There's a plethora of unique and exciting side content to be enjoyed in God of War Ragnarok, but there is one side mission that encapsulates everything that makes the game's setting and premise so special. Whether the next entry in the series will break God of War trends or keep things mostly familiar, it would be wise for Santa Monica Studio to look at The Weight of Chains for inspiration when it comes to designing fleshed-out, meaningful side quests.

In 2018's God of War, side content was certainly nothing to sneeze at, but as Santa Monica broadened the general scope and scale for God of War Ragnarok, so too did the side quests of the game become more ambitious. Aside from there simply being more content to engage with, the content on display is more memorable and mechanically interesting. As the franchise moves forward, regardless of what that means for tradition and what fans may be expecting from God of War, it should continue this trend of building and improving upon side content, and The Weight of Chains is a great reference to draw from.

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Why The Weight of Chains is the Blueprint for a Great Side Quest

Whether The Weight of Chains is the best side quest in God of War Ragnarok is a matter of personal opinion, but it provides a great recipe for a side quest, showcasing everything that is essential to a high-quality adventure within the game's world. The Weight of Chains is intriguing, mechanically fresh and interesting, unexpected, and perhaps most importantly, it strengthens the game's narrative and cast of characters. The quest is lengthy but doesn't waste the player's time, it is well-paced, and doles out narrative content in a way that keeps the player's attention while showcasing writing that is on par with that of the game's main story.

The Weight of Chains strikes a perfect balance when it comes to narrative design. It doesn't take away from God of War's story but rather provides a mini-story that directly connects to one of the main characters in the player's party. The quest is unassuming at first, with the player coming across an island in Svartalfheim and commencing some standard exploration and environmental puzzle-solving.

Mimir is acting strangely, though, and keeps talking about obtaining a special key. As it turns out, the island is not an island at all, but a massive whale-like creature that Mimir helped capture several years ago. Because Mimir feels so guilty about his role in the creature's imprisonment, he asks Kratos and Atreus to free it, which then becomes the core objective of the quest.

Just like the Berserker fights in God of War Ragnarok, The Weight of Chains is more than just a fun, novelty-driven gameplay section. The plot of the quest directly connects to Mimir's past as an agent of Odin, and his desire to free the creature is representative of his redemption arc. He even relates his own experience of imprisonment to the creature's, further illustrating how much he has grown.

The Weight of Chains isn't necessary to enjoy the story of God of War Ragnarok, but it undoubtedly makes it more interesting and relatable. God of War is all about moving forward and building a better future, and the altruistic endeavor of freeing the creature provides a fun, unexpected way for the characters to exercise this will for change. The quest also gives players a chance to learn more about Mimir, a tertiary character. These aspects play a large role in making The Weight of Chains a fantastic side quest, and there's no reason why Santa Monica can't apply these narrative and game design philosophies to side content in the game's sequel.

God of War Ragnarok is available now on PS4 and PS5.

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