God Of War Ragnarok Director On Why Sequels Don't Always Feel Like A "Major" Step

God of War Ragnarok director Eric Williams has discussed video game sequels and why they don't always offer as much of a "major" step forward that some might want or expect. Speaking to GamesRadar+, Williams said sequels--like Ragnarok--are often more "refined" versions of the first game instead of revolutionary.

"Sequels are not always going to be as major a step," Williams said. "They're going to be refined, and they're going to be a continuation--especially in the story space. It would have taken us forever to rebuild the whole game and then take on that story."

Those who enjoyed 2018's God of War should find something to like in Ragnarok because the sequel is more of that, Williams said. "If you liked [the reboot], we'll give you that [again, but] we're going to do a lot more refining," he said.

The combat elements, in particular, have seen an improvement over 2018's God of War, Williams said. "There's a lot going on real fast, and it gives you time to start to express Kratos in a different way. Like, if I want to be a tank Kratos, or a Magic or status affect Kratos … you can make those choices now," he said. "Last game, it was there, but it wasn't as accessible to make a whole build that goes one way or another. That's the stuff we were more focused on."

GameSpot's just-published God of War Ragnarok preview based on the first few hours of the game said the game feels familiar to the 2018 game, featuring "no major changes, additions, or subtractions that upend the way it feels or plays."

Tamoor Hussain here at GameSpot said Ragnarok is "doing all the right things," saying he feels confident the game will be an "enjoyable experience" in the end.

"What remains to be seen is whether it can go beyond this and elevate the experience further. Since Sony Santa Monica said Ragnarok will be the conclusion of Kratos's Norse myth, expectations are understandably high," Hussain said.

Ragnarok launches on November 9 for PS4 and PS5. It was also recently confirmed that the game has resolution and performance modes, including 120fps.