Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment
God of War: Ragnarok is getting a surprise DLC expansion that takes Kratos to Valhalla, and it’s free!
PlayStation and developer Santa Monica Studio popped up at The Game Awards 2023 with a surprise reveal: God of War: Ragnarok is getting a roguelite expansion called Valhalla. The new DLC drops next week and it’s free for all owners of the game, taking Kratos on a brutal new adventure where dying is just another day in Valhalla.
Here’s the reveal trailer for the DLC:
Kratos returns to the Greek era in Ragnarok: Valhalla
God of War: Ragnarok’s story seemed to spell the end of Kratos’ story - for now - but it looks like the Spartan is already back for more. This DLC is described as an epilogue to Ragnarok’s main story, taking Kratos on a, “deeply personal and reflective journey,” with Mimir as his sole companion. The expansion will introduce a new location in Valhalla for Kratos to explore, though it happens to also be filled with bloodthirsty monsters.
Kratos will have to shed his armour and go into Valhalla with nought but his existing skill tree and weapons intact, and slowly gather resources to upgrade his abilities through multiple runs permanently. That’s right - this is a roguelite DLC, which means that dying is just part of the game. As you progress through Valhalla, you’ll gain permanent upgrades to make the next run easier, but also find temporary combat upgrades in Glyphs scattered around the area.
The DLC will have five difficulty settings, so it shouldn’t be tough to beat so long as you’re willing to bump the setting down. Players can also mix and match different sets of armour since they’re only cosmetic in Valhalla, with new sets likely available in the DLC. Valhalla also seems to be unexpectedly nostalgic for veterans of the franchise: Bear McCreary’s new music from the trailer is clearly ripped from the original Greek-era trilogy, and a Cyclops even makes an appearance later on.
What are Greek monsters doing in the Nordic realms? We’ll have to wait until December 12, 2023, to find out.
