God of War Ragnarök

Thor's backstory and Ryan Hurst's voice acting are the standout — he steals every scene he's in with that weary, tragic presence. Odin's portrayal is the other big win; making him a frail, manipulative old man rather than a towering warlord was a smart choice, and it pays off every time he's on screen. Atreus's arc is better than 2018 but I still don't think he's all that compelling as a character — the writing tries, but it never quite clicks for me. The ending lands well though, and I'm genuinely excited to see where the series goes next. I liked this more than the 2018 game overall; the combat feels tighter, the boss variety is way up, and the pacing doesn't drag as much. As for the "woke" crowd, I genuinely don't see it — it's just a well-told story with strong character writing. Great game.