God of War Ragnarok PC review

It’s no secret that God of War from 2018 was one of the greatest video games ever made. Like many that played it, everything that followed struggled to live up to the intense and exciting combat, powerful and intelligent storytelling, and gorgeous visuals. God of War Ragnarok managed to improve an already phenomenal ride through Norse mythology, and now PlayStation has extended its platforms to PC. Despite The Last of Us Part I suffering a major failure when it first launched on PC, Sony has had a decent success rate since, and this is no different.

I haven’t replayed God of War Ragnarok since it released on PlayStation 5 in 2022, and it’s amazing how much it feels and looks exactly the same here. That’s to be expected from such a high calibre title, but it doesn’t always mean it’s a given. Jetpack Interactive has done a fantastic job alongside Santa Monica Studio to bring Kratos and Atreus’ story to life for PC. It was so comforting having lo lagging issues or texture pops, with the same level of detail in every frame. Cutscenes transition seamlessly into gameplay, and those same heartfelt moments are going to play out in stunning ways once again.

Gameplay is smooth and satisfying, with so much control over how you dispatch enemies. The Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos are your go-to weapons, but reaching another weapon later on makes combat feel consistently fresh. It’s brutal and violent, never shying away from bloody killings that feel akin to the rage boiling from within Kratos. Sparta powers are also so cool to see, and knowing when to utilise them adds another level of strategy to combat.

The scale of God of War Ragnarok is so impressive, not just in how it looks but in the story it sets out to tell. The relationship between Kratos and Atreus provides a deep level of emotion that keeps you invested until the pivotal final battle and what follows. Watching his son grow up and knowing when to let him flourish while trying not to intrude is something Kratos battles with throughout the story, and letting kids make mistakes is all part of growing up, but not when it involves the end of the world. A war with Odin and the armies of Asgard is just around the corner, and seeing how everything unfolds provides plenty of thrilling moments.

For those with a high-end PC, combat is more responsive thanks to support from NIVIDIA Reflex, and the unlocked framerate gives seamless movement and animations in both gameplay and cutscenes. 4K resolution makes everything look better than it ever has, and for those who want panoramic widescreen support, God of War Ragnarok can be played in 12:9 ultra widescreen or 32:9 super-ultra widescreen. Whatever your settings, there’s support across all ends o the spectrum, and even those who’s PCs might be a few years old will still be able to enjoy it.

The Valhalla DLC is included on PC, and for saying this was free when it came out, it’s an absolutely stunning mode for those that want a new challenge and some excellent story content. It dives into the history of Kratos before the new games, meeting characters he had tried to forget and face questions about his time in Greece. Again, this DLC runs wonderfully on PC and offers the same thrilling fights as ever before. I honestly think this would be worth the asking price alone just because of the depth of progression and wealth of story beats that fleshes out the Kratos we know now while looking back and what made him who he is.

God of War Ragnarok on PC is a great port that sacrifices nothing to make it a hit. Support for DualSense is available, but using mouse and keyboard is possible if you so wish. It is a visual treat, with the environment looking stunning and combat playing out in quick and exciting fashion. What makes it stand out the most is the story, and not just for the two main characters. Everyone gets important screen time and there are some heavy emotional beats that even now, almost two years on, I am still not over.