Review Discussions are interview-style discussions hoping to discuss specific aspects of the game in question that may or may not be included in the written review. In some cases, the discussion will be the only critical conversation we put out for a game, in others it may complement a review.
**As stated at the beginning, there are some audio issues with this video, and we do apologize. Also, there will be spoilers later on in the conversation.
Review Discussions are interview-style discussions hoping to discuss specific aspects of the game in question that may or may not be included in the written review. In some cases, the discussion will be the only critical conversation we put out for a game, in others it may complement a review.
God of War Ragnarök is the highly anticipated sequel to critically acclaimed God of War (2018) and the legacy of Sony Santa Monica is on full display. Alex sits down with Kinda Funny’s own Barrett Courtney to discuss the pros, cons, and eventually spoilers of Ragnarök’s biggest and best moments.
Timestamps:
02:19 – Intro
35:15 – Mild or early game spoiler discussions
54:40 – Full Spoilers ahead
Alex’s Thoughts:
It’s a big bummer that our discussion got plagued by audio issues, but I do think most of what I wanted to say I get across. Mostly. One thing we didn’t cover too much was combat, which I really loved in this game. There is a specific ability in both weapons’ skill trees for Kratos, one that lets you burn a combo-like meter to power up the elements of you weapons. It’s kind of a non-obvious, certainly optional skill that I just loved using, and as I got deeper into the game, I found a full armor set that specifically leaned into using that skill.
Much of the customization and depth of the combat felt like that; like I had options and if I really liked a specific skillset, I could completely build myself around it, with different shields, different runic attacks all contributing to a streamlined depth for what was laid out before. I found everything so much easier to understand and build around, just a really rich freedom.
This was the carrot on top for a story that really justified me coming around on God of War as a whole, which is a feat let me tell you. I know since we recorded our conversation there has been a lot of dialogue around Ragnarök being chatty, and too slow, but I think it really doesn’t step too far away from God of War 2018. There is a clear intention for the slow burn and slow approach, playing Ragnarök is like watching two full seasons of an HBO show. It needs to be slow sometimes and it absolutely electrifies the moments that speed things up. It may not work for everyone, but the nuance Ragnarök brought to the structure worked for me completely.
Follow Barrett on Twitter – https://twitter.com/sadboybarrett
Follow Alex on Twitter – http://twitter.com/alfighter27
Played by the reviewer predominantly in performance mode on a PlayStation 5 Digital Console with a copy purchased by the reviewer.
