Is God of War Ragnarok open world? Answered

God of War Ragnarok is the ninth game in the God of War series, and the series has evolved in a lot of different ways since the original God of War was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2005. The first game was a pretty linear hack ‘n’ slash adventure with a lot of environmental puzzles and epic set pieces and boss fights. There were no RPG elements to speak of.

17 years later, and God of War Ragnarok still shares the same core pillars as its classic ancestor. There’s a lot of hacking and slashing, it’s definitely one hell of an adventure, and the set pieces and boss fights might just be more epic than ever. But some important things have changed. There are RPG elements now. You can find, craft, and buy various weapons, armor pieces, and other items, as well as earning XP, currency, and resources that you can use to upgrade your skills and equipment. And another thing that’s a little RPG-esque is the freedom to explore. But does that mean that God of War Ragnarok is open world?

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Is God of War Raganrok an open-world game?

The short answer is no. God of War Ragnarok is not an open world game in the sense that Grand Theft Auto, Far Cry, or The Elder Scrolls are open world games. You’re not in a linear tutorial for the first hour or so before a momentous “you can go anywhere now” moment that unleashes you on the game environment in any direction you want to go in. God of War Ragnarok just doesn’t work like that.

However, there are open-world-ish aspects to God of War Ragnarok. For example, you have the freedom to travel between realms. Not all of the time, mind you. Sometimes, you’re pretty much locked into certain areas for a while. But in principle, you have the freedom to explore wherever you want. The realms themselves are also much more open than in previous God of War games, and they’re littered with collectibles, which definitely gives them an open world feel.