God Of War Ragnarök Doesn’t Expect You To Play Its Prequel (2024)

God of War Ragnarök will be coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on November 9, giving fans less than three weeks to catch up on the series' story so far. Fortunately for those that won't have that chance, it seems that developers have devised a way for all players to enjoy the story of God of War Ragnarok on even footing. Players that aren't inclined to experience the last God of War for themselves will be able to be brought up to speed within God of War Ragnarok itself.

As the sequel to 2018's God of War, Ragnarok will confront players not only with developments from its predecessor's story but also with an expanded look at the settings and characters of Norse mythology. There are plenty of moving parts within God of War Ragnarok's story, and playing it without being aware of them would surely hamper the experience. Since God of War Ragnarök will end the Norse saga that this era of the series has been focused on, its climax and resolution will be best received with at least second-hand knowledge of what came before.

Related: How Old Kratos Is In God Of War Ragnarök

When discussing their early impressions of God of War Ragnarok, the Easy Allies noted that one of them hadn't played God of War before diving into this sequel. They were, however, able to understand its story without confusion thanks to a feature on the main menu: a recap of the first game. Such a recap may seem simple, this kind of feature can be overlooked in sequel titles, potentially leaving players that latched onto a franchise late for whatever reason a bit lost. This addition ensures that God of War Ragnarok, which is sure to be a landmark title for the PS5, will be as open to new players as possible. An illustrated, storybook-style retelling of God of War's story beats can also be found on the game's page on the PlayStation website, giving fans a brief reminder of how far Kratos and Atreus have come.

You Don't Need To Play GoW Before Ragnarök, But You Should

Though a synopsis of 2018's God of War is sure to be a convenient and effective compromise, it's unlikely to compare to experiencing the game firsthand. God of War is an expertly crafted action RPG and takes its franchise in an engaging new direction while still honoring its past. The level of emotional weight and sincerity with which it presents its narrative is such that simply reading a plot summary will likely pale in comparison. And while God of War Ragnarok's recap of the original's story will surely be comprehensive, actually witnessing the twists of God of War's ending, which foreshadows Kratos' future, will give Ragnarok's events a new layer of meaning and connection.

God of War was one of the most iconic titles of the last console generation, and its successor could very well be held in the same regard. In this culmination of God of War's story, it will be important for players to have as seamless an experience as possible, and it will be convenient for newcomers to have a plot synopsis readily available. If its trailers are any indication, God of War Ragnarök will be a title that no PlayStation owner will want to miss.

Next: God of War: Ragnarök Preview - The Beginning Of The End

Source: Easy Allies/YouTube