God of War Ragnarok: 10 best beginner tips before you start your journey across the nine realms

After a long wait of almost five years, Kratos and Atreus are back together to face the great challenges offered by God of War Ragnarok. The sheer scale and scope of exploration in this latest iteration of the GOW series are massive. The title will take players across nine different realms associated with Norse mythology, each with its distinct habitat, unique monsters, and boss fights.

Whether you are returning to the series after a long while or wielding the axe for the first time, here are some essential God of War Ragnarok tips and tricks to heed before you get started on your journey.

Note: This article reflects the author's opinion.

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10 God of War Ragnarok tips for newcomers

1) Smash everything for rewards

Leave no chests, barrels, crates, or boxes unopened (Image via YouTube/HarryNinetyFour)

God of War Ragnarok has plenty of barrels and chests lying around, and smashing them can give players a plethora of items ranging from Hacksilver (in-game currency) to health or rage stones. These can be used to boost Kratos and Atreus' strengths.

It’s important for players to make it a habit of smashing up all chests and barrels along their journey, as stocking up on key items can be very handy during long storyline missions.

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2) Leave no corner unexplored

Explore every side path, corner, and room (Image via Santa Monica Studio)

There are separate paths that specifically lead to treasures, artifacts, and other collectible items. Players must explore all parts of the open world to get every Hacksilver and find all the materials that can be used to upgrade gear.

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3) Always carry a resurrection Stone

Keep a Resurrection Stone with you to revive Kratos (Image via Santa Monica Studio)

It should be a rule of thumb to keep a resurrection stone in the bag at all times. These stones can come in handy when the player needs to be revived. The items can be purchased from Brok or Sindri, although it is important to note that players are only allowed to carry one stone at a time.

The Resurrection Stones may not restore the characters to full health, but they can be easily complemented with the Spartan Rage to regain some semblance of full health.

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4) Shop using Hacksilver

Don’t be frugal. Spend as many Hacksilver as possible on upgrades (Image via Santa Monica Studio)

Don't hesitate to spend Hacksilver to buy upgrades and weapons in the early game. God of War Ragnarok introduces a varying degree of accessories, armories, buffs, and weapon upgrades that players must keep experimenting with. Hacksilver is easy to find in the open world, and there is absolutely no benefit in saving the currency for the end game.

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5) Do not hesitate to spend XP on new skills

Use your XP points to keep upgrading on skills as well (Image via Santa Monica Studio)

God of War Ragnarok has a dedicated skill tree for both Kratos and Atreus. Players can invest their earned experience points by allocating them between Kratos and Atreus’ skill trees. Like Hacksilvers, there is no point sitting on the hard-earned XP points. Gamers should rather use them to learn as many skills as possible.

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6) Use the environment to deal damage

Combine your hack-and-slash skills with the ability to throw objects at enemies in God of War Ragnarok (Image via YouTube/GamesRadar)

God of War Ragnarok's characters can basically use any object to inflict damage on enemies. This is something that makes the latest GOW title extremely fun to play. Kratos, for instance, can uproot giant trees from the ground and swing them at enemies.

Moreover, there are pieces of rocks that can be thrown from higher altitudes, jars that explode when hit, and other environmental elements to take advantage of as well. Needless to say, players will get to use their surroundings to vanquish enemies in many creative ways in God of War Ragnarok.

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7) Keep swapping weapons

Don’t just rely on one weapon (Image via Santa Monica Studio)

Players shouldn't be a one-trick pony for the entire duration of the storyline. Instead, users must keep swapping their weapons, be it their axe or blades, depending on the type of combat and the kind of area one is exploring.

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8) Charge up attacks

Hold up the attack button to charge up elemental damage (Image via YouTube/GamesRadar)

Holding down the attack button for a while before releasing it charges up Kratos and Atreus' elemental damage ability. It can be used to inflict fire, frost, and many other types of elemental damage. Players must practice and learn to use this feature to full effect.

As gamers level up, they will find additional ways to charge up their weapons. When enemies permit time, it is always wise to charge up the elemental ability to deal incredible damage to enemies.

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9) Sell items as often as possible

Sell unwanted items to earn quick money (Image via Santa Monica Studio)

While beginners are encouraged to buy as many weapon upgrades and armor as possible, it is also important to keep some sort of tab on all the collectibles that have been accumulated. Moreover, one should be sure to sell any items, be it armor or weapons, that are no longer required to make some easy in-game money.

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10) Pay close attention to the indicator arrow

Use your Spider-Sense-like abilities to dodge incoming projectiles (Image via YouTube/GamesRadar)

God of War Ragnarok has an arrow that offers players more information about the situation they are in. When the indicator turns yellow, it means that an enemy is nearby. If it is red, then that means a foe is already attacking the gamer's character. Users must memorize what the colors symbolize to be able to deal with any situation.