God Of War Ragnarok Makes Divisive Change To Leviathan Axe And Blades Of Chaos
As Sony gets ready to release God of War Ragnarok, it turns out the sequel has changed the Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos with elemental powers.
31st Aug 2022 13:52
Images via Sony Santa Monica
God Of War Ragnarok Makes Divisive Change To Leviathan Axe And Blades Of Chaos
As Sony gets ready to release God of War Ragnarok, it turns out the sequel has changed the Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos with elemental powers.
31st Aug 2022 13:52
Images via Sony Santa Monica
Let's not forget that 2022 isn't over in terms of video game releases, and although many think Elden Ring is clear to claim Game of the Year, there's still a major contender. How could we not remember Sony Santa Monica's God of War Ragnarok?
In 2018, SSM released God of War as a soft reboot of the franchise it started back in 2005. While the OG trilogy and its various spin-offs followed Kratos as the Ghost of Sparta through Greek mythology, 2018's game wrapped him up in furs and tossed him into the nine realms of Norse mythology. While we expect Ragnarok to be the same as its predecessor, it turns out there's a divisive change to Kratos' signature weapons.
What Are Kratos' New Powers In God Of War Ragnarok?
Game Informer has put Ragnarok as its cover story and hacked its way into what's going on with the much-hyped sequel. Given that some hold 2018's God of War as one of the greatest video games of all time, it should be relatively easy to replicate this formula for Ragnarok - especially as it's tipped as the end of the story for now.
Lead Combat Designers Mihir Sheth and Denny Yeh opened up about the changes and explained how Kratos' Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos can be fused with "elemental" powers. If you press triangle on your PlayStation controller, it'll activate Kratos' powers. The Weapon Signature Moves change based on which weapon you have in your hand. "Frost Awaken" uses the Leviathan Axe and "Whiplash" is assigned to the Blades of Chaos.
This means you can now freeze enemies with your axe or set fire to them with the blades. The pair also highlighted the two new Dauntless and Stonewall shields. The Dauntless Shield uses "twitch reactions," and if you parry at the last moment, the shield will glow red and signal that you can unleash a "devastating smash" to throw and stun enemies. Using the Stonewall means you can't parry, but as it absorbs kinetic energy, it can be charged up to emit a "screen-wide pulse" to damage foes.
Players React To Kratos' Powers
Critics remind us that charging the Blades of Chaos previously appeared in 2013's God of War: Ascension. That game actually had four magical properties, including ice, fire, Zeus' lightning, and Hades' souls of the dead attacking enemies. Someone else grumbled, "Copy and paste. As expected from a Sony game," while another criticised the move and said, "All I need is a jump button."
Others were more than happy with a revamped combat. One cheered: "That’s prob my biggest complaint with the first game is how repetitive combat could be with the lack of enemy variety. You love to see that improved in the sequel." Another concluded, "Infused with ice and fire? SICK…" It's clear that the team has been listening to complaints about enemy and boss variety, with a general sense that Ragnarok feels more alive than its older brother. With a more extensive arsenal, and Kratos heating things up in the chilly Midgard, we can't wait to play.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
Comments
