God of War Ragnarok Has One Major Letdown
Major God of War Ragnarok spoilers, including details about the finale of the game, follow below.
God of War Ragnarok is a really great game, but it is unfortunately slightly hurt by the fact that the game is missing something that should've been in the game from the onset. Yes, God of War Ragnarok does a lot right by giving Kratos the most amount of depth we've seen to date, which is a tall order given many of us thought that about the previous game. It also has a rich story with great villains, but that's also ironically where one of the biggest problems creeps in. You see, at the end of God of War (2018), the game teases that Thor is coming and he'll be wielding his signature hammer, Mjolnir.
By teasing that in a series about a guy that kills other gods and does it brutally, you're planting the idea that Kratos will pick up that hammer and bash some skulls with it. However, by the end of the game, after getting thrashed by Mjolnir a couple of times as both Krtaos and Atreus to a lesser extent, you're faced with Thor for one last showdown. This is it, this is where the gloves come off, this where Kratos gets to take that hammer and shoot lightning at Thor. Of course, the story has been telling us Kratos is trying to let go of his old ways, but he may be forced to use this hammer to prtoect himself and his son.
The fight sees Kratos grappling with the hammer in a couple of quick time events, he wants it just as much as we do, but it keeps getting pulled back to Thor. The fight ends, Kratos doesn't want to kill Thor, but Odin shows up and kills Thor himself. Ok, perfect, we know we probably have to kill Odin because he's beyond reason, so this is definitely the Avengers: Endgame-esque moment like when Captain America picks up Mjolnir as a last resort. No, Odin throws Mjolnir away... it is gone. You do not see that glorious weapon again until after the credits have rolled and it's not because you find it and get to use it yourself.
So, what the hell?! This is a great game and I do feel satisfied as a whole, but a part of me feels a bit hollow. Even if we had gotten to use it for one fight, it would've been worth the wait. This is something everyone assumed was a foregone conclusion years ago and Sony sort of leaned into it. The collector's edition for God of War Ragnarok has a massive replica of Mjolnir, almost further implanting this possibility into your mind.
It's such an iconic weapon both thanks to Norse mythology and Marvel's stranglehold on pop culture, it feels like a bit of a crime to not have it as a useable weapon. Everyone knows its power and Kratos is no stranger to using weapons with various elemental abilities. He has a frost axe, blades that are pretty much constantly on fire, and even a new spear that can blast air. Why not round it all out with a hammer that can shoot lightning? Mjolnir could've even replaced the Leviathan Axe if needed since it is similar in terms of its main attack i.e. swinging it around. It's a strange oversight, as using the weapon even in the endgame content wouldn't take away from Kratos' arc since there are side quests where he can go slay some monsters after the game is over.
Are you disappointed that God of War Ragnarok doesn't let you use Mjolnir? Am I just a big baby with a desperate need for fan service? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.