Is it worth playing God of War Ragnarok in 2025?

God of War Ragnarok is a timeless masterpiece that is certainly worth replaying. Santa Monica Studio surprised the gaming community with a soft reboot of the franchise with a different setting, camera angles, and gameplay, featuring a much older and wiser version of the Ghost of Sparta.

The 2018 project was hailed as one of the greatest games of all time, which set the developers on a difficult journey to create a worthy sequel. A few years later, Ragnarok was released on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

That said, although some time has passed since its release, the God of War sequel is still worth replaying this year. This article explores more about the game.

Disclaimer: This article is subjective and solely reflects the author's opinions about the game.

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God of War Ragnarok is a satisfying sequel

The God of War sequel got the job done (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

The Norse Saga granted Kratos a second chance to be a father and use his godlike abilities to help new friends rather than himself. At the beginning of the 2018 game, Kratos was reluctant to interact with other deities of the Norse realms. The God of War would prefer to be alone with his son and in solitude until trouble came knocking.

This then kickstarted an epic road trip adventure with his son, Atreus, as the duo embarked on a quest to fulfill the dying wish of his late wife. The developers essentially took everything from the first game and improved the sequel in every way possible. Traversal methods, combat settings, and enemy variety are a few areas that were improved upon.

The expectations of the gaming community were through the roof. Initially planned for a 2021 release to match the Ragnarok timeframe, Santa Monica Studio ultimately decided to delay the title by a year to accommodate Christopher Judge's (Kratos' voice actor) recovery. It is safe to say that the delay was worth it since Judge gave it his all in his performance.

This entry showcases the bond between the father and son duo, as Atreus tries to live up to his father's expectations while forging his identity as Loki. The parental relationship is one of the highlights of this sequel, which hit home to many players with a complicated upbringing.

Santa Monica Studio took the feedback from the first game and addressed all the issues and shortcomings in Ragnarok. Among the main complaints were the lack of enemy variety and the excessive use of trolls as mini-bosses. The developers cleverly responded with a brief encounter early on that didn't lead to a traditional boss fight and ended with Kratos demolishing the troll swiftly.

This God of War entry has a much more personal and grounded story (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Throughout the story, Kratos becomes a hero amongst the people, as he ends the reign of the Aesir across the Nine Realms. He grows as a father and watches his son embark on a new solo journey.

It is worth noting that this story isn't just about Kratos: Atreus received an ample amount of screen time, solidifying his importance to the story. Like most teenagers his age, he undergoes a journey that makes him realize his responsibilities as a god and as a giant.

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The free Valhalla expansion was a nice treat

The Valhalla expansion was a good excuse to replay God of War Ragnarok (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Santa Monica Studio gave players an early Christmas gift back in 2023 during The Game Awards with a free DLC called Valhalla. This brief chapter takes place by the end of Ragnarok and serves as an epilogue to the Norse Saga. Here, players find themselves in an endless loop fighting hordes of enemies, new and old, ultimately leading to Kratos' full potential.

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Conclusion

God of War Ragnarok had plenty to live up to, especially with the universal praise of the first game. Santa Monica Studio decided to end the Norse Saga with this chapter, which both hurt and benefitted the final product. That said, despite the awkward pacing in some areas, this sequel is still an excellent game that is certainly worth revisiting in 2025.