God of War Ragnarok’s slow burn is a double-edged sword. Its narrative and characters are both built upon with mediated dialogue and expertly crafted cutscenes as the camera never once leaves their perspective, culminating in a 30+ hour journey where every second counts.

Yet this obsession with prestige also means much of its gameplay is predictable and rote, no matter how engaging it might be moment-to-moment. Combat encounters can go on a smidge too long, while puzzles that should be designed to tax our brains are solved for us by supporting characters who are too afraid to let us think for ourselves. I’m only a few hours in, having just begun my first selection of side quests amidst the dwarven realm, but already I’m beginning to feel like the game thinks I’m an incapable dumbass like Atreus.

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There is always something to be doing in-between the main missions, but this often boils down to beating up enemies and picking up loot that will contribute to crafting, stat buffs, and weapon attachments that make you more powerful. The occasional bits of procedural dialogue that break out on longer boat rides that hint at Kratos’ past and the quirks of other characters also make this world feel lived in.

Ragnarok

But the moment you step foot into a puzzle arena you’re treated like a fool. A few seconds pass and Atreus is already handing me the solution on a silver platter, speaking in abstract yet very obvious terms about where I need to look and what object I need to play with in order to move forward. It’s not only needless, it makes the game worse. “Maybe you need to freeze the geyser” or “There’s probably something up there we can use.” I don’t think it’s a possibility, boy, you’re actively telling me what to do and how to do it, and I’ve never seen a triple-A blockbuster take the reins away so quickly before.

Perhaps I’m still early into the game, and it is merely hesitant to take off the training wheels until I’ve done the rounds a few times, but Ragnarok already takes its time, and limits the scope of its gorgeous world and potential experimentation by taking away the joy of solving its mysteries. Kratos is a hardened warrior who can crush a few skulls, but he’s not thick. He’s solved countless puzzles before, with past games only stopping to provide hints after you’d been stumped for several minutes.

Ragnarok

This guidance is now the default, and a glance at social media shows I’m not alone when it comes to annoyance at the overall leniency. Turns out there is an option connected to this grievance that is turned off by default, meaning Atreus will offer solutions immediately instead of giving us time to do it ourselves. Switch ‘Puzzle Timing’ to extensive and the problem is alleviated somewhat, but it never goes away. I’m loving my time with this game, but its lack of a mental challenge means much of its side content is like ticking boxes.

It’s a direct symptom of Sony’s first-party formula these days, but God of War Ragnarok heightens it by a significant degree. Kratos, Ellie, Aloy, and even Deacon St John are guilty of talking to themselves too much, or having an ally walk them through things step-by-step to be extra safe, so the player doesn’t get bored. Ragnarok holds your hand the entire way through so far, and, like Kratos needs to realise with Atreus, I really wish it had enough confidence in us to let go.

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