Summary
The surprise reveal ofGod of War Ragnarok’s free Valhalla DLC at the Game Awards was one of the highlights of the show, and its launch soon after the event was met with praise from both critics and fans alike.Valhalla built uponRagnarok’s story, setting the stage for the franchise’s future. Rumors of a half-sequel forRagnarokhave been swirling around for a few months now, but Valhalla shows that a half-sequel may not be necessary.
Although the prospect of a half-sequel is exciting, Santa Monica Studio focusing on DLC content until the next mainlineGod of Wargame is ready could serve as the best route for the franchise. AGod of Warhalf-sequelhasn’t been officially confirmed yet, but thanks to the unexpected reveal of Valhalla, there’s no telling what Santa Monica Studio has up its sleeve.
Valhalla’s Depth Made For a Great Expansion
When it was revealed that the Valhalla DLC would be a roguelike expansion, many fans were probably expecting a lot of fun new combat and action to dive into. The combat encounters were indeed incredibly exciting to hack and slash through, but the overall plot of the DLC offered a much deeper story than what was expected and this made Valhalla all the more fulfilling to play.Valhalla set the foundation forGod of War’s future, and if that can be done with a DLC, then there’s an argument to be made about whether a half-sequel would even be necessary.
The Case For More God of War DLCs
There currently isn’t any official news regarding the next mainlineGod of Warinstallment, but Valhalla gives hints at where Kratos' story may go. The rumors of a half-sequel have speculated thatAtreus could be the starof the game, and although it would be fascinating to watch Atreus take the lead, Valhalla made it clear that this could simply be explored through another DLC. There’s no doubt that following Atreus on his journey to find the Giants would be an incredible story, but this could be a smaller chapter leading up to much larger events that will be in the nextGod of War.
Not only would more DLCs give fans compelling chapters to play through, but they could also make the wait for the nextGod of Warfeel shorter.
There’s no telling whenthe nextGod of Warwill be released, and the addition of more DLCs peppered throughout the game’s development cycle would give players installments to look forward to until the main game is finally ready. Getting to see smaller steps toward the next major chapter in Kratos and Atreus' story would be a great teaser for what the franchise has to offer in the future.
For a roguelike DLC, Valhalla showcases the evolution of Kratos in a beautiful way. It seems as though Kratos has finally found peace with himself and is now ready to move forward instead of dwelling on his past mistakes. Withteasers of futureGod of Warstories, fans should clearly prepare for more content, and building a bridge fromRagnarokto the next chapter inGod of Warthrough DLCs might create a more satisfying transition.
