best of your ability, this isn’t far from the norm for many game devs.

Rockstar Studios was accused of intimidating employees working on Red Dead Redemption II into working unpaid overtime after Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser seemed to brag in an interview with Vulture about how “we were working 100-hour weeks”.

This interview was followed by a string of complaints from the spouses of the Rockstar San Diego employees. In an open letter, “if working conditions persist in deteriorating as employees are manipulated by certain hands that wield the reigns of power in Rockstar San Diego, " the spouses of employees will seek legal action.

This isn’t a stand-alone issue. CD Projekt Red employed a ‘crunch’ so the team could meet the delayed release schedule of Cyberpunk. At the same time, Naughty Dog has been accused of putting their employees under copious amounts of pressure to deliver on their AAA titles like Uncharted 4 or The Last of Us Part 1.

The reason I left is because I only want to work with the best. That is no longer Naughty Dog. Their reputation for crunch within LA is so bad it was near impossible to hire seasoned contract game animators to close out the project. As such we loaded up on film animators.March 12, 2020

None of this is to say Santa Monica Studios put their employees under ridiculous strain. Pushing beyond your boundaries to produce a game like God of War: Ragnarok is far from unusual. “Everybody wants to take a break, but really they're like, ‘We've got to start building’”, said William.

However, as players begin to expect more and more from AAA titles, the pressure is mainly placed at the feet of the developers to deliver on this, and fans should be aware of this.

A missing word speaks volumes in God of War Ragnarok

God of War Ragnarok's Leviathan axe makes great use of this DualSense feature

aleksha.mcloughlin@futurenet.com (Aleksha McLoughlin) — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 17:09:18 +0000

God of War Ragnarok features some of the most in-depth accessibility options of any big-budget release of its type, including one heavily requested feature that the previous title lacked. The full list of over 70 customizable accessibility settings has been unveiled by Sony Santa Monica, though the stand out has to be the ‘Motion Sensor Function Aiming Activation’. Motion-controlled Leviathan Axe? Yes, please.

This toggleable feature for God of War Ragnarok on PS5 means that players will be able to use the Dualsense’s motion sensor to perform actions such as throwing Kratos’ Leviathan Axe. It’s not only a win for accessibility but also adds a new dimension to solving the game’s various challenges in a more engaging fashion than simply aiming the sticks can deliver.

Sony gives you fine control of the feature, providing advanced options to track your horizontal and vertical speed while aiming, with a sensitivity slider ranging from 0.1 to 3.0. This will measure the in-game camera movement, with the lower numbers indicating a slower response from behind Kratos’ back. This is true of acceleration as well; there’s a slider from zero to 10, and the ability to reduce smaller motions with its own dedicated zero to 30 slider, which is calculated in degrees-per-second, which can help mitigate any unwanted accidental motions.

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God of War Ragnarok features many tricky puzzles that require Kratos to throw his axe at targets, chains, and switches – many of which are time-trialed. It can take more than a few tries to get it right. If you’re after a new way to engage with the game world or find the sticks less than ideal when time is of the essence.

Now, this isn’t the first instance of motion-controlled aiming being available in a first-party Sony game. We previously saw this feature available on the PS5 with Horizon: Forbidden West and earlier than that with The Last of Us: Part 2 on the PS4. It’s been a heavily requested feature from many of the company’s largest releases for the increase of precision available. It’s no rival for a high DPI setting gaming mouse but is considerably faster than your everyday twin-stick setup.

Is Gyro aiming faster for aiming?

Gyro aiming has seen widespread adoption in the competitive world of eSports as a compelling alternative to your standard gamepad controls due to the sensors being more immediate than moving both sticks. With fewer inputs, all you’re having to do is tilt the controller with the crosshair on screen. With the right settings enabled, and some practice, you’ll be able to pull off faster moves than with a twin-stick. Here’s a demonstration:

Outside of the world of PlayStation, we’ve seen competitive titles, such as Splatoon 3 on Nintendo Switch, strongly lean towards gyro/motion aiming, with this control scheme widely being considered not only a viable alternative to more traditional means but even preferable. Now, God of War Ragnarok is the furthest thing away from a Twitch-based title, but you may save a precious few seconds making a change here.

There are loads of other accessibility features available in God of War Ragnarok, including the ability to scale the UI text size, increase the timing on puzzles, and turn off visual effects, such as film grain and motion blur.

It's excellent to see big-name developers finally leaning into providing a wide spread of features to make their games more accessible for players.

Street Fighter 6 has an accessibility feature more developers should copy.

God of War Ragnarok

Vic Hood — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 16:00:43 +0000

God of War Ragnarok is a masterclass in perfectly pitched ambition. The highly anticipated sequel to 2018’s God of War takes the threads from its predecessor and weaves them into a layered tapestry of emotive storytelling and brutality befitting the next chapter of Kratos and Atreus’ journey.

But it’s in its subtleties that Ragnarok truly shines. Whether it’s in the subtext that’s carefully laid throughout the narrative like breadcrumbs or the understated, but welcome, advancements to combat and gameplay, Ragnarok proves that a sequel doesn’t need to be excessive to be compelling.

God of War Ragnarok firmly embedded its blades into me, leaving me enraptured from start to finish and desperate to talk about when it ended – and probably for some time to come.

Fire and ice

(Image credit: Sony)

God of War Ragnarok picks up several years after the events of its predecessor. Where Fimbulwinter’s icy grasp was creeping in at the end of God of War, now it has firmly taken hold of Midgard, leaving a blanket of heavy snow draped across Kratos and Atreus’ home realm. This harsh winter forbodes the coming of Ragnarok, a great battle that is prophesized to bring about the destruction of the Nine Realms.

But it’s not just Midgard that has changed since God of War. Atreus is now a teenager, more self-sufficient and confident than he was as the boy we knew. Kratos, too, is more trusting of his half-giant son, though he has ramped up Atreus’ training in recent years in preparation for the prophesized war of the realms. As with all teenagers, however, Atreus is on a mission to explore his identity. In particular, how his role as Loki of the Giants fits into it. In his search, he comes across a prophecy that could tilt the outcome of the looming Ragnarok in their favor. With the wise-cracking Mimir at Kratos’ hip, and his father’s newfound trust putting fuel in Atreus’ belly, they begin a journey that will put their relationship to the ultimate test.

Ragnarok builds on the narrative foundations laid by God of War with finesse, capturing the intricacies of the (often turbulent) relationships between parents and children and the struggle of finding your own place in the world. It never batters you over the head with its themes, however, instead giving them room to breathe throughout the course of the game’s roughly 25+ hour main story path before building to an epic conclusion that is the culmination of every sprinkled breadcrumb along the way.

Draugr demolishing duo

(Image credit: Sony)

It’s not simply in the narrative that Kratos and Atreus’ relationship is reflected, it’s in the gameplay and combat too. In Ragnarok, the father and son are partners. Throughout their journey, Atreus’ input is critical. Kratos will require him to shoot a runic arrow at a particularly dense bush concealing a chest, for example, so that the Spartan can then sink his Blades of Chaos into the runic-enhancing purple ring it leaves, burning away the troublesome foliage.

In battle, while Atreus will get stuck into Draugrs and Hel-Walkers by himself, you can also command him to shoot arrows at specific enemies and even have him unleash animal-related special abilities, such as summoning a rampaging Ibex to thrash through enemies. If you’re lucky, the long-horned goat will stun an enemy, allowing you to unleash a devastating attack that sees you tear off one of their limbs.

Both Atreus and Kratos have a range of new abilities, and their skill trees feel thoroughly fleshed out. The demi-god teenager no longer feels like an add-on, he has a wide range of skills at his disposal. Likewise, Kratos' skill trees for his Blades of Chaos and Leviathan Axe have been expanded, though there is no longer a skill tree available for his shield.

Evolution

(Image credit: Sony)

The removal of the shield skill tree is an example of Sony Santa Monica elegantly streamlining God of War’s systems. Sequels can often become overwhelmed with new systems and features, but God of War Ragnarok’s feel like an organic evolution of what came before.

For example, Ragnarok introduces the Amulet of Yggdrasil to Kratos’ arsenal, which can hold up to nine different enchantments, each offering a different type of buff. While some improve the Spartan's runic abilities, others may improve stats like vitality, it’s up to you what you slot in. With so many slots, you can construct starkly different builds to fit your combat style. This seemingly replaces the armor runes feature from the previous game, which is no longer available but is quickly forgotten thanks to the new system.

This doesn’t mean that weapon runes have been disposed of. All weapons and armor can still be upgraded by the dwarves Brok and Sindri, and you can add an attachment to each weapon as well as separate runes for a light and heavy runic attack – all of which are upgradeable, too. Atreus doesn’t get access to these runes, and his armor choice is solely cosmetic, but he does have his own buffs in the form of accessories, which allow you to hone his playstyle more to your own.

That really seems to be the purpose of these evolutions: to carve out your Kratos and Atreus. Every player is given the same weapons, but it’s the enchantments, runes, and accessories that hold the nuance. I just wish that traveling between realms had been given the same treatment. Unfortunately, running along the path between the realms remains irritating as it slows the game’s pace and almost feels like a hidden loading screen – not even the chit chats between characters can make it more tolerable.

House of Axe

(Image credit: Sony)

God of War Ragnarok made me laugh, smile, and cry – the latter was especially true when I encountered two game-breaking bugs during my playthrough (which Sony has since addressed in a chunky pre-launch patch).

Ragnarok wouldn’t have had this effect on me had it not been for how its predecessor painted the relationship between Kratos and Atreus. After journeying to the highest point in the Nine Realms with the pair, I’m absorbed in them, oftentimes recognizing my own teenage frustrations in Atreus, yet being old enough to relate with Kratos’ fears for his son.

Sony Santa Monica had its own peak to climb in making the sequel to one of PlayStation’s most revered releases. Fortunately, smart decisions, riveting characters, and subtle but discernible improvements make for an almost perfect sequel.

With God of War Ragnarok, Sony Santa Monica seamlessly weaves together the brutality of the original series with the emotive threads spun by its own revival. It’s done so beautifully, never letting ambition exceed the needs of its story – and what a story it is. God of War Ragnarok is a fitting end to the series’ Norse saga and one I’ll be thinking about for some time.

God of War Ragnarok on PS5 Pro

Since our review of Ragnarok, we have thoroughly enjoyed playing the game on PS5 Pro, where the power of Sony's premium console and its PSSR tech allow players to have the best of both performance and quality worlds at the same time. As a result, we rank it as one of the best PS5 Pro games going right now.

These are the best PS5 games you can play right now

A missing word speaks volumes in God of War Ragnarok

Vic Hood — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 13:00:46 +0000

He hasn’t said it yet. The seconds roll into minutes into hours, and at just over seven hours in, I hit the stop button on my iPhone’s timer. My God of War Ragnarok preview period has drawn to a close, and not once in that time did Kratos say the word I’d been expecting to hear. Not once has he called his son Atreus, “Boy”.

The grumbling God of War’s insistence on referring to Atreus by the infantilizing term became a meme when Sony released God of War back in 2018, so the TRG team thought it would be funny for me to run a ‘Time to Boy’ stopwatch as part of my early impressions playthrough of the sequel. Its purpose was simple: how long does it take for Kratos to say “Boy”.

I expected to run the timer for maybe about 30 minutes, an hour at a push, but after a few hours with Ragnarok, Kratos’ silence speaks volumes – it’s purposeful and marks a meaningful change: Atreus isn’t a ‘Boy’ anymore.

Spoilers for God of War (2018) and the first few hours of God of War Ragnarok ahead.

Reaping the fruits

(Image credit: Sony)

In God of War (2018), Sony Santa Monica beautifully captures the turbulent relationship between demigod Kratos and his young son Atreus, as both struggle to come to terms with the death of wife and mother Faye. The cold, battle-hardened Kratos grapples with the balance between his past as a rage-filled warrior and his new role as a father, and Atreus is caught in the middle.

At the start of God of War, Kratos parents as if he’s training a soldier, he gives orders and expects them to be followed without question. Through the story, we see Kratos soften, and find a balance between who he was and who he is as a parent. By the time the pair scatter Faye’s ashes at the end of the game, father and son have a mutual respect that seemed unachievable when they began their journey.

God of War Ragnarok sees Kratos and Atreus’ relationship reap the fruits of that journey. Picking up a few years after the events of the previous game, Ragnarok presents a more mature and capable Atreus alongside what appears to be a considerably more laid-back Kratos. The short-tempered dad even lets his son lead some of the game’s early missions, such as tracking down Norse God of War Tyr, hoping he can aid them when Ragnarok comes. In these early examples, Kratos places his skepticism of the expeditions, and Atreus’ reasoning for them, to one side: he trusts his son.

Where Atreus once needed help with damn near everything, he’s now pretty self-sufficient and a valuable asset to Kratos rather than a hindrance. Previously shying away from battle, Atreus now enthusiastically gets stuck in alongside his father, allowing you to tag team enemies in a meaningful way. As in the first game, he will fire arrows at your request, but now he’s more inclined to get up close and personal with Draugrs, and he can even fire stunning Sonic arrows that allow Kratos to deliver a devastating final blow. The pair are more of a team this time.

L8er Boi

(Image credit: Sony)

With Atreus now a teenager, the respect built between father and son in the previous game has grown. Kratos knows Atreus isn’t a young boy anymore and so, in what is perhaps the greatest mark of respect this particular father could give his son, he now refers to him by his name rather than simply as “Boy”.

The word has taken on a new meaning, one of affection rather than humiliation

Emphasizing the change, while Kratos doesn’t say the word “Boy” in the early hours of God of War Ragnarok, it is said by a multitude of other characters. However, when Mimir and other characters say it, “boy” is a term of endearment. The word has taken on a new meaning, one of affection rather than humiliation.

In fact, it’s Atreus himself who first uses the word (around 10 minutes in) when soothing his pet wolf Fenrir. It’s a touching moment, seeing Atreus use it as a term of affection, but it takes on even greater significance when you consider the Norse myths Sony Santa Monica weaves into God of War.

At the end of the last game, we learn that Atreus is part giant and that his mother wanted to call him Loki. In Norse mythology, Fenrir the wolf is the son of trickster god Loki. And while Fenrir isn’t literally Atreus’ son, it’s significant that Atreus uses the term for his figurative son that his father Kratos used with him. Themes of parenting are central to God of War, with Kratos acutely aware (and often afraid) of what he is teaching Atreus. This moment with Fenrir confirms for us and Kratos that he taught his son to be a loving parent, like he himself is below all the bluster.

Like father, like son

(Image credit: Sony)

Respect, however, is earned and unfortunately for our grizzly demigod, teenage Atreus is going through his mandatory rebellious phase. He’s testing the limits, sneaking out to shrines without Kratos’ knowledge and mocking his father with a cockiness reserved for teenage boys in locker rooms.

We see then, this push and pull between Kratos and Atreus once more. Like any adolescent, Atreus is trying to grow up too fast, he’s carving out his place in the world and how he feels about it. He’s working out who he is and what he wants. And what he wants, it seems, is war with Asgard. Like father like son I guess.

Atreus may not be a boy anymore, but he’s certainly not a man yet – and it’s up to Kratos to make sure he knows it.

These are the best PS5 games you can play right now

God of War Ragnarok and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 preorders are 15% off

james.pickard@futurenet.com (James Pickard) — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 15:04:22 +0000

Two of the biggest video games set to launch before the end of the year are God of War: Ragnarok and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. And, if you've had an eye on either, here's your chance to save 15% off both of them when you preorder at Currys.

To get this discount on God of War: Ragnarok, you simply have to enter the voucher code 'GOW15' when you get to the end of the checkout process. The option comes up right at the end after you've filled in all the payment and delivery details, so look out for it right before you confirm the order.

This code can be used on either the PS5 or PS4 version, saving you around £10 on the total price of Sony's upcoming blockbuster sequel, featuring a slightly less short-tempered Kratos, his precocious charge, Atreus. That drops a copy of God of War Ragnarok on PS5 to £59.49 – the cheapest price for a preorder so far.

To get the same discount on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, you do precisely the same but with voucher code 'COD15' instead. This can be used on a copy of the game on any console platform – that's PS5, PS4, and Xbox – and will also take £10 off the total price. That drops Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to £54.24 at Currys.

Today's best game preorder deals

God of War Ragnarok (PS5): ~~£69.99~~ £59.49 at Currys
Save £10.50 – Use the code 'GOW15' and pay the lowest price today for a God of War Ragnarok preorder on PS5. It may only be by a matter of pence, but it's still the cheapest price we've seen. Currys will deliver your copy of Sony's upcoming action-adventure blockbuster for the release date on November 9.View Deal

God of War Ragnarok (PS4): ~~£59.99~~ £50.99 at Currys
Save £9 – The same 'GOW15' voucher code can be applied at the end of the checkout when preordering the PS4 version of God of War Ragnarok at Currys to bring the price down to £50.99. That's slightly cheaper than a PS5 copy, though if you do pick up Sony's latest console in the future, you can pay a £10 fee to upgrade to the PS5 version.View Deal

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: ~~£64.99~~ £55.24 at Currys
Save £9.74 – You can also use the code 'COD15' to get 15% off Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on PS5, PS4, and Xbox at Currys. This is the lowest price we've seen for the upcoming first-person shooter and saves you around £5 compared to the majority of other stores. The Xbox version is compatible with all console generations, while the PS4 copy comes with a free voucher for a PS5 upgrade should you get the newer console in the future.View Deal

While these might be the two biggest games set to launch in the remainder of 2022, there are a number of other significant game releases still to come as well. We've got the likes of Gotham Knights, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, and The Callisto Protocol on our watchlist. You can check out, or PS5 deals or Nintendo Switch deals hubs for the latest prices on these games and more.

Plus, this year's Black Friday deals will be upon us soon, with many of the year's biggest gaming offers expected throughout November. We'll bring them all to you in our in-depth coverage from now until the end of the year.

PS5 restocks are up 400% ahead of God of War Ragnarok launch

elie.gould@futurenet.com (Elie Gould) — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 10:48:43 +0000

Sony’s increased shipments of PS5s to the US by over 400% through September. While this won’t mean the shortage is over, this increase comes just in time for fans to get a hold of the console for God of War Ragnarok.

If you’ve been hunting for a PS5, you’re in luck. Sony’s PS5 shipments to the US now exceed 7 million, a +400% Year-on-Year increase. Hopefully, it means that Sony has finally gotten to grips with the supply of PS5s, which it’s struggled to keep in stock since the console’s launch in 2020. Maybe this is a snapshot of what is to come.

Lots of reports of improved PS5 supply in the past few months, but no data until now. Import data into the US confirms that Sony Interactive (PlayStation) shipments in Sept were +400% YoY. Yes you read that right. Some of that will go into inventory for GoW launch for sure. #PS5 pic.twitter.com/SvC6xTPQxsOctober 11, 2022

Although these shipment numbers come as a welcome surprise, they haven’t come out of thin air. In terms of stock, according to analyst Statista, PS5 shipments and sales have been gradually increasing quarter to quarter. For example, sales of the PS5 increased from 2.3 million units in the first months of 2021 to 3.9 million units between July and October of the same year.

The supply of PS5s seemed worse than they were due to the sharp drop in supplies we saw in early 2021. Furthermore, the situation was aggravated by the discontinuation of the PS4 Pro, along with the high demand for the console.

Up for grabs

As I said, the PS5 restocks are great news for everyone who has been waiting for a new console for the past few years. So how do you go about picking one of these beauties up? The best way is to keep an eye on the page we’ve set up for PS5 restock updates to get all the latest news on the console.

If you live in the US, it will be easier to get a hold of a PS5 due to the massive increase of shipments into the country in September – there are already reports of more PS5s being seen on supermarket shelves. This stock increase also means we may see some Black Friday PS5 deals, too, which would be the first time we’ve seen the consoles discounted – with the hardware in short supply, retailers haven’t felt any pressure to reduce the prices. More stock for cheaper, it’s the dream.

Saw my first one in the wild this past weekend. Took a lot for me to not get it 😂 pic.twitter.com/ghPfWcOSoJOctober 11, 2022

Unfortunately, we may have to wait a little longer across the pond in Europe. As of yet, there have been no major reports of shipments of PS5s into Europe. However, with Black Friday and God of War Ragnarok's release coming up soon, Sony should be ramping up the supply to meet the demand.

Ragnarok

Instead of the end of the world, it seems as if God of War Ragnarok may have brought us more PS5s. It may just be neat timing, but Sony must be pleased to have so many consoles on shelves ahead of its biggest game launch this year.

It’s been a quiet year for Sony. Its biggest release was Horizon Zero Dawn West all the way back in February, since then, the only major exclusive was The Last of Us Part I, a (great) remaster.

If Sony is, in fact, restocking PS5s for the release of Ragnarok, then that is a suggestion of just how big a release it expects the game to be. Hype can be deadly, so I try to avoid getting too excited about games before they are released. But even I can’t help it. I think I may have failed one of my sacred rules, as I am now hyped for God of War Ragnarok.

Why God of War and Assassin's Creed both turned to a 'horrible and violent' myth

Why God of War and Assassin's Creed both turned to a 'horrible and violent' myth

callum.bains@futurenet.com (Callum Bains) — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 18:00:00 +0000

“Ragnarök defines the Norse mythic cosmos as one that doesn't just have a beginning, but an end,” Dr Jackson Crawford, a scholar of Old Norse, says, explaining why the story appears in so many games. “All meaningful time for the living will end, and the end will be horrible and violent.”

According to Viking storytellers, when the end times come, stars will vanish from the sky, floods will swallow the earth, and the heavens will burn. After the world wilts from an enduringly harsh winter, giants will invade the realm of Asgard as human civilization is plunged into chaos. Odin will be swallowed by the wolf Fenrir, while Thor and the World Serpent Jörmungandr end each other’s lives in battle. Its destruction is total, marking not only the climax of creation but its final resting place.

Ragnarök has found its way into Assassin’s Creed, Viking RTS Northgard, Senua’s Sacrifice, and many other games. God of War: Ragnarök will become only the latest to take us through the Twilight of the Gods when it releases next month. By now the ground is well-trodden, the story retold in a hundred different ways. Still, strangely, game developers are compelled to return to it and put their brand on the myth.

Roots of the World Tree

(Image credit: Sony)

“It’s a well-shaped myth”, Dr Carolyne Larrington, a tutorial fellow in medieval English language and literature at Oxford University, says. “From the first inklings of disaster with the death of Baldr, the punishment of Loki, the onset of the Great Winter, chaos breaking out across the human world, and then the attack of the frost- and fire-giants.

“It speaks to our fear of annihilation, whether through the destruction of the environment, nuclear weapons or cosmic disaster. The inevitability is on the one hand depressing, but on the other, the courage of men and gods in the face of doom is inspiring. It is important to allow for hope of rebirth, and a better kind of existence in the new world.”

Ragnarök speaks to our fear of annihilation, whether through the destruction of the environment, nuclear weapons or cosmic disaster.
Dr Carolyne Larrington

The lead writer of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök, Alex Harakis, agrees. He says the team at Ubisoft Sofia was drawn to the myth because it’s “a story of hope rising from the ashes of defeat”. It has a universal appeal that crosses time and place, but is also a natural point of departure for storytellers studying Norse tales. From our modern, fragmented knowledge of Viking myth, two events overshadow all else: the Norse creation myth and end times. Between them, one is the more obvious candidate for adaptation.

“The creation myth is fascinating but quite surreal,” Harakis says. “Plus, it's somewhat disconnected from everything else, although we do make several references to it in Dawn of Ragnarök. The end times myth, by comparison, represented the best fit for us – narratively speaking it is contained yet epic, it connects with the sagas that come before, and it’s the culmination of Odin’s personal character arc. There was the added advantage that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla had already flirted with the subject without answering every last question.”

Spun by Norns

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Yet, the myth’s framework leaves a lot of room for interpretation. “Like all Norse myths, the Ragnarök myth isn't recounted in the Old Norse sources in the kind of detail we as a modern audience would like,” Crawford says. The most expansive account is given by Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson in the Prose Edda – a 13th-century handbook to Norse mythology – which is itself based on The Seeress’s Prophecy found in the even older Poetic Edda. Its roots go as far back as Iceland’s pre-Christian oral literary traditions, lending it an ambiguity that’s useful to modern storytellers.

Harakis and his team of narrative designers could tweak the myth's finer details to thread them into Assassin’s Creed’s existing lore. Mythical events are reinterpreted as literal global disasters, and the central battle between gods and giants is stripped of its mysticism to fit the game’s wider sci-fi narrative.

“One of the ways we reinterpreted the mythological fragments in our story was by reordering, or even cutting, parts of the timeline described in the myths,” Harakis says. “For example, the exact order of the harbingers leading to Ragnarök, along with the way events began to unfold once it occurred. This allowed us to streamline our story and enhance its dramatic impact.”

The Ragnarök myth isn't recounted in the Old Norse sources in the kind of detail we as a modern audience would like
Dr Jackson Crawford

Even our fractured understanding of Ragnarök gives storytellers useful anchor points from which to hang a coherent plot. But it’s the breadth and scale of those fragments that make them so rich a creative source. Touching on a variety of factions and inhabitants of the Norse realms, Ragnarök stands out as not only the best-known Norse myth but arguably the most ambitious.

Northgard developer Shiro Games tells TechRadar Gaming the story’s abundant narrative opportunities made it an obvious choice of setting for the strategy game’s first update. Fire giants, spectral warriors, and other creatures of the myth were introduced as fresh unit types, a new biome was included to reflect the charred landscape of the world-that-was, and exploding volcanoes were added as mortal interpretations of the gods’ fighting – the myth’s deep well of lore offering the perfect backdrop to a new game mode.

Fatal forecast

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Video game developers aren’t alone in their fondness of the myth. You need only look to Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarök or the many historical fiction novels that riff on the legend to understand its prevalence in contemporary stories of Norse mythology. Go further back, and you’ll come to J. R. R. Tolkien’s take on the Poetic Edda in The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, and hop a few more decades to find Richard Wagner’s 19th-century Ragnarök-inspired musical drama Götterdämmerung.

“People have a taste for climactic endings,” Crawford says. “The notion of a culture who foresaw, not the everlasting reign of their gods, but the defeat of those gods in a terrible battle with monsters is cinematic. And arguably has a meaningful message for understanding the pessimistic tone that runs through so much of Norse literature otherwise.”

It’s particularly relevant now as we face the climate emergency; the world as we know it really will be destroyed in our grandchildren’s lifetimes
Dr Carolyne Larrington

The calamitous scale of Ragnarök, along with the hopeful thread of rebirth that underpins it, seems painfully pertinent in light of the last few years. “If you read the newspapers, it sometimes feels as if every day brings the threat of a new ‘Ragnarök’, and yet we survive and persevere,” Harakis says.

“It’s particularly relevant now as we face the climate emergency; the world as we know it really will be destroyed in our grandchildren’s lifetimes,” Larrington says. “And it’s important that in The Seeress’s Prophecy, the world will be born again fresh and new, and Baldr the slain god will return.

“In Ragnarök, the world ends in ice and fire, while here it will be fire and flood. Humans are terrified and don’t know what to do, while the Einherjar (the dead of Valhalla) can’t prevail. That’s where we are, running about in the face of disaster, not knowing what to do.

“The gods know it’s all too late and the forces they have built up can only make a brave show. Maybe for us, it’s not too late, and Surtr – the leader of the fire giants – with his flaming sword that splits the heavens won’t come for us. But like Odin, I fear that Ragnarök can be delayed, but it will come.”

My days as a helpful meat shield are over, thanks to the Killer Klown game

God of War Ragnarok Collector's Edition: what's in the box?

catherine.bussell@futurenet.com (Cat Bussell) — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 13:26:06 +0000

The God of War Ragnarok Collector's Edition looks luxurious, especially the Mjolnir replica you can put on your desk. However, what exactly can we expect from the box set, and how much will it set you back? If you're planning to splash out on the collector's edition, we'll let you know exactly what you'll get for your hard-earned cash.

God of War Ragnarok is imminent. Due to release on November 9, the series' latest installment is set to conclude the Norse saga and round out the current arc of Kratos' adventures.

In God of War Ragnarok, Thor looks to be your main enemy, at least the credit scene at the end of the last game set him up in that way. Though the newer trailers have given significant air time to Freya, your ally turned enemy in God of War.

I'm howling like a wolf in anticipation of the PS5 sequel. Like me, you may find yourself among those who want to celebrate God of War Ragnarok by getting your hands on as much glorious merch as possible. Fortunately, the Collector's Edition will allow you to do exactly that. Read on for a complete guide to pricing and what to expect in terms of both online and physical goodies.

God of War Ragnarok collector's edition: all the details you need

God of War Ragnarok collector's edition: what's on offer

(Image credit: Sony)

God of War Ragnarok's special editions comes in three flavors. In addition to the normal version, players can buy the Deluxe Digital Edition, as well as the Collector's Edition and the Jotnar Edition. Special editions can be found at retailers across the internet and on the Official PlayStation Store.

Digital Deluxe Edition

(Image credit: Sony)

The PS5-only Digital Deluxe Edition comes with an assortment of extra digital content. It's available in the US, UK, and Australia for $79.99/ £80/ AU$139.95. Here's what you can get in that edition:

Access to the game on both PS4 and PS5
Darkdale Armor for Kratos
A Darkdale Attire cosmetic for Atreus
Darkdale Blades Handles for the Blades of Chaos
Darkdale Axe Grip for the Leviathan Axe
The God of War Ragnarok Digital Soundtrack
A Dark Horse Digital Mini Artbook
PlayStation Avatar Set
A God of War Ragnarok PlayStation Theme

Collector's Edition

(Image credit: Sony)

The Collector's Edition is available in the US and UK for $199.99 /£179.99. Here's everything you'll get for your trouble:

Access to the game on both PS4 and PS5
A steelbook display case
A pair of two inch Vanir Twins Carvings in the same style as the carvings from the God of War (2018) collector's edition
A set of Dwarven Dice
A 16-inch Mjolnir Replica
A Knowledge Keeper's Shrine to store all your goodies
Everything in the digital deluxe edition

Jotnar Edition

(Image credit: Sony)

The largest and most extravagant edition available to folks in the US and the UK. This glorious collection of God of War memorabilia will set you back $260/ £229.99. Here's what you'll get:

Access to the game on both PS4 and PS5
A seven-inch vinyl record with music by the game's composer, Bear McCreary
The Falcon, Bear, and Wolf pin sets.
The Legendary Draupnir Ring
Brok's Dice Set
16-inch Mjolnir Replica
A cloth map of Yggdrasil
The Knowledge Keeper's Shrine
All of the digital goodies available in the deluxe digital edition

Now you know exactly what to expect from all the different God of War Ragnarok special editions on offer. Though expensive, can I really say no to a literal Mjolnir?

Want to get the most out of your PS5? Here's out list of the best PS5 games.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller preorders are now open

james.pickard@futurenet.com (James Pickard) — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 08:54:39 +0000

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller preorders are now officially open and you'll find all the retailers offering this limited edition accessory just below. We've seen significant interest in this new PS5 controller since it was announced and many retailers have sold out their initial allocation. If it's available again, we think you'll need to move fast in order to guarantee you get one for the November 9 release date.

The God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller functions identically to the standard PS5 DualSense Controller but sports a chilly blue and white design to match the icy color palette of the upcoming sequel. It also features a bear and wolf insignia emblazoned on the touchpad to represent the game's protagonists Kratos and Atreus.

The retailers that have the God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller listed for pre-order are just below. It's selling out fast, though. We update this list as soon as we find the accessory available to buy so check in regularly for the latest availability in your region.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 controller (US)

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: $74.99 at PlayStation Direct (US)
The PlayStation Direct store in the US still has preorders open for the new controller. It will set you back $74.99.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: $74.99 at GameStop
GameStop has the God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller available to pre-order once again after it sold out briefly. It's unclear how long it will last again, so best not to wait around if you want to secure yours from this retailer. Free shipping is included, too.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: coming soon at Best Buy
Best Buy has now listed the limited edition PS5 DualSense Controller on its store but it's currently unavailable to buy. Availability at other stores has been extremely limited so we don't expect it to be in stock for very long when the buy button activiates

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: ~~$74.99 at Amazon~~
Out of stock - Amazon had the God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller available to buy for little more than half an hour before it sold out. Still, it's worth keeping an eye on this page over the next few weeks as there's a chance more could be made available as we approach the release date.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: ~~$74 at Walmart~~
Out of stock - The limited edition PS5 DualSense Controller has now sold out at Walmart. Considering that over 1000 were sold already in a matter of minutes it's surprise that stock has completely dried up for now.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: ~~$74.99 at Target~~
Out of stock - Target was one of the first US retailers to open preorders and it appears to have sold out within minutes. We'll keep this link here though in case you want to check for any restocks throughout the day.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 controller (UK)

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: £64.99 at Game
Game was the first UK retailer to open up preorders for the limited edition God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller. It sold out briefly but is available again right now. You might want to move fast if you want to secure a copy of the accessory now. The good news is more retailers are expected to have the controller soon.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: check availability at Amazon UK
We haven't seen the God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller listed at Amazon UK just yet, but you can follow the link above to check if preorders are open. The mega-retailer is usually slower than most to get new products live but we expect it will be available soon and there's a good chance it will sell out fast.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: coming soon at PlayStation Direct (UK)
The official PlayStation Direct store has now listed the God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller. Preorders are not open yet but a message reads that they will be coming soon. You can only buy one per household here. Remember, too, that PS Plus subscribers get free shipping from PS Direct.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 controller (CA)

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: ~~$94.99 at Amazon CA~~
Out of stock - The God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller has sold out at Amazon Canada. You can check in regularly over the next few weeks in case the get the option to add it to your basket comes back.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: ~~$94.99 at Best Buy CA~~
Out of stock - The God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller has sold out at Best Buy Canada, too. Free shipping is also available when buying through this retailer.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: $94.99 at GameStop Canada
Out of stock - GameStop Canada opened God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller preorders recently but has now sold out - even after it limited purchases to one per customer.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 controller (AU)

God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller: AU$119 at JB Hi-Fi
After it sold out at Amazon AU, we spotted the God of War PS5 controller at JB Hi-Fi. This is the only place to buy it right now in the region, just know that there's a AU$5.99 delivery charge on top of this price, too.

God of War Ragnarok PS5 Controller: key info

As we've explained up top, the God of War Ragnarok PS5 DualSense Controller is essentially the same as any other PS5 gamepad you can buy, but it features a unique design. So, in terms of features, it's wireless, offers haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and an in-built microphone.

It's the first time Sony has released an official accessory to support the release of a PlayStation 5 game. Given God of War Ragnarok is set to be the console's biggest exclusive this year - and is a strong contender to feature on our list of the best PS5 games – it's no surprise they've gone the extra mile this time.

These unique extras are not unusual, though. Major releases back in the PS4 era were usually supported with a raft of special accessories and even limited edition consoles. The Last of Us Part II is one that springs to mind, as that launched with a custom PS4 console and DualShock controller that featured a leaf design representing Ellie.

As the hunt for a PS5 restock is still an ongoing quest for many, it makes sense that Sony has skipped a new console design this time. Still, the situation is improving and perhaps further in the future, we could see some unique designs and PS5 bundle deals.

God of War Ragnarok PC: will the game come to Steam?

catbussell@gmail.com (Cat Bussell) — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 13:31:29 +0000

Is a God of War Ragnarok PC release on the horizon? Though the series has long been a real feather in the PlayStation's cap, fans are certainly curious as to whether or not Kratos will be making the leap to PC.

God of War Ragnarok is hotly anticipated and with good reason. God of War (2018) was a serious step up for the series, introducing a poignant and moving narrative to the series' melange. In light of this, fans are keen to see where Santa Monica Studio takes the iconic, third-person action series next.

Plus, what with God of War Ragnarok abilities having been revealed, we can't wait to get stuck into some robust and weighty combat when the game releases on PS5 and PS4 on November 9. Combat in the God of War games has always been exceptional, pulse-pounding stuff, and we expect Ragnarok to be no different.

However, this has got fans asking if God of War Ragnarok's nine realms will come to PC. Fortunately for you, we've combed the internet for every available morsel of information on this pressing question. Read on to find out more about the possibility of a God of War Ragnarok PC release.

God of War Ragnarok PC, will there be a release?

God of War Ragnarok PC: will there be a release?

(Image credit: Sony)

We have good news and bad news. The bad news is that a PC release has yet to be formally announced for God of War Ragnarok. However, while we have no official announcements as of yet, there is certainly hope for a God of War Ragnarok PC release in the future.

Though there is by no means a guarantee of a PC release on the horizon, it's clear that the God of War PC version which landed on Steam in January 2022 was a smashing success. Looking at sources like SteamCharts, it's clear that God of War (2018) has been doing very well for itself on Steam in terms of sales and concurrent players. It's fair to say, therefore, that it may well be a prudent move for Sony to bring Ragnarok to the PC in the future as it did for its predecessor.

(Image credit: Sony)

It's also clear that Sony is making big bucks with PC games. Proceeds from Horizon: Zero Dawn, God of War, and Days Gone have led the company to predict that they stand to make "quadruple" profits from PC games compared to 2021. We all know that money talks, and it's clear that record profits on PC may well do a great deal to motivate Sony to bring Ragnarok to PC. According to Sony's 2020 corporate report (via PCGamer), the company said: "We will explore expanding our first party titles to the PC platform, in order to promote further growth in our profitability". That's why it's possible that the company may continue to pivot in that direction.

That said, it's worth emphasizing that nothing official has been confirmed and that this is, at this stage, speculation. Still, it's clear that the prospect of God of War Ragnarok coming to PC isn't entirely hopeless. In the meantime, we'll be sure to update you should Sony release any official announcements.

Looking for great PC games? Check out our list of the very best games on PC.

God of War Ragnarok Thor guide: who is the god of thunder?

catbussell@gmail.com (Cat Bussell) — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 11:41:26 +0000

In God of War Ragnarok, Thor is making his first appearance in the franchise. The game's story trailer teases him and Kratos in what promises to be a massive standoff. However, this has left a lot of us wondering exactly what kind of Thor we should expect.

God of War Ragnarok certainly looks promising. Judging from the trailer, it looks like the stakes of Kratos' violent adventures have never been higher. Kratos' impending fight across God of War Ragnarok's nine Norse realms looks like it'll be grueling, to say the least. It's already been confirmed that the latest title will conclude the Norse saga and round out the current chapter of the series.

Set to release November 9 on PS5 and PS4, it's clear that God of War Ragnarok will heavily feature Thor. The god of thunder and strength was heavily referenced during the previous game, so his menacing appearance in the recent God of War Ragnarok trailer has certainly been anticipated.

To help you prepare for the next leg of Kratos' journey, we've plumbed the depths of the previous title and spoken to experts on Norse mythology to find out exactly what we can expect from Thor in the upcoming game.

God of War Ragnarok Thor: your complete guide

God of War Ragnarok Thor: appearance and personality

(Image credit: Sony)

Judging purely by aesthetics, Santa Monica Studio has certainly distanced itself from the more sanitized version of Thor we've seen in the Marvel movies. This Thor is robust, uncompromising, and more in line with the traditional portrayals of the god.

According to Norse scholar Katie Wakelin, Thor is depicted as a "large, powerful man", a "straightforward warrior type" with a "red beard". They go on to say that in Thrym's Poem, Thor is "described as having eaten a whole ox, eight salmon" and "three chinks of mead, so it's safe to assume that he's a chonky boy."

In addition to his vivacious and gregarious nature, he is also "brash, blunt and easily deceived". Often "manipulated" by others, Thor is also known for his rages – something which Kratos will inevitably have to deal with in short order – as we saw in the previous God of War's true ending.

God of War Ragnarok Thor: role in the previous game

(Image credit: Sony)

In God of War (2018), Thor casts a long shadow over the campaign despite only appearing in the game's true ending. By the time of God of War Ragnarok, you've already done plenty to draw the thunder god's wrath, having killed his son Magni and disgraced his other son, Modi before Atreus kills him later in the story.

We also learn that God of War's Thor fought the World Serpent, Jörmungandr, during his battle with the Giants. However, the epic battle ended in stalemate, creating a longstanding rivalry between the two beings.

In the true ending, we see Kratos have a prophetic dream where he foresees the arrival of Thor. In the dream, the thunder god attacks him and his son as an act of vengeance for the deaths of his sons.

God of War Ragnarok Thor: role in Norse myth

(Image credit: Sony)

In the eponymous Ragnarok, the Thor of myth fights Jörmungandr once more. Defeating the beast, he then takes nine steps before perishing due to the worm's venom. Since it is the emergence of Jörmungandr that helps cause Ragnarok in the first place, we can likely expect the great worm to turn up in one form or another.

Since Jörmungandr is a child of Loki in the myths and Atreus is known as Loki amongst the Giants, it's likely that there's some connection between Kratos's son and the great worm, too. However, we shall have to wait and see as to what form that'll take if that's the direction that Santa Monica Studio has chosen.

That's everything we know about Thor, both from the God of War series and from the Norse mythology that inspired it. Though there's a lot of speculation here, one thing's for certain: we can't wait to see what's in store for us come November 9.

Special thanks to Katie Wakelin MA (Cantab), our expert in all things Norse.

Looking for more PlayStation goodness? Here's out guide to the very best PS5 games.

God of War Ragnarok trailer teases Fenrir may be your wolf companion

Rhys Wood — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 22:40:42 +0000

If you've been hungry for more God of War Ragnarok news, then the latest State of Play presentation likely sated your appetite.

Ever since the sequel teaser at the end of 2018's God of War, we've been itching to play God of War Ragnarok. It's easily one of our most anticipated games for the PS5. With only a couple of months to go until release on November 9, Sony has dropped a new story trailer.

While the action-packed trailer showed off growing tension between Kratos and his son Atreus, we also got a better glimpse at Fenrir, who looks to be a companion of the godly pair. A trailer released back in July suggested they'd be fighting the mega wolf, but this new trailer teases a different relationship.

When we first saw the CG trailer, our editor Jules thought developer Sony Santa Monica might have been playing with the Norse myths Ragnarok draws from. In those stories, Fenrir is Loki's child and should be Atreus's friend, but the video suggested the wolf would be an enemy. This new trailer lines up much more closely with the legends.

Play with absolute power

Revealed alongside the new God of War Ragnarok story trailer was a limited edition DualSense wireless controller. Emblazoned with the visage of two wolves, the controller sports a lovely blue tint on either side.

The God of War Ragnarok limited edition DualSense launches alongside the game on November 9. It's a bit of a shame that the DualSense Edge isn't launching until presumably next year, as I'd love to have seen what Sony's premium PS5 pad would look like with such a striking aesthetic.

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New God of War Ragnarok abilities revealed, including incinerating blades

callum.bains@futurenet.com (Callum Bains) — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:00:59 +0000

God of War: Ragnarok will hand Kratos a bunch of new abilities to play with, including a couple of elemental super-moves and a selection of shields.

With God of War: Ragnarok only a couple of months from release, its developers have started filling us in on what we can expect from Kratos and Atreus' next adventure. Speaking to Game Informer, lead combat designers Mihir Sheth and Denny Yeh said the dynamic duo has a few new toys to play with, filling in the gaps of the first God of War.

“In the last game, if you pressed triangle, you recalled the axe,” said Sheth. “But if you already had the axe, nothing happened. If you had the Blades of Chaos and you pressed triangle, you just went back to the axe. We looked at that concept and wondered, ‘What if you could do something a little bit different with that button – a whole new suite of moves.’”

You’ll have a couple of new elemental powers at your disposal, as Kratos infuses his Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos with ice and fire. In Ragnarok, pressing triangle will let you unleash a Weapon Signature Move, including the enemy-freezing Frost Awaken, and incinerating Whiplash abilities.

Protect yourself

(Image credit: Sony)

You’ll also have several shields to choose from. While 2018’s God of War stuck Kratos with a single retractable shield, Ragnarok will let you pick between several bucklers to suit your playstyle.

The Dauntless Shield caters to fast parrying. If you successfully time a block, it will glow red, letting you unleash a powerful stun attack that throws neighboring enemies backward. You won’t be able to rely on it, though, as it will become unstable after absorbing successive hits.

The Stonewall Shield, meanwhile, can’t be used for parrying at all and suits tankier fighters. It can soak up kinetic energy by absorbing enemy hits and, once fully charged, can be used to perform a ground attack that knocks enemies off their feet. Other shields will also be included, although the devs are keeping tight-lipped as to what they’ll look like.

Elsewhere in the interview, the designers mention that the game will test your mastery of its combat. Some areas will be repopulated with tougher enemies as you progress, and fans of the first game's Realm Tears can expect a similar level of challenge from optional side content.

God of War: Ragnarok is set to release on November 9 for PS5 and PS4. We expect to hear more about Kratos’s new god-butchering abilities closer to launch.

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God of War Ragnarok's nine Norse realms revealed

callum.bains@futurenet.com (Callum Bains) — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 16:00:40 +0000

The first story details of God of War Ragnarok have been inadvertently revealed, confirming the game will feature all nine realms of Norse Mythology.

The PlayStation Store description of God of War Ragnarok was recently updated, giving us our best look yet at the upcoming sequel’s plot. While brief, it goes beyond the even briefer announcement trailer that was recently released (thanks, The Gamer).

“Fimbulwinter is well underway,” the description reads. “Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world.

“Along the way they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarok grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms.”

Elsewhere, the description suggests Ragnarok will pick up the main narrative thread left handing in the first. We’ll be helping Atreus as he “seeks knowledge to help him understand the prophecy of ‘Loki’ and establish his role in Ragnarok”.

Sounds like there’ll also be plenty of father-son bonding time, too, as “Kratos must decide whether he will be chained by the fear of repeating his mistakes or break free of his past to be the father Atreus needs”.

New horizons

(Image credit: Sony)

It sounds like Ragnarok is taking things up a notch. God of War only includes six of the nine Norse realms, and a handful of those are minor challenge areas rather than fully explorable worlds.

Midgard, the mortal realm, serves as the game’s main explorable region. Alfheim, the home of the light and dark elves, is the second zone you enter. Muspelheim, the realm of fire, contains a series of arena challenges; while Niflheim includes the Mist Echoes labyrinth. You also promptly escape from Helheim, the Norse afterlife for those who die dishonorably; and visit Jotunheim in the game’s final moments.

It looks like God of War Ragnarok will complete the set. The final three realms are Asgard, Vanaheim, and Svartalfheim. Chief among those is Asgard – the home of the Aesir gods and the seat of power in Norse mythology. In many ways, it's the largest and central realm of them all, where the most well-known Aesir gods live.

It’s divided into several regions of its own. Valhalla is ruled over by Odin, so we could end up entering the golden hall. Bilskírnir, meanwhile, serves as the seat of Thor, who’s already confirmed to be appearing in the game.

Vanaheim is also important. It’s the homeland of the Vanir gods, a sorcerous pack of deities who were once at war with the Aesir. Freya – who’s set up to be Ragnarok’s chief antagonist – belongs to them. According to God of War’s lore, she was cursed by Odin to prevent her from leaving Midgard, but we might spend a fair bit of time in Vanaheim given its importance in the Aesir-Vanir conflict.

Finally, Svartalfheim is the homeland of the dwarves. Although it received little mention in the first game, Brok and Sindri – the two dwarven blacksmiths who help you – are returning in this next installment. Maybe they’ll let us in.

There are still a lot of questions, including how much of these realms we’ll see. It’s likely we’ll get to explore a new area of Midgard, and maybe even return to Kratos’ woodland home. Here’s hoping we can delve into Muspelheim and Niflheim more than the first game allowed.

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God of War Ragnarok release date revealed in achingly short new trailer

Julian.benson@futurenet.com (Julian Benson) — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 14:29:33 +0000

While we’ve known God of War Ragnarok was coming since the post-credit scene at the end of 2018’s God of War, Sony has been umming and ahhing about the release date for years.

No longer, though, as the publisher has finally announced when we’ll be able to get our frostbitten fingers on the Norse saga sequel.

In a somewhat muted announcement, opting not to share the news as part of a State of Play broadcast, developer Sony Santa Monica tweeted out an image revealing God of War Ragnarok’s release date is November 9, 2022.

There was a brief new trailer paired with the news, which you can watch below.

The new trailer doesn’t reveal much that we’ve not seen before. Kratos and his son Atreus are returning to battle the gods and monsters of Norse mythology, this time going toe to toe with the human electrical outlet, Thor.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, the scenes on show in the trailer look very similar to what we played through in the previous games. Kratos and Atreus duke it out with undead Draugr, cutting them down with axe and arrow. Though, we do get a glimpse of what is sure to be a big boss battle in Ragnarok, the giant wolf Fenrir.

It will be fascinating to see how Sony Santa Monica works Fenrir into God of War Ragnarok, the giant wolf is a child of Loki. Which, spoilers, if you’ve not played through God of War (2018), is Atreus. Perhaps in this version of the myth the wolf will have a new genesis – or maybe we’ll see Atreus birth a pup. Though that feels like it would be a brave move on Sony’s part.

While Sony didn’t reveal much more about God of War Ragnarok, besides its release date, it did speak more about the two collector’s editions that will be available to pre-order on July 15.

If you pre-order God of War Ragnarok then your copy of the game will come with two items: Kratos Risen Snow Armor and the Atreus Risen Snow Tunic, the latter of which is a cosmetic item.

The digital deluxe edition comes with:

Full God of War Ragnarök game on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles.
Kratos Darkdale Armor
Atreus Darkdale Attire (cosmetic)
Darkdale Blades Handles for the Blades of Chaos
Darkdale Axe Grip for the Leviathan Axe
Official God of War Ragnarök Digital Soundtrack
Dark Horse Digital Mini Artbook
Avatar Set
PlayStation 4 Theme

Then there’s the God of War Collector’s Edition, which comes in a large box, modelled after the Knowledge Keeper’s Shrine. As well as all the digital extras that come in the deluxe edition, it also comes with:

Printed voucher code for the full God of War Ragnarök game on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles.
A Steelbook Display Case (no game disc included) – The God of War Ragnarök Steelbook Display Case depicts renditions of the Bear and the Wolf.
2” Vanir Twins Carvings – In the same style as Atreus’ wooden toy carvings of the Huldra Brothers from the God of War (2018) Collector’s Edition, the God of War Ragnarök Collector’s Edition completes the set with carvings of the Vanir Twins.
Dwarven Dice Set – This set comes with a set of dice with a quality wood-like finish in a dice bag with a symbol of Yggdrasil on the outside.
16” Mjölnir Replica – A highly detailed replica of Thor’s signature weapon from God of War Ragnarök.

And then, finally, there’s the God of War Ragnarok Jotnar Edition. This set comes with all of the digital offerings of the Deluxe Edition, with these added physical extras:

Printed voucher code for the full God of War Ragnarök game on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles.
7-Inch Vinyl Record with music by Bear McCreary – This includes two tracks from composer Bear McCreary.
The Falcon, Bear, and Wolf Pin Set – Representing Faye, Kratos, and Atreus respectively, this pin set symbolizes our heroes’ family.
The Legendary Draupnir Ring – A ring from Norse Mythology, the Legendary Draupnir Ring comes in a red cloth bag.
Brok’s Dice Set – This dice set comes with a metallic silver finish with blue detailing. The dice bag features the Huldra Brothers’ brand.
Yggdrasil Cloth Map – This cloth map shows each of the Nine Realms within the branches and roots of Yggdrasil.
A Steelbook Display Case (no game disc included)
2” Vanir Twins Carvings
16” Mjölnir Replica

You can see the whole thing being unpacked in this video below.

After so long waiting, it’s excellent to have confirmation that God of War Ragnarok will indeed be coming out in 2022, meaning we will be having a major first-party release on Playstation this year.

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God of War Ragnarok rumors are getting out of hand – here's what's really going on

shabana.arif@futurenet.com (Shabana Arif) — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 14:11:11 +0000

God of War Ragnarok's release date was reportedly going to be revealed today. But there's been a change in plans.

That's according to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier who says a God of War Ragnarok update was on the cards for today. According to a tweet he put out earlier today, "as of very recently, there was indeed a release date announcement planned for Thursday, June 30."

This is according to sources that are allegedly familiar with the situation. But the game's director, Cory Barlog, has said otherwise on Twitter. Something Schreier acknowledges in his tweet.

dear all,if it were up to me I would share all the information when I know about it. but it is not up to me. so please, be patient. I promise things will be shared at the earliest possible moment they can be.we make games for you. we get to make games because of you. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aw7dje5XxFJune 29, 2022

Is God of War Ragnarok delayed

Barlog has unequivocally confirmed that no, God of War Ragnarok hasn't been delayed. At worst, the release date announcement, which might have been for today, was pushed back. This Twitter exchange between Barlog and a fan sums it up for you.

because its not.June 29, 2022

It's on track for its 2022 release, so for the love of God, just be patient. And stop asking devs about the launch date, is the takeaway from Twitter today. They don't enjoy being harassed.

Sony must have its fingers crossed that God of War Ragnarok will make it out before the end of the year. While we're waiting on big releases for the Xbox Series X, especially after Starfield's delay into 2023, at Sony's last State of Play you really for the sense that the PS5 was treading water.

God of War: Ragnarök is reportedly aiming for a November release

Emma Boyle — Sat, 11 Jun 2022 08:31:29 +0000

A recent report has suggested that God of War: Ragnarök will make its 2022 release window and could be aiming for a November release date.

The report comes from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier who has said, according to three sources familiar with the game’s development, that it’s on track to get a November release. Two of those sources go further to say that an announcement of the release date could come later in June.

According to Schreier, September was previously the internal target for Santa Monica Studio before it shifted to November. Given the game only has a public release window of 2022, this is more of an internal delay that doesn’t require an announcement like the game’s previous shift from 2021 into 2022 did.

As Schreier himself points out, though November is the target “as of this week”, when it comes to game development and internal dates nothing is set in stone. So, even if God of War: Raganarök is aiming for a November release internally right now, that's no guarantee of its eventual final release date.

God of War: Ragnarök is still scheduled to release in 2022. When it does release, it’ll be playable on PS4 and PS5 as a PlayStation exclusive.

Analysis: Speculation is rife

This report comes at a time when there's been quite a bit of chatter and speculation around the God of War: Ragnarök release date.

Only recently, the PlayStation Game Size twitter account reported that the placeholder release date for Ragnarök had moved from September 30 to December 31, suggesting a Q4 release date target of October to December 2022. November would certainly fall into that window.

There were rumors (via GamesRadar) that the game might make an appearance during the Summer Game Fest opening night stream on June 9 but these proved incorrect. The silence around it has led some to wonder if God of War: Ragnarök could be looking at being pushed into 2023, with Gamereactor reporting that “several European sources” had suggested as much.

Schreier addressed this in a post on ResetEra, writing, “It’s hard to definitely prove a negative but Someone Who Would Know Firsthand just told me they haven’t heard anything about a slip to 2023, as did Someone Else Who Might Know Secondhand.”

It feels like the time is ripe, then, for a release date announcement and, according to this Bloomberg report, it looks like we could get one very soon.

God of War PC is so good it could make God of War: Ragnarok on PS5 even better

God of War Ragnarok has more than 60 accessibility options

Rhys Wood — Fri, 20 May 2022 12:15:47 +0000

God of War Ragnarok looks set to continue Sony's commitment to vast accessibility options, as in an unsurprising (yet very welcome) announcement, the gaming giant has confirmed that Kratos's next big adventure will feature well over 60 different accessibility options.

The announcement was made via the official PlayStation Blog, in a post written by Santa Monica Studio's lead UX designer Mila Pavlin. In the post, Pavlin details various accessibility options coming to God of War Ragnarok such as improvements to subtitles and captions, UI element resizing, and a high contrast mode to name just a few.

Additionally, accessibility improvements brought to God of War's PC port such as auto-sprint and an always-on reticle option will return in the PS5 sequel. As a result, God of War Ragnarok is shaping up to be one of Sony's most widely accessible first-party games to date.

(Image credit: Sony / Santa Monica Studio)

The PlayStation blog post isn't too exhaustive, though it does a fine job detailing many of the accessibility options coming to God of War Ragnarok, which is currently scheduled to release sometime this year. More options include visual navigation assistance, audio cues for on-screen prompts and full controller remapping.

Pavlin notes at the end of the blog post that these are just some of the accessibility options that'll be in the final release, stating that details on various combat and puzzle assists, HUD adjustments, camera tuning, and more are to follow.

For all the players?

It's no great shock that God of War Ragnarok is set to feature a robust selection of accessibility options. Back in 2020, The Last of Us 2 was widely lauded for its commitment to accessibility, featuring many of the same options we're now seeing in games like God of War Ragnarok and Horizon Forbidden West.

While Sony isn't the only major player in town when it comes to improving accessibility in its games (Microsoft has made big accessibility strides in games like Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5 and Sea of Thieves), it's arguably the platform that's put the most effort into ensuring as many players as possible get to enjoy its first-party titles.

Perhaps most impressive, however, is the accessibility options' high level of customizability. The high contrast mode, for example, has options for different color palettes, as well as levels of visibility. Similarly, UI elements like subtitles and icons can be altered in terms of color, size, and visibility.

As gaming continues to become more mainstream year on year, the need for increased accessibility options will only continue to grow. We have little doubt that Sony and its first-party studios will continue to set an example in this regard, but here's hoping more and more publishers latch on to the practice as the current generation continues.

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God of War: Ragnarök dev promises ‘something cool is coming’

Emma Boyle — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 16:21:18 +0000

Santa Monica Studios’ Cory Barlog has addressed the relative quiet around the upcoming God of War: Ragnarök, promising that “something cool is coming”.

In a video celebrating four years since the release of 2018’s God of War, for which Barlog was Director, Barlog says that the team at Santa Monica Studios is "incredibly thankful to the fans and the community for all the love and support we've received” since the release of God of War.

“Without that support,” he continues, “we would not be able to continue making games. It is your support that allows us to keep doing the things that we love to do."

4 years ago, God of War (2018) released! We’re grateful to all of you who joined Kratos and Atreus on their journey, and we’re so proud of the team who worked to bring it to life. While we’re not ready to share an update about what comes next, here’s a quick message from Cory! pic.twitter.com/Z5PHpKQppYApril 20, 2022

Barlog then goes on to address “the elephant in the room”: God of War’s in-development sequel, God of War Ragnarök.

“We haven't said a lot about this,” Barlog explains. “That's because everybody is heads-down, hard at work. We are perfectionists. Everyone's tightening up the graphics on level three, there is so much going on right now that I just wish that we could share with you, but it's just not ready to be shown."

Giving a little bit of hope, however, Barlog adds that "the moment, the very second, that we have something that we're ready to share, we're going to share it, because we don't want to hold any of this back. So please hold tight, know that something cool is coming, and that we—everybody here at Santa Monica—is so incredibly thankful for all the support you've given us."

God of War: Ragnarök is still scheduled to release in 2022, though it doesn’t have an exact release date just yet. When it does release, it’ll be playable on PS4 and PS5 as a PlayStation exclusive.

Analysis: When are we likely to hear more?

It’s been a little while since we’ve heard anything official around God of War: Ragnarök and the lack of updates has had some fans concerned that this could signal an impending delay announcement. The game was, after all, previously delayed into 2022 from its initial 2021 release window.

Sony did, however, reiterate that the game is on track for its 2022 release window back in January, something which has been repeated on Twitter by Santa Monica Studios’ social and community manager and by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier.

As for when we might see and hear more about the game, that remains unclear. Once, we might have said it’s best to wait for E3 for any big updates but E3 2022 has been completely canceled. Besides that, PlayStation hasn’t been at all reliant on the show for the past few years, having opted out of the show since E3 2019.

A dedicated State of Play is certainly the most likely path that Sony and Santa Monica Studios will take but as to when it will be broadcast, we can’t be sure. If the game is still on track for its 2022 release, we imagine we should expect something within the next few months.

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