God of War Ragnarok has a whole host of gods and monsters for Kratos to fight, but some of the bosses stand out from the rest as the hardest in the game. The fights of Ragnarok have received significant amounts of positive from fans and critics. Specifically, many praise the fact that developers listened to criticism about the first game lacking enemy variety, and here, this is far from a problem. In fact, gone are the yawn-inducing trolls in favor of new blood.

The boss variety means they’re also a different type of difficulty to the previous games. No more getting used to the same troll or Valkyrie patterns; this game throws a lot of different bosses and mini-bosses at the player. God of War Ragnarok's new moves and enemies requires players to stay on their toes, and figuring out the best way to beat one boss may get Kratos no closer to mastering the next one. Each God of War Ragnarok boss brings its own experience to the table with varying degrees of difficulty.

15 The Drekis Are A Challenge In Pairs

Found In Multiple Locations

Kratos and his companions will encounter the Drakis in multiple locations throughout the game, and each fight will test their skill. While some fights have the players go up against just one of the creatures, several pit them against two Drakis at a time. This makes them a lot more challenging as players have to keep track of two of these powerful enemies.

The Drakis are capable of spitting at players, giving them a ranged attack. In some of the battles, the Drakis will gain the ability to wield lightning for some unblockable long- and short-range hits that can really chip away at Kratos' health. The only way to get through these fights is by avoiding all the attacks as well as possible and hitting hard during any window of opportunity.

14 Svipdagr the Cold and Sisters of Illska Is A Three-On-One Battle

Found In The Barrens In Afheim

A fight against Svipdagr the Cold would be difficult on its own, but it's made even more difficult with the addition of the Sisters of Illska. Fortunately, the Sisters share a health bar, so attacking one whittles them both down. Unfortunately, their elemental fire and ice attacks may get to players before they can have a chance to incapacitate them.

The best way to take on the trio is to take down the sisters first, as YouTuber SHiNWiN shows. Players should be especially wary of the Sisters' devastating area-of-effect attacks, which can't be blocked but are telegraphed ahead of time to give players a chance to get to safety.

13 Blatönn's Long Combos Can Do Massive Damage

Found In The Abandoned Village In Vanaheim

Wulvers are werewolf-like enemies that players encounter as regular enemies on their travels through Vanaheim and Jötunheim. Even as regular enemies, the Wulvers pose a threat with their fast movement speed and unblockable charge attacks. One of the more difficult fights in God of War Ragnarok is the alpha Wulver and the leader of the Vanaheim Wulvers, Blatönn.

Although Blatönn doesn't have nearly as much health as some of the other bosses in the game, he is incredibly fast. He also attacks in lengthy combos of flurries that can do a huge amount of damage if they're not blocked or evaded. Since Blatönn is encountered fairly early in the game, players may be caught off guard by the difficulty level of this fight. The best strategy for taking him down is to pile on the damage as quickly as possible, so he doesn't have a chance to fight back.

12 Garm Is A Test Of Endurance

Found In Helheim

Garm’s boss fight isn’t mechanically unfair, but it’s a test of endurance, all told. Garm uses his entire body and chains to prevent Kratos from putting him down. That leads to one of the longer boss fights in the game, as Kratos and Atreus chase the dog through Hel.

In fact, the boss fight is so long that both Kratos and Atreus come up with their own plans to attack the creature as the fight progresses. It’s telling that Garm in the end wasn't even killed, but fused with Fenrir's soul to resurrect the duo's beloved wolf.

11 Alva Is Capable Of Healing Herself

Found In The Temple Of Light In Alfheim

The first boss of Alfheim has an unsettling Nordic interpretation of elves. Alva is a tricky character who uses her speed in the battle to dish out some severe damage before immediately darting back out of range. Not only that, she has the ability to heal herself, which potentially renders any damage the player has dealt moot.

The trick here is to break her double-blue circle attacks when they pop up. When done consistently, the fight gets a lot more reasonable, although still enough of a challenge on the hardest difficulty. Alva makes a nice welcome of what to expect in God of War Ragnarok.

10 Skjorthendi the Unerring Is The Most Difficult Berserker

Found In The Mist Fields Of Niflheim

The Berserker bosses are some of the hardest battles in God of War Ragnarok, and Skjorthendi the Unerring is generally considered to be the most difficult of them. The Berserker uses Bifrost attacks, potentially dealing massive damage to players if they're not careful. She also has the ability to teleport, making it hard to hit and avoid being hit.

Players will also quickly discover that Skjorthendi has an ace up her sleeve: an unblockable Bifrost attack that covers the entire battle arena. Thankfully, this attack can be interrupted by hitting her as she's preparing for the onslaught, but unwary players can find their entire health bar taken out by this single Bifrost hit.

9 Heimdall's Smarmy Personality Adds Insult To Injury

Found In Vanaheim

God of War Ragnarok's iteration of Heimdall is smarmy and patently annoying; capable of annoying Thor just as much as he aggravates Kratos. The fact that the first fight against him is unwinnable serves to further frustrate the player. Kratos has had his fair share of loudmouths to fight against, but Heimdall is arguably among the worst.

Kratos had to go out of his way to find a special spear that could actually hurt him. Even then, the boss fight is reminiscent of bosses like Baldur and Hermes, only this time, Kratos cannot use anything but the spear, which can prove a challenge for those who favor the axe or blades. Battling Heimdall is the best fight in the game, but that doesn't make it any easier.

8 Hrist and Mist Have Several Phases

Found In Spark Of The World In Muspelheim

The last fight before Ragnarok, Hrist and Mist reminds players why the Valkyries were such a pain in the previous game. Not only that, there are two of them now, and both are dead set on stopping Kratos from fulfilling the prophecy.

Even when they are first beaten, they will enter a second phase, reinvigorated with new life and strength. The boss fight challenges the player’s spatial awareness, and generous use of the shield is needed because of flanking attacks. The backdrop of this fight being the vastness of space also makes for an incredible setpiece.

7 Nidhogg Requires Patience To Defeat

Found At Yggdrasil's Roots

Few Norse monsters are as iconic as the Nidhogg, and this time, Kratos has Freya to back him up in this fight. It has a massive health pool, befitting of a monster that was made guardian of the roots of the nine realms. It also has huge AoE attacks that make greedy players regret their jump-ins.

Learning how to defeat Nidhogg will require patience. Freya will tell players when the best time to attack is. Rushing in only ends with a trade of damage that Nidhogg will inevitably win. The fight is paced specifically to reward a player who is calm and collected.

6 Thor's Early Appearance Makes Him A Tough Fight

Found In Asgard

The first Aesir that Kratos fights, Thor was the stinger of the previous game. Fans were excited to see how his fight would fare against Baldur’s. It did not disappoint, and many players found themselves at the mercy of the God of Thunder.

The fight is one of attrition, much like Baldur’s, especially so early in the game when Kratos doesn’t have all of his gear and skills yet. They can only rely on their skill. Plus, it’s just as spectacular as Baldur’s fight, making even the times when the player is beaten just as dramatic and visually satisfying.