Highlights

  • Valhalla DLC for God of War Ragnarok enhances an already great game with awesome combat encounters and allows the character Tyr to finally shine as the powerful god he is.
  • The surprise Valhalla DLC offers more incredible combat and some long-needed boss fights with the real Tyr.
  • The DLC showcases Tyr's strength and importance in the narrative through a series of increasingly difficult boss fights, and reveals him to be a kind and patient god who handles his role responsibly. This expansion adds a thoughtful new chapter to an already great story.

The surprise Valhalla DLC for God of War Ragnarok has taken an already great game and turned the volume up to max levels. The Roguelike expansion to the game provides players with awesome combat encounters, but the best part of the DLC is that it finally gives one character the moment he deserves. In Valhalla, Tyr finally gets to shine as the powerful god that he is, and it's the expansion's greatest strength.

Not only was the announcement of the Valhalla DLC one of the most surprising moments at this year's Game Awards, but the fact that it's free is a great gift from Santa Monica Studios. Since it became available on December 12, many fans have come to Valhalla to enjoy more of Ragnarok's incredible combat, and the boss fights with Tyr are where the DLC truly shines in those moments.

God of War Ragnarok Mimir
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Valhalla Finally Gives Tyr His Moment

Tyr's role in God of War Ragnarok was the key to the game's big twist, but it also did the Norse god of war a disservice by not allowing him to truly shine as a mighty god. Although the Tyr shown throughout the events of Ragnarok was Odin in disguise as a ruse to thwart Kratos, it was still a little disappointing to be kept from seeing the actual Tyr in action. Thanks to Valhalla, not only do players get to interact with the actual Tyr, he's also an important part of the DLC's narrative.

God of War Ragnarok Players Get to Experience Tyr's Strength

The main story of Valhalla involves Kratos having to fight Tyr in a series of boss fights because Tyr believes Kratos would be a good fit as the new god of war in the Norse pantheon. Kratos is not convinced of this, but Tyr insists, and this leads the Norse god to challenge Kratos in four separate fights that get increasingly difficult with each new boss battle, and these fights are the highlights of Valhalla.

With each of the four boss fights getting increasingly difficult throughout the DLC, players truly get to experience the strength of Tyr. Kratos and Tyr facing each other as gods of war sets the stage for some of the greatest moments in Valhalla, and fans finally getting to see Tyr's abilities and combat is something many players have been waiting for since Ragnarok.

One of the greatest parts of these fights is that Tyr isn't just an obstacle to blaze through. He plays a beautifully important part in the story, as his battles are opportunities for Kratos to prove his worthiness and eventually face himself and his actions at the DLC's climax. Tyr may be a god of war, but Valhalla also shows him to be a kind and patient god who knows the responsibility of his role and handles it with care instead of being full of wrath as one might initially expect.

Valhalla has been a great surprise for many fans, and it seems like it may only be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the future of God of War. With rumors of a half-sequel in the works, Santa Monica Studios has proven that it has the ability to continue Kratos' story in a meaningful and beautiful way. The evolution of the God of War franchise is a perfect example of how games have grown to be ways to tell compelling narratives, and the Valhalla DLC adds a thoughtful new chapter to an already great story.