God of War Ragnarok may not be a heavy showcase of the DualSense features, but Santa Monica Studios knows the exact moment to make it shine, as one of the game’s best moments breaks even beyond the Nine Realms, all thanks to the controller’s haptics.

Spoiler warning for those who haven’t beaten God of War Ragnarok.

Look, there are a ton of moments in God of War Ragnarok that I can name off the top of my head that I’m sure many would consider to be the most memorable. The opening fight with Thor, where you get a fake game over screen alone, could easily top the list, as with any other boss fight. Some scenes don’t even involve any fighting or bloodshed, and it’s just the character talking, with emotions on full display. Heck, there are moments that don’t even involve any talking, just you taking in the visual spectacle that Santa Monica has crafted with this masterpiece.

I could talk for hours about Ragnarok (you can also read my review) and all the incredible moments it offers, and for me, it’s easily one of the greatest games I’ve played. But, there is one specific moment in the game that I wanted to draw some attention to. Something that may have been overlooked by some and what I consider to be a perfect example of how not only does the DualSense provide a more immersive experience but possibly even how it can be used to help with the narrative, even if it is, in the slightest of ways.

So, what exact moment am I talking about? Well, it’s towards the end of the game, right before the massive battle against Odin. It’s the moment when Kratos accepts being Freya’s War General, leading the Nine Realms towards the destruction of Asgard or also known as: the start of the end.

This was the very moment the game had been building up to, and it was one that didn’t disappoint. But before Kratos and his army could charge into battle, he first needed to rally up those forces. And what better way to do that than with the instrument prophesied to herald the end, the Gjallarhorn? For context, here’s the scene I’m referring to.

I love this moment so much. I know there’s a lot to pick from in the game, but this moment and the one right before it is the game’s last quiet one before the final battle, and hearing that music ramp up as the character gives their speech, and seeing all doors to each realm open up. It’s not an overly complex scene, a simple one, yet very effective. I felt that the tens of hours I put in were all coming together for this exact moment.

Now, this scene is featured on both the PS4 and PS5 versions of God of War Ragnarok (duh, they’re the same games), though the PS5 version is different in one way, and that’s the fact that its DualSense controller features haptic feedback.

Now, I want to put you into the mindset before we listen to how Santa Monica utilizes the haptics in this instance. Mind you, what I am going to bring up might be a bit of a reach, BUT someone at the studio (likely on the audio side) decided to create this very thing for this moment. So, I like to think that its intentions go along with the established narration and can be viewed as a breaking-the-fourth-wall sort of thing. So here goes.

In Norse mythology, the Gjallarhorn is said to be a horn that can be heard in all corners of the world, announcing the gods’ arrival. God of War’s version retains some of that, being a horn that can be heard across all Nine Realms. It’s how Kratos and company can signal the other realms so that they may join the war on Asgard.

Think about that: a horn that can be heard across the realms. What if I told you that one of those realms included ours? I know, I know, Midgard is the Norse mythology name for Earth, but this is a video game, so it’s not like what goes on in it also affects real life. But, one of the reasons the DualSense even exists is that games can become more immersive by allowing players to feel what happens, something traditional rumble can’t provide. You can feel, and if you listen close enough, hear the Gjallarhorn, not from the DualSense speaker, but from the haptic vibration.

To demonstrate this, I’ve created a comparison video that captures the vibration of the PS4 and the haptics of the PS5 for this very scene. Have a listen to the original with only sound effects, then to what the vibrations are on PS4, followed by the haptics from the PS5 version.

Again, this could be a reach, and maybe not entirely intentional, but I like to think otherwise, as this was programmed specifically into the PS5 version of the game. Even if you didn’t realize it the first time, now that you know what the haptics are doing in this scene and what the Gjallarhorn does, it’s pretty cool being able to feel and hear it in the real world. Intentionally of the studio to have this wall-breaking moment? Only they know for sure, but I’m saying yes.

A very awesome moment that might have just been made better now that you know this.

Oh, and if you thought this was a bit of a different read, then you may be interested in my other DualSense-related pieces. I did one on Astro’s Playroom a few years ago, and one on Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man last year.