God of War Ragnarok has received its ESRB rating that shares more details about the game’s level of violence and profanity. God of War Ragnarok officially comes out next month on November 9, and it’s one of the most anticipated games of the year. It’s the second God of War game set in Norse mythology, and Sony has confirmed that it’s the last game in this saga.
Developer Santa Monica Studio has kept things close to its chest when showing God of War Ragnarok. While other games like Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7 got their own extensive State of Play presentations, God of War fans have only seen glimpses of the gameplay from Ragnarok. Now, the ESRB rating of the game aims to shed light on the level of violence players can expect from the newest entry in this iconic franchise.
God of War Ragnarok is rated M by the ESRB board due to “Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language” present in the game. The summary on the same page describes the reasons for its M rating. ESRB confirms that players take part in frenetic hand-to-hand combat against human-like enemies and fantastical creatures, such as dragons, centaurs, and trolls. Gamers will get to use the Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos from the 2018 game, although it doesn’t mention any new weapon.
Some fans will remember that the ESRB rating for God of War famously spoiled that Kratos wields double-chained blades in the game, prompting Sony to ask them to remove it from the description. This summary mentions “bladed and hand-held weapons,” but doesn’t share any further details. It remains to be seen if players will get to use other iconic weapons, such as Thor’s hammer, in the game.
In terms of violence, the ESRB description states that blood-splatter effects and dismemberment often appear in God of War Ragnarok. Players can also use finishing moves that impale enemies, and it mentions that repeated axe strikes to a creature’s neck result in a decapitation. Finally, the ESRB description also confirms that players will visit various realms in God of War Ragnarok.
A new report revealed that God of War Ragnarok will take 40 hours to beat. This playtime is for all the content in the game, so the side-quests and other activities are included in this number. According to the same report, players will take around 20 hours to finish the story.
God of War Ragnarok launches on November 9 for PS4 and PS5.
Source: ESRB