God Of War Ragnarok was by far my most anticipated game from last year. Having finally played it I'm happy to say that it fully delivered in pretty much every regard. This game is tremendous. I absolutely loved God Of War 2018 and this game further builds upon its remarkable strengths while simultaneously fixing some of its notable weaknesses. It isn’t a drastic shift in the gameplay formula but it does manage to adequately tweak/refine the general mechanics of 2018’s game, trimming the fat so to speak, and making the moment to moment gameplay experience even more smooth and fun than it already was. The boss fights are a vast improvement over the predecessor and they are very enjoyable to play through, the combat is a pitch perfect mix of visceral challenge and grueling intensity, and the exploration remains just as rewarding and satisfying as the prior game, with just the right balance of puzzles, enemy counters, collectibles, and basic platforming to keep you engaged. Ragnarok is by all means bigger and bolder than 2018’s game (both narratively and thematically) but with that also comes problems. The story feels very disjointed at points which manifests itself into some noticeably inconsistent pacing throughout this already unwieldily structured campaign. There are also some drawn out gameplay segments where so little happens in the way of plot progression, boss fights, set pieces, or character development that this game did test my patience on occasion. It's certainly clear that this game was intended to be a second installment in a trilogy as the story (especially towards the end) does feel somewhat padded. Certain character motivations also come off as contrived and certain plot developments are either seemingly rushed over or not properly fleshed out. In spite of all these flaws though? I would still feel comfortable declaring that i loved this game and that it’s the best game i’ve played all year. God Of War Ragnarok may not be perfect (no game truly is) but I can’t deny how strongly it affected me as someone who has loved this franchise since its inception. It’s an incredibly ambitious and immensely emotional experience, with top notch production values and gorgeously stunning visuals, polished gameplay, a beautifully told and utterly gripping story, anchored by a rich and spectacularly developed cast of both main characters and supporting characters. I haven’t even mentioned the incredibly moving score by Bear McCreary that adds so much emotional resonance to the proceedings of the game. I seriously doubt this game is going to have the same indelible impact that God Of War 2018 had (and it certainly isn’t as narratively singular of an experience) but as a game on its own it is every bit as stirring, meaningful, powerful, and compelling. I ultimately walked away from this game feeling incredibly satisfied and completely enthralled by what I was experiencing even through its rare missteps. I truly can’t wait to see what santa monica have in store for this franchise next.