Summary
God of War Ragnarokbrought a fascinating new chapter to life in the long-running franchise, as the Norse realm was explored even further. Not only didGod of War Ragnarokdive deeper into Odin and his role in the titular event as the game’s main antagonist, but there was a large variety of new characters brought to the forefront.
Atreus' adventures throughoutthe events ofRagnarokintroduced some great characters, but it was arguably a lot to take in all at once. From Angrboda to Thrud and then to Heimdall, it seemed like every time a player turned around, another character was being introduced. If Atreus is to get his own spin-off series in the franchise, a series led by him should avoidRagnarok’s mistake of introducing too many characters in a second game.
Spoilers ahead forGod of War Ragnarok
An Atreus Spin-Off Should Establish Major Characters From the Start
Between 2018’sGod of WarandRagnarok, there are some characters that players have been able to bond with a lot more compared to others. Freya and Mimir are characters that have beeninGoW’s Norse sagafrom the get-go, and this arguably makes the attachment to the characters much stronger, since players have gotten two whole games to spend time with them.
Giving Players a Better Chance to Bond with Characters
There were some fascinating new characters inRagnarok, but with the Norse era seemingly coming to an end and the new characters getting little screen time, there wasn’t really any proper opportunity to get to know most of them. Of course, there was ampletime spent with Angrbodaand great moments spent with Thrud, but overall, both characters, in addition to the myriad of others, sometimes felt like they were being crammed into the narrative.
If most of these characters had originally been introduced in the first NorseGod of Wargame, players could have gotten a better opportunity to bond, which would have likely made several story beats hit better. Freya’s brother Freyr, for example, sacrifices himself in the battle of Ragnarok, which is a major moment in the game’s story. However, if players were given the chance to know him longer, his death may have had more of an impact. The bond between Freya and Freyr was demonstrated as best as it could be in the short amount of time, butthe death of Brokfelt far more meaningful since the character had been with Kratos' group from the beginning.
Atreus' Personality Lends Itself to More Friends
Between Atreus and Kratos, Atreus is clearly the more approachable of the two. This could allow the character to quickly form some close bonds inan Atreus-led game. Atreus is far more open and friendly, and this leaves the door wide open for more friends to be introduced in his own story.Ragnarokwas a great example of how quickly he can make friends with strangers, and if he leads his own spin-off series, major bonds shouldn’t be saved for the second chapter.
Ragnarokwas a thrilling ride, but there were some moments that felt as if the story was asking for emotional attachments without those attachments truly feeling earned. The status ofthe nextGod of Wargameis currently unknown, but wherever the story goes, major bonds need to be established upfront.
