God of War Ragnarok features the same combat and gameplay structure from the 2018 reboot. Kratos has his trusty Leviathan Axe and his Blades of Chaos unlocked almost at the start of the adventure with more powers and gear following. Atreus tags along with his bow in hand with players being able to issue Atreus orders. Loot can be found on enemies and in chests which can be equipped like before.
Defeating enemies will also net the two heroes with experience points. These points can be spent in two different skill trees. What upgrades should players purchase for Kratos and Atreus in the early hours of God of War Ragnarok?
8 Permafrost
Permafrost is an upgrade for Kratos which will make battles go down smoother. The ability increases the damage Kratos deals the longer he attacks with the Leviathan Axe. This will build up momentum so long as the player does not get interrupted by receiving damage.
Doing so will break the chain which is common for abilities like this in action games. To avoid getting hit, put on headphones so that allies can call out where enemies are at all times. That's a pro tip. Also, pick up Immolation which is the same ability but for the Blades of Chaos.
7 Extinguish Flames
Extinguish Flames will give Kratos the edge over fire-based enemies if he uses his Leviathan Axe. The frost from the axe will do more damage to them sort of like the dynamic in a Pokemon game except for the opposite effect since fire beats ice in those games.
There is a similar ability for the Blades of Chaos as well, Vaporize Frost, which will damage ice-based enemies quicker with heat from the weapons. A good tip to follow is to know when to use which weapon for any given situation in God of War Ragnarok. It seems like a no-brainer to use elemental attacks against certain enemies, but in the heat of battle, even the best action game players may forget.
6 Hyperion Grapple
Hyperion Grapple kind of turns Kratos into Scorpion from the Mortal Kombat series. Using the Blades of Chaos, Kratos will pull enemies toward him and launch them into the air. Juggling enemies is a great way to give them less power in battle.
Atreus has an ability like this as well, Dive Into Battle, but he dashes toward enemies instead. Atreus is not as strong as his father which is why he can’t launch enemies into the air, but he has made great strides since the 2018 reboot.
5 Sonic Potency
Sonic Potency is an ability for the young bow warrior Atreus. The skill will increase the effect of his Sonic’s arrows’ explosion. If players are being overwhelmed on a constant level in God of War Ragnarok then there is a good strategy for that. Grouping together enemies and using this ability can lessen the time of combat. Take out enemies in groups, preferably the smaller fries, and then turn the attention toward the bigger enemies. This advice is more for when players are in control of Atreus.
4 Watchful Protector
Watchful Protector is an upgrade for Atreus when he is being controlled by the AI. If players are on the verge of death with Kratos, or they are being overrun by enemies, the AI should kick in if this upgrade has been unlocked. This ability will draw enemies away from Kratos and toward Atreus instead. It’s like an aggro ability in other action games, especially action RPGs. Players don’t have to worry about Atreus dying either from getting bombarded by enemies as the AI is nearly invincible.
3 High Ground
High Ground is another upgrade for Atreus which is most useful when controlling the growing warrior. It’s sort of like Kratos’ Permafrost upgrade as it increases melee damage. The big difference here is that the combo finisher has a chance to be stronger.
It doesn’t matter if players continue their string of combos without taking damage. Players don’t need to be immaculate for this power-based ability to work although the goal of most action games is to avoid getting hit at all costs.
2 Arrow Surplus
Arrow Surplus is a basic skill for Atreus that increases how many special arrows he can shoot before the meter has to recharge. There are similar skills for Kratos as well. Later in the game, he can acquire a cool weapon called the Draupnir Spear, which can generate a set number of spears. A skill can increase how many Kratos can throw and explode at any one time. Arrow Surplus is a good skill for Atreus, but the overall tip here is to snag other skills that boost ammo quantities.
1 Deceptive Eagle Eye
Deceptive Eagle Eye is the final upgrade players should look into for Atreus. It's one of the few skills that can slow down time, allowing players to aim without fear of getting hit. Deceptive Eagle Eye will slow down time if players evade an attack at the last second, sort of like how Bayonetta can slow down time in her titular series. Cunning Eagle Eye, as another example, will slow down time after a successful parry. Of them all, Deceptive Eagle Eye is the one to get first.
God of War Ragnarok was released on November 9, 2022, and is available on PS4 and PS5.