One year ago, Santa Monica delivered a surprise addition to one of 2023’s best games,God of War Ragnarok, with the substantial and emotional Valhalla expansion. Unlike most post-launch content that comes with a hefty or unnecessary price tag in order to add anything worthy of note to a game,God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC was both free and unapologetically ambitious, from its reveal to its content. For one thing, Valhalla extended the lifespan ofGod of War Ragnarok, with a completionist run of the DLC potentially taking upwards of 20 hours to complete. However, perhaps more than anything else,God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC redefined what post-launch content can be, even while costing players nothing.
To this day, the legacy ofGod of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC lives on, with praise still telling of its captivating story involving the franchise’s most beloved and familiar face, Kratos himself. This, in addition to its challenging yetrewarding roguelite gameplay, allows it to remain standing a year later as a symbol of video game DLC done right and an example of what DLC should be.
God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC Is Still the Gold Standard a Year Later
God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC Was a Free Update for the Base Game
While the quality ofGod of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC arguably didn’t need any help to be successful, it nonetheless benefited from a number of variables tied to its reveal, its content, and its price tag. Firstly,Valhalla was a completely free update, so that in and of itself was a massive surprise, especially as more and more games charge players for any substantial post-launch content. However, any DLC can be free and still be objectively worthless if it fails to contribute anything of value to the base game experience. Fortunately forGod of War Ragnarok, Valhalla was an entirely different story.
God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC was also a surprise reveal, with its release happening only 5 days later, so there was little time for too much criticism to swirl around what it could or couldn’t be, thereby giving it a more welcome reception.
God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC Offered Substantial and Memorable Content
God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC didn’t just add new cosmetics to the game, new weapons and armor, or new side quests like many video game DLCs do. It also wasn’t merely a New Game Plus mode with added benefits. Instead, Valhalla delivered what could be considered an entire separate gaming experience, an epilogue of sorts, not just for thestory ofGod of War Ragnarok, but primarily for Kratos' long and emotional character arc that began with the release of theGod of Warreboot in 2018.
The beginning of theGod of Warreboot saga saw Kratos grappling with his violent past, his relationship with his son, and the death of his wife, Faye. As the story of the first game and its sequel progressed, it also saw Kratos learning to divorce the shame of his past and embrace his new role as a father to his son, Atreus, all while dealing with whatever matters were currently at hand. Then,God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC effectively tied upKratos' character arcby forcing him to accept that his past cannot be erased, to make peace with it, and to embrace his new role as a thoughtful and compassionate father.
Valhalla delivered what could be considered an entire separate gaming experience, an epilogue of sorts, not just for the story ofGod of War Ragnarok, but primarily for Kratos' long and emotional character arc that began with the release of theGod of Warreboot in 2018.
This story was laid out for players in a roguelite afterlife scenario, where Kratos was required to navigate various trials that remind him of the man he once was and confront them through introspection and dialogue with familiar characters. Thegameplay ofGod of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLCitself may have been a bit shallow as far as its roguelite elements go, but it was nonetheless an engaging, action-packed, and rewarding loop, and the fact that it was all free just increased its value all the more.
Future Video Game DLC Should Look to God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla for Inspiration
In an industry where paid DLC is often met with substantial criticism (simply due to the fact that a price tag inherently merits comparisons of cost versus quality), futurevideo game DLCshould look toGod of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC for inspiration because it’s a prime example of how post-launch content can be free and yet first class, and can enhance a game without feeling like an afterthought or a fragment of narrative and gameplay that should have been present from the beginning. By focusing on the quality of the DLC and the story it has proven it cares so much about, Santa Monica Studios demonstrated that DLC can be both meaningful and accessible with Valhalla, fostering goodwill among fans of the game who wanted more time in Kratos' world but might not have had or wanted to front the funds such content often calls for.
Being a roguelite DLC and therefore differing vastly from the typicalthird-person action-adventure gameplayof the base game,God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC also showed that it’s possible to offer a distinctive experience in post-launch content without compromising the core of what the base game is. Rather than being a simple continuation of what players had already become familiar with inGod of War Ragnarok, Valhalla gave them a brand-new playground with refreshing gameplay elements for them to learn. This is yet another thing future video game DLC can learn from Valhalla, as it gave players even more reason to invest time into story. Finally, Valhalla’s emotional expansion of Kratos' character arc made it a standout addition in the DLC space for enhancing a narrative that was already thought to be masterfully executed.
