Geek Review – God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla (DLC)

It has only been slightly more than a year since 2022’s Game of the Year, God of War Ragnarok, blew our minds with its take on deeper Norse mythology and the growing legend of Kratos and Atreus, but Santa Monica Studio is back and taking things up a notch with an interesting roguelite detour. God Of War Ragnarok: Valhalla may be an epilogue, but it gives us even more hope that the series will continue to shine in years to come.

At its core, Valhalla distils the immense scope of the main experience into a more digestible form, where repetition is a tool to further the storytelling as well as the challenges involved when it comes to besting the arena that forms Kratos’ personal purgatory, redemption, and ultimately, acceptance of who he is, and who he will be. 

Considering the bloody history of the titular God of War, there is much to draw upon when it comes to him taking responsibility for his actions in Valhalla, and the focus on the more distant past makes for some valuable reflection and insights, a boon for longtime fans and those hoping to delve deeper into Kratos’ psyche.

It is particularly satisfying to take a look back at things through the lens of the grizzled god. Where once was wanton, reckless violence, now lies more nuanced takes on sacrifice, revenge, and the price all of that exacts on even the most divine of us all. Hearing Kratos talk about the likes of the boat captain, Calliope, the decapitated Helios and more is all helpful in charting his growth, and while he can no longer change the past, the future’s still up for grabs.

However, to earn all of these moments of poignancy and pondering, players will have to go through the gauntlet of death and rebirth. Beginning at the hub area of The Shore, it is here where decisions have to be made when it comes to your starting loadout, and Freya and the Valkyries provide their counsel. Go through those big sturdy doors, and the real fun begins.

Each room that awaits can be filled with a variety of enemies drawn from God Of War Ragnarok, with Valhalla adding new twists and combinations to spice things up, forcing players to master all of the three weapons at their disposal in order to survive. From tough mini-bosses to crowds of element-resistant enemies, it requires all of your knowledge of the game’s base systems to come out on top.

It is therefore a blessing that Kratos has access to all of his skills and abilities, allowing for a strong foundation that helps the combat shine through, just as it did a year ago. Yet, all of his stats, perks, and Runic Attacks are all randomised, where players’ choices when looting various chests will determine their build for the rest of the run. 

On the road to discovering the best or favourite build, it nudges you to experiment, making this DLC an excellent discovery tool of the potential abilities that could have come in handy during the main story but were never used. The same goes for the many Labours and Mastery tasks that Vahalla tasks players with, where persistent rewards in the form of currencies and, subsequently, permanent upgrades can be obtained by completing the requirements.

This constant repetition can start to grate if it wasn’t so entertaining, with the outstanding combat enhanced further by the risk-and-reward nature of the roguelite setup, and the fact that whether you are successful or not, there is always progress being made. Players will start to get stronger and better, and the many narrative tidbits that are doled out, either in conversation between Kratos and Mimir, or with the Valkyries are all tantalising and worthwhile to chase down.

Of course, the longevity of God Of War Ragnarok: Valhalla fundamentally lies in your appreciation of Kratos as a character. After more than ten hours spent, we are still yet to tire of its formula and, more crucially, its importance to where the series will head next. 

The best compliment for this free DLC is that it comes across as a work of love, put together for a distinct purpose and smashes that target beyond all expectations. Even against the growing scale and scope of AAA games, this smaller slice stands tall and mighty as an essential piece of the puzzle, giving fans more to enjoy and love. For the low price of nothing, it represents a return of immense value, as well as a therapeutic journey that all would enjoy.

God Of War Ragnarok: Valhalla is available now as free DLC.