89
MONSTER
God of War: Ragnarök is the ninth installment in the God of War series and the sequel to 2018's God of War. Continuing with the Norse mythology theme, the game is set in ancient Norway and feature series protagonists Kratos, the former Greek God of War, and his young son Atreus. The game is expected to kick off the events of Ragnarök, where Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as they prepare for the prophesied battle that will end the world.
Game analysis
Monster Scorecard
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Story and Narrative
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91
A masterclass in emotional storytelling, God of War: Ragnarok balances mythic scale with intimate family drama, earning praise for its complex characters, themes of fate and redemption, and heartfelt moments between Kratos and Atreus—yet struggles with uneven pacing, tonal whiplash, and unresolved threads that occasionally undermine its impact.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY
Story Score
91
Positive Reviews (80-100)
92%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
8%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.
TL;DR
story and narrative
A masterclass in emotional storytelling, God of War: Ragnarok balances mythic scale with intimate family drama, earning praise for its complex characters, themes of fate and redemption, and heartfelt moments between Kratos and Atreus—yet struggles with uneven pacing, tonal whiplash, and unresolved threads that occasionally undermine its impact.
Gameplay Mechanics
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90
God of War: Ragnarok delivers electrifying, refined combat with Kratos’ upgraded arsenal, Atreus’ dynamic role, and inventive mechanics like the Draupnir spear, cementing it as the series’ most thrilling entry—despite minor gripes over balancing, design, and originality.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY
Gameplay Score
90
Positive Reviews (80-100)
93%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
7%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.
TL;DR
gameplay mechanics
God of War: Ragnarok delivers electrifying, refined combat with Kratos’ upgraded arsenal, Atreus’ dynamic role, and inventive mechanics like the Draupnir spear, cementing it as the series’ most thrilling entry—despite minor gripes over balancing, design, and originality.
Graphics and Visual Design
Expand for full analysis
94
God of War: Ragnarok redefines visual storytelling with jaw-dropping, mythic landscapes and a flawless single-camera style that immerses players in Norse epicness. While minor tech hiccups and repetitive zones linger, its artistry—lifelike characters, cinematic vistas, and emotional depth—cements it as a near-perfect, genre-defining masterpiece.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS
Visual Score
94
Positive Reviews (80-100)
95%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
5%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.
TL;DR
graphics and visual design
God of War: Ragnarok redefines visual storytelling with jaw-dropping, mythic landscapes and a flawless single-camera style that immerses players in Norse epicness. While minor tech hiccups and repetitive zones linger, its artistry—lifelike characters, cinematic vistas, and emotional depth—cements it as a near-perfect, genre-defining masterpiece.
Music and Sound Design
Expand for full analysis
89
Critics hailed God of War: Ragnarok’s sound design as a masterpiece, praising Bear McCreary’s emotionally charged score, immersive 3D audio, and stellar voice acting that made combat feel visceral. While minor gripes like Odin’s voice and PS4 audio quirks surfaced, they paled beside universal acclaim for its cinematic, mythic intensity—solidifying it as a benchmark for gaming’s audio-visual storytelling.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN
Sound Score
89
Positive Reviews (80-100)
94%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
6%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.
TL;DR
music and sound design
Critics hailed God of War: Ragnarok’s sound design as a masterpiece, praising Bear McCreary’s emotionally charged score, immersive 3D audio, and stellar voice acting that made combat feel visceral. While minor gripes like Odin’s voice and PS4 audio quirks surfaced, they paled beside universal acclaim for its cinematic, mythic intensity—solidifying it as a benchmark for gaming’s audio-visual storytelling.
Voice Acting
Expand for full analysis
90
Critics lauded God of War: Ragnarok’s voice acting as a transformative narrative force, with Christopher Judge’s Kratos and Sunny Suljic’s Atreus hailed for their emotional depth and growth. Supporting stars like Richard Schiff and Danielle Bisutti added layers, while nuanced dialogue balanced humor and grit. Minor critiques over accents and vocal maturation were overshadowed by universal acclaim, cementing the game as a storytelling benchmark.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VOICE ACTING
Acting Score
90
Positive Reviews (80-100)
94%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
6%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the voice acting.
TL;DR
voice acting
Critics lauded God of War: Ragnarok’s voice acting as a transformative narrative force, with Christopher Judge’s Kratos and Sunny Suljic’s Atreus hailed for their emotional depth and growth. Supporting stars like Richard Schiff and Danielle Bisutti added layers, while nuanced dialogue balanced humor and grit. Minor critiques over accents and vocal maturation were overshadowed by universal acclaim, cementing the game as a storytelling benchmark.
Technical Performance
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83
God of War: Ragnarok shines on PS5 with 4K/60fps fluidity and no loading screens, while PS4 runs smoothly despite bugs, cementing its status as a technical triumph with cross-gen hiccups.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE
Tech Score
83
Positive Reviews (80-100)
64%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
36%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.
TL;DR
technical performance
God of War: Ragnarok shines on PS5 with 4K/60fps fluidity and no loading screens, while PS4 runs smoothly despite bugs, cementing its status as a technical triumph with cross-gen hiccups.
Replay Value
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81
God of War: Ragnarok dazzles with its sprawling open-world, combat variety, and endless side content, but rigid puzzles and repetitive quests temper its brilliance—yet remains a masterclass in action RPG design.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE
Replay Score
81
Positive Reviews (80-100)
68%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
31%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
1%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.
TL;DR
replay value
God of War: Ragnarok dazzles with its sprawling open-world, combat variety, and endless side content, but rigid puzzles and repetitive quests temper its brilliance—yet remains a masterclass in action RPG design.
Overall Verdict
89
MONSTER
OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION
Monster Score
89
Positive Reviews (80-100)
99%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
1%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.
TL;DR
God of War: Ragnarok is a masterful triumph, blending immersive storytelling, breathtaking visuals, and refined combat into an emotional journey through Norse mythology. Critics praise its epic battles, nuanced character dynamics, and technical excellence, calling it a near-perfect blockbuster despite minor issues with pacing and resolution—solidifying its status as a modern classic.
89
MONSTER
Reviews
155 reviews found100
Gaming Nexus
Nov 3, 2022
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
God of War Ragnarök is a masterful work of art, going above and beyond with world-class storytelling, in-depth combat mechanics, exquisite visuals, unparalleled performance, and a slew of modern accessibility features. It's more than just a video game – it's an entire journey that transcends the modern day gaming experience with its masterful amalgamation of so many different working pieces. This is the game of the generation.
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100
Attack of the Fanboy
Nov 3, 2022
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
God of War Ragnarok delivers one of the deepest, richest gaming experiences to date. With an improved combat system, impressive new enemies, immersive environments, and unparalleled storytelling, God of War Ragnarok is an outstanding game that will stand as a beacon for what storytelling greatness should be.
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100
Dexerto
Nov 3, 2022
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God of War Ragnarok is a complex, thoughtful game that takes everything that made its predecessor an unmissable experience to even greater heights. It is a triumph, and is easily reason enough to buy a PlayStation 5 thanks to a fantastic story, great characters, and combat that’s even better than its predecessor’s. The game is a stunning technical showcase for the PlayStation 5, with impressive graphics, animation, and audio design. The voice acting is also impressive, with nuanced and impressive performances from many of the cast. The game has plenty of replay value, with side quests to undertake and new combat trials with tougher enemies to seek out. The game is highly recommended, with a score of 10/10.
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100
But Why Tho?
Nov 16, 2022
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God of War Ragnarok is a masterpiece that provides a plethora of emotions. The complex characters and storyline provide depth and life to the series that previously focused on combat over narrative substance. The combat is great, but the option for exploration and puzzle-solving balances out the mechanics and adds a bit of curve to the otherwise linear storyline. The graphics are amazing, with crisp and detailed visuals. Highly recommended.
100
App Trigger
Nov 18, 2022
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God of War Ragnarok is a masterpiece in game design and perfect in every way. It may very well be the best game of 2022.
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100
VideoGamer
Nov 3, 2022
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God of War Ragnarok is a masterpiece, with expertly written story, fantastic gameplay, arresting graphics and visual design, standout voice acting, and immense replay value. The game is one of the most gripping and memorable slices of crafted escapism yet seen.
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100
God is a Geek
Nov 3, 2022
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God of War Ragnarok is the definition of a masterpiece, featuring some of the best combat of all time, a gripping, poignant, and ambitious story, with superb acting, visually stunning graphics, and plenty to do. Some enemies are tough, but overall, this game is a masterpiece that players will never want to end.
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100
We Got This Covered
Nov 3, 2022
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
God of War Ragnarok is a masterclass in storytelling and design, and it'll easily stand the test of time as one of PlayStation's finest games. This one is an absolute masterpiece.
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100
Game Rant
Nov 3, 2022
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God of War Ragnarok is a once-in-a-generation game. It doesn't just live up to its high expectations, but it subverts them and expands beyond them all the same. There is nothing quite like it on PS4 or on the PS5 yet, and it would be hard for anything to live up to the same heights.
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100
Areajugones
Nov 3, 2022
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
God of War: Ragnarok is a masterpiece that exceeds all expectations, with excellent narrative, gameplay, graphics, and technical performance. It is a game that constantly surprises the player and is a must-play for fans of the franchise and video games in general.
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