Can you turn off Atreus and Mimir’s puzzle hints in God of War Ragnarök?

The Nine Realms of God of War Ragnarök are brimming with environmental puzzles blocking Kratos’ path: geysers to freeze, vines to burn, and light bridges to activate. And just as you might have wrapped your head around a puzzle’s solution, it feels like Atreus (always eager to prove himself) or Mimir will blurt out a clue.

These directional voice lines could be a boon for certain players stuck and in need of a solution, but based on many comments online shortly after Ragnarök’s release, many were hoping for an option to turn them off. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be a menu setting stopping your over-eager companions from telling you what to do.

A suggestion on Twitter that was making the rounds Friday directed frustrated players to use the Puzzle Timing menu option in the game’s meaty accessibility menus. But according Sony Santa Monica’s Mila Pavlin, lead UX designer for Ragnarök: “Those settings do not impact the banter.” Pavlin confirmed this to Polygon via an email from Sony PR.

Puzzle Timing impacts the amount of leeway in activating puzzle-related elements. Think the Nonir chest bells, as a primary example. It has three settings: Default, Extended, and Extended+.

This might be a recurring design element in Sony-published titles going forward, as Aloy would sometimes tell herself the answers to puzzles in February’s Horizon Forbidden West. And with a game marketed towards a wide audience, it certainly could keep some people playing — or from looking up the answers on some very good guides. But those looking for a current solution to an over-helpful Atreus (beyond their TV’s mute button) are currently out of luck.