Ranking of bosses in God of War Ragnarok

God of War Ragnarok built upon its predecessor in many ways, notably through its boss battles. While the 2018 God of War was criticized for its lack of enemy variety, Ragnarok managed to deliver a series of iconic and rewarding combat encounters, making it arguably one of the best games in the God of War franchise.

There are several elements that can influence the success of a boss battle in God of War Ragnarok. Thanks to the finely tuned combat system of the game, most fights are at least satisfying, but some can be a bit too easy or rely on gimmicks that don't allow for full utilization of the main characters' many abilities. Most bosses directly tied to the story have an advantage in terms of this ranking, as they hold narrative and emotional significance that affects the player's experience. With the expanded variety of enemies in Ragnarok, the visual design of each boss also plays a significant role, as aesthetics are crucial in defining the character of God of War boss battles.

S-Tier

These bosses are the cream of the crop in God of War Ragnarok. They fully utilize the game's captivating combat system and give the player freedom while forcing them to employ all the tools at their disposal. They also support the game's story, with bosses like Thor (Battle in Midgard) making a spectacular opening and Odin providing a similar impact as the finale. Other outstanding bosses like Vanadis and Gna offer satisfying combat challenges that test the player's skill and knowledge of the game mechanics without sacrificing originality or successful character portrayal.

• Gna
• Odin
• Thor (Midgard fight)
• Vanadis

A-Tier

These are some of the best bosses in God of War Ragnarok, but they lack something that would take their battles to the next level. The encounters generally excel in strong, challenging combat fundamentals, as seen with the Berserkers and Oath Guards, providing engaging, fast-paced fights that are largely devoid of gimmicks or lulls. Some of the bosses, like Gryla and Heimdall, may not allow the player as much freedom for expressive gameplay, but they compensate for it through exciting set pieces or satisfying narrative resolutions.

• Alva
• Berserkers
• Bjorn
• Blatonn
• Egil The Oath Guard
• Einherjar Captain
• Fiske
• Freya
• Gryla
• Heimdall
• Hrist and Mist
• Jorgen The Oath Guard
• Oluf Nautson
• Stalker
• The Ash Tyrant
• The Corpse Eater
• The Huntress
• The Maven
• The Untamed Fury
• Vali The Oath Guard

B-Tier

These bosses are slightly better than the most disappointing ones in the game due to the satisfaction their fights can provide, but they still lack the refinement and complexity of the bosses in the higher ranks, and most of them do not contribute significantly to the story of God of War. Essentially, these bosses are characterized by a certain mediocrity and are either forgettable or, in the case of bosses like Thor (Battle in Asgard), somewhat disappointing due to the context and buildup. Other reasons for bosses ending up in this category include dull visual design or predictable movement patterns.

• Brenna Banamaor
• Crag Jaw
• Dreki
• Gravel Belly
• Miklimunnr
• Raven Keeper
• Slag Horn
• Stinnr and Sterkr
• The Crimson Dread
• The Everlasting
• The Hateful
• Thor (Asgard fight)
• Visi Haglkorn

C-Tier

While God of War Ragnarok is free from truly terrible boss battles, there are some that simply aren't as strong as others. As mentioned before, the game improves upon its predecessor in terms of enemy variety, but there's still a considerable number of bosses that feel similar, albeit with slightly different movement patterns or elemental variations. This can be somewhat disappointing, as a result, some of these repetitive bosses fail to stand out alongside mechanically shallower encounters that don't live up to the fundamental combat strengths of God of War. These bosses aren't painful, but most players are unlikely to remember them once the game is over.

• Double Soul Eater
• Flame Phantom
• Flame Phantom
• Forest Ancient
• Frost Ancient
• Frost Phantom
• Garm
• Ormstunga

God of War Ragnarok is currently available for PS4 and PS5.