When Kratos returned to the video game scene with 2018’s God of War, many fans were surprised at how much the character had changed. Not only was Kratos trying to be a better man and father, but the games also played differently than fans of the series were used to. Kratos certainly has a lot of baggage, the weight of which has at times affected his relationship with his son, Atreus.
With the release of God of War: Ragnarok now looming large on the horizon, the eagerness from series fans is at an all-time high. There are many things they want to see in the sequel, from brand-new ideas and mechanics to elements from previous God of War games that they'd like to see make a return.
8 Enemy Variety
With the original set of God of War games being button-mashing hack and slash titles, the 2018 game tried to do something more modern. Players could juggle enemies with the Leviathan axe and swing it for devastating damage and range. It was a great weapon against the hordes of Norse enemies.
However, it soon became apparent that most of the enemy types were the same, which generally consisted of a guy with a weapon hitting the player back. The sequel should change the enemy types to provide more variety, requiring the player to utilize their entire arsenal for more diverse combat.
7 Exploration Of Helheim
God of War took many creative liberties with the Norse mythology and weaved their web of creative intrigue. One such example was in their depiction of Helheim, the reality of the dishonorable dead. The location is cold and full of mystery, with players even witnessing the illusion of Kratos’ father, Zeus, trapped there.
For the sequel, Helheim should return with a more coherent focus. Many players are interested to see who rules over Helheim, and whoever rules, will certainly be displeased with Kratos destroying a portion of the place. The ominous bird, Hræsvelgr, looms in the distance, potentially a tease of what awaits fans in God of War: Ragnarok.
6 Travelling System
With the many realms available to players in God of War, it’s no surprise that some may consider the game to be an open-world adventure. This is due to the large non-linear sections that can be explored in great detail outside of the main story. These sprawling sections of the game require Kratos and his son to embark on a jog, or venture in a boat.
Sometimes, the traveling can feel a bit slow, and awkward with that father and son silence. The sequel should make traveling a little quicker. Players have already spotted sleds carried by dogs and the return of the boat, so maybe more is in store, like Valkyrie wings.
5 Godly Bosses
There are a lot of difficult bosses in God of War. The game challenges the player with the many Valkyries, trolls, and other sorts of enemies to be destroyed. However, other than three Norse gods, the game noticeably lacks Kratos’ godly genocide from the other God of War titles.
Hopefully, the sequel will have Kratos be a huge player in the Ragnarok prophecy, and the game will be a nonstop action piece of Kratos going through gods like the classic days. Audiences eagerly anticipate Kratos' matchup with Thor, the God of Thunder. Kratos may have grown past his god-murdering days, but with the Norse pantheon on his case, he may well have no choice.
4 Friendly Faces
God of War introduced audiences to many new concepts surrounding Kratos. The most notable of these was his relationship with his son. One of the more humorous interactions was with the dwarf blacksmiths, Sindri and Brok. The dwarf brothers bring a lot of humor to the game, with Kratos often an unwilling participant in their jokes.
It was nice to see friendly faces in a God of War game, considering the series is so rageful and blood-hungry. These little moments somewhat humanize Kratos and make the world feel more alive than simply murderous. Hopefully, the sequel has more moments and characters like these.
3 Odin’s Wrath
Odin has only been seen through whispers of his wrath from 2018’s God of War. His ravens seem to watch Kratos and Atreus’ every move, and every character encountered in the game seems to have negative things to say about Odin.
The Allfather is the overarching antagonist, but, so far, not much is known about him. Mimir describes the character as ruthless, barbaric, and heartless. The sequel should change the mystery behind Odin and give players a worthy villain.
2 A Tease For What’s Next
With players set to meet the Norse God of War, Tyr, many fans are wondering where this character’s travels have taken him. Upon inspection of his character poster, it seems as if Tyr has traveled across the world and built relationships with other gods. His left arm has Egyptian hieroglyphs, perhaps teasing the arrival of gods outside of Norse and Greek mythology.
It has already been confirmed that God of War: Ragnarok is the last players will see of the Norse story for Kratos and Atreus. It will therefore be interesting to see if there are more teases as to the direction of the franchise, as many cultures have their gods, and Kratos is most likely not done with ruining them just yet.
1 Kratos’ Past
God of War did a beautiful job of dealing with Kratos’ past. His guilt lies within the physical weapon, the Blades of Chaos, and the scars that they have given him. For Kratos, his skin and scars are a constant reminder of the man he was, and at the end of the game, he embraces himself and tries to move on with his son.
For added character growth, the sequel shouldn’t abandon Kratos’ past but instead, reinforce his guilt. It would be great to see returning cameos, like Zeus and Athena, perhaps even more Greek gods brutalized by Kratos’ past fury. Atreus discovering more about his father could make their rocky bond a bit more tethered.
God of War: Ragnarok is set to release for PS4 and PS5 on November 9, 2022.