Christmas has come early this year for owners of the 2022 PlayStation smash-hit God of War Ragnarok in the form of a free DLC download. God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla is a new roguelike game mode that is free to download and playable right from the main menu of the base game. However, it is recommended that the player complete the main story before entering Valhalla, as the narrative of the DLC takes place after the main game. If you have not played the base game, this review may contain spoilers.
“Master Thyself…”
When I first saw the trailer for Valhalla, I assumed that the new mode’s roguelike design would leave little room for narrative. I was incredibly surprised to find that this free DLC was not just a simple combat gauntlet but an epilogue to the events of the main game. One that not only examines Kratos’ growth as a character but one that features new and returning characters from the past. The story opens with Kratos in a canoe with Mimir heading to an unknown beach, where he forces his way through the Doors of Valhalla. Eventually when the player dies in Valhalla, Kratos is teleported back to the beach where he is greeted by a disgruntled Freya and the Valkyries. Kratos explains to Freya why he attempted to breach Valhalla alone by showing her a letter that was nailed to their door three days ago.
“Kratos of Sparta: You are hereby invited to a challenge… Face the past to face the future… Master Valhalla. Master thyself.”
The mystery of who wrote this invitation and why Kratos was compelled to follow its instructions is for you to find out, but the mystery is more than compelling enough to keep you playing. This is also helped out by a wealth of new voice lines, as Kratos, Mimir, and the Valkyries all have new dialogue. The Valkyries, in particular, benefit the most from this as it allows the player greater insight into who these women were before they met Kratos.
Going Solo
There are two major changes that will strike you as you enter Valhalla. The first one is that your gear from the main game is lost. While you keep all of your weapons and their upgrades, you will not have their gold skins and runic attacks. Instead, you will unlock new armor and weapon skins as you progress and earn mastery seals to unlock them. The second thing you will notice is that you no longer have access to the “Boy/Woman button.” Atreus is on his own adventure now, and since Freya has never died, she can’t enter Valhalla. The only person who will be accompanying Kratos on his adventure is good old Mimir, emphasizing the theme of self-improvement, which is present throughout Valhalla.
After your first trip to Valhalla, you will be able to select your preferred loadout selecting a limited-use relic, a shield, and your rage ability. You are free to choose whatever you want, but before you start each run, an item will be highlighted as rewarding more Mastery Seals on this attempt.
This is a good way to encourage the player to diversify their play style, granting greater rewards for experimentation. The player always has their primary weapons available to them, but the tools that complement your move set always change. This is complemented by the rewards the player receives after completing a room. The rewards range from stat buffs and runic attacks to empowering certain parts of Kratos’ move set.
One run, you might play aggressively, banking on the buffed damage from parrying with the Dauntless Shield and eating hits with the Valor Rage Burst. The next run, you might wanna tank damage with the Onslaught Shield and use your spears-buffed projectile attacks to wear down enemies from afar. The gameplay loop is one that encourages changing strategy in ways that the main game does not due to Valhalla’s roguelike gameplay loop.
The one thing that kept me coming back for more was seeing the new enemies the DLC introduced. The new monsters and bosses in Valhalla have more complex move sets than the main game, with a mix of unlockable attacks and AOEs. The new enemies add much-needed variety to Valhalla’s combat, which may feel stale for someone fresh off playing the main story. Some enemies, like the Cyclops, fill the same role as the Ogre in the main game, but other monsters, like the Minotaur and the Siren, have completely unique attacks and behaviors.
However, when compared to other roguelikes Valhalla’s gameplay structure shows some cracks after a few hours. You will see repeated stages and enemy layouts, and while the combat remains fun throughout, the repetition begins to set in not long after seeing the credits. In a very similar vein to the main game, your biggest reason to keep playing will be seeing how the story develops and not so much the gameplay.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it’s hard not to recommend a free DLC. God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla is an excellent companion piece to go along with the main game. Its highlights are the narrative and gameplay elements that focus on Kratos as a character and how he copes with his new place in the world. The combat is still responsive and satisfying with the new additions only adding to the power the player has at their disposal. While the repetition in the game’s stages and enemy layout means that it’s not on the level of other roguelikes, it’s still an enjoyable journey that stays engaging after dozens of runs.
If this free DLC is anything to go by, it means that the developers at Santa Monica Studio still have a deep connection to the characters in the game. I, for one, hope that this isn’t the last time we see Kratos or enter the world that Santa Monica has created. If the series seeks to follow a different cast of characters, I can rest easy knowing that the team did justice to one of PlayStation’s most beloved characters.
The Review
Great
