Topic: God of War OT

@MightyDemon82 @Kairu We won't miss you for a week.

I haven't preordered yet but having paid out loads for various things this last few months I'm pretty skint. I'm close to just thinking to hell with it though and sticking it on the already quite full credit card as there's no way I'm going to avoid seeing spoilers 😅

Depending on timezones,you can download the game today.

@jdv95 I wish this was somehow also available for those who pre-ordered a physical edition. Like... download now, insert disc to play (or enter code to unlock) on launch day. That's probably asking too much though
Luckily my new internet connection isn't half bad

@Kairu Lol, but I guess things would be less active here for a bit since you do seem to post a lot. There's that.

@Voltan That is one nice thing you can do on Xbox. Even if you don't own the game or it's not on Game Pass, you can pre-load a game via the Xbox's phone app (and Remote Play) and then just pop-in the disc whenever you get it.

If the file size of Ragnarok is under 100 GB, we should be ok though since PS5 games are on UHD discs. Horizon Forbidden West was basically 90 GB at launch and it all installed from the disc (plus a small Day 1 patch of course).

@KilloWertz Yeah that is nice. I got the Jotnar edition so it will be a PS Store code for me this time, no disc (but I am getting a nice steel case, lol).

@Voltan Oh, well, then you'll obviously be downloading the game and my comment about the UHD discs doesn't matter.

I just went with the standard edition as I wasn't a big fan of the 2018 game. This looks like I will enjoy it more, so I had no problem pre-ordering it, but I'll be ok. The Jotnar Edition looks cool, but I still have my Kratos statue from God of War Ascension, so I'm also ok with God of War related statues.

@KilloWertz I’m taken the opposite approach — I really like the 2018 game but I chose to wait on getting Ragnarok until later because it looks so similar to the last game. 😅

It’s all in the eye of the beholder. I reckon the truth is somewhere in the middle. People saying that this sequel looks like it’s just DLC for the last game are probably underselling it, and yet those expecting a transcendent game that is completely different are also likely to be disappointed.

I think it will be really awesome, but feel very familiar. (Which for me will be a good thing)

I forget if you already said, but what was it about the 2018 game that you didn’t like?

Base have took the £59 from my account 😃 Ragnarok is coming!

@Kairu haha the site messed up.

@Th3solution I'm not expecting it to be something completely different or anything. I know it will be similar. A lot of sequels on the PlayStation are, but the combat looks more enjoyable to me this time around. I assume you have the Blades of Chaos from the beginning this time around, which will automatically make it better because it will feel more like the old God of War games in regards to tearing through enemies with them.

I have, but I didn't like it like I should have because I hated the Atreus character. [spoilerThe way he acted once he found out about being a demigod, especially when he betrays Kratos and gets himself kidnapped pretty much killed the story for me.[/spoiler] If Kratos didn't get his Blades of Chaos back for the final portion of the game, I likely wouldn't have even finished the game because of how much Atreus aggravated me. It was a technical masterpiece and fun gameplay wise, but obviously he's a central part of the story in the first one (and this one of course). The improvement to combat by default by already having the Blades of Chaos will hopefully compensate if he's annoying again in this one. That's what I'm hoping for at least.

@Kairu Never, unless you forget to game because you're posting so much. I would think your posts are more useful than PlayStation Stars has been so far (unless you buy games digitally only).

@KilloWertz Ah yes, it’s all coming back to me now. Atreus. He’s the rascal that ruined it for you.

Well, now instead of a whining little brat he’ll be an angsty aggravating teenager, so I’m sure it will grate on you even more. 😛.

I definitely liked the blades, but the axe was still good fun for me up until the end. Maybe he’ll have a new weapon. I think the wager is safe to place on Mjolnir.

so reviews will be out tomorrow!

must be hell for the devs.

remember the video of cory back in 2018 reading the reviews?

@jdv95 oh ****! I had no idea they were tomorrow… wow im not gonna get much work done tomorrow 😱. Oh well at least my boss is also a gamer, so he should understand 😅

4 pm BST!

@Th3solution It's possible. We'll see. Like I said, if the combat draws me in more than it did in the first one and his issues make more sense in the grande scheme of things (instead of just being a complete idiot), maybe it will work out better.

The axe was fine. I wasn't overly thrilled with Sony turning God of War into just another one of their 3rd person action games when the originals were actually something different in a way. I get that things evolve and all that, but in the end it was mainly just Atreus, but in a big way. Having his blades likely from the start this time will at least bring back some of the feel of the old games at least even if it's still essentially just another PlayStation 3rd person action adventure game (a really well made one obviously).

Yeah, getting to use Mjolnir is a pretty safe bet. Me botching the name of it like Kat Dennings did in Thor is also a pretty safe bet.

@Kairu Sorry, I was considering adding you on PSN, but not now. Disc drive console owners or bust.

Mine is not. I'm beginning to realize I probably shouldn't have bought one. It's not that I wouldn't highly enjoy some of the games if I gave them a chance. I just don't really have the time to play much on it and still play all of the games I want to on my PS5, especially with the release schedule being so loaded for the next several months. Oh well I guess.

@Kairu I already have a backlog, and obviously with so many games coming out, there's automatically going to be some backlog from the amount of games coming out since they aren't spread out very much. I guess the one plus, other than having plenty of hopefully good games to play, is that I will get some of them cheaper as obviously some have to wait. Not that I buy a lot of games on release day anyways.

Ok, I slept on it. I guess I was making up that rule and I'll add you when I'm on in a little while to play more Mass Effect 3.

@KilloWertz Yeah, every time I start to buy a Switch, I look at my PS4/PS5 backlog and ask myself why I would do that to myself. 😅
Same with buying an Xbox. The advantage of the Switch is that at least you have a updated way to play portably with the handheld mode, so it’s an added benefit. Also, Nintendo exclusives seem to wipe floor with Xbox exclusives. It’s just a shame the Switch games are so darn expensive, which is the other deterrent for me.

I’ve been able to borrow a friend’s Switch from time to time and it’s great, but I just haven’t the time. Also, we should be due to a Switch 2, so I’d like to see if that could happen and push me to jump in, especially if it were back compatible. Rumors were that Nintendo had plans but the pandemic and component shortages changed that.

Where am I…? Oh yeah, the God of War topic… sorry for the derail…

So on topic — I’ll be interested to see how you get along with it. Despite your backlog, I assume you’ll play Ragnarok at launch since you preordered. I do hope it clicks for you and they keep Atreus less annoying. Honestly, with the way the last game ended with the Loki reveal, I do think his character will be much more interesting. With the traditional cunning and craftiness of the Loki mythology (he is the god of mischief), I expect he’ll be a complex character this time and end up stabbing Kratos in the back, or something. His character does have huge potential, but it could come across poorly if not done right.

Are you mainly a ‘narrative-first’ gamer or a ‘gameplay-first’ gamer? Obviously both aspects of a game are important, but which is more important?

I think most people will say gameplay is the most important part and if a story sucks and the game is fun, then it doesn’t matter. Honestly, I lean toward ‘narrative-first’, but it depends. A great narrative can really carry a game and some of my favorite games have mediocre gameplay but gripping stories. The Last of Us Part I comes to mind. Also Red Dead Redemption 1&2, the Uncharteds, BioShock, Mass Effect, and games like Detroit Become Human and Life is Strange, etc.

Fortunately, God of War really has both going for it, in my opinion.

@Kairu I also empathize with the backlog comment. (See above 😄). When I subbed to PS+ Extra my already large backlog instantly doubled in size too. If only there was money in playing video games all day as a career.

@Kairu Yeah, gameplay is probably the most essential, and yet I like a good walking sim or visual novel. 😄

The best gameplay I’ve experienced on n recent memory is Returnal. It’s probably my favorite PS5 game to date, along with Control Ultimate Edition. Both games are great to play and have weird non-traditional storylines, so gameplay definitely makes a big impact.