God of War Ragnarok has finally made its way to public release, managing to squeeze in before the end of the year and enter into the GOTY conversation with stellar review scores. We’ll see how many sales Sony racks up in short order here, but for now, everyone is just leaping in to play.
As someone who has already put 40 hours into my review copy of God of War, I do have some advice for you as you start. No spoilers ahead, just some gameplay tips that will help you have a better time.
Here are ten things I wish I knew when I started God of War Ragnarok:
1. You Will Have More XP And Money Than You Know What To Do With Eventually
I think it’s important to know how the economy of this game works up front. In short, you really do not need to stress about what to spend XP or money on in the early parts of the game. Rewards scale, so you might be getting 1,000 XP or Hacksilver in early phases, but you will be getting 10-20,000 when completing missions and challenges toward the end of the game. So spend freely, as you should be able to purchase every major upgrade for you, Atreus and gear for you both by the end of the game. There is no real bottleneck.
God of War Ragnarok
Sony
2. Diversify Your Combat To Upgrade Your Skills
One new addition to God of War Ragnarok is that the more you use a skill, you can eventually upgrade it to boost its damage, defense, element or other stats. As such, the more diverse you can make your combat across the axe and blades, the most overall upgrades you will unlock as opposed to just…parrying and doing little easy combos. Use all the skills often!
3. Come Back Later For These Puzzle Obstacles
This is not exactly a new mechanic in video games, but let me be clear about some confusing things you may encounter on some early maps. There are two things, what looks like a little wind gust coming out of a wall, and what looks like a yellow glowing patch, that you cannot interact with early on. You will get a tool that overcomes these obstacles later in the story. Second, there are weird, floaty, broken rune things around you will see. You will need to progress the story to a certain point to learn how to use those. No amount of experimentation will get you past any of that stuff. It will be clear when you get to the point where you can interact with them.
4. You Can Overlevel For Harder Minibosses
There are new minibosses that replace Valkyries that you will eventually unlock fights with around the map. I won’t say what they are, but many can be quite difficult. I found that for some of them, ignoring them and then circling back around when Kratos and his gear were at a higher level was the play, as you can overlevel them, they won’t scale with you. The same is true for things like combat challenges, most of which will not scale to your level.
God of War Ragnarok
Sony
5. Side Quests Are Essentially Not Optional
As my friend Gene Park noted in his review, the side quests here are almost on the level of The Witcher 3, if not past them. As such, I really would not consider most of the larger sidequests optional here. Some clearly are, like hacking through all of Odin’s spy ravens, which are merely collectibles. But things that are actual sidequests are often hugely important story beats for specific characters in the game, and should not be ignored. I would complete all major sidequests before the finale to really flesh out the full cast as much as you can.
6. Endgame Currency For Maxing Armor Sets
By the end of the game, you will probably complete enough activities to max out a handful of full armor sets at their highest power. For the final piece of the puzzle, you will need to perform well in a final series of combat challenges that will take you to true max for your chestplates. Side quests and challenges are also how you will get to the final few damage tiers of your weapons.
7. You Can And Will Return To Almost All Areas
You may be wondering if you need to do everything in a given area or else you will be missing out on content that you can’t complete later. With very, very few exceptions (one lush realm that’s like a “break” I would recommend doing all sidequests in), you will return to all the realms you unlock and be able to fully explore their mysteries. There is also no “point of no return” before the ending in the game, another common question. You will be able to keep exploring, albeit in a bit of an altered way. You’ll see.
God of War Ragnarok
Sony
8. My Favorite Armor Set Of Them All
There are a lot of great armor sets you’ll unlock but my favorite was one made by a dwarven smith that was able to be crafted pretty early into the game. It gives your fists poison damage when you are attacking enemies unarmed, and then a huge 40% melee damage bonus against poisoned enemies. So I’d often throw my axe, let it stick in an enemy, then mash them down with my fists for enormous damage. I used this for probably 80% of the game and it was my main set.
9. Don’t Forget To Upgrade Your Rage Skills
In Ragnarok, Rage is now a bit different in that you will have three different skills that bloom from it. One is pure healing, one is damage and healing, one is pure damage. Each of these have three tiers that you will upgrade through XP alone to increase their potency, and since they’re not in the skill tree and not pieces of gear, it’s something that might be easy to overlook. But they are very important upgrades.
10. Swap Weapons In Combat Often
There are a lot more combat rewards for diversifying your weapon choice in this sequel. At baseline, both the axe and blades will get a skill where the blades do more damage to frozen enemies and the axe does more damage to burning enemies, so you want to swap often. Later, I unlocked armor sets that rewarded you for using special action skills quickly across different weapons. There’s a lot of synergy like that, so look out for it, in addition to certain enemies that are weak to different types of weapons, similar to last game.
CHICAGO (AP) — United Airlines has struck a deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to offer satellite-based Starlink WiFi service on flights within the next several years.
The airline said Friday the service will be free to passengers.
United said it will begin testing the service early next year and begin offering it on some flights by later in 2025.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
The announcement comes as airlines rush to offer more amenities as a way to stand out when passengers pick a carrier for a trip. United’s goal is to make sitting on a plane pretty much like being on the ground when it comes to browsing the internet, streaming entertainment and playing games.
“Everything you can do on the ground, you’ll soon be able to do on board a United plane at 35,000 feet, just about anywhere in the world,” CEO Scott Kirby said in announcing the deal.
The airline says Starlink will allow passengers to get internet access even over oceans and polar regions where traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals may be weak or missing.
Sony has made it easy for Canadian consumers to preorder the PlayStation 5 Pro in Canada directly from PlayStation’s official website. Here’s how:
Visit the Official Website: Go to direct.playstation.com and navigate to the PS5 Pro section once preorders go live on September 26, 2024.
Create or Log in to Your PlayStation Account: If you don’t have a PlayStation account, you will need to create one. Existing users can simply log in to proceed.
Place Your Preorder: Once logged in, follow the instructions to preorder your PS5 Pro. Ensure you have a valid payment method ready and double-check your shipping information for accuracy.
Preorder Through Major Canadian Retailers
While preordering directly from PlayStation is a popular option, you can also secure your PS5 Pro through trusted Canadian retailers. These retailers are expected to offer preorders on or after September 26:
Best Buy Canada
Walmart Canada
EB Games (GameStop)
Amazon Canada
The Source
Steps to Preorder via Canadian Retailers:
Visit Retailer Websites: Search for “PlayStation 5 Pro” on the website of your preferred retailer starting on September 26.
Create or Log in to Your Account: If you’re shopping online, having an account with the retailer can speed up the preorder process.
Preorder in Store: For those who prefer in-person shopping, check with local stores regarding availability and preorder policies.
3. Sign Up for Notifications
Many retailers and websites offer the option to sign up for notifications when the preorder goes live. If you’re worried about missing out due to high demand, this can be a useful option.
Visit Retailer Sites: Look for a “Notify Me” or “Email Alerts” option and enter your email to stay informed.
Use PlayStation Alerts: Sign up for notifications directly through Sony to be one of the first to know when preorders are available.
4. Prepare for High Demand
Preordering the PS5 Pro is expected to be competitive, with high demand likely to result in quick sellouts, just as with the initial release of the original PS5. To maximize your chances of securing a preorder:
Act Quickly: Be prepared to place your order as soon as preorders open. Timing is key, as stock can run out within minutes.
Double-Check Payment Information: Ensure your credit card or payment method is ready to go. Any delays during the checkout process could result in losing your spot.
Stay Informed: Monitor PlayStation and retailer websites for updates on restocks or additional preorder windows.
Final Thoughts
The PlayStation 5 Pro is set to take gaming to the next level with its enhanced performance, graphics, and new features. Canadian gamers should be ready to act fast when preorders open on September 26, 2024, to secure their console ahead of the holiday season. Whether you choose to preorder through PlayStation’s official website or your preferred retailer, following the steps outlined above will help ensure a smooth and successful preorder experience.
For more details on the PS5 Pro and to preorder, visit direct.playstation.com or stay tuned to updates from major Canadian retailers.
Since the PlayStation 5 (PS5) launched four years ago, PlayStation has continuously evolved to meet the demands of its players. Today, we are excited to announce the next step in this journey: the PlayStation 5 Pro. Designed for the most dedicated players and game creators, the PS5 Pro brings groundbreaking advancements in gaming hardware, raising the bar for what’s possible.
Key Features of the PS5 Pro
The PS5 Pro comes equipped with several key performance enhancements, addressing the requests of gamers for smoother, higher-quality graphics at a consistent 60 frames per second (FPS). The console’s standout features include:
Upgraded GPU: The PS5 Pro’s GPU boasts 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5, combined with 28% faster memory. This allows for up to 45% faster rendering speeds, ensuring a smoother gaming experience.
Advanced Ray Tracing: Ray tracing capabilities have been significantly enhanced, with reflections and refractions of light being processed at double or triple the speed of the current PS5, creating more dynamic visuals.
AI-Driven Upscaling: Introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-based upscaling technology that adds extraordinary detail to images, resulting in sharper image clarity.
Backward Compatibility & Game Boost: More than 8,500 PS4 games playable on PS5 Pro will benefit from PS5 Pro Game Boost, stabilizing or enhancing performance. PS4 games will also see improved resolution on select titles.
VRR & 8K Support: The PS5 Pro supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and 8K gaming for the ultimate visual experience, while also launching with the latest wireless technology, Wi-Fi 7, in supported regions.
Optimized Games & Patches
Game creators have quickly embraced the new technology that comes with the PS5 Pro. Many games will receive free updates to take full advantage of the console’s new features, labeled as PS5 Pro Enhanced. Some of the highly anticipated titles include:
Alan Wake 2
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
Demon’s Souls
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Gran Turismo 7
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Horizon Forbidden West
These updates will allow players to experience their favorite games at a higher fidelity, taking full advantage of the console’s improved graphics and performance.
Design & Compatibility
Maintaining consistency within the PS5 family, the PS5 Pro retains the same height and width as the original PS5 model. Players will also have the option to add an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive or swap console covers when available.
Additionally, the PS5 Pro is fully compatible with all existing PS5 accessories, including the PlayStation VR2, DualSense Edge, Pulse Elite, and Access controller. This ensures seamless integration into your current gaming setup.
Pricing & Availability
The PS5 Pro will be available starting November 7, 2024, at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of:
$699.99 USD
$949.99 CAD
£699.99 GBP
€799.99 EUR
¥119,980 JPY
Each PS5 Pro comes with a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller, and a copy of Astro’s Playroom pre-installed. Pre-orders begin on September 26, 2024, and the console will be available at participating retailers and directly from PlayStation via direct.playstation.com.
The launch of the PS5 Pro marks a new chapter in PlayStation’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge gaming experiences. Whether players choose the standard PS5 or the PS5 Pro, PlayStation aims to provide the best possible gaming experience for everyone.
Preorder your PS5 Pro and step into the next generation of gaming this holiday season.
