Probably one the best games I have played in a long time when it comes to FPS'. On a personal level, this game is amazing, the community is awesome and I have maybe only met a small handful of toxic or rude players, and many of them were apologetic or were unaware of the way the community viewed whatever they did and were willing to learn if given a chance or the guidance. Just like in any game it takes time to get what you want sometimes, and you need to put in effort to get there. The game makes exploration and hard work worth it and feel rewarding but also doesn't really punish you if you feel like you need to take it a little easier on some missions. Even with all the time I have spent in the game I still see new ways to play classes and take on challenges. Dying or being "downed" is a part of the game and helps with cementing in the teamwork aspect of the game. While it is always nice to have friends you know playing with you, PUGs (Pick Up Groups) are just as fun and can introduce you to some amazing people. playing solo is always an option, while not a personal cup of tea, it is doable and the way the Devs have made it makes it a lot less hellish then in many other solo FPS games, I like playing with people so I don't do it very often but it is a viable option if you cant seem to find anyone to play with.

Even with how much I have played, having every cave be different makes every launch onto hoxxes a different challenge and adventure. While there are some times the terrain can be a little bit of a pain, it brings us back to working with your teammates to help out, but at the same time with a 100% destructible environment you can even get yourself places, although it may take a little more time but the destructible environment can also be used to your advantage at times, and make fights completely different if planned out properly.

~~A few notes on this review and other points people have brought up:

*The Dev team is active and takes community input and feedback seriously, and does their best to make sure that everyone is happy without ruining the experience they are trying to portray.

*The only thing they ask you to pay for when it comes to seasons and expansions are the DLCs which are just texture packs/skins and not getting them does not take away from the game itself or the immersion.

*While there are a ton of people saying it is the same thing over and over again, it really isn't. Every cave is different, every event has a high chance of going awry depending on team make up and compatibility. But one bad game doesn't ruin the entire game, it makes it so you go back in and try something different like in Dark souls or any other FPS where tactics and teamwork are needed.

*I don't know what people are talking about when it comes to "battle pass"or "season pass" stuff. you don't need the DLCs and just like the community wanted and said they wanted very clearly, you can get any and all other skins and such through game progression and machine events in game. nothing is locked behind a paywall, nothing is P2W or P2Play and even if you count the DLC packs as a paywall, they aren't that expensive and you don't need a subscription for them. In my eyes it is literally thanking the dev team for keeping up the good work and doing what they can to make sure the community is happy without giving into the one dude that wants it handed to them and give a negative review.

*Those same people that complain about the (non existent) battle pass content and paywalls then complain about not being able to buy stuff like blank matrix cores and be more selective with what class they get to unlock stuff for. People are literally complaining about how the dev team wants them to play the game and work towards a goal. Can it be frustrating to not get the class or weapon overclock you're looking for? Yeah but in my case it just made me want to play more and try and work the overclock I got into a nice build for the class I did get.

*A note to those that are looking into buying this game, look at the positive reviews like mine and the hours played and compare them to the (from the 5 I saw upon writing this review) negative reviews and what they say. The apparent Repetitiveness, and not having a good choice or selection takes time to get past in this game. You need to put time into this game like most other major games to get to the meat of it. You cant put in, let say 30hrs (per one of the negatives I saw) and get a good idea of how the game really plays. Of course not everyone is going to like it. But to compare a game that stands on its own as a FPS and dungeon crawler shouldn't be compared to FPS's where it literally is repetitive like fortnite and CS:GO.

This game has a lot to it and if you give it a good amount of time and effort you will love it! just like I do, and many other players that I know and play with regularly.

NOTE: I have never really played or finished other god of war games but I was aware and know the story from watching my younger brother play and beat the other ones and I talked to him a little about them before I played this game. So going in blind doesn't kill the experience of this game, and doesn't make it any less fun. The game does a really good job at bringing up key points and events from past games but in a subtle way that adds to the game and doesn't feel like it is being forced in to make ends meet.

I wanted to wait until I finished the main story before doing any type of review, and I must say I'm glad I did because it only got better the more I played it. I pre-ordered this as I played some of this game on PS4 but never got around to finishing it, so when I saw it was available on PC I jumped at the chance to finish it on my gaming setup.

I have an ultrawide 3440x1440 144hz curved monitor, RTX 2080 super and an AMD ryzen 7 3700x, I have it installed on my SSD and was able to play the game on ultra settings with no issues whatsoever. The graphics were amazing, the environments were beautiful and altogether the experience was incredibly immersive. The story was amazing, and really made me feel strongly for what was going on not only to the main characters but the side characters and the backstory/lore building throughout the game.

possible spoilers ahead:

The puzzles felt natural, and really made you stop and think, not only about timing but also about your surroundings and how to go about taking them on. The enemies scaled well with progression in the game and as the challenges increased you really get to see if you are ready for that area or not or if you need to progress further elsewhere before continuing. The exploration doesn't feel like it isn't part of the game experience like it does in some other games, if anything this game greatly rewards exploration and deep thinking on how to get somewhere or get something and makes it feel good when you can finally get that item later on after you receive a power or weapon needed. Sometimes it felt like it was odd I couldn't get somewhere then the story progressed and it all made sense as to what was keeping me from getting there. and the feeling of getting to that one spot you have had your eye on forever felt amazing. The lore and tales told as the game goes on and you meet certain characters and discover certain things make the game even better, especially if you're into Norse anything and acting/feeling like you're taking part in some of the tales makes it feel even better. The lessons and quotes that are said during the game just make you feel good as well.

While exploring and going off the beaten path or taking a breather before continuing the story is still fun and rewarded with items, experience, and resources. The game doesn't punish you for following just the main story line, but when certain things happen in game and new areas open up because of them or you can get to some items because of it, I feel like it added to the game to go and jump into those areas. but your mileage may vary of course.

currently I am finishing up 100%ing the game so I may be using guides now that the main story is finished for me. But the game walks you in a way that you don't need them (guides), and it won't mess up the story or gameplay if you miss them, but I feel like this game deserves it so wish me luck. Then it will be on to NG+

All in all I say this game is a 10/10 in my book and I don't write a review for just any game I play, but this one felt like it was so good it deserved one. especially for a PC port, that doesn't feel like a PC port.

I Highly HIGHLY recommend this game either on sale or full price as its worth it