Summary
Knowing how ambiguous the ending ofGod of War Ragnarokwas, it was unclear what Santa Monica had in mind for its next endeavors in the franchise. Atreus is off on his own pilgrimage now with Kratos staying behind in the Norse realms to potentially become a benevolent god, and the least likely of occurrences happened when a roguelike DLC was announced forGod of War Ragnarokduring The Game Awards 2023. Not a half-sequel or a full sequel, this DLC still packs a bunch of thrilling story content and makes fun implications for where Kratos’ story could be headed.
It’s a rather sudden leap for Kratos and Mimir to find themselves in Valhalla, especially alongside Freya and the Valkyries. But as Kratos progresses further into Valhalla, the DLC’s most riveting content involvesexplicit references, settings, and characters from Kratos’ Greek past. However, because Valhalla is commonly depicted as an afterlife journey, Kratos’ cyclical, self-reflective adventure would’ve been much more salient and engrossing if this epilogue had succeeded his actual death inRagnarok, which the base game itself tried to deceive players with to no avail.
Kratos’ Death in God of War Ragnarok Would’ve Made Valhalla Taste Even Sweeter
Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC is Yet Another Reminder of the God of War’s Past
The themes of Santa Monica’s refurbishedGod of Warfranchise are perpetuated further inRagnarok’s Valhalla DLC, but this time Kratos is up against vivid memories of events and enemies fromGod of War’s original Greek trilogy. Once more, Kratos isn’t allowed to fully move on and must rely on mythical introspection to masochistically demonstrate his growth in sequential combat arenas with randomized perks, glyphs, stats, and other trait upgrades.
This arguably beats a dead horse since Kratos had finally become an emotionally intelligent father by the end ofGod of Warand seemingly come to terms with the loss of Faye and his past misgivings inRagnarok, but with Kratos still alive and well in the franchise it might be challenging to decide what to do with him now that his development has hit a proverbial ceiling. Killing Kratos definitely would’ve been a controversial choice, but seeing Kratos idly rowing a canoe into Valhalla without death having earned him puts him a little out of place, even ifGod of War’s interpretation of the Norse mythologyis only loosely inspired by its ubiquitous source material.
Kratos’ Death in Ragnarok Could’ve Made Valhalla an Emotional Goodbye
Therefore,if Kratos did die inRagnaroklike he was repeatedly foretold to, having him be playable one last time in the Valhalla DLC could’ve been the most excellent way to set sail on the character. It might’ve taken the wind out of Kratos’ death in the base game to see him reprised in its subsequent, unanticipated DLC, but knowing he had transcended to Valhalla could’ve made sense within that context with all of its same ongoings reasonably taking place.
The Valhalla DLC serves as a terrific epilogue nonetheless and while it doesn’t seem like the Norse saga is complete yet even now, seeing Kratos battle through Valhalla’s memory lane with the Leviathan Axe, Blades of Chaos, Draupnir Spear, andthe Blade of Olympusalso seems like it would’ve been perfect as a bookend to Kratos’ story in the franchise. Instead, the DLC ends with him in almost the same place thatRagnarokended, and what he’ll be up to next isn’t illuminated further.
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.
