God Of War Ragnarok: Best Difficulty Settings [Explained]

God Of War Ragnarok has finally been released, and it is the direct sequel to the original God Of War 2018. There are five different difficulty modes in the game as opposed to the four difficulty modes of its predecessor. Players might feel conflicted about the best difficulty settings in God Of War Ragnarok, but we will explain the best one for you in complete detail as we’ve done an in-depth review of God of War Ragnarok!

The Best Difficulty Mode

In God of War Ragnarok, there are five difficulty modes:

1. Give Me Story
2. Give Me Grace
3. Give Me Balance
4. Give Me No Mercy
5. Give Me God Of War

The recommended and best difficulty setting for your first run in God of War Ragnarok is Give Me Balance. This difficulty strikes a perfect balance between challenging gameplay and the exceptional storytelling that the God of War series is known for.

Here’s why Give Me Balance is the ideal choice:

• Balanced Challenge: It provides challenging gameplay without being overly punishing, making it suitable for both newcomers and experienced players.
• Rewarding Combat: Enemies require strategy and skill to defeat, encouraging players to explore combat mechanics and combos.
• Enjoyable Storytelling: It allows you to fully immerse yourself in the game’s narrative, which is a hallmark of the God of War series.

On the other hand, easier difficulties like Give Me Story and Give Me Grace may make combat encounters too trivial, robbing players of the satisfaction of mastering combat mechanics. Conversely, higher difficulties like Give Me No Mercy and Give Me God Of War are punishing and best reserved for subsequent playthroughs.

God Of War Ragnarok All Difficulty Settings Explained

Now that we have explained the best difficulty settings alongside some other tips and tricks for God Of War Ragnarok. It is time that we discuss all of the other difficulty modes in complete detail as well so that you get a general idea of what the game is offering. There are 5 total difficulty modes as opposed to the 4 difficulty modes that we had in God Of War 2018.

Give Me Story

• Designed for players solely interested in the game’s narrative.
• Very easy mode with simplified combat and less challenging boss fights.
• Ideal for those primarily focused on the story and not interested in gameplay challenges.

Give Me Grace

• Slightly more challenging than “Give Me Story.”
• Offers a bit more gameplay challenge while still prioritizing the story.
• Suitable for players who want a balance between story and gameplay.

Give Me Balance

• Recommended difficulty for the first playthrough.
• Strikes a balance between engaging gameplay and storytelling.
• Provides a well-rounded experience for most players.

Give Me No Mercy

• Hard mode with increased enemy damage and aggression.
• Intense combat situations and little room for error.
• Recommended for skilled players or subsequent playthroughs.

Give Me God Of War

• The most challenging difficulty mode.
• Enemies deal significant damage, requiring near-perfect gameplay.
• Designed for expert players seeking an extremely tough experience.
• Allows changing difficulty mid-game but prevents returning to this mode within the same playthrough.

Thankfully the developers let you revert back to other difficulties if Give Me God Of War feels too hard for you. Previously, you had to start a fresh run in God Of War 2018 if you wanted to change the difficulty from Give Me God Of War. However, once you change back from the difficulty, you cannot go back to Give Me God Of War again in the same run. 

God Of War Settings That Impact Difficulty

There are various accessibility settings that you can play around with in God Of War Ragnarok, and these can indirectly affect the difficulty that you’re playing in the game. Following are the accessibility settings that we recommend using;

Puzzle Timing

• Adjusts the time limit for puzzles.
• Choose “Extended+” for more time to solve time-based puzzles.
• Helpful for players who prefer less challenging puzzles.

Auto Pick Up

• Available under the Playstyle section of the Gameplay menu.
• Kratos automatically picks up items on the ground.
• Three variants: Essentials, Economy, and Full Auto Pick-Up.
• Full Auto Pick-Up mode is recommended for a seamless gameplay experience.

Traversal Assist

• Improves traversal by allowing Kratos to automatically perform actions with left analog stick input.
• Available under the Playstyle section of the Gameplay menu.
• Enhances gameplay flow, especially on higher difficulties.

Touch Pad Shortcuts

• Utilizes DualSense controller’s touchpad for quick actions.
• Map touchpad swipes to actions like shield attacks, Spartan Rage, and Quick Turns.
• Useful for fast inputs during combat and boss battles.

Button Mapping

• Customizes button mappings according to personal preference.
• Helpful for remapping dodge and attack buttons for more efficient combat.
• Allows players to optimize controls for their playstyle.

This concludes our guide for the Best Difficulty Settings in God Of War Ragnarok. We not only explained the best difficulty setting that you should play on but also gave some tips and tricks to help you around in that difficulty. All of the other difficulty modes were also discussed in complete detail. Let us know what you think about Kratos’ latest adventure in the Nine Realms in the comments below!

DISCLAIMER: This difficulty setting is based on our opinion after having played the game in different modes, and your opinion may differ.