You begin to notice the repetition. The same enemy types, the same puzzle mechanics (throw the axe at the rune, freeze the gear, burn the bramble). The side quests—beautifully written as they are—start to feel less like exploration and more like obligation. This is not a bug. This is Kratos’s internal state made mechanical.
The game features large, open-ended environments (like Svartalfheim and Vanaheim) that encourage backtracking and puzzle-solving, which can add significant time. god of war 5 play time