God of War Ragnarok is finally out and fans are wondering whether the series is finally making the jump to open world.
Open world games are more popular than ever, allowing players the freedom to choose their own adventures. With a wide-open environment to explore, these titles give gamers almost limitless exploration but often at the expense of real depth.
God of War has never been an open world series, but with 9 realms to explore in Ragnarok is the game finally allowing players to explore it to its fullest?
Is God of War Ragnarok an Open-World Game?
No, God of War Ragnarok is not a fully open-world game, instead offering a semi-open experience where players can explore several previously-visited environments freely.
As in God of War 2018, players will still have access to a boat and realm travel, allowing them to explore the world around them and enjoy side content.
However, Kratos and Atreus will often be locked into story content and unable to leave for significant periods of time. On top of that, the world isn’t designed to be explored in as much detail as in fully open titles like Skyrim or The Witcher.
Is God of War Ragnarok’s Story Linear?
Yes, God of War Ragnarok’s story can be played in a linear nature, meaning that you can carry on to the next ‘mission’ at any time.
However, you can also take a breather after several story events, allowing you to explore the game’s world or complete side content.
The title offers some light exploration, and plenty of side missions to look out for, but its story is far more linear in nature.
Which God of War Games Are Open World?
No God of War game has featured a fully open world so far, with most of them being very linear in nature. The exception to the rule is God of War 2018, which offered players branching paths and a sem-open world to explore.
Now, God of War Ragnarok is replicating its predecessor’s success with a similar but more extensive partly-open world environment, despite its linear story.