God of War: Ragnarök

Sony Interactive Entertainment aka PlayStation Publishing LLC is bringing its next PlayStation heavyweight to PC, God of War: Ragnarök, almost two years after its release on console. This will allow PC gamers to experience the conclusion of the story of the hugely successful game, which sold over 15 million copies in one year on PlayStation 4 and 5.

Kratos and Atreus return to the far north to try to avert the end of the world after an eternal winter. God of War Ragnarök, the sequel to the 2018 PlayStation blockbuster that was released on PC in early 2022, seamlessly picks up where its predecessor left off, pitting the two protagonists not against Baldr, but against Thor and Odin, who were omnipresent in the first game as the mysterious string-pullers but were never seen. Major supporting characters such as Freya and the severed head of Mimir are also back in the story, once again with cinematic no-cut camera work. In terms of gameplay, Ragnarök also ties in directly with God of War, promising new abilities for Kratos' usual equipment. This is not a bad thing, as God of War's combat system left little to be desired, and the feedback from Kratos' axe and blades is still unparalleled.

"The sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018), God of War Ragnarök picks up with Fimbulwinter well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Odin’s forces in Asgard 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. As the threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer, Kratos and Atreus must choose between the safety of their family and the safety of the realms" - Sony Interactive Entertainment

The God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla DLC, which was added later (for free), is also included. It is an epilogue to Ragnarök, as Kratos enters Valhalla in this roguelite game mode, where players face increasingly difficult combat challenges, initially with rudimentary equipment and skills that can be improved from try to try - some of the improvements gained from combat and challenges are limited to the current round, while others are considered permanent upgrades, making Kratos stronger each time. In Valhalla, players will fight their way through each room with Kratos, most of which are filled with familiar enemies from the main game. Death, however, is part of the game. Players can also earn additional bonuses by completing special tasks or by starting the next round with a certain shield and a marked Spartan rage.

Once again, Jetpack Interactive, which provided engineering services to Santa Monica Studio, was involved in the PC version - the same team that worked on the port of the first God of War. The PC game features unlocked framerates, "true" 4K resolution, ultra-widescreen (21:9) and super-ultra-widescreen (32:9) support, and improved visuals with improved reflections, lighting, shadows, and geometric detail. The most important upscaling technologies are also supported, including Nvidia RTX Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) 3.7, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) 3.1, and Intel XeSS (Xe Super Sampling) 1.2. Nvidia Reflex is also available to reduce input latency. The game supports Dualshock 4 and Dualsense wireless controllers, a range of other gamepads and fully customisable mouse and keyboard bindings.

God of War: Ragnarök will be released digitally on Steam and the Epic Games Store on 19 September 2024 for PC. It requires a PlayStation Network account and is subject to the PlayStation Terms of Service and User Agreement. However, Kratos will have to contend with another PC port of a high-profile, previously PlayStation-exclusive title with the PC release of Final Fantasy XVI making its PC debut just two days earlier on 17 September. But God of War is likely to have the edge thanks to the momentum of its well-received first instalment. By the way, the Until Dawn remake for PC and PS5 is coming out in two weeks.

Conclusion

God of War: Ragnarök is another PlayStation highlight on PC.

Features

• Epic adventure in familiar quality with cinematic no-cut camera
• Strong and powerful battles in fantastic worlds
• Competently implemented PC version with modern features

Hit potential

AAA