God of War Ragnarök, a game perhaps most remarkable for not slipping into a 2023 release date, has released a snippet more footage showing off the new ways Kratos can wield his axe and blades.
The footage was given to in-store magazine, Game Informer, and shows how gaming’s grumpiest dad can now infuse his attacks with elemental magic.
Santa Monica Studio, developer of the first-party Sony title, has said it wants the sequel to offer a range of new approaches to combat, with better use of environmental objects, and more ways to mess with the enemies.
This footage shows for the first time, I believe, one of these methods, where Kratos is now able to use ‘triangle’ (no, it is Kratos who does it) to fire up (sorry) the elements that enhance his attacks. If holding the Leviathan Axe, he can trigger Frost Awaken for a chilly thwack, and while using the Blades of Chaos there’s the option for the much hotter Whiplash. They sure sound like video game abilities.
The baddies that ol’ baldie is battling here are reptilian beasts called Grims, and if that name sounds too on the nose even for a game with an ability called “Frost Awaken,” then be shamed. The Fossegrim, or grim, is a watery troll in Scandinavian folklore. It’s certainly a shame Santa Monica has made them lizard-likes, rather than the fiddle-playing water-spirit originals, but kudos on the name.
Read More: Hey, You, There’s A Rick And Morty Commercial For God Of War: Ragnarok
GI also reports that Kratos’ shield is improved as well, with a Dauntless and a Stonewall shield on offer, each used in tactically different situations. The Dauntless is for last-second parries that build up the ability to fling enemies and stun them. The Stonewall is the more brutish option, too heavy to parry, but rather used for just blundering into battle. The more hits it gets, the more it builds up to being able to be slammed into the ground, knocking down everyone around you.
No new weapons have been revealed, but of all places a slight hint was dropped by the weekend’s Rick and Morty commercial. In it, Rick opens a chest, pulls out the axe and says, “Ah, finally, the Leviathan Axe, and…other unannounced upgrades.” So who knows, maybe that was about these elemental attacks, or perhaps a nudge that we might see the axe improved in various other ways.
Still, hooray! This looks a lot like it’s going to be more of the goodness we got from 2018’s stunning God Of War. God Of War Fragglerock is out November 9, unless it too becomes struck by the Terrible Delay Curse Of 2022.
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