How Long to Beat God of War Ragnarök? Story and 100%

Beating the story of God of War Ragnarök takes about 22 hours, according to players on IGDB. If you do the Favors and explore the Nine Realms, that grows to about 37.5 hours. For 100%, plan on roughly 59 hours. It's a dense adventure, best played after the 2018 God of War.

Story only: about 22 hours

God of War Ragnarök came out in 2022 from Santa Monica Studio and is the direct sequel to 2018's God of War. Kratos and his son Atreus travel across the Nine Realms looking for answers as the prophesied Ragnarök draws near. The game strings together huge set pieces, boss fights and calmer stretches of exploration.

About 22 hours for the story is what players measure when they focus on main missions. In practice, you'll often stop along the way, because the game hides chests and puzzles everywhere.

With side content: about 37.5 hours

Favors, the game's side quests, are often excellent and expand the stories of certain characters. Add optional fights against brutal enemies, trials, Nornir chests and the areas to explore in each realm, and the time climbs fast. It's the most satisfying way to play: you get stronger and the main story gets easier.

100%: about 59 hours

For 100%, you need to finish every Favor, find all the collectibles (Odin's ravens, artifacts, shrines and more), beat every optional enemy and max out your gear. The toughest optional fights demand real skill. It's long without dragging, and the combat stays fun until the end.

What that means in evenings

With 2-hour evenings, the story alone is about 11 evenings, a bit under a month at three evenings a week. With side content, count on about 19 evenings. 100% lands around 30 evenings. Chapters are well paced, so it's easy to stop at the end of a sequence.

Tips to go faster (or not)

If you haven't played the first one, do it first: the story leans on it heavily, and we explain how long it takes. To move faster, pick a lower difficulty: there are several, and you can switch at any time. Use fast travel between realms too. Don't skip the Favors tied to the main characters, though: they're often the best moments in the game.

Verdict

God of War Ragnarök fits into a month of evenings if you stick to the story, and a little over two months if you want to see everything. That's an ideal length for an action game: long enough to feel epic, short enough to actually finish. If you want more afterwards, we have a list of games in the same spirit.

FAQ

Is God of War Ragnarök longer than God of War (2018)?

On average, Ragnarök's story takes about 22 hours, against about 31 for the first game. With side content, Ragnarök reaches about 37.5 hours. In reality, how long it feels depends a lot on how much time you spend exploring each realm.

Do I need to play God of War (2018) before Ragnarök?

Yes, it's strongly recommended. Ragnarök is a direct sequel that carries over the characters, relationships and stakes of the 2018 game. There's a recap, but you'll get much more out of the story if you've lived through the first one yourself.

Can you keep playing after finishing God of War Ragnarök?

Yes. After the main story, you can keep exploring the Nine Realms, wrap up remaining Favors and take on optional enemies. It's actually the best time to go for 100%, since your character is much better equipped by then.