Early Player Feedback for God of War: Ragnarok Splits Opinions Across Platforms
A few days after the launch, player scores for God of War: Ragnarok began appearing on Metacritic. They diverge from the critical consensus, which had greeted the title with a high rating of 9.4. At the moment of writing, the PS5 version holds a score around 8.4 while the PS4 edition sits near 7.3. Some players using older consoles report significant issues, citing optimization problems, bugs, and crashes. A number of reviewers also describe the gameplay as repetitive, with criticisms aimed at pacing, a perceived lack of novelty, and a set of familiar mechanics that do not substantially evolve from previous installments.
On the PS5 storefront page, the majority of user feedback comes from the larger pool of recent reviews. Of 701 total entries, roughly 109 are negative and about 30 are mixed. Several critics express disappointment, labeling the sequel a substantial DLC with criticisms along the lines of “old, boring gameplay”, “boring plot”, “boring puzzles”, and “poor level design”. One commenter summarizes the sentiment by calling it a good DLC with some improvements but stop there and asks for a truly new Kratos adventure (Christian).
A few additional opinions echo a sentiment that the experience mirrors much of the original game, suggesting the scope of the second act could feel more like an expansion than a standalone breakthrough (Fred125).
Other voices compare the structure to outposts and grind-heavy progression, drawing parallels to Ubisoft-style design where exploration might feel repetitive to some players (Viaduk).
There are also takes that challenge the idea of a Game of the Year contender, with comments such as, “This game is straight out of 2018” (daniel45454).
Some players concede that while the title isn’t inherently broken, it can feel more like a PS4-era experience than a next-generation leap. Observers note that the cutscenes and cinematic moments are prominent, which some players interpret as leaning toward a movie-like experience rather than a traditional, action-driven game (Rains067).
Nevertheless, a large portion of the player base remains genuinely excited about Santa Monica Studio’s late release. The praise tends to cluster around a handful of positive reviews, with praise for atmosphere, storytelling, and the craft evident in the production. Moments of wonder and excitement appear in several favorable comments, even if the overall sentiment presents a mixed balance of opinions across platforms. A typical thread highlights the immersive world and emotional resonance as standout elements, while also noting areas for improvement and growth in future patches or sequels.
“Fan of the original God of War from day one and grateful for the effort poured into this title,” writes a longtime player who found satisfaction in the latest journey (Peak17).
“You have to play the game to understand how impressive it is. I’m speechless—truly loved it,” adds another admirer (MadSl1ng3r).
“The one aspect that disappointed me was the use of DualSense features. Beyond that, everything else shines, and the core adventure is strong,” notes a reviewer who appreciated the broader vision (fybios).
Regarding availability, God of War: Ragnarok released on November 9 for both PS4 and PS5. There is guidance available for players in Russia on how to purchase the game, reflecting regional considerations tied to distribution and accessibility (in-text attribution).
All in-game imagery and screenshots from God of War: Ragnarok can be viewed in the gallery this article references (VG Times).
Porn Chess is listed as a separate title on Steam, illustrating the varied and humorous ecosystem surrounding game culture (VG Times).
Source: VG Times