The upcoming expansion pack for God of War: Ragnarok was a long time coming. The game was an instant hit, and it definitely deserves an expansion pack. But it’s been more than a year. And there have been rumors of Sony Santa Monica moving on to other projects. Hence, eventually, many stopped believing those rumors. But the developer proved everyone wrong.

During The Game Awards 2023, Sony and Santa Monica Studios announced God of War: Ragnarok Valhalla. A free DLC for this excellent hack-and-slash title. The trailer was too good, but it did not show much other than a glimpse of Kratos fighting the beasts of Valhalla. So, what exactly is this DLC about? Let’s find out.

God of War: Ragnarok Valhalla DLC is an epilogue of the main story.

According to the developers at Santa Monica Studios, Valhalla is set directly after the events of the main game. This DLC takes Kratos back to the past to face it and conquer his darkest fears. You can simply get into this DLC without completing the original game. However, the developers recommend completing the main game first to avoid spoilers. The DLC contains some references to the original story’s ending. (Spoilers ahead for those who haven’t played God of War: Ragnarok)

Players who completed the original might remember that Kratos and his team of ragtag gods took down Thor, Odin, and the whole of Asgard with them as they unleashed Ragnarok in that world. After which, Atreus, Kratos’ son, goes out on his own on a journey to find himself. On the other hand, Kratos decided to help people who needed help alongside Freya and Mimir.

This is what the developers have to say about it. “Kratos has seen a path for himself that he never thought possible before. Brought to the mysterious shores of Valhalla accompanied only by Mimir, Kratos will enter its unknown depths to overcome trials within himself and face echoes of his past.”

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Refreshed combat and gameplay

The developers suggest that through this DLC, you’re in for a surprise. While most of the fighting and killing remains the same, this game adds roguelike elements to the mix. This means the game will introduce some sort of level-up system. And you can continue gaining either experience or level as they went from level to level killing monsters in Valhalla. In case you die, you start from the beginning, but retain some aspects of rewards or XP earned in their previous run.

Hence, run after run, you will get wiser and better. This sounds a lot like Ivaldi’s workshop in God of War 2018. That was also an area that opened after the main story in Niflheim and introduced roguelike elements to the mix. Players gained mist echoes with every run, and making it back to the workshop before the fog killed Kratos allowed players to keep the mist echoes.

A start from scratch

While it is in some ways similar to Ivaldi’s Workshop, there are some glaring differences. The biggest is the fact that no matter how powerful you are at the end of the story, you will start Valhalla with no armor. You will walk into that battlefield without much protection, which will add to the challenge.

But you will get to keep weapons and skills. That’s why it is crucial to start this DLC after completing the main story, as it would be better if you were adequately prepared for this challenge.

Read More: The Game Awards 2023: Capcom Announced Monster Hunter Wilds!

While you will not have the armor, you’ll be able to customize how Kratos looks. Further, you will be able to add, mix, and match pieces of armor to Kratos.

Choose your preferred difficulty.

The DLC will offer five different difficulty settings. With increasing difficulty, the rewards you earn will also increase. The best part is that if you find a particular difficulty too easy or too hard between runs, you may change it anytime you want.

God of War: Ragnarok Valhalla comes as an epic Christmas present, launching on December 12, 2023. What’s even better, is that it’s a free DLC!

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