It has finally happened. After a long wait, the next instalment to the God of War franchise is finally here and based on popular reviews it’s a GOTY contender for sure!
Having experienced the 2018 God of War, we understand that the developers have severely improved and enhanced the game’s mechanics compared to past instalments. Therefore, it is safe to say that God of War: Ragnarok will be even more advanced than the rest.
Not to worry though. We understand that going in blindly can be a little overwhelming, especially for casual players. As such, we’ve taken the liberty of coming up with a beginner’s guide that will surely help you with your first playthrough of this game!
Without further ado, let’s get started!
Picking the Right Difficulty
Luckily, the developers of God of War: Ragnarok take casual players into consideration when they created this game. Before beginning your adventure across Midgard, you will have the option to choose your difficulty.
This is brilliant for casual gamers because God of War: Ragnarok is a plot-driven game and some of us are just in it for the storyline. If that’s the case for you, there is no shame in picking “Give me a Story” as that is the easiest difficulty designed for newcomers.
Of course, once you’ve beaten the game, you can always replay the game and challenge it on a different difficulty level. But if you’re here for the story, picking an easier level is highly recommended.
Configure the Settings
When playing a video game, it is always important to optimise your conditions and make sure you are playing in the most comfortable state. One way to do this is by fiddling with the settings.
In God of War: Ragnarok, there are actually plenty of setting options you can alter to make your personal experience much more enjoyable. They could even be minuscule things like changing the UI size or reducing flashing effects.
And if you are not happy with the default mapping of the game, you can also remap your actions too. This is crucial because if you are playing on a higher difficulty, reactionary moves like dodges are essential. Be sure that all of Kratos’ movements are mapped to how you like them.
Look Through the Entire Map
God of War: Ragnarok is a masterpiece when it comes to visuals. Honestly, it will also do you well to admire the beautiful surroundings as you might find some subtle loot lying about.
Try not to rush through the game. Take your time and scour every location and area, the developers are pretty crafty in hiding these loots. These loots are essential for upgrades and without them, you might find Kratos and Atreus’ firepower lacklustre in the long run.
Remember, the loot and treasure are found in all places here. There are even some hidden within the depths of the river. Even when you are canoeing with Atreus, be on the lookout for these resources!
Always Look to Upgrade
Upgrading both Kratos and Atreus is a staple way to make your gameplay easier. As you gather more experience and resources, you will have the option to upgrade your skills and enhance your weapons.
And if we are, to be honest, we can’t say for certain which skill or weapon you should prioritise because ultimately, it will all go down to preference. Each of these weapons has its own strengths and weaknesses which will also complement other of Kratos’ weapons.
That said if you have trouble figuring out which weapon to build toward, going with the Leviathan Axe is a very safe route. The axe is a very well-rounded weapon that packs a good punch and covers a huge AOE with some of its attacks. All are designed for casual gamers.
Understanding Your Weapons
As we’ve mentioned previously, there is no saying as to which weapon is the “best”. For different situations, some weapons might be better while some might fall short. Alternating weapons during such situations will definitely help you beat the game easier.
For instance, if you are backed into a corner by a horde of enemies, using the Blade of Chaos to clear through them is ideal due to its fast animation and wide coverage. On the other hand, if ranged enemies are pestering you from afar, changing into the Leviathan Axe might be better.
Hurling the axe toward them is better than going up to them in melee range which you might risk taking huge damage for.
Reading the Enemy Attack Patterns
God of War: Ragnarok is a game where the developers put their heart and soul into the boss battles. These fights are not only super atmospheric but also perfectly crafted with unique movements and skills.
As you progress deeper and face higher-levelled bosses, it is actually not unusual for you to get off-guard by certain quirky attacks. Fret not though, most of the bosses in God of War: Ragnarok have checkpoints and you can retry again and again.
The thing to learn here is the bosses’ attack patterns. Commonly, these bosses follow a specific flowchart which you can read and predict. Time your dodges and attacks based on these reads and you’ll have a much easier time chipping away their HP safely.
Keep an Eye for Odin’s Eyes
Like with Norse mythology, one of Odin’s most reliable confidants is his ravens. These black little friends will make an appearance in God of War: Ragnarok and they are there to spy on you.
Annoyingly, some of these ravens are very hard to spot as they are constantly flying around which can be hard to keep track of. The saving grace here though is you can actually hear the ravens when you approach close enough.
Besides keeping an eye out, be sure to also open your ears for these ravens. Pump up the volume if you have to because, without a good audio reading, there’s a good chance you might miss some of these ravens.
Well, it looks like we’ve finally reached the end of our beginner’s guide for God of War: Ragnarok. We hope that you’ve enjoyed the game as much as we do and hopefully, this guide will help you ease your way into Midgard!
You also purchase God of War: Ragnarok for your PlayStation consoles using our PlayStation Store Gift Cards here!
