As an expansive open world action-adventure game, God of War Ragnarök offers players an abundance of quests and puzzles to conquer across the Nine Realms. However, with hundreds of hours of content comes the occasional pesky bug or glitched objective. Industry data shows up to 75% of large open world games ship with bugs and glitches. God of War Ragnarok is no exception – players have reported various technical issues like FPS drops, crashes, and quest bugs.
Nothing is more frustrating than getting stuck on a main story quest or puzzle that seems impossible to get past. But before you snap your controller in half, there are a few troubleshooting tips to try to get yourself unstuck.
Restart Checkpoints and Reload Saves
The most straightforward way to fix a bugged quest or puzzle is to reload an earlier point in the game. Open the menu, go to Options, and select "Restart Checkpoint" to reload from your last autosave. Doing this essentially performs a "soft" reset of the quest logic and can clear out any corrupted data or weird bugs.
If restarting the checkpoint doesn‘t help, you can try loading a manual save from earlier by going to the Load menu and selecting a previous save file. Reloading an old save gives you a fresh start on the quest or puzzle, wiping out any glitches. Just be aware you may lose some progress, so try restarting the checkpoint first.
To load a manual save on PS4:
- Press the PS button on your controller
- Go to Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Upload to Online Storage.
- Select your God of War Ragnarok saved data to back up to the cloud.
- Load your manual save game from the pause menu.
To load a manual save on PS5:
- Go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4)
- Select your God of War Ragnarok saved data > Upload to Cloud Storage.
- Load your manual save game from the pause menu.
Backing up your saves first allows you to revert back if needed.
Reinstall the Game
If you‘re still early on in God of War Ragnarök, another nuclear option is to uninstall and completely reinstall the game. This should clear out any corrupted files or weird bugs that crept in during your initial installation. Just make sure to backup your save files first!
I once encountered a game-breaking bug 5 hours into The Witcher 3 that prevented me from advancing the main quest. After trying every other fix, I reluctantly uninstalled and re-downloaded the 80GB game. Thankfully that did the trick and I was back on the Path in no time.
Reinstalling the entire God of War Ragnarok file (clocking in at 90GB+) can be time consuming, so it‘s best to try this only if you haven‘t put dozens of hours in yet. But for persistent early game glitches, a fresh install can provide a clean slate.
When In Doubt, It‘s Probably Not a Bug
Before pulling your hair out troubleshooting a stubborn quest or puzzle, make sure it‘s actually glitched and not just tricky. God of War Ragnarök‘s puzzles are intentionally challenging, so don‘t be too quick to cry bug – take a deep breath and carefully reexamine the puzzle.
Here are some tips for tackling tricky puzzles that seem stuck:
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Carefully comb through the entire area looking for clues – breakable pots, hidden tunnels, mysterious symbols and more can often be overlooked.
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Listen for hints from companions like Atreus and Mimir who will frequently nudge you in the right direction.
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If it‘s a large area, systematically backtrack through previously explored parts in case you missed something. Many God of War Ragnarok puzzles involve backtracking.
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Study the surroundings for physics clues – are there moveable objects, grapple points, gears or other interactive items? The environment often holds the key.
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Check your equipment and abilities in case you‘ve acquired a new power that can help solve the puzzle. Upgraded weapons or armor perks provide new options.
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Sleep on it – step away and come back to the puzzle with fresh eyes. The solution can hit when you least expect it.
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Use online guides and walkthroughs sparingly if you‘re truly stumped after lengthy effort. But avoid spoilers!
With patience and an open mind, you can overcome most puzzles. Saving and reloading is always available if you fatally get stuck. The key is avoiding frustration and keeping your cool in this masterful Viking epic.
When All Else Fails, Report Persistent Bugs
If you‘ve made a diligent effort troubleshooting a bugged quest or puzzle but can‘t find a solution, it may be an actual glitch that the developers need to patch. In these rare cases, you should report the issue directly to Santa Monica Studio:
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Capture a video clip showing the glitch happening from start to finish. This gives the devs necessary proof of the bug.
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Write out the exact steps you took leading up to the glitched quest. The more details the better.
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Submit your video evidence and bug report through Sony‘s official support channels or the Santa Monica Studio forums.
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Exercise patience as bugs typically take time to review and patch. Refrain from harassing devs!
Reporting legitimate bugs helps improve the game for everyone. But make sure you‘ve thoroughly troubleshot on your own before crying glitch.
Embrace the Journey
As you adventure across the Nine Realms in God of War Ragnarök, don‘t forget to enjoy the journey. With any huge, open world game, frustration and impatience can ruin the experience.
If you hit a roadblock, step back and come back later with a level head. Take breaks to clear your mind and stay focused. Appreciate the beauty of the environments. Savor the excellent combat and story. There are always solutions to problems, but rushing leads to frustration. Mindfulness and patience is key.
God of War Ragnarök offers an epic journey years in the making. confront any bugs or glitches as merely small stumbles on the grand road. Keep calm, troubleshoot logically, and most importantly – have fun! This masterpiece is meant to be savored.
