A few days ago, Sony let God of War Ragnarök run free on Steam, nearly two years after its debut o?n PlayStation 5. However, there's been a bit of contention regarding the publisher's insistence that players need a PSN account, even if they don't have the console version. Or even the console itself??.

Still, trust the modding community to come to the rescue. As spotted by DSO Gaming, Nexus Mods user iArtorias released an unofficial tool for the game that allows PC users to boot up Ragnarök without having to sign up for a??? PlayStation Network account.

The modder say?s the download is a "tiny library that fully strips the PlayStation PC SDK runtime requirement," after some players encountered problems with the port of the game. They do make it clea??r that the mod is not intended to encourage piracy, nor does it "touch or modify any original game code."

A quick look at the mod's history demonstrates that it may not be a guara??nteed fix for everyone, or at least not a permanent one. A few comments raise issues around sudden curveballs to navigate from Sony, like getting stuck on account linking threads, but iArtoriasUA has since patched the issue. Regardless, as future patches roll out, it's worth noting Sony may introduce or change requirements that could result in modded PC copies getting locked out.

Sony strikes again with its PSN demands

At the time of writing, God of War Ragnarök has a Steam review score of "mixed." Indeed, while a lot of people seem pleased with the game, th?ere have been a few co?mments regarding Sony's PSN account requirement.

This is also not the first time Sony has come under fire for this tactic. Earlier this year, it was announced that those who wanted to play Helldivers 2 on PC would also need to connect up a PlayStation Network account. There was quite the backlash from the community, and Sony eventually backpedaled on the idea.

As for God of War Ragnarök, developer Santa Monica recently published Patch 2, with the update intending to fix some issues with Nvidia Frame Generation and Reflex, as well as tweaks to the UI. You can see the full patch notes here. The developer also recently announced that Ragnarök has been verified on Steam Deck.

Whether Sony will change its mind about PC players having to link to PSN remains to be seen at this stage, but we saw what happened with Helldivers 2. For now, you may have to use iArtorias' mod.

The post God of War Ragnarök mod removes Sony’s PlayStation Network requirement appeared first on Destructoid.

GOG has announced that you can expect Sony's PC ports of God of War and Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection to come to the storefront. A launch date hasn't been given yet, though you're en??couraged to check out GOG'??s Halloween sale as you wait.

Sony started its push to put more of its games on PC a few years ago. Typically, they launch on Steam and then arrive on GOG a little later. This was the case with Horizon Zero Dawn which hit Steam in August 2020 before arriving on GOG in November of the same year. Similarly, Days Gone was ported to PC via Steam in May 2021, and it only arrived on GOG in October this year.?

Sony's PC ports have had varying quality. Horizon was well-received, while The Last of Us Part 1 was a bit more of a disaster. Fortunately, players using GOG won't have anything to worry about when it comes to God of War and the Legacy of Thieves Collection, as both games had successful launches on PC.

God of War (2018) is a soft reboot of the series. In addition to bringing back Kratos, his son Atreus is introduced which brings out a different side of the Spartan warrior. The Legacy of Thieves Collection offers the best of modern Uncharted, bringing you Uncharted 4 and Lost Legacy in a single package.

Sony's not done with PC ports just yet. The biggest one to look out for is Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition which is set to launch in 2024 and will feature the base game along with the Burning Shores DLC.

The post God of War and Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves? Collection coming ??to GOG appeared first on Destructoid.

It's time for a new game (plus)

The New Game Plus update for God of War Ragnarok is live today, giving players a good reason to ??hop back in if they didn't get enough t??he first time around. It adds a pretty decent amount of content for a new run too, from new armor to enchantments and more.

Today's PlayStation blog runs down the specifics, including the basics: this is NG+, so all your equipment, weapons, and skills will carry over from a previous save. This includes the Draupnir Spear, though it comes with a caveat. Sonic and Hex arrows will still require players to reach the point in the story where they become available. Also, areas requiring either the arrows or the Spear to reach will not unlock until you've reached the main questline's point where they b??ecome available. Sorry, still some backtracking.

Kratos' new duds

There's plenty of new things to unlock in a New Game Plus run of God of War Ragnarok, though. The cl?oak from the opening scene has been added as part ??of the Armor of the Black Bear set, which comes pre-equipped in NG+ runs.

Or if you want some challenge, you can strip down Kratos with the Spartan Armor, which confers no Perks, Stats, and is locked at Power Level 1. Or you can just transmog the look onto some good armor, to have the best of both worlds. The Ares and Zeus armor return from God of War (2018)'s New Game Plus as well, with new perks. Ares gives chances for Health Stones to drop on hit, while the Zeus armor turns Kratos into a glass cannon. The Spartan and Ares armor can be bought at the Huldra Brothers' Shop for Hacksi??lver, while Zeus Armor will require defeating Gná the Valkyrie Queen and finishing "certain" Remnants of Asgard in New Game Plus.

Additionally, 13 existing armors are gettin??g new color combinations and styles. A new shield, the Spartan Aspis shield, will also be at the brothers' shop.

A new cap

In New Game Plus, enemies will become more powerful. But hey, so will ever?yone's favorite video game father. All Level 9 equipment can be converted into Plus versions for more progression. Additio??nally, converting equipment will provide a Gilded Coin, with which you can pick up one of the new Enchantments.

The Enchantments will let you mix and ma??tch even more, customizing your playstyle and perks for the perfect loadout. Additionally, Burdens offer new challenges, for those wh?o really want to feel the hurt.

Some new Progression Paths also open up, for mor?e stats and rewards.

The expanding arena

The arena in Niflheim is also growing, allowing you to pick either Kratos or Atreus to play as, and free selection of a bunch of companions. (I've omitted them because of spoilers, but you can check the PS Blog for the details.)

New arena fights are in, and even ?the endgame optional bosses are getting some new moves. Add on a new Black and White render mode, and there's a lot to find here in a second run of Kratos and Atreus' wacky, world-ending journey.

The New Game Plus update is out now for God of War Ragnarok.

The post God of War Ragnarok’s New Game Plus update is out now appeared first on Destructoid.

Sony Santa Monica sequel leads award charge

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has released its nominee list for the 2023 iteration of its BAFTA Game Awards, which are scheduled to take place later this month �And Sony Santa Monica sequel God of War Ragnarok? is leading the way, with a record-breaking 14 nominat?ions.

The critically acclaimed, and multi-award-winning fantasy adventure is nominated in the majority of the year's categories, including Best Technical Achievement, Narrative, Music, Multiplayer, Game Design, Artistic Ach?ievement, and, of cours?e, Best Game. Additionally, Christopher Judge is up for Performer in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Kratos, while Danielle Bisutti is nominated in the Performer in a Supporting Role category for her portrayal of the troubled witch, Freya. It seems highly unlikely that the smash-seller will not walk away without a fistful of gongs �at the very least �come the big night.

Aside from the God of War Ragnarok nomination sweep, plenty of great releases from 2022 are also hoping to take home a coveted BAFTA award. Titles such as FromSoftware's Elden Ring, Guerilla Games' Horizon Forbidden West, Team Asobo's A Plague Tale: Requiem, and Annapurna Interactive's Stray have also all received nominations, alongside smaller-sized hits including Half Mermaid's FMV mystery Immortality, Finji's Tunic, Massive Monster's Cult of the Lamb, and Poncle's compelling mobile title Vampire Survivors.

The BAFTA ceremony will take place on March 30.

You can check out the full list of categories and nominations over on the official BAFTA website.

The post God o??f War Ragnarok has a record-breaking 14 BAFTA nominations appeared first on Destructoid.

Ragnarok will return

The latest God of War game has been out for a bit now, and players are likely finishing up and watching credits roll over the holidays. And if they wanted a reason to start it all over again, they'll have it later on in 2023 too. Sony Santa Monica confirms that New Game Plus is coming to God of War Ragnarok next spring.

"We know many of you have been asking, so we're happy to confirm that New Game Plus will be coming to God of War Ragnarok in Spring 2023!" the tweet reads. More?? details will be shared closer to the mod??e's actual release.

//twitter.com/SonySanta??Monica/status/160?5971630609539073

No details have been given as to what the mode will officially entail. The 2018 reboot of God of War also got a New Game Plus mode down the line, so we can extrapolate a bit from that. The previous God of War's NG+ included a difficulty option, a handful of new armor sets and abilities, and some new attack patterns for enemies. It'll be interesting to see how much Ragnarok carries into its own New Game Plus, because the 2018 God of War's version is pretty hefty.

A new father-son adventure

On top of the New Game Plus mode, support has been rolling out steadily for God of War Ragnarok. Recently, Sony Santa Monica added a photo mode into the options. And early patches have hit a sizeable number of tweaks and fixes.

It's Sony's big game for the end of the year. But it's nice to see that Ragnarok will carry on into 2023, too. Hopefully fans get a little extra fun out of the game when the?? New Game Plus rolls out.

The post God ?of War Ragnarok will get? New Game Plus in spring 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

And I say give it to him

David Harbour is one of my favorite actors right now. He was one of my favorite characters in Stranger Things, and after seeing him in his new Christmas-y comedy action flick Violent Night this past weekend, he cemented his place as one of my favorite actors working today, period. He can do it all -- drama, comedy, and most importantly, the surrogate father trope that been so hot in games the past console generation. Based on his serious nerd cred alone, I'm surprised Harbour's only games credit will be an upcoming horror game along with Jodie Comer, star of the spy thriller series Killing Eve.

There's a chance that all might change, however, because in an interview with Video Games FN, David Harbour shared another game series he dreams of working on: God of War. “I really like what those guys in the God of War universe are doing with my buddy Richard Schiff as Odin," he said. "They sort of mess around with that genre too, and they're always surprising in terms of these gods and they wind up becoming--Thor is a big old jerk and Odin being this kind of older intellectual. I'd be interested in possibly doing some of that.�/p>

Well Mr. Harbour, we would also be interested in you doing some of that. After a series of action-packed roles, he's proved he'd be a perfect fit in both stature and demeanor. Now I'm not advocating for any form on nepotism, but if Richard Schiff is already a friend on the inside, he might be able to get Harbour an audition, at the very least, for any new roles that might arise in the next God of War game.

Seeing as God of War Ragnarok just came out a few weeks ago, we don't have so much as an announcement that another GoW game is in the works, but I'd bet my money plans have already been lined up for some time now. Now if they can only get David Harbour involved, I might finally be persua??ded to give the series a second try...

The post Stranger Things’ David Harbour wants a role in the next God of War game appeared first on Destructoid.

No need to tack on some more tales just yet

Ragnarok has come and gone for the God of War series. And it sounds like Sony Santa Monica Studio is letting the latest Kratos and Atreus adventure stand alone for now, as God of War Ragnarok DLC seems unlikely.

In a spoilercast about God of War Ragnarok over at Kinda Funny Games (thanks for the spot, Eurogamer), director Eric Williams guested to discuss his game. At one point, he's asked about whether DLC is on the way for God of War Ragnarok.

"I don?'t know man, that game is big," said Williams. "I think we put everything we had into it, so I wouldn't count on it."

While there are updates in store for God of War Ragnarok, adding features like the photo mode, the stance on significant additions isn't too surprising. God of War (2018) didn't receive any extra DLC.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfJ4Km46A-0

Patience, boy

I haven't rolled credits on Ragnarok yet myself, but my understanding is that it's a fairly conclusive story. The sequel is the conclusion to the Norse duology that Sony Santa Monica Studio has created, so I'd be surpri??sed to see any ?lingering threads addressed in a DLC update.

Ragnarok is doing well in sales and reception too. And apparently Santa Monica Studio has other things on their plate to take care of, moving forward.

What could those projects be? Well, in the Kinda Funny spoilercast, Williams does mention he'd love to make a Castlevania game. It'd be a sight to se?e if tha??t collaboration ever does work out.

The post God of War Ragnarok DLC seems unlikely, accordi??ng? to director appeared first on Destructoid.

Ragnarok and roll on to the next one

Sony's Santa Monica Studios may have a few projects under its wing at the moment. In a new interview, Santa Monica Studios' Cory Barlog says the ?studio is currently spread out across a lot of different? things.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Barlog says Sony Santa Monica Studio is currently "spread out on a lot of different things." The director declines to specify what those are. But as the LA Times points out, there were rumors of a sci-fi project at the studio that was cancelled. Sony Santa Monica has also helped publish games in the past, like Journey.

Santa Monica Studio just launched God of War Ragnarok. the follow-up to the 2018 God of War reboot. And as Ragnarok director Eric Williams puts it, being the God of War studio isn't a bad thing.

“I remember talking to someone from another game company, where they were trying to get me to leave," Williams told the LA Times. "They said, 'Do you just want to be known as the God of War guy for the rest of your life?' That was your big pitch to dissuade me? Because yes, I kind of do.�/p>

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wr0DfV73E

Ancient myths and new legends

Considering the studio just wrapped one big game, expecting something new right away wouldn't mak??e much sense. The studio has yet to announce its next project, but that's kind of like asking someone who just finished a marathon about tomorrow's run.

Meanwhile, studio has been clear that Ragnarok is the end of the Norse saga for K??ratos and crew. Whatever's next seems like it'll be a new step forward in some way.

The post Sony Santa Monica Studio is currently ‘spread out on a lot of different things’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Oh Boy

Sony Santa Monica's long-anticipated release God of War Ragnarok finally hit shelves last week, and has already smashed all previous day-one sales in the long-running fantasy series �In fact, the first 24 hours of sales saw Ragnarok shift more copies than its 2018 predecessor achieved in its first week of relea?se.

"God of War Ragnarok will debut at No.1 [in the UK Charts] and is the first cross-gen title in the series," said Gfk's Dorian Bloch in comments made to GamesIndustry.biz. "Day 1 physical sales were already greater than any other full-week launch sales for other titles in this franchise." Bloch also notes that 55% of PS5 hardware sales this past week consisted of God of War Ragnarok bundles.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wr0DfV73E

Launching on PS4 and PS5 on November 9, God of War Ragnarok sees a world-weary Kratos, accompanied by his fast-maturing son Atreus, embark upon another brutal odyssey across Scandinavia, preparing themselves for the coming of Ragnarok, the foretold event that will bri?ng death to Gods and devastation to the land.

While some critics and fans have criticized the new sequel for its length and some frustrating "hand-holding" NPC dialogue, Ragnarok has received mass praise across the board for its spectacular visuals, compelling characters, engaging combat, and operatic approach to storytelling. Clearly more than worth the wait, Kratos and Atreus' latest head-chopping jaunt is clearly in conten?tion for many critics and players' Game of the Year award, and is already set to?? be one of 2022's best-selling releases.

God of War Ragnarok is available now on PlayStation platforms.

The post God of War Ragnarok?? day on?e sales break franchise records appeared first on Destructoid.

Games are for everyone

Between graphics, overall game design, and storytelling techniques, games have come a long way over the past few years, but the most impressive improvements have come from the new accessibility settings that developers are including in their games -- like God of War, for example. Never before have we seen such close attention to detail in making the interactive medium more readily available to anyone who wants to play, and Santa Monica Studio is helping to blaze the trail with the release of God of War Ragnarok. 

The developers posted an exhaustive blog on the PlayStation website that goes through every possible accessibility setting in God of War Ragnarok, and it's pretty cool to see in my opinion. There are sections in the menu for Vision, Hearing, and Mo?tor Accessibility, as well as Motion Reduction, and the rest of the main menu features well-known settings like Aim Assist, Navigation Assist, and Auto Pick Up, among many others. Honestly, if you can imagine a setting that might make the g??ame more manageable, it's probably there, because they really thought of everything with those 70+ settings.

Santa Monica Studio isn't the only company under the Sony umbrella that is dedicated to making their games accessible. While advancements in accessible gaming have been on the rise for years (the Xbox Adaptive Controller is a great example of this), Naughty Dog's release of The Last of Us Part II was a significant milestone for a AAA studio taking their seemingly endless budget and resources and also putting them towards making the accessibility settings as in-depth and customizable as possible. Part II was lauded for its access??ibility, and it's awesome to see other studios following suit.

Settings as detailed as these may seem excessive to some, but each one means someone who otherwise wouldn't be able to play the game at all, or at least?? have a miserable time? with it, will be able to experience the game with all of the joy and enthusiasm they deserve. There's a lot that I'm disillusioned with right now in the games industry, but our improvement in accessibility is not one of them.

The post Santa Monica Studio details the 70+ accessibility settings in God of Wa?r Ragnarok appeared first on Destructoid.

My boy was just like me

I typically start off some AAA sequel reviews waxing poetic about how "there isn't much to say that wasn't already said" about an original. But in the case of 2018's God of War, there really is!

It's fascinating that the team kept the original continuity, but drastically changed the formula, and let Kratos grow as a character and a father. The pointed focus on the relationship between Kratos and Atreus helped make the 2018 iteration intimate and relatable. The sequel, God of War Ragnarok, mostly rolls with that premise, but it also tries to juggle a ton of extra cast members as it weaves in more stor??ies.

God of War Ragnarok (PS4, PS5 [reviewed])
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Publisher: Sony
Released: November 9, 2022
MSRP: $69.99 (PS5) / $59.99 (PS4)

For me, God of War really snuck up on me. I mean, we knew about it! Sony sounded their marketing trumpets from the mountaintop for this game. But playing it in isolation as a huge classic God of War fan (particularly God of War 2), I was shocked to see the direction that the team had taken with it: making Kratos a husband and a father, struggling with his violent p??ast. I was invested in the universe out of the gate, and there's more than enough good will there to entice me to tr?y a sequel.

Ragnarok continues the adventures of Kratos and Atreus (who is playable at points, complete with his own mini-loadout and skill trees), who are prepping for the titular potentially world-ending event, directly following the conclusion of God of War 2018. Even though you'll miss some emotional resonance and some relation?ship/dialogue nuances, there is a?? God of War recap that you can watch from the start.

Kicking off with a low key hutting expedition, Ragnarok doesn't really waste much time. If I could describe the pacing of the story as a whole, it would be moments of urgency bundled with periods of calm. There's a ton of walking and talking and exposition, which is kind of required given the larger scope and universe-se?nsitive stakes. You're still traveling between realms this time, and it quickly becomes a road movie.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIQGI36BxDE

Kratos is already a tad more fatherly, but still cold with room to grow. Atreus is older and more capable, but still compassionate, and a direct opposite of his dad in some ways, while still being a chip off the old block. Mimir (the talking head companion you rescued in the first game) is also in the mix, and is as entertaining and loud-mouthed as ever. Some of the most intriguing bits of Ragnarok are found in the arcs dealing with Kratos and Atreus: either together or apart. There's some backstory that the ?team held from the 2018 edition spliced in, amid all of the new stuff happening.

Combat, a big reason why people gravitate toward this franchise in the first place, is mostly the same: which works for me. The??re's a dodge, parry and block system on the defensive side, which can be plussed-up through various means like skill trees, to create even more engaging timing sequences. You'll mostly be using your [Leviathan] axe and blades [of Chaos], with a third main weapon that I won't spoil here.

One of the big upgrades for the first two weapon types in particular though is the ice and fire synergy. The icy axe and fiery blades can be charged up with the Triangle button, to imbue elemental powers in them and open up more attacks. Like several other action games before it (including DmC eve??n), you c??an chip off shields of the opposite type on some enemy types.

At first, I was worried that the team would go overboard with this system, and have the entire game based around the "opposites" approach. Thankfully that's not the case, and you don't even really need to use all of the tools in your toolkit to be successful. There's so many options to a??pproach any given fight, and you can tech into certain playstyles with skill tree and gear changes.

Combat is still really punchy, and can often feel like a dance. I never really got tired of throwing an axe into one enemy to freeze it, then turning to beat up another one, then recalling the axe to finish them off. Although a lot has changed about this series combat is still brutal; with some vicious takedowns (triggered by R3 after an enemy is nearly dead) on full display. While I'm not going to spoil any boss fights, a select few are cemented among my favorites in the series (including ?a callback to the Narcis Prince archetype).

Like the first game, sidequests are often directly?? tied to the story and?? the cast, usually after you acclimate to a new zone: without overdoing it and adding a ton of annoying pins to each disconnected sandbox. The main quest is roughly 20 hours (a little more with exploration), and all the sidequests, the leveling/gear system, and a few extras after completion will potentially double that number.

Mecha??nically, it's easy to tweak things to your liking too, to assist on that long ride. There's tons of accessibility presets, including vision, hearing, motion, and motor t??oggles: on top of five difficulties (the last of which (Give Me God of War) can't be reselected if you drop down. There's options for a variety of experiences, and it's one of the most accessible games ever made.

Of course, a soft reset is kind of hand-waved away through fleeting mentions of stuff like the extreme winter "wearing down" some of Kratos' powers, and the fact that Kratos "used" all of the arm??or provided to him from the blacksmiths Brok and Sindri (who return in the sequel as companions and helpers, albeit with a bit more depth).

The father and son dynamic is still an emotional throughline, with Mimir sometimes acting as the reasonable?? impartial uncle. It's still hilarious to see Kratos as the straight act to goofier or lighter fare, and there's some really funny dialogue this time around that leans into that angle. The new additions are fantastic for the most part, as Ryan Hurst is incredible as a tortured Thor, and Richard Schiff really gets to spread his wings as the complicated Odin.

And don't forget the banter! There's so much dialogue and lore to take in it's insane at times. It can even reach the cusp of becoming exhausting, as a minor walk to a que??st could end up becoming a crucial lore dump. Eve?ryone who found themselves poring over this new universe will be stoked.

Before too long though, we get a ton of characters thrown at us, some of which leave a more lasting impact than others. At times, especially mid-to-late game, I felt like this could have actually been a trilogy all on its own, with a little more time to linger on some of the events and moments therein. That same sense of overstaying a welcome can extend to the enemy types in Ragnarok:? some of which are plucked from the original game, which the same basic strategic concepts.

It can lead to more downtime, which may or may not gel with how you interact with a God of War game. I appreciated the streamlined and constant growth of?? Kratos and Atreus' relationship in the first game, but the sequel has a lot of ??moving parts, and I didn't connect with all of its cast.

God of War Ragnarok is a fantastic showcase of what this series has to offer, and a sterling example of how it still has life left in it. While not everything lands with the sequel from a s??tory perspective, the core of the original is preserved, with some new twists and turns still to go. I'm fully on board with whatever Sony Santa Monica comes up with next.

The post Review: God of War Ragnarok appeared first on Destructoid.

This God of War: Ragnarok ad is the wildest thing I've seen in a while

Sony is known to go pretty full out to promote their games, and with the game's release just over a week away, they've pulled out all of the stops for God of War: Ragnarok. Their newest ad features none other than the likes of famed actor and director Ben Stiller dressed up as Kratos himself, alongside Lebron James an??d John Travolta.

The premise of the ad is that Kratos and Atreus father/son dynamic is something that all parents can relate to, and so Stiller is hosting a kind of God of War-themed parenting support group. He discusses his own struggles in relating ?to his son, and attempts to help James and Travolta connect with their child?ren, too. By the way, those are actually all of their real children shown in the short, which is pretty cool if you ask me.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQH0YK1rGVc

Kratos' newfound difficulties with fatherhood have been a meme since the first game in the God of War reboot series came out back in 2018, so it's a smart move for Sony to lean into that. Is it weird to see Ben Stiller in a Kratos outfit? Yeah. Am I confused as to why they chose Ben Stiller, Lebron James, and John Travolta of all people to be the faces of their marketing campaign for God of War? Absolutely. Is this whole thing kinda cringey? I??'d say so.

At this point, they have to know that Ragnarok is going to be one of the biggest launches of the year, so at least Sony seems to be having fun with it. It's kind of a pet peeve of mine to see games taking themselves too seriously, so I still prefer this to some edgy skit about how God of War is going to redefine gaming or whatever.

The post Ben Stiller dons a Kratos look?? for th?is God of War: Ragnarok ad appeared first on Destructoid.

No father-son pictures just yet

God of War Ragnarok is not far off now, but its photo mode won't make it in tim??e for launch.

Sony Santa Monica Studios has confirmed that God of War Ragnarok's photo mode won't be live at launch. The studio says it will share more ??details "closer" to when it plans to release it.

//twitte?r.com/SonySantaMonica/status/1585079721020526594

Granted, the Share button on your DualSense or DualShock controller will still work just fine. But there will be a wait for a more elaborate photo mode in God of War Ragnarok, it seems.

The studio also recently released ?a combat breakdown, showing off some of the enemies Kratos and Atreus will face. It looks like Kratos has some fancy new tools of destruction to take care of them, too.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pOv4ovN-dM

Ragnarok is coming

We are, at the time of this writing, just about two weeks out from the release of God of War Ragnarok. The follow-up to the God of War 2018 reboot that saw Krato??s tackling Norse mythology, rather than Greek, mad?e a pretty big impact.

It's a shame we won't be seeing a photo mode at launch, considering some of the vistas we've seen so far have already looked spectacular. But Sony games have been historically good at providing elaborate photo mode options, so a l?ittle extra time's worth the wait fo??r a good tool.

The game's gold and the date is set. We'll be seeing how the next leg of Kratos and Atreus' journey, and what looks like a showdown with the Norse thunder god himself, looks like soon. God of War Ragnarok will launch for PS4 and PS5 on November 9.

The post God of War Ragnarok ??will get photo mode after? launch appeared first on Destructoid.

The highly anticipated sequel is almost here

It's hard to believe that God of War: Ragnarok was only announced two years ago, but Sony's Santa Monic??????????????????????????a studio has been hard at work since then. The sequel has been one of the most anticipated games of recent memory, and it's looking pretty good based on the most? recent story trailer we got during a State of Play.

Now the studio has announced that God of War: Ragnarok has gone gold, meaning they have sent off the final version of the game to get ready for its release on November 9. It's a huge step for any game developer, and it's even more impressive for a game as ambitious as we know this one to be. Here's hoping they have at least a ?bit of time to celebrate before continuing work on patches and bug fixes.

//twitter.com/SonySantaMonica/status/15784?15056215330817

Ragnarok is set three years after the events of its predecessor, and picks up at the end of Fimbulwinter giving way to the apocalyptic Ragnorak.?? Kratos and his son Arteus are trying to find a way to prevent the event from h?appening, all while wrapping them up in the family drama of the Norse gods. The game looks gorgeous, and it promises to deliver on some exciting new gameplay mechanics. Plus, it's fun to get a new take on the Norse pantheon after the MCU version has reigned supreme for so long.

Players have lots to look forward to gameplay wise, as Kratos is getting a revamped battle axe and access to his classic chains weapons. There're also gonna be some new elemental at??tacks, specifically fire? and ice charged attacks, and shields and parries will also play a role. Basically, get ready for all the hack-and-slash, axe-throwing goodness we know and love, but also with some upgrades.

I know I'm looking forward to Ragnarok, and with only a few shor?t weeks to wait, I'll be here before we know it.

The post God of War Ragnarok has gone gold appeared first on Destructoid.

Really hope we don't have to kill that jellyfish

A new story trailer for God of War Ragnarok debuted today. And?? it sees Kratos and Atreus hurtling towards some big con?frontations as fate winds around them.

This is probably the biggest look we've had at the new God of War yet, and it's packed with a ton of details. The?? trailer premiered during today's Sony State of Pl??ay, and really drives home what Kratos and Atreus are up against.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfJ4Km46A-0

In the three-minute trailer, we see Kratos dueling with what looks like valkyries in the cosmos. They head underwater to make some nautical acquain??tances, come face-to-face with old "friends" like Freya, and dang, there's even a giant jellyfish.

Tons of set pieces and new attacks get shown off, including some ?combo moves for Kratos and Atreus. And at the very end, Atreus rips apart the sky with the help of a wolf pal. Norse mythology enjoyers probably have a ton of details to pick apart.

And it closes off with a match-up between Kratos and Thor, the big battle that felt like it was teased in the final moments of 2018's God of War.

Godhood ain't easy

God of War Ragnarok is locked in for a November 9 release. It's a date we're inching closer and closer to, as we're already into September. And today, we also got news that God of War is getting a special Sony DualSense controller.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvZZvTRFbTs

It's two-ton?ed blue and white, and it's got the ?bear and wolf insignias on the touchpad. A really nice touch!

While I would normally say I don't need to see more of God of War Ragnarok at this point, today's story trailer definitely has me itching to play the new game. I'm ready to smash up some bad guys and throw the Leviathan Axe around? again.

God of War Ragnarok goes live on PS4 and PS5 on November 9.

The post God of War? Ragnarok heads for godly face-offs in new story trailer appeared first on Destructoid.

Kratos is still learning some new tricks

God of War Ragnarok is on its way, with some all-new battles for Kratos and his son Atreus to wind up in. Today, we got a quick hit of some combat, showing off new moves Kratos will have in November.

As part of Game Informer's cover story for Ragnarok, the team has already talked about changes coming to Kratos' arsenal. Today's video shows just what that looks like in a?ction. We see him running arou?nd an arena, beating the daylights out of some merfolk-looking enemies.

A key component of Kratos' move? set, as the video describes, is the idea of playing with your food. The god of war can really send enemies flying and bouncing around, as well a?s employ some elemental moves.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QZhk4w66_8

These elemental moves are part of a new syst?em for Kratos' weapons. The Leviathan Axe can bring out frost magic, while the Blades of Chaos elicit fire. By holding or mashing the Triangle button, the? weapons become infused with the elements, doing extra damage to enemies.

He's really in his element here

It's a quick little burst of gameplay, with the video coming in at under two minutes. Still, it's nice to see some gameplay of God of War Ragnarok. I've been curious as to how different the combat would feel in Ragnarok versus the 2018 iteration. Seems like Sony Santa Monica? Studios have found some ways of adding on top of what was al??ready a pretty solid set of mechanics.

The written portion of Game Informer's cover story al??so talks about the shields, both the Dauntless and Stonewall versions, as well as some ot?her granular bits of gameplay detail. It might still seem far away, but November is inching ever closer. And with it, plenty more enemies for Kratos to smash apart.

The post God of War Ragnarok shows off a quick burs?t of combat in new gameplay appeared first on Destructoid.

Retrace the Myths of Midgard in this rhyming explainer

The holiday season is coming, and with it Ragnarok. Or, at least, God of War Ragnarok. And since it's been a few years since 2018's God of War, a story recap might be of some use ??to folks as they gear up for the winter.

PlayStation published a new video today, which recaps the story of Kratos and Atreus from the 2018 God of War. The storyteller walking us through it? None other than The Guild's own Felicia Day.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjucT-UZzgg

The rhyming tale takes a brief tour through the main story beats of God of War, pausing for a few jokes and asides from in-universe character Mimir. And while it doesn't cover every single beat, it does a pretty good job summing up Kratos and Atreus' journey, as well as some of the conflicts that arose and still persist headed into Ragnarok.

Winter is coming

It's a good refresher to have too, as even though God of War was only a 2018 game, it does feel like eons ago to me at this point. Remembering the reason why Freya, for instance, has a bone to pick with Kratos seems like some important topical study material given some of the Ragnarok teases we've seen.

God of War Ragnarok is locked in for November 9, 2022. It's also one of the few games still in the holiday window, as more and more have been delayed out into the next year. Open-world wizarding RPG Hogwarts Legacy recently pushed back to February, and Marvel's Midnight Suns is on an undetermined delay as of this writing.

Regardless, I'm really interested to see where the story goes from here, and how Sony Santa Monica Studios' interpretation of Norse mythology carries on. God of War Ragnarok arrives on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 o??n September 9, 2022?.

The post Get caught up on God of War before Ragn?arok with?? this story recap appeared first on Destructoid.

Fimbulwinter, here we come

The follow-up to Sony Santa Monica's God of War has to be one of the most anticipated games of the past few years, and as we get closer and closer to that November release date, fans are getting a closer look into what the game has to offer. The last story nugget we got was from the game's cinematic trailer, which confirmed that players will be able to visit all nine realms, but now God of War: Ragnarok has been listed on the PlayStation Store (initially reported by The Gamer), so we can ??finally get a look at the full story synopsis.

The listing reads as follows: "From Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018).?? Fimbulwinter is well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIQGI36BxDE

"Along the way they will explore stunni??ng, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarö??k grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms."

So now we know the game won't just be taking place during Ragnarok itself, the epic final battle of the gods in Norse mythology, but will also take place in the era that comes directly before it: Fimbulwinter. We already know that Thor and Kratos don't quite get along, and given the fresh take that SMS is giving us on the God of Thunder we know and love, it's going to be interesting to see how Ragnarok shakes things up in the series.

The game's release is approaching quickly after some delays, but something tells me that this is a title that will have been worth waiti??ng for.

The post God of War: Ragnarok full story synopsis revealed appeared first on Destructoid.

A new report says Ragnarok will still arrive this year

One of Sony's heavy-hitters this year may still be on target. A new report indicates God of War Ragnarok i??s on track for a November launch, with a release date ?reveal expected later this month.

Bloomberg reports via three sources familiar with the project that God of War Ragnarok is planned for November. This comes after an earlier report that the new God of War had slipped to 2023.

Jason Schreier of Bloomberg cast doubt on the 2023 news yesterday. His new report seems to affirm that Ragnarok will arrive this year. No dates are set in stone with development, but the report indicates that as of this week, it's still on track for November. Bloomberg's report does note that Ragnarok has slipped internally. Earlier this year, it was reportedly set to arrive in September, but was recently bumped to No??vember.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE-4GvjKcfs

This is some reassuring news for fans who might have been concerned after God of War Ragnarok was absent from both the Sony State of Play and yesterday's Summer Game Fest. The follow-up to 2018's God of War has been a hotly anticipated game since it was first teased.

Fimbulwinter in November

While some ratings board movement indicated Ragnarok may still be set for this year, today's report adds some more certainty. As of this writing, Sony has not officially announced a date for God of War Ragnarok, outside a 2022 window.

It's been a leaky couple of days for Sony, as The Last of Us Remake news slipped out ahead of schedule yesterday. The rekindling of the original Last of Us was set to be the closer for Summer Game Fest.

The Jun?e State of Play held last w?eek focused mainly on third-party titles, so it's no surprise people are curious about what Sony's first-party lineup looks like right now. Hopefully as the summer of games news rolls on, we'll get a firmer idea of what's in store for PlayStation.

The post God of War Ragnarok is reportedly planned to launc??h i?n November appeared first on Destructoid.

Oh Boy

[Update: The official PlayStation Blog has now confirmed that June's PlayStation Plus titles are indeed God of War, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, and Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker. All three titles will be available to add to your library until ?July 5.]

In what has now become a regular monthly event, the next PlayStation Plus offerings have been leaked ahead of their official announcement �As noted by regular spoiler billbil-kun of Dealabs, June will see PS Plus subscribers bag themselves copies of Sony's God of War, Gamemill's Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, and Bandai Namco's Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np1jPkg3R6Q

Assuming that the leak is genuine, (and there's very little reason to believe it isn't), the three titles will be available to download from June 7 until July 5. The June titles will replace May's offerings of EA's FIFA 22, Focus Entertainment's Curse of the Dead Gods, and Gearbox Publishing's Tribes of Midgard, so be sure to secure your license for these three ?titles before they vanish for good.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yl-_LYD0ik

June will also see Sony launch its revamped PlayStation Plus subscription service. The new service offe??rs three distinct subscription tiers �Essentials, Extra and Premium �which will afford access to a rotating library of PlayStation releases on PS5, PS4, PS2, and the original PlayStation, dependent on your membership. Sony will continue to offer up a monthly selection of "to-keep" titles for all subscribers, regardless of their respective subscription tier.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ypgtAyjSCo

For more information on the new PlayStation Plus service, see our previous report right here.

The post June’s PlayStation Plus games include God of War and Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl appeared first on Destructoid.

It looks to be cross-gen as well

The next chapter in Sony Santa Monica Studios' God of War series has been delayed. Teased last year with "Ragnarok is coming" and a 2021 reveal, the studio is sa?ying today that it has shifted plans ?to 2022.

"We remain focused on delivering a top-quality game while maintaining the safety and wellbeing of our team, creative partners, and families," reads the studio's statement. "With this in mind, we've made the decision to shift our release window to 2022??."

//twitter.com/SonySan??taMonica/status?/1400135437763584002

In a new interview with Hermen Hulst, the head of PlayStation Studios, he says two major narrative-driven games�em>Horizon Forbidden West and the new God of War—have been affected by access to performance capture and talent. And while h?e thinks the former is still on track for this holiday season, the latter is not.

"With these things, something's gotta give," said Hulst. "It cannot be the quality of our titles, a?nd it surely won't be the health or the wellbeing of our ??amazing team."

Later on in the interview, Hulst says that where it makes sense—like with the new God of War, as well as Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7—Sony will continue to develop a title for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Looks like the new God of War will be a cross-gen title.

We haven't seen too much else of this new game, and barely even had a hint of a subtitle for it. So while Horizon had its own dedicated State of Play stream, it looks like Ragnarok is delaye??d for the time being.

The post Next God of War has been pushed back to 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.