Didn't care for the story, main villains, and some character resolution genuinely suck IMO but I can't ignore the fun I've had during the entire experience either from the vastly-improved gameplay, fun and addicting side-content, charming cast of characters (Yamai especially), banger OST, and Hawaii as the new setting (I lived in Waianae for 2 years so maybe there's bias into that. It really felt like I was there. They did a great job with the immersion).

I won't be forgetting this game soon and personally worth the price but I wish the story and ending resonated with me as that's what I usually care for the most in the series. Also it sucks that NG+ and Platinum Trophy was locked via DLC. I usually do those after so I'm bummed to shelve the game for a while until it goes on a steep sale.

117 hours and 50 days in Dondoko Island later, I give Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth a 4/5

I came for the boobs and gore but found so much more

I recently played God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla and quickly found out that I barely remember Kratos' story at all. I came into the series as a horny teen who played for the boobs and gore so I guess I didn't pay attention to anything beyond those at the time. That's why returning with a mature mindset and appreciation for story/character + the context of Valhalla and Kratos' recent development was a massive payoff that I didn't expect returning to this game.

The combat aged like fine mead. It's snappy, has a lot of combo and ability variety that keeps the flow of combat so satisfying. Blades of Chaos is iconic from the get-go and the finishers are brutal af. I never got bored of the combat at all.

My only gripe throughout was some section that breaks the pace or was a bit too difficult (Pushing the box while archers rain arrows down on you, slooowly pushing giant pillars even with the kick, that one section where bats will push you down the beams, etc) and also sometimes the grab finishers misses but overall, super fun experience.

check my logs for moment-to-moment thoughts and a best/worst of list at the end

7.45 hours and later, I give God of War a 4.5/5

Have you heard of the critically acclaimed 3rd person action-adventure game God of War Ragnarök which has an expanded free DLC that you can play through as the voice of award-winning actor Christopher Judge for free with no restrictions on playtime because it's a roguelite now?! Download and enjoy Valhalla today! https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/god-of-war-ragnarok/god-of-war-ragnarok-valhalla/


Seriously, God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla is a prime example of the perfect DLC. It neatly ties into the base game; adds some much needed lore into Valhalla; further develops the already-compelling characters such as the Valkyries, Freya, Tyr, Mimir, and especially Kratos; adds insane replayability to the gameplay formula by TURNING IT INTO A ROGUELITE THAT'S SO SMART AAAAH; and best of all is that it's all FREE!. It's not hyperbole when I say I'll easily pay $15 for this. It's THAT GOOD.

If there's a gripe, and this is extremely small and personal, it's that there's only 12 trophies. I find trophies tied to collectibles and challenges add to the fun and incentivize me to just dive deep into everything the game has to offer. It's especially true on roguelites so it's a biiiit disappointing getting all of it within a few runs and with no fanfare (I didn't realize I got it all until I checked the day after). Not much of a gripe to knock the rating off tho, and I forced myself to think of one in this case.

Anyway, God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla is a 5/5. GO PLAY IT