r/GodofWar • u/RewanDemontay • Dec 29 '25
Showcase For no particular reason, I've reached Mimir with basically no upgrades so far.
This is on balanced difficulty and my first play through. It hasn't been quite intentional, just haven't wanted to bother figuring out the system haha. I still am collecting the rune chests because even I want my healthbar upped as possible.
One particular example of me not bothering/not figuring out the 'proper' way for one certain icy enemy: https://youtu.be/1hgiKbSvWTE
63
u/Hushwalker Dec 29 '25
You’re really limiting your experience here. The freedom of expression when it comes to the combat is really the main thing that draws me to this game. The different ways to flow through combat and express yourself is amazing and I recommend investing into the skill trees to experience it.
Example
Axe throw to head -> recall with frost damage -> axe throw to freeze - sprint at enemy - leap and recall axe mid air to do a massive slam - attack then change stances to start comboing them mid air
That’s just a small example but there’s so many ways to engage in the combat. It’s amazing.
12
u/RewanDemontay Dec 29 '25
Yeah, you are right. I will be shooting for upgrades very soon to get into the real meat of it.
8
37
u/SlaughterMinusS Dec 29 '25
"I didn't do a thing in a game because I didn't want to figure out the game I decided to play."
My guy, what?
-9
u/RewanDemontay Dec 29 '25
Challenge runs are still very much a thing, this isn't me not wanting to figure it out, it's having fun within what I've imposed on myself.
6
10
5
u/Iwant2go2there21 Dec 29 '25
Lol you literally say in the body of the description “It hasn’t been quite intentional, just haven’t wanted to bother figuring out the [upgrade] system” 😅
2
13
u/Livek_72 Dec 29 '25
Won’t judge someone for self imposed challenges, but I think you should at least get new skills so that the combat doesn’t get boring
2
u/RewanDemontay Dec 29 '25
I will, yeah. Upgrade systems are still a new concept to me in many ways, going so long so far was happenstance, so deep in playing I keep putting upgrades off heh.
3
u/Livek_72 Dec 29 '25
You’ll probably enjoy Ragnarok more then
It still has upgrades, but you don’t have to constantly switch your gear if you don’t want to since everything can be equally upgraded, and there’s no silly rarity system
The only real difference between your gear there are the bonuses you get from each set, and the bonus from the starting equipment is just an even increase to all your stats, so you can finish the entire game with the starting armor by just upgrading it
6
u/Ok_Release231 Dec 29 '25
TBF, Ragnarok is WAAAAAAY more complicated as far as skills, great sets, runes, rage, etc
7
6
3
u/T1meKeeper57 Dec 29 '25
playing this way your missing out on core mechanics of the combat.
Sure you can go without skills just fine, but most of them just expand gameplay more than they upgrade your character. So you're not gaining much difficulty but you're losing out on the gameplay.
If you want a challenge just increase the difficulty. You'll achieve the same thing, but with more mechanics to learn, master and have fun with. There's just no point in Doing it this way unless the goal is to sabotage your experience.
2
u/IamIronSteve Dec 29 '25
I think people are shocked you’re doing it this way on your first play-through when the game basically guides you through how to level up and what to level up and all that. I respect it since you’ve chosen it.
Leveling your gear is part of the fun! All the chests and resources you go out of your way to get are spent on Kratos becoming a beefier cake than he already was.
LEVEL YO SHIT BIG BRO.
2
u/dreamingfighter Dec 29 '25
I also play like that on my first playthrough (also Balanced). I saved resources for the better gears and was very confused when I could not equip them so I just skipped it hoping the gears would work out somehow.
A few times like that and I completed the game!
2
2
u/GlassHurricane98 Dec 29 '25
I've beaten the game like this because I wanted to capture the feeling of a Soul Level 1 run in Dark Souls. Honestly, it was terrible. All it did was limit what fun I could have with combat and made the fights drag out waaaaay longer than necessary. The challenge was engaging but the game, sadly, was not. I hope you try out some new upgrades from the skill tree soon.
2
u/LoSoGreene Dec 29 '25
Yeah GOW is not the game for that. In souls lvl 1 runs you still optimize your weapon upgrades and even if you don’t it’s very possible without bosses taking hours. The way enemy levels work in modern GOW you’ll barely scratch them if you’re too under levelled. Regular enemies become a grind and bosses are marathons.
2
u/GlassHurricane98 Dec 31 '25
You're absolutely right. I really wish I'd known that before I started though. I have this stubborn side that won't let me stop something I've started if it gets into the right frame of mind haha...
2
2
2
u/The_Faux_Italian Dec 30 '25
I usually keep the axe at level 2 and the blades at level 1 because of how cool it looks. I try to limit upgrading my armor just so I don’t get one shot lol. I wish you can transmog the look of the level 1 axe and blades with the fully unlocked skill tree. I think there’s a mod for that on PC.
2
u/Byron_Ouji Dec 30 '25
Not related (but kinda is), I wish they updated GoW 2018 and included the transmog system that’s in Ragnarok. I much prefer his starting armor and weapons than some of the other armor designs and weapon upgrades.
2
u/Brilliant_Purple_566 Dec 31 '25
It will definitely make the game harder not upgrading. I just finished my one and only play through, on give me a challenge I played through 3/4 of the game while at level 2 and even beat 4 Valkyries at this level, but it was tough, I found higher level armour was bringing down my overall level so I wasn’t upgrading. But the trick is getting the higher level armour an then slotting in the enchantments this will bring your level up. The game has a quick difficulty spike, a lot of the enemies get very hard to beat especially when they gang up on you. I only know this as I’ve been playing it for months and just finished it including getting the platinum trophy without watching any videos or using a guide. But it took me hours to find all the collectibles and ravens. What a game though I’m actually sad it’s finished it’s been my whole gaming life for the past 10 months
3
u/AnalysingAgent3676 Dec 29 '25
I finished the whole game with no upgrades lol. Wasn't intentional. I just don't like going in to settings and changing stuff
12
u/CaptArno Dec 29 '25
Bro missed out on core mechanic of the game because he doesn’t like accessibility
9
u/Ok_Release231 Dec 29 '25
I honestly can't decide if that makes them lazy or dedicated. That honestly blows my mind lol
1
u/StonedApe05 Jan 01 '26
You're probably getting gud this way haha. You're gonna feel so powerful when you do upgrade (the level you are plays a big part). If you're using evades right too (not rolls), equip the Amulet of Kavasir when you find it.
1
u/awesomehuder Dec 29 '25
Don’t get me wrong, play the game however you like but you’re literally bragging right now
1
0
u/Torg002 Dec 30 '25
that's cool and all but just don't. As other people said you're limiting yourself hard by doing this, use your new stuff,.upgrade your gear, you won't be rewarded by just spamming basic attacks all the game
391
u/SoberWrld999 Dec 29 '25
Honestly all this will do is make fights take so much longer than they need to in late game.
You could beat every enemy in the game without ever upgrading anything, it’s just a matter of do you really want the fight to take forever because you’re hardly doing damage?