God of War Ragnarök is an upcoming action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studios and follows protagonists Kratos and Atreus on their journey through the midst of the Norse apocalypse. The father and son duo will face off against a whole host of terrifying monsters and gods, such as Freya and Thor, the latter of which was teased in the epilogue of the previous game. God of War Ragnarök is set to release this fall and, although serving as a sequel to PlayStation’s God of War, there is much debate on why the game is not just simply called God of War 2.

As the eighth installment to the God of War series, being the first to delve into a whole new storyline, 2018's God of War is a soft reboot of the franchise. Despite this, however, the 2018 release takes place after God of War 3’s climactic conclusion. With the Greek pantheon left in ruins after the events of God of War 3, Santa Monica Studios decided to take Kratos to the world of Norse mythology, sparking a whole new chapter for the franchise. Although the series is taking a different direction, the call-backs and recollection of past events made in God of War prove that God of War Ragnarök is the ninth installment to the overarching timeline of the series, as opposed to the second title in a reimagined story of the same name.

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While what happened after God of War 3 and how Kratos arrived in Midgard are not explained in the 2018 release, there are many references to past events from the original trilogy. One such event is the appearance of Athena, a major character from the original series. Although the character shows up briefly, her appearance is a reminder of God of War’s roots whilst also showcasing that its sequel continues the storyline.  The events of God of War 3 are also referenced in God of War, taking the form of the ghostly illusion of Zeus' final moments that are encountered in Helheim, a realm that torments its inhabitants with visions of their past misdeeds.

Why God of War's Sequel Is Called Ragnarök

What the God of War Ragnarök release date trailer reveals about the game's story.

God of War from 2018 even dedicates an entire story arch to Kratos’ past, and in most ways, acts as a redemption arch for the protagonist. God of War Ragnarok's new trailer showcases the knock-on events of the original trilogy, with Atreus coming to terms with his relation to the Greek pantheon, while Kratos guides his son against his own mistakes. Fundamentally, God of War Ragnarok is not titled God of War 2 because the original trilogy still has a major influence on the direction of the story.

But the highly anticipated God of War sequel is not just a continuation but is also a conclusion. God of War Ragnarök will be the last game to take place in Midgard, thus marking the final chapter of the series' Norse storyline. The events of Ragnarök bring about the end of the world, so it is rather fitting that the same term is used in the final game that takes place within the world of Norse mythology.

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