God of War is a franchise that showcases the negative uses of power. The Norse Saga may have taken away most of Kratos’ godly powers and abilities but gained new powerful attacks in return after the developers introduced two runic attacks for each of the featured weapons.
The gaming community often uses these abilities as a last resort during a combat encounter and these runic attacks can help shift the tide of battle in their favor. However, in the sequel, the developers decided to reduce the efficiency which wasn’t all that bad.
The Developers Made the Right Move to Nerf the Runic Attacks in the God of War Sequel
Santa Monica Studio did not hold back with the Norse Saga, refused to give up on the characters, and believed there were more stories to tell. The franchise had a reputation for Kratos’ thirst for vengeance on those who wronged him but this new chapter was a nice change of pace and showed a different side of the character.
New and old weapons were featured in God of War Ragnarok. Each of these weapons features runic attacks like from the last game but was nerfed significantly and for good reason.
I think runic attack getting nerfed is the right call, it's an instant win button in 2018, in Ragnarok you're engage with weapon skills which massively expanded on. Also have 6 runics instead of 4, the game would be stupid easy if weren't nerfed at all.#GodofwarRagnarok pic.twitter.com/9T6XLj15ET
— ΩDYSSEUS ❄️ (@Kingof_Ithaca) July 15, 2024
Runic abilities were a feature from the previous game and the developers wanted to highlight the combat mechanics of the sequel. Some fans are ready to say goodbye to the Leviathan Axe and believe it may overstay its welcome if it is still used in another God of War game. The developers gave a handful of decent options and trust players will manage fine.
Weapon variety was never an issue for the developers and did not hold back from designing new abilities. These powerful attacks can easily wipe out a group of enemies when timed right and upgraded which would be overkill to have six ready to go, the developers chose to weaken these attacks to balance the scales.
God of War Ragnarok Did Not Need Overpowered Runic Abilities
Not everything can be solved in a fistfight. The creator’s vision for Kratos is to feel like a monster with no other purpose but to kill.
The game is meant to feel rewarding once players unlock or gain new items or loot. Being too powerful would make things easier and players will lose interest over time.
The Runic abilities being nerfed was the right call and will encourage players to get creative and experimental. These attacks can deliver serious damage but depend on how a player uses them.
Each weapon has a set of powerful runic attacks and giving the players the freedom to select which is best suited for them can make up for a unique experience. The developers want players to walk with Kratos on his journey rather than being spectators.
Are you upset about the nerfed abilities in God of War Ragnarok? Let us know in the comments section below!
