Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

God of War Ragnarök borrows top-notch accessibility options from Last of Us Part I

DeAngelo Epps
By

Sony recently released a complete rebuild of one of the most iconic games in its PlayStation catalog. The Last of Us Part I not only reintroduced the world to one of the most essential gaming experiences, but showed off some of the best accessibility features we’ve ever seen. Now many of those impressive options are making their way to the upcoming God of War: Ragnarök.

God of War Ragnarök - "Father and Son" Cinematic Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games

The development team at Santa Monica Studio already shared more than 60 accessibility features coming to God of War: Ragnarök in May. These features include controller remapping, high-contrast mode, navigation and travel assistance, speaker names, and more. Now Ragnarök is taking a few cues from The Last of Us Part I with even more features that will open the game to as many players as possible.

Recommended Videos

Newer features include auto pickup, which allows players to automatically pick up items, and navigation assistance, which tells players where to go next using an arrow on the screen. High-contrast mode, previously announced, lets players apply different colors to items, characters, specific terrain, and more to improve visibility.

Related

Other newly shared features include:

  • Audio cues and captions
  • More elaborate text and icon size options
  • Auto-platforming
  • Controller visualization

Rather than hoarding accessibility options, game developers have shown a willingness to share these innovations between titles. Last year, EA opened all of its accessibility patents, like Apex Legends’  unique Ping System, with its Patent Pledge. Reusing the best accessibility options from The Last of Us Part I will help make God of War: Ragnarök playable by an even broader audience.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
DeAngelo Epps
DeAngelo Epps
De'Angelo Epps is a gaming writer passionate about the culture, communities, and industry surrounding gaming. His work ranges…
The Last of Us Part 1: best weapon upgrades
Ellie aiming a rifle.

Everything is scarce in The Last of Us Part 1. You will constantly be running low on supplies, ammo, health, and maybe even hope. This game functions a lot like survival horror games, in which managing your inventory is just as important as being able to land that critical headshot. Your arsenal, in terms of firearms, is not terribly large, but you do have the ability to upgrade each weapon in a number of ways to help you make the most of every precious bullet you find.

Weapon upgrades, just like skill upgrades, are not free -- they both cost a limited resource. However, weapon upgrades also have an extra layer of restriction in that you can't simply stop and upgrade a weapon whenever you feel like it. When you are able to upgrade, you also have to consider which gun you want to invest in, how you want to invest in it, or if you want to save up for a future weapon or a more expensive upgrade later. It's a delicate balance, but we've picked the best weapon upgrades to help you survive your journey in The Last of Us Part 1.
How to upgrade weapons

Read more
The Last of Us Part 1: All Training Manual locations
ps now vs xbox game pass the last of us remastered

Joel has managed to survive for over 25 years in the Clicker invested world, but even he can learn a few new tricks. He's already adept with any gun you can get your hands on and can slap together basic materials to make some useful tools, but just about everything you have access to can be made better with the right training. Unfortunately, it's a little late for Joel and Ellie to enroll in a survival course, so reading up is the next best option.

The Last of Us Part 1 has 12 hidden Training Manuals you can collect that all improve one of your tools in a meaningful way. Some of these are so powerful that you'll wonder how you managed without them, and yet some are so well hidden that you can go through the game multiple times without finding them all. If you want to become an expert Boy Scout, turn on your Listen Mode and pay close attention to our guide on finding all the Training Manuals in The Last of Us Part 1.
Training Manual 1 -- Shiv: Sharpening
Your first Training Manual to grab is in Bill's Town. You will have a hard time missing it, but after you escape from Bill's leg snare trap and follow him into the bar, one of the many objects to pick up is the training manual right on the bar itself.

Read more
The Last of Us Part 1: All toolbox locations
Joel places a rifle on a table in The Last of Us Part I.

Survival in The Last of Us Part 1 will come down to equal parts stealth, skill, and resource management. As Joel and Ellie go farther and farther west, the challenges they face will only become more daunting, asking more from the player in terms of all of these attributes. Aside from upgrading Joel himself with a few skills, the main way you will keep up with the harsher conditions of the game is through upgrading your weapons. However, you will realize very early on that many upgrades are locked.

The only way to fully upgrade your arsenal is by finding five toolboxes. These simple tools all unlock a new level of upgrades for your weapons, but just like anything else in The Last of Us Part 1, they're very easy to overlook as you're sneaking through an area or just admiring the amazing environments. Since there's no backtracking in this game, missing one means you won't be able to max out any upgrades on your first playthrough, so make a note of all the toolbox locations in The Last of Us Part 1 listed here.
First tool location
The first toolbox won't come until you make it to Chapter 4 of the game, called Bill's Town. After navigating his traps (or at least most of them), you will meet up with Bill and eventually make your way to his home base of sorts in an abandoned church. Here, he will show you how to make the very useful Nail Bomb item, but don't leave the area to test it out just yet. Before you leave the basement, check the back corner for a shelf with the red toolbox sitting on it.
Second tool location
Very early in Chapter 5, Pittsburgh, you will be attacked by a group of survivors. After taking them out, you will need to lift up a garage door to progress. Once inside, look to the shelves immediately to your left for the toolbox.
Third tool location
Moving on to Chapter 6 now, follow the main path through the sewers until you get to the point where Ellie repairs a generator and Henry pulls you out of the water. Follow the tunnel forward, but watch for a side path on your left side. Take the path to a small room with the toolbox lying on the ground.
Fourth tool location
Back in school during Chapter 8, The University, go all the way into the science building but don't go up to the second floor quite yet. At the end of the hall, just past a vending machine, is a locked door you will need a shiv to pry open. Use one, get inside, and the toolbox will be sitting front and center on one of the lab tables.
Fifth tool location
Our final toolbox is waiting in Chapter 10. After an awkward start, eventually, you will come to the infamous giraffe scene and then trigger a cutscene. After it ends, you will be in the abandoned FEMA camp. Look for the open tent nearest the bus station and go inside. Directly to the right of the entrance is a table with the final toolbox sitting on top.

Read more