For those who don’t know, God of War Ragnarok is an upcoming action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the sequel to the 2018 reboot of God of War, and the eighth installment in the series in general. Over the past few months, the hype for the game has risen and many people are eagerly anticipating what’s in store for Kratos and Atreus.
At the core of God of War is an epic story full of battles, intriguing characters, and intense emotion. As such, the narrative experience undoubtedly plays a key role in the game, and was a major part of the discussion during the game’s development—this is why the game’s creative director, Cory Barlog, decided to make it the title screen of the game. When we play God of War, the game simply tells us to “Just Give Me a Story” which perfectly sums up the expectation of the players.
Despite the focus on story and emotion, God of War also features intense combat with gods and monsters alike. This makes it a unique experience, as players take on enemies that are larger than life in a way that shortens the distance between Kratos and the gods he confronts. It also gives players the opportunity to take on these enemies in various ways and on various difficulty levels. As Kratos fights his way through the game, it’s up to the player to choose their difficulty level, ranging from Ready At Dawn (default) to Beast Of War (hard).
Some people may prefer to play on Beast Of War difficulty, believing that this is the only way to truly experience the game. This presents a challenge, but also allows players to really test their skills and even to master parts of the game. On the other hand, some people may prefer to play on the Ready At Dawn difficulty, believing that playing the game on this difficulty allows them to focus on the story without having to worry about becoming overwhelmed by enemy encounters.
Ultimately, what difficulty level you choose is up to you (and may depend on your skills and desired gaming experience). Either way, it’s important to keep in mind that God of War Ragnarok is an experience not just about combat, but a story with battles as the backdrop. By playing on a difficulty level that allows players to focus on the narrative and explore the complexities of the relationships presented to them in the game, they can get the most out of the experience.
