Opencritic - 93
Metacritic - 94
Reviews are live when this thread is 20 minutes old, thread will be updated as they come in. Tag me if you want yours added to the OP!
Video Games Chronicle - 5/5
It's rare to have such uncomplicated feelings about a game. To finish something and think, "that's one of the best games I've ever played." But with Ragnarok, it felt obvious. Sony Santa Monica's sequel is a high watermark for the medium and certainly surpasses all first-party games to date on PS5
Gamespot - 9/10
And that's what distinguishes God of War Ragnarok from its predecessor, and most other action games. Despite being a story about warring gods and the end of the world, the soul of the game is something far more sentimental. You may have noticed that I've avoided mentioning the names of characters or describing plot beats, and that was intentional. To talk more about anything or anyone would be to rob you of some of the most unexpected things that God of War Ragnarok achieves with its narrative and the themes they explore. The last game's thoughtful approach to exploring fatherhood was unexpected, Ragnarok somehow manages to feel like an even more personal tale about the complicated nature of families and the people that make them up. For every moment of brutality, there is one of genuine and relatable emotion. How they land will vary from person to person, but there were multiple that left me with tears welling up. If nothing else, God of War Ragnarok further cements Sony Santa Monica's narrative team as one of the best in the business
IGN - 10/10
An enthralling spectacle to behold and an even more exciting one to take the reins of, God of War Ragnarok melds action and adventure together to create a new, unforgettable Norse saga. Impeccable writing, pitch-perfect performances, knockout action – it's a complete work of art from top to bottom. Reflecting its core themes, it's everything a sequel should be: respectful of its legendary lineage, but not afraid to take it to exciting new places. God of War Ragnarok is an almighty achievement and creates a new high that makes many of its peers look positively mortal by comparison.
MP1st - 10/10
I could spend hours upon hours talking about God of War Ragnarok, but at the end of the day, the only thing that should matter to you is if it's any good — and it is. It's better than good; it's a downright masterpiece. I know that word get's thrown around everywhere, and a lot, but I genuinely mean it. The story is beyond anything I would have imagined, and by the time I finished watching every line of credit roll, I couldn't help but give everyone a standing ovation. Like the first game, God of War Ragnarok will forever be etched in my memory as a timeless experience. A remarkable, unforgettable journey that I'll keep talking about for the years to come, and probably for the rest of my life
Polygon - Unscored
There is nothing life-changing about the way Ragnarök wraps up, but it delivers the same pleasant satisfaction that I get from finishing a Marvel movie that lets me run on autopilot. Even where the game can be frustrating, rote, and uneven, it's also safe and comforting, like a rerun of Cheers where everyone knows your name and you know that you'll never get thrown out of the bar. God of War Ragnarök, as the sum of its many disparate and often conflicting parts and influences, isn't here to reinvent the wheel. But its single-minded desire to emulate all the hallmarks of an epic Hollywood narrative will remain both its biggest weakness and its enduring source of success. And like many, many Hollywood success stories, it shouldn't feel this weird to say that something of this scope and scale is just OK.
Push Square - 10/10
God of War Ragnarok is phenomenal. Even amongst PlayStation Studios' typically stellar output it's a showpiece — a masterfully crafted game that smashes expectations at almost every turn. The sheer, often ridiculous scope of Ragnarok makes 2018's God of War feel like a prologue — and that's perhaps the highest praise we can bestow upon a sequel.
Eurogamer - Recommended
Above all, though, Ragnarök's dramatic might comes from its unique access to a sense of scale, a sense that was so sorely missed in the previous game and remedied with conviction here at last. You will fight some big, ugly monsters in God of War: Ragnarök, you will climb on their backs, lash at them with your blades, bellow defiance up to them from below. You'll stand silhouetted, jagged, cartoonishly angular in front of them. Finally, deep into this game, you will get a bit of the old Kratos back, a bit of PS2 excess will break free of its self-conscious cage. It takes a long time to get there, but this is a series that's needed to do a little soul-searching, to work through its own awkward teenage phase and wince at its old regrets. Its own heroes prove to be just the tonic.
Eurogamer Benelux - Recommended
"God of War Ragnarok has even more brutal combat, a grand scale and an impressive story, but lacks the magic of its predecessor. Sony ends 2022 with a bang. God of War Ragnarok is great in everything and offers a lot to experience. It tells a strong story with several climactic moments, but also has some slower segment that resemble parts of the previous game too much at times."
Console Creatures - Recommended
Filled with larger-than-life characters, deep combat, and a moving score, Santa Monica Studios delivers one of the most invigorating experiences you'll ever play. God of War Ragnarok is an emotional, endearing, and visceral experience.
Next Gen Base - 10/10
Following up a masterpiece with another masterpiece is a rare thing. But with God of War Ragnarok, Santa Monica Studio have achieved it. An absolute triumph of game design, technical knowhow and storytelling – Ragnarok is here. And it's destroyed everything in its path
Progress Bar - 9/10
Indeed, God of War Ragnarök has a lot in common with Atreus' journey through adolescence. It's grown in size in a relatively short amount of time and is a little awkward as a result. Skills that once came naturally are now a challenge or a chore. Perhaps most importantly: it's trying lots of new things with a brave face, even if it isn't quite ready to move out from under Kratos' shadow just yet.
Insider - Unscored
God of War Ragnarok doesn't reinvent the series, but it's still a must-play for any gamer who likes narrative-focused, action-adventure games. Though there are some pacing issues, Ragnarok's stellar gameplay, heartfelt story, and phenomenal cast of characters will likely make it a top contender for many of 2022's Best Games of the Year lists.
The Verge - Unscored
When I look at this game and compare it to its predecessor, God of War, Ragnarök feels like what God of War was supposed to be. This narrative of a terrible man trying to ensure his son does not repeat his mistakes while on this epic journey is better reflected in Ragnarök than in the first game. There were so many great moments, large and small, that left me breathless, like I had experienced the very best of what video games can be in both narrative and gameplay. When non-gaming people find out what I do for a living, they usually ask me for recommendations if someone wanted to understand the appeal of video games. I don't keep a list; that's too hard a question to answer because video games encompass so much, and what Sonic or Mario or Joel may do for one person will almost certainly not work for another. But despite its design frustrations and perfectly fine, if ho-hum, combat, God of War Ragnarök is now on that list.
Gamekult - 8/10
More dense, richer and above all longer, God of War Ragnarok continues to follow in the footsteps of its elder brother, like Atreus follows in his father's. At a time when the slightest success gives rise to a trilogy, Santa Monica will deliver this diptych all in mastery, not to say in the form of a reflection, which admirably continues the odyssey of 2018 while putting the original in perspective. The advantage of not having an origin story to retrace is that the stakes are set right away, as well as the gameplay bases: we are carried away from the beginning by the dynamism and the liveliness of the action, sometimes breathtakingly beautiful, but also by the fluidity with which combat and exploration follow each other in one single shot... at least to a certain point. Because by wanting to spread out a proposal as classic as ever over a minimum of 30 hours, the game gets stuck in a kind of routine that even the excellent gameplay ideas and the extended bestiary don't always manage to revitalize. Even before debating certain points of the plot, there is a feeling of repetition on the gameplay level that sometimes reduces the impact of its stakes. Blockbuster, it was written.
Gaming Bolt - 10/10
When a game is as good as God of War Ragnarok is though, its issues become much easier to ignore, and that's certainly been my experience. Ragnarok is better than what I was expecting it to be, and I was expecting the world. It's a stellar game that perfectly captures both, the scale and bombast of the older entries in the series, and the heart and grounded nature of God of War (2018). From beginning to end, it's an exciting romp that delivers a steady stream of thrills, whether you're going through its captivating story, engaging with its massively improved combat, or getting lost in the endlessly explorable and wonderfully designed Nine Realms of Norse mythology. It might seen like an iterative upgrade on paper, but it's much more than that- not for the first time, a new God of War game has come along and set a new standard for the medium at large. Anyone with a passing interest in games has to play God of War Ragnarok.
Video Reviews
Easy Allies - 9/10
God of War Ragnarok is a worthy follow up to the 2018 masterpiece. It's easily one of the most epic games of the year, but it's hard to shake the sense of safe familiarity, diminishing that rare, magical feeling that came with its predecessor. Combat is undeniably superior and more polished, but the story can drag on for long stretches of time, while the limited exploration is saved by excellently balanced puzzles, meaningful side activities, and engrossing conversations. Expectations are enormous, and despite some limitations, God of War Ragnarok delivers another precious entry to the tale of the Ghost of Sparta.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18x01iMWtak
Good Vibes Gaming
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQyo99mGCXQ
Kinda Funny Games - 5/5
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm9wRj1Z6X4
GameXplain
View: https://youtu.be/wmnI83stnKU
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