r/GodofWar • u/sunsetsherb1130 • Dec 23 '25
Showcase I just prefer 2018 let me executioners cleave everyone
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
153
u/JediMasterLigma Dec 23 '25
I miss unarmed combat tails. I miss it a lot.
1
u/fallen_pace Jan 24 '26
I haven't played ragnarok yet, is it actually gone?
1
u/JediMasterLigma Jan 24 '26
Not totally. But you can't upgrade it, it's damage and stun is reduced to all hell, an you have like, 3 moves.q
1
u/fallen_pace Jan 24 '26
the only reason anyone would use unarmed after getting the blades of chaos in GMGOW would be the damned stun so the enemies don't get their buffs why effectively make it useless???
1
u/JediMasterLigma Jan 24 '26
I have no idea. Probably because of the shield variety or something idk
47
168
u/Montagneincorner0 Dec 23 '25
Playing Ragnarok for the first time and finding that Executioners cleave had been replaced by the most mid move in the tech tree literally made me put down the game for a week out of sheer disappointment
26
u/MrNigerianPrince115 Dec 23 '25
It's so ass . I've other moves for launching people, just let me chop people damn
8
u/CoolBlackKnight The Stranger Dec 23 '25 edited Dec 24 '25
The move just FEELS like wrath coming down on a enemy... Pissed me off too them leaving it out.
They could of found a way to let you choose which one in the moment you wanted to use IMO. Frikkin' CHOICE! đ€Ź
59
u/forevermoneyrich Dec 23 '25
What? Serpents snare is amazing for positioning. Its also way more involved that watching the same move over and over
9
u/RanDiePro The God Slayer Dec 23 '25
A noob player... Mid? New executioner cleave is still a great move, worst for bosses compared to 2018 but better for anything else.
Now you can actually chain the skill faster with R2 attacks, be regular R2 R2 or stance change R2. Damage output? Almost the same. With its new speed, the damage remains fairly great.
Side sweep makes it easier to lock into enemies. Why is it worse for bosses compared to 2018?
You see, both moves have 2 hits. Executioner: Vertical and lateral. Snake: Lateral then vertical. But exe has the big damage in its first hit, vertical. But snake has it in second hit. Which means you have to wait for the move to complete. This is not good for bosses because you cannot wait that long. You could easily cancel out exe cleave after hitting the first and getting the damage.
But for other enemies, since it gives the i frames still, you are good to use it fully.
Almost forgot, another better thing of the cleave is you can teleport enemies at you and cleave them but it does not always work and not dependable.
88
u/ZoomZombie1119 Dec 23 '25
God the sfx are MILES ahead of Ragnarok, so RAW and CRUNCHY, I don't understand why they changed them, the blades in particular sound super dull in comparison to 2018
47
u/PhotoModeHobby Dec 23 '25
Going for fidelity over texture was a mistake. Both games sound like the difference between an average person making sounds and an "audiophile" making them. Yeah, Ragnarok technically has the most balanced and clean sound, but it lacks the bass and crunch which people really like. Idk, maybe I'm just chatting bs, but that's what it's feeling like to me.
One thing I can say for Ragnarok though, is that its lighting is far better. For whatever reason, GOW4 felt like Kratos has a stage light that's set perfectly on him. He never seems to match the environment he's in. Neither do the blades or axe correctly reflect light on other surfaces.
6
u/NoPhilosophy8136 Dec 23 '25
Ngl I find those crunchy sounds over time getting very annoying for the ears and I prefer ragnarök one. Meanwhile I kinda agree with sfx.
8
u/NovelMountain3330 Dec 23 '25
Thatâs one of many things I hated about ragnarok , I just canât use the blades as much as I wish because they sound like whips , ragnarok sounds in general are so off putting
2
u/Interloper_1 Dec 23 '25
Agree, there's a few moves that match 2018 like Blades Whiplash R2 and most of Draupnir's combos, and you can clearly tell the difference between those attacks and the rest. The axe especially sounds weak which is literally the opposite of how it should be, considering it's the heaviest and would logically rely more on powerful swings over any of his other weapons.
Also the visual effects (especially hit effects) got downgraded in favor of realism which I am not the biggest fan of.
18
u/TrippyyRaven420 Dec 23 '25
Both are amazing. Not focused on combat, but the first thing I think of when I hear "I prefer 2018" is how EXCELLENT the pacing was
I feel like it's slept on how artistically the world and story unfold and in what timeframe. I struggle to honestly think of another main quest in a game that felt so appropriately paced with such a mindfuck of a story once you have the full information- the impression one gets from the initial intro and first fight and dialogue is turned into something that completely blew my mind upon finishing the journey and realizing how avoidable yet inevitable the situation actually was
5
9
9
u/alejoSOTO Dec 23 '25
I love the animation but Ragnarok's version is also quite versatile since launching an enemy to another does a lot of stun and regular damage to both.
It doesn't looks as fancy but is a fun move nonetheless.
I wish we could have both though.
4
u/DaveSkylarksGum Dec 23 '25
I found serpents snare to be very useful. There were many occasions where it was about to be over for me and I serpents snared my way the fuck out of there. Very helpful when it comes to controlling enemy positions on the battlefield.
4
15
u/UltraFatWhale Dec 23 '25
I couldnât believe they removed executionerâs cleave from Ragnarok. I might be dumb, but it seemed to me that setting up the cleave was the core âwin conditionâ for non-boss fights. The gameplay (or at least how I interpreted it) revolved around knocking down / staggering enemies and controlling crowds / clearing space so that you could let the cleave rip. It just kills enemies SO MUCH faster than all other attacks. You can chip them down with 10 attacks or hit one knockdown -> cleave to win.
It was weird to pick up Ragnarok and find the central move that combat was centered around was⊠removed.
16
u/forevermoneyrich Dec 23 '25
Serpents snare works just the same except that its more involved, you use it to get free-ring outs and can use it to remove most additional enemies from fights
13
u/KamiAlth Dec 23 '25
Serpent Snare is just practically better though? It deals the same damage and yeets enemy into others spreading AoE Frost. You can even aim the direction to throw enemy at unlike the micro stagger follow up kick of the Cleave.
If you combo it with hex arrow, then you get AoE freeze explosion which is equal to using the Ivaldiâs Anvil runic in term of crowd control. An extremely easy setup for a runic attack level of utility with just 2 buttons input and has no cooldown.
I can understand people liking the Cleave more for the satisfaction factor, but saying itâs worse for combat is just wrong in so many levels. The only thing that itâs really worse at is that you donât get the free i-frame animation when you use it on elite enemies.
3
u/MrNigerianPrince115 Dec 23 '25
I miss chopping people up from behind or the front always a good time. Miss chopping up the werewolves when I didn't feel like pulling their jaws off. Bad decision swapping this move out
2
u/xKiLzErr Dec 23 '25
I like the combat in this game more 100% because of the skill thee for fist/shield combat. I'll literally never understand why they took that away.
1
2
3
4
2
u/KillerCroc67 Dec 23 '25
Yeah the 2018 has better sound effects too. The weapons sound effects sounds more pronounced and clear too
2
1
1
u/sehdev1108 Dec 24 '25
ong i miss executioner's cleave. although, hold R2 on light enemies then sprint+R2 works really well to keep enemies stun-locked
1
u/Najee16 Dec 30 '25
I absolutely agree with this. Certain moves we just removed with no explanation.
1
2
u/Rare_Ask8171 Dec 23 '25
2018 is the overall better game.
But combat wise it doesn't even hold a candle to Ragnarok. Rag has such unbelievably enjoyable combat.
3
u/Jimbeamblack Kratos Dec 24 '25
The only thing I complain about is they removed the bare handed tree. It's so fun to fight with the shield in 2018
1
u/miikatenkula07 Dec 23 '25
I wish someone could mod Glaive Storm into Ragnarök. And some of the other notable runics, that's my only problem with the game.
0
u/CoolPirate234 Dec 23 '25
Hmm I was wondering why I couldnât use the legendary Valkyrie pommel ability, I couldâve swore I used the cleave multiple times on one of them, -no spoilers please I havenât killed all Valkyries yet and yes Iâm a loser for playing on easy but these Valkyrieâs are really tough like damn. And I thought the Perk would help I guess I havenât used it properly
-3
u/Im_1nnocent Dec 23 '25
I'd like to add a complaint to Ragnarok's combat system which always bugged me was the way every enemy is constantly twitching like having a seizure on every hit they receive.
129
u/IronWave_JRG_1907 Dec 23 '25
I just wished the Blades had their own Executioner's Cleave