There are several lengthy sections of God of War Ragnarok where players control Atreus, and these parts manage to be both amazing and annoying. The latest entry in the mythological action saga sees Kratos and Atreus embark on a journey to confront their destinies and survive the end of the Norse world. While Kratos remains the primary playable character in God of War Ragnarok, many parts of the game instead follow Atreus as he explores the Nine Realms without his father. These levels are a surprising and welcome addition, but they also have some unfortunate effects on the experience.
While Kratos is still the playable protagonist for the majority of the game, God of War Ragnarok makes Atreus playable for long stretches too. The mischievous archer possesses his own unique combat moves and abilities, making him feel distinct from his father and adding variety to the experience. In combat Atreus primarily uses his bow, either firing arrows at range or closing the gap for agile strikes and finishers. Atreus also gets his own collection of companions during his levels, ranging from the loyal dwarven blacksmith Sindri to the friendly Jotun Angrboda. God of War Ragnarok manages to handle Atreus' upgrades in a clever way, with most abilities effecting him as both a playable character and a computer-controlled companion for Kratos. The ability to play as Atreus in God of War Ragnarok successfully shakes up gameplay, but it also disrupts the flow of the sequel and its narrative.
God Of War Ragnarok's Atreus Levels Trade Pacing For Variety
2018's God of War delivered a very tight experience, with Kratos and Atreus traveling together almost constantly to develop their bond and abilities over time. Unfortunately this isn't the case in God of War Ragnarok, since Atreus' playable segments separate him and the player from the Ghost of Sparta for sometimes great lengths of time. This can be frustrating for fans who prefer playing as Kratos or seeing the duo travel together, since they must first push through these often substantial sections as Atreus. The duo's separation also makes progression feel uneven at times, since players can heavily upgrade Kratos's gear only to suddenly lose this progress when Atreus becomes playable in God of War Ragnarok again.
While giving Atreus separate playable sections may harm the pacing and progression in God of War Ragnarok, the benefits to the title's narrative are hard to deny. The sheer scale of the sequel's story means that Kratos and Atreus must be separated at certain points, and having Atreus' story happen mostly off-screen would make for a terrible sequel. During Atreus' levels players get to meet Angrboda, birth the World Serpent, converse with Thor and even interact with Odin in a cordial fashion. Atreus' time in Asgard also helps humanize the Aesir gods, and these essential moments would be impossible to experience as Kratos.
The decision to follow the story of Loki in God of War Ragnarok made Kratos and Atreus' separation inevitable, and making the boy a separate playable character opened the door for many amazing gameplay and narrative opportunities. However, these sections come at the price of the tight narrative and consistnet progression that many players enjoyed in 2018's God of War. Thankfully, this trade-off was largely worth it for the opportunity to delve deeper into Atreus' character throughout God of War Ragnarok.
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God of War Ragnarok
- Released:
- 2022-11-09
- Developer:
- Santa Monica Studio
- Franchise:
- God of War
- Genre:
- Adventure, Action
- Platform:
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Publisher:
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- ESRB:
- M
- Summary:
- Ragnarok has arrived in God of War Ragnarok, the sequel to the 2018 game of the year released on PlayStation 4. Three years have passed since Kratos and his son, Atreus, completed their quest across the realms while facing a small handful of Norse gods. However, their actions come with consequences. The Allfather, Odin, is ready for vengeance, and his son, Thor, leads the charge. Atreus, looking to find more answers about his lineage on his mother's side, embarks on another quest with his father to discover the truth while contending with the wrath of Odin's realm in this conclusion to the Norse God of War Saga.
- Prequel:
- God of War
- How Long To Beat:
- 26 Hours
