The icy winds of Fimbulwinter have finally arrived on PC shores, bringing with it one of the most anticipated ports in recent memory. god of war ragnarokThe groundbreaking sequel to 2018’s acclaimed God of War has finally made its debut on the platform, promising to push the boundaries of what PC gaming can achieve. But does this port live up to the monumental expectations set by its console predecessor, or is it destined to be tossed into the icy depths of Helheim?
As Kratos‘In the same way the mighty ax cuts through the air, this PC version aims to cut down the competition. With the promise of enhanced visuals, improved performance, and customization options that will make PC gamers’ hearts race faster than a Valkyrie in flight, Ragnarok on PC has established itself as the definitive way to experience this epic story. Yet, as any experienced God-slayer knows, appearances can be deceiving. Join us as we embark on a journey through the Nine Realms to determine if this port is truly worthy of ascending to Asgard, or whether it is doomed to remain trapped in the roots of Yggdrasil.
Father, Son and the End of Days
God of War Ragnarok takes place a few years after the events of the previous game. Fimbulwinter, the great winter that comes first RagnarokHas descended on the nine worlds. kratos and atreusThey, now older and more experienced, find themselves caught up in a conflict that threatens to tear apart the fabric of their world and their relationships.
The story delves deeper into the complex dynamics between Kratos and Atreus, exploring themes of fate, family, and the weight of godliness. The writing is sharp and emotionally resonant, including moments of lightness to balance out the heavy subject matter. Christopher Judge’s performance as Kratos remains excellent, bringing gravitas and nuance to the reformed God of War.
New characters are introduced, including Thor and OdinWhich are given surprising depth and complexity. The game subverts expectations by presenting these iconic figures in ways that challenge preconceived notions. Thor, in particular, is an extraordinary figure, portrayed as a troubled and conflicted individual rather than a simple villain.
Although the story is engaging, it suffers from pacing issues in the first half. The story takes a while to really get going, with some parts feeling tired or unnecessarily drawn out. This can create a feeling of aimlessness early on, as players may wonder when the real conflict will emerge.
sports perspective Norse mythology is creative and fresh, weaving familiar elements into a unique tapestry that feels both familiar and new. However, some players may find the modern sensibilities applied to these ancient gods to be irritating at times. Attempts to make figures like Odin and Thor more relatable can sometimes feel forced, straining the suspension of disbelief.
Despite these minor setbacks, the story ultimately delivers a satisfying and emotionally impactful conclusion to the Norse saga of Kratos and Atreus. The character development is strong, and by the end, players will likely find themselves deeply invested in the fates of these complex, flawed individuals.
Axes, Blades, and Puzzle Chains
God of War Ragnarok builds on the solid foundation of its predecessor’s gameplay, refining and expanding the combat and exploration systems. The core loop of brutal melee combat, environmental puzzle-solving, and light RPG elements remains intact, but with several notable improvements.
War feels weightier and more impactful than ever. Kratos’s arsenal has been expanded, with new abilities and weapons that add variety to encounters. The Leviathan Ax and Blades of Chaos return, each feeling different and satisfying to use. New moves and combos keep the combat fresh, and adding elemental attacks adds a layer of strategy to the fight.
The game introduces new enemy types and more varied boss encounters, addressing one of the few criticisms of the previous title. These challenges will motivate players to use every tool they have, creating a sense of satisfying progression as Kratos becomes more powerful.
There’s a greater focus on puzzle-solving this time around, including clever environmental puzzles that make use of Kratos’ expanded toolkit. These brain-teasers provide a welcome break from the action and encourage exploration of the beautifully crafted environments.
However, the frequency of puzzles in the early game can sometimes feel excessive. Players may find themselves solving the same puzzles one after another, which can hamper the pace and feel like padding. Thankfully, as the game progresses and the world opens up, this issue becomes less prominent.
The RPG elements have been streamlined with a more intuitive gear system that allows for greater customization of Kratos’ play style. The skill trees for both Kratos and Atreus provide meaningful upgrades that significantly impact gameplay.
Exploration has been expanded with larger, more open areas to explore. Side quests, known as Favors, are more engaging than in the previous game, often providing engaging mini-stories and meaningful rewards. The game encourages returning to previously visited locations with new abilities, adding a light Metroidvania element to the experience.
One area where the gameplay falters is in the sections where players control Atreus. Although these sections offer a change of pace, they can feel underdeveloped compared to Kratos’ gameplay. Atreus’ combat lacks the same weight and impact, which can make these sections feel like a chore rather than an exciting diversion.
Despite these minor problems, the gameplay in God of War Ragnarok is a refined and satisfying experience that builds on its predecessor in meaningful ways. The combat remains a highlight, with each encounter feeling like a terrifying dance of destruction.
Bringing Ragnarok to your rig
The PC port of God of War Ragnarok continues to impress, even by 2024 standards. The game’s scalability across different hardware configurations remains a testament to the quality of the port, allowing players with a wide range of setups to enjoy Kratos’ epic journey.
Our primary test rig for this review consisted of an RTX 4070 Ti, Intel i7-13700K, and 32GB of DDR5 RAM. With this setup, we were able to get a rock-solid 4K experience at 60 fps with most settings maxed out, including high-quality ray tracing. The game’s stunning art direction really shines with these enhancements, bringing the nine realms to life with remarkable detail and atmosphere.
The performance scaling is impressive. By tweaking the settings and resolution, we were able to push framerates above 100 fps at 1440p, providing a silky-smooth experience for those with high refresh rate monitors. The game’s customization shines, making it accessible across a wide spectrum of hardware configurations.
DLSS 3.5 and FSR 3.0 support provide an adequate performance boost without noticeable quality loss. On our test system, enabling DLSS 3.5 with frame generation allowed for a locked 4K 60 fps experience with all settings maxed out and ray tracing enabled, a feat that would be challenging without this technology.
The baseline requires a GTX 1650 (4GB) or RX 570 (4GB), i5-10600K or Ryzen 5 3600, and 16GB of RAM. However, to fully appreciate Ragnarok’s visual splendor, we recommend at least an RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT, paired with a modern six-core CPU and 32GB of RAM.
Some technical problems persist, although they are less prevalent than at launch. Occasional stuttering can still occur during scope changes or in particularly dense areas, especially on systems using conventional HDDs. These bottlenecks are rare on modern SSDs, especially on PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives, which provide nearly instantaneous load times and seamless world traversal.
Mouse and keyboard controls have seen improvements since the release of the first title, with better customization options and a more intuitive default layout. However, the game still feels most natural with a controller, especially one that supports advanced haptic feedback.
The PlayStation Network account requirement remains, which may still be a sticking point for some PC gamers. However, the integration now offers cross-platform benefits, such as shared cloud saves between the PC and PlayStation versions, a welcome addition for those who have multiple platforms.
The twilight light of the gods shines
God of War Ragnarok on PC is a triumph, successfully introducing one of the most acclaimed console exclusives to a new audience. The game builds on the strengths of its predecessor, offering a compelling narrative, satisfying combat, and breathtaking visuals that push the boundaries of what’s possible on the platform.
The story, though initially slow, ultimately gives an emotional and satisfying conclusion to the Norse saga of Kratos and Atreus. The character development is strong, with complex relationships and motivations, keeping players invested throughout the journey.
The gameplay improvements refine and expand on the solid foundation laid by the previous game. Combat feels weighty and impressive with new abilities and enemy types, keeping encounters fresh and exciting. Extended exploration and more engaging side quests provide players with plenty of content to dive into beyond the main story.
The PC port itself is generally excellent, offering a range of graphical options and performance enhancements that allow the game to shine on capable hardware. Although there are some minor technical issues and control quirks, they don’t significantly impact the overall experience.
God of War Ragnarok is not without its flaws. The pace may feel sluggish in the first half of the game, and some players may find the modern sensibilities applied to Norse mythology jarring. The sections where players control Atreus feel underdeveloped compared to Kratos’ gameplay, and the frequency of puzzles in the beginning can disrupt the flow of the game.
Despite these issues, God of War Ragnarok on PC stands as a great achievement. It successfully translates the epic scale and intimate character moments of the console version to a new platform, giving PC players the chance to experience one of the most critically acclaimed games of recent years.
For those who have been waiting to experience Kratos’s latest adventure, or for fans who want to revisit the game with upgraded visuals and performance, God of War Ragnarok on PC is an essential purchase. The Evening of the Gods never felt so good.
Our Rating: 4/5
