.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1100&h=618&dpr=1.5)
God of War: Ragnarok's first footage is now available for fans to gush over and dissect. Narrative details are shared in God of War: Ragnarok's trailer, with new environments and characters showcased. Some visuals are comparable to the previous God of War, but while it may seem like reusing an animation asset here-and-there may not disrupt immersion for most fans, one animation's reprisal is an unfortunate deal-breaker for one individual.
Gandalf Gaming has voiced their vexation with an animation that has carried over from God of War to God of War: Ragnarok, particularly the animation where Kratos pushes a small boat into a body of water before he and Atreus leap into it. As a result, Gandalf Gaming refers to the upcoming sequel as a "clone" of the original due to its animation similarities. Reception to this odd criticism has since stirred backlash against Gandalf Gaming's opinionated claims, with many fans coming to God of War: Ragnarok and Santa Monica Studio's defense.
ChronologicKyle, for example, asks, "Why fix what isn't broke?" Indeed, God of War's animation for the father and son to enter into a boat and traverse the Lake of Nine seems appropriate to keep the same, as it most likely leaves room for the developers to implement changes where it may be more critical or fundamental. Likewise, insider Jeff Grubb has shared his thoughts on this criticism, stating that developers "efficiently reuse content" as a way of circumventing needless expenses.
Grubb also suggests that if players enjoyed the previous God of War, they are "going to have to be OK getting more of a game you like." This points out that if players were fans of God of War: Ragnarok's predecessor, it may not be truly disheartening to see more of that game. But some gamers, such as Gandalf Gaming, were perhaps expecting new animations in general from a sequel, rather than having any similarities to the previous God of War title.
Gene Park comes to the game's defense to agree that the reusal of animations is quintessential to many AAA games, though they do wish that boat traversal would have been shelved for the sequel. Meanwhile, Jason Schreier admits that he enjoys the rowing traversal as it allows for interesting moments of conversation with Mimir. Others have made the valid point that there are only so many ways to enter a boat.
Unfortunately, not every game will be able to appease fans, especially if previous installments have reached such a high standard. However, it appears as though a majority of fans respect the developer's decision to reuse animations or assets, based on the knowledge they have about game design and what should be prioritized when creating a new entry in the massively popular God of War franchise.
God of War: Ragnarok is scheduled to release in 2022 for PS4 and PS5.
