Summary
God of War Ragnarokbuilt upon its predecessor in a number of ways, not the least of which being its boss battles. While 2018’sGod of Warwas criticized for not having enough enemy variety,Ragnarokmanaged to offer a number of iconic and worthwhile combat encounters, which is part of what makes it arguably one of thebest games in theGod of Warfranchise.
There are a number of elements that can impact how well aGod of War Ragnarokboss battle lands. Thanks to the game’s finely tuned combat system, most fights are at least satisfying, but some can be a little too easy, or they can be centered on gimmicks that don’t allow for full use of the main characters' many abilities. Most bosses that are directly tied to the story will have an advantage when it comes to this ranking, as they carry narrative and emotional weight, which impacts the experience. GivenRagnarok’s expanded enemy variety compared to its predecessor, the visual design of each boss also plays a big part, as aesthetics can have a major role in defining thecharacter ofGod of Warboss battles.
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S-Tier
These bosses are the best of the best inGod of War Ragnarok. These bosses fully capitalize on the game’s engrossing combat, giving the player freedom while forcing them to use all the tools at their disposal. They also tend to support the game’s story, with bosses like Thor (Midgard fight) kicking the game off in spectacular fashion, and Odin ending the game in kind. Other great bosses, like Vanadis and Gna, offer satisfying combat challenges that test the player’s skill and knowledge of the game’s mechanics without sacrificing originality or strong character work.
A-Tier
These are some of thebest bosses inGod of War Ragnarok, but they lack something that takes their fights to the next level. Encounters are generally characterized by strong, challenging combat fundamentals, as is the case with the Berserkers and Oath Guards, who offer engaging, fast-paced fights that are mostly free from gimmicks or downtime. Some of the bosses, like Gryla and Heimdall, don’t allow the player as much freedom for expressive gameplay, but make up for that by being exciting set pieces or offering satisfying narrative payoff.
B-Tier
These bosses are a bit better than the most underwhelming in the game due to how satisfying their fights can be, but they still lack the panache and complexity of bosses in the higher tiers, and most don’t contribute meaningfully totheGod of Warstory. Essentially, these bosses are characterized by slight mediocrity and are either forgettable or, in the case of bosses like Thor (Asgard fight), just a bit underwhelming given the context and buildup. Other reasons for bosses being in this tier include bland visual design or predictable movesets.
C-Tier
WhileGod of War Ragnarokis free from any outright terrible boss battles, there are some that just aren’t as strong as others. As previously mentioned, the game improves upon its predecessor when it comes to enemy variety, but there is still a good deal of bosses that are similar to each other, albeit with slightly different move sets or elemental varieties. This can be somewhat underwhelming, so some of these repeated bosses don’t stick the landing alongside more mechanically shallow encounters that don’t play toGod of War’s fundamental combat strengths. These bosses aren’t painful, but likely won’t be what most players remember about the game when it’s over.
God of War Ragnarokis currently available on PS4 and PS5.
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