PLEASE NOTE: This article contains MID-GAME SPOILERS for God of War Ragnarok. Reader discretion is advised.A Twitch streamer lost their cool when taking on a tough boss in God of War Ragnarok, and his chat compared it to the game doing its own version of "backseat gaming" at the time. The moment was clipped and received the attention of many viewers that came to see God of War Ragnarok content just days after its release.
Since its release on November 9, God of War Ragnarok received critical acclaim across the globe. Picking up a few years after the original 2018 game, God of War Ragnarok happens during the apocalyptic Fimbulwinter that precludes Ragnarok in Norse mythology. With the Norse end times in full effect, and foes past and present at every turn, Kratos and his son Atreus have targets on their backs from the start of the game.
However, one streamer felt targeted by one of the game's companions during the heat of battle. A Swedish Twitch Partner named Elajjaz was facing the fearsome monster called Nidhogg when one of Kratos' companions, the Norse goddess Freya, let her displeasure known at the Ghost of Sparta and the player by association. During the fight in the realm of Vanaheim, Freya shouted condescending lines about Kratos' warrior training, including how to parry and defend himself, which doesn't sit well with Elajjaz or his chat at all. One of Elajjaz's failed attempts to take down Nidhogg was clipped and shared with his audience, which added fuel to the fires of battle.
To put it mildly, Elajjaz took umbrage with Freya's lines both in battle and in defeat, and his chat compared the remarks to backseat gaming and trolling from the game itself. Some of Elajjaz's chat stated that the game had become self-aware of the player's failings, and doubled down on them. Eventually, Nidhogg fell, and while Elajjaz said the fight itself was a good one, he stood by his criticism of Freya.
One of Twitch's most commonly established chat rules explicitly prohibits backseat gaming unless specifically asked, and Elajjaz's ruleset is no different in that regard. Suffice it to say, Freya's backseating did not go unnoticed by many of the game's critics and reviewers either. Some of them noted it as a downside that trivializes the combat and puzzles in specific parts of God of War Ragnarok. Whether Santa Monica Studios will update the game to address these criticisms, or double down on them in a tongue-in-cheek manner, remains to be seen.
In spite of a few misgivings, the quality and polish that went into God of War Ragnarok shines brightly. Despite the grim tone and barbed remarks that hang over Kratos and Atreus constantly, the game is on track to be a fan favorite and potential accolade winner.
God of War Ragnarok is available now for PS4 and PS5.
Source: Dexerto