Summary
A piece of promo art for the upcomingGod of War: RagnarokDLC expansionValhallacleverlypays tribute to the franchise’s origins. An eagle-eyed fan instantly noticed the reference, which ties in with the revelations of old foes appearing in anupcoming game mode that follows a new trend for Sony.
God of War: Ragnarok’s new expansionValhallawas announced at the recent The Game Awards 2023. The free DLC is set for launch on Tuesday, December 12, a move that surprised many fans who weren’t really expecting any new content, even though the base game had been out for over a year. Sony promised a new roguelike feature and additional story content that would be emotional and surprising.
Redditor Spoona101 noticed the striking visual similarity of Kratos’s pose in the art forValhalla, and realized that it was a direct reference to the art forGod of War 2. In the art, the perspective is from behind Kratos, who’s facing the grand facade of what seems to be Valhalla looming before him. This recreates theGod of War 2art, which sees the same pose but with the cityscape of ancient Rhodes in front of him.
The tribute to theGod of Warfranchise’s Greek origins falls right in line with what Sony has planned forValhalla. The game’s original theme music is returning in some form, and the expansion’s addition ofa roguelike mode toGod of War: Ragnarokwill also come with mythological Greek monsters for Kratos and other characters to face, such as a cyclops that was seen in the announcement trailer. There could be more Greek references in store, which would be a welcome throwback as the series has stayed fully in Norse mythology since its reboot in 2018.
While the events and references ofValhallacould just be a way for Sony to keep in touch with the franchise’s roots as it pushes forward, it’s also possible that itsets up the nextGod of Warchapter. The ending leaves many different possibilities for where the story could go next, and it’s not out of the question for Kratos to leave the Norse realms for other settings—he could even go back home to Greece if he wanted.
God of War: Ragnarokdidn’t win the Game of the Year award at last year’s event as it lost to big favoriteElden Ring, but it did manage to bring home six honors, including Best Action/Adventure Game. Its presence in this year’s ceremonies wasKratos actor Christopher Judge’s presentation of the Best Performance award, which resulted in a slightly controversial speech that poked fun atCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
God of War Ragnarok
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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.
