Summary
Fans should keep an eye on what is coming next forGod of War Ragnarok, even if they have already exhausted what the base game offers. While eyes have recently been turning towards rumors of a sequel or half-sequel for the franchise, a recent announcement at The Game Awards created cause for excitement within the game’s community.
It was recently confirmed thatGod of War Ragnarokwill be receiving a free DLC titledValhallaon December 12, taking a roguelite approach to addictive and replayable short-form gameplay. While this is a fascinating departure from the usual gameplay beats of the modernGod of Warfranchise, the upcoming DLC seems to take a lot of inspiration from the recentAssassin’s Creed Valhalla. With both game modes obviously sharing the same Norse mythological themes, the gameplay that they both appear to share is a similarity that cannot be ignored.
God of War Ragnarok May Emulate One of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Best Modes
With theValhallaDLC forGod of War Ragnarokjust around the corner, a lot of solid details are already known about how the free expansion will function. As a roguelite experience,Valhallawill see players tackle a challenging labyrinth of combat set as an epilogue toGod of War Ragnarok’s main story, billed as a journey of deep internal reflection for Kratos.
Set in the eponymous Valhalla, players will have to restart the experience on each death, with the DLC itself likely posing a short narrative that focuses on replayability. While Kratos will have his full arsenal of weapons and skill trees as standard, players will need to choose a specific shield and Spartan Rage path per attempt, encouraging players to tackleValhallawiththe full breadth ofRagnarok’s combat mechanicsto see what works best for them.
Throughout the journey ofGoW Ragnarok:Valhalla, players can periodically visit runes to decide what aspects of skills and weapons they want to upgrade, meaning each playthrough will come with a serious gamble that promotes risk versus reward. In a given run, players can strive towards achieving temporary unlocks or permanent upgrades, making subsequent attempts that much easier.
God of War Ragnarok Will Want to Emulate Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Forgotten Saga Success
This seems to be a fascinating fit forGod of War Ragnarok, and the DLC will be hoping to garner the same positive reception thatAssassin’s Creed Valhalla’sForgotten Sagaexpansion had in August 2022. Like theValhallaDLC,Forgotten Sagareleased as a free post-launch expansion for theAssassin’s Creedtitle, possessing a near identical premise of roguelite mechanics where players could choose a build and upgrade certain aspects of it in a challenging experience.
Aside from the similarity in core mechanics, both DLCs also played intothe Norse themes that these games share, with the fantastical qualities of Valhalla and Asgard being perfect conduits for roguelite gameplay without breaking the immersion of either release. Both DLCs also smartly used their roguelite experiences to further the core narratives of their base games. Altogether, it makes great sense thatGod of War Ragnarokhas opted to take a page out ofAssassin’s Creed Valhalla’s book.
While God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Forgotten Saga seem similar, they may end up being wildly different at launch.
God of War Ragnarok
WHERE TO PLAY
Embark on an epic and heartfelt journey as Kratos and Atreus struggle with holding on and letting goFrom Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018). Fimbulwinter is well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms.
