God of War Ragnarokmay not be the first game that comes to mind recently as one that allows for a wide build variety, but its options in combat are actually diverse depending on which enchantments, relics, and gear set perks players have equipped. That has been elaborated upon now inGod of War Ragnarok’s New Game Plus update, which introduced a build capping players at Power Level 1 among other armor sets with their own associable perks. However, one build and its particular status effect is one that turns an enemy’s unique ability on the foes of the Nine Realms.
TheEinherjar are a new enemy type inGod of War Ragnarokthat hail from Asgard and wield Bifrost. Bifrost is an interesting status effect because once hit with it, players will see a portion of the end of their health bar turn purple. This encourages fans to play defensively or at least not get hit again, lest they suffer explosive damage depleting that much of the player’s health. Players can wait it out and recover that Bifrost-inflicted portion of their health, and Kratos can also become his own worst enemy by wielding Bifrost himself in certain builds.
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God of War Ragnarok’s Kratos Isn’t Afraid to Get His Hands Dirty
Kratos is hardly one to back down from a fight, and he seems inclined to use whatever is at his disposal in order to dismantle an opponent. Kratos’ rage has been quelled since packing his bags and moving to the snow-blanketed Norse lands of Midgard, but his past follows him wherever he goes, as a spirit representation of Athena is sure to remind him. Kratos struggles with his rage in the narrative as he does not wish to pass that tragic and lonesome inheritance onto his son, Atreus, but inGod of War Ragnarok’s gameplay, this is contradicted by how often players are able to tap into his brutal violence in combat.
The severity of his brutality is watered down by the fact that Kratos is commonly fighting draugr or othernonhuman creatures inGod of WarandGod of War Ragnarok, but having Spartan Rage be its own mechanic shows that the player can express that side of him whether Kratos would deny it or not. It would likely be underwhelming for players if his visceral attacks were not as gruesome as they are, such as being able to skin a wulver from its lower jaw down to its lower body.
God of War Ragnarok Hardly Tones Down Kratos’ Rage
Kratos is a better father figure inGod of War Ragnarok, but he is no less of a strategist or lethal warrior, and that is reflected again in gameplay. Interestingly, players get several means of wielding the Einherjar’s Bifrost and can create optimal builds with enchantments that provide that ability to them, such as how the Seal of Runic Stormenchantment inGod of War Ragnarokcreates a Storm of Bifrost once three different weapons’ runic attacks have been used in quick succession.
These enchantments can create builds all on their own with particular requisites for having unique abilities trigger, and this one, in particular, turns the weapon of the enemy against them. It would have been neat to see how this would affectGod of War Ragnarok’s main characters, but it seems to only have an effect on gameplay and not the narrative. This is fine sinceGod of War Ragnarokhardly condemns any of Kratos' actions, and with fate seemingly against him, it is understandable that he would take any advantage available to him in combat.
God of War Ragnarokis available now on PS4 and PS5.
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