10 More Tips & Tricks for God of War

 Welcome back to tips & tricks for God of War! Last time we covered some crucial things, so make sure to read the article to not miss out on some of them! However, this time around I promised more defensive tips, and I am here to provide! Here are my next 10 tips for God of War.

#1 - Sometimes, dwindling down all enemies is the right call

It's tempting to reduce enemy numbers so that you're not getting swarmed. However, anyone that has played God of War on the two highest difficulties will tell you that whenever you repeat some fights, you learn that killing one enemy will spawn three or more. Whenever this happens, it's best to just avoid killing them and reduce the health of the priority enemies to make sure that you can kill as many of them as possible at the same time to prevent them from overwhelming you. While we're on the topic of getting overwhelmed...

#2 - Let some enemies attack Atreus

It's okay, he'll probably recover

I know it's tempting to save the little bastard whenever he's getting swamped, but the truth is that he's immortal and far stronger than Kratos. Sorry to burst your bubble!

Jokes aside, although it might be tempting to save him whenever he's getting swarmed by a lot of enemies, be it for roleplay reasons or because they interrupt him from shooting arrows, sometimes it's important to make sure that you can take on the enemies that you are already facing, and that means sacrificing him to the herd of enemies. It's okay, he'll survive!... Probably.

Bonus: Listen to what Atreus has to say, he is actually very useful in combat. He’ll warn Kratos of incoming attacks, from which angle, and sometimes what kind. These can be incredibly useful to let you know where an attack is coming from and how to properly react.

#3 - Search the battlefield for heals

In this case, it's behind an angry mob of enemies. But, at least I know it's there!

It's easy to get overwhelmed in the middle of the fight and not be able to focus on everything. I'm guilty of answering "I'm coming" to my wife when she asks me whether I like Atreus or Kratos more whenever I'm in the middle of hectic combat. However, taking a breather, looking at the battlefield, and analysing the elements can be very useful. Differentiating the 20 different and very threatening Draugr from a couple of healths scattered on the floor can be the difference between victory and defeat. 

#4 - Don't forget to use fists

Or, in this case, beat them up with a shield until you can rip them apart

I know in the last article I mentioned that using the Leviathan axe to stun enemies is useful, but it's also important to know when and how to use your fists.

Some enemies are weaker to STUN damage than others; generally speaking, if you can fling them around like ragdolls, they can be stunned rather easily. As such, getting up close and personal with these enemies can ensure a quick and easy execution. Make sure to get behind them or fling them against walls to deal massive STUN damage.

#5 - Make strategic use of executes

Burn baby, burn!

So, we all love to kick Reavers in the testes and cave their face in against the floor, right? Well, did you know that that also makes an area of effect attack that can be used against hordes of enemies? That little tidbit of information can ensure that you can afflict enemies with the freeze or burn status effects and dwindle them down.

#6 - Fight smart, not hard

THIS IS... You know the rest.

I feel like in every other tips and tricks article I make this exact same title, but here it is, here you are, and here I am.

God of War actually incorporates the ability to fight with the environment. Using fists and pinning an enemy against the wall will significantly increase the STUN damage they take. But, aside from that, you can literally spartan kick enemies off of edges that will lead to instant death. This can be done to any enemy that is feeble and easily moved by attacks. For instance, in a fight against a level 2 Draugr that shoots from a distance, you can throw the Leviathan axe to freeze them, sprint and kick them into the abyss. This will make the fight significantly easier and feel far more manageable.

#7 - Spend XP smartly

Whenever I level up, I get this insane and aggressive urge to buy the first ability I find cool because I really want to. That would be a mistake.

God of War gives XP through several tasks, but none of them are repeatable. That being said, XP can be used on either unlocking the skills on the tree or upgrading your favourite runic ability. So hold on for a while, figure out your favourite fighting style, and then purchase whatever suits that playstyle. It'll certainly make your journeys far easier in the long run.

#8 - Make sure to change your runes as appropriate

Ah yes, so many choices

I know it's easy to get used to one set of runes and love using them in combat; Perhaps it’s because you know how they work and when they are best used, or simply because you don't use runic abilities all that often. But the truth is, sometimes swapping around is the best way to deal with something.

Whilst fighting with an optional boss, I actually found a set of runes that made the fight significantly easier in contrast to the ones I was adamantly trying to use. They simply weren't that useful in that particular combat section, but some of the ones I least used helped a lot. In the end, that experience taught me how to use that set, and most importantly, how much I liked them.

#9 - Don't be afraid to use Leviathan axe throws to kill some enemies

Like this guy! He's gonna get axed in the face. Ranged axed, because melee axed would break the purpose of the image.

I know earlier I made a tip speaking about using your Leviathan axe to stun enemies or trip them, but in this tip I want to focus more on the capability of playing Kratos as a ranged fighter.

Several skill points are focused on Kratos' ranged fighting, and with good reason. Taking out flying enemies, enemies that shoot, or even dwindling down their health from a distance can make a vastly different outcome in combat. Quick throws, perfectly timed returns, and constantly freezing enemies with heavy throws can make some encounters significantly easier.

Bonus: Not sure how common knowledge this is, but the return of the axe can do damage to enemies as well, not only via its trajectory. If an enemy had the axe stuck to them, recalling the Leviathan axe will deal damage that can often be enough to finish them off.

#10 - Make strategic use of Spartan Rage

No God of War article is complete if you don't mention Spartan Rage at least once, and I'm adding this one to meet my quota!

Spartan Rage has a lot of wonderful uses that might not be directly obvious to everyone. For starters, Spartan Rage will slowly heal you as the bar depletes, whilst also making you immune to all damage and instead reducing the rage bar when you take hits. This can be useful to tank attacks that will lead to certain death.

Additionally, choose carefully who you target with Spartan Rage. It might be fun to just use it and target the first person standing in front of you, but ask yourself this question: Are you better off dealing with the minions or taking down the big guy and fighting through the hordes? Finding the right answer can ensure you pass an encounter you've been struggling with.

And that's it for the tips & tricks articles surrounding God of War! I know, I also get sad whenever I finish the tips & tricks articles and am filled with melancholy too. Don't cry! Instead, tell me in the comments below which tips & tricks I missed and give me an excuse to write a third one instead! Remember to stay awesome.