We’re in the End Game: God of War
- Matt Quill
- Jul 7, 2023
- 5 min read
From The Past: This article has been imported from one of my past blog sites, written in 2018.
God of War is a phenomenal game. There’s no question about it. The revamped gameplay, intimate tale of fatherhood, all set inside a genuinely absorbing world crafted by Santa Monica Studios. It is without a shred of doubt this year’s heavyweight Game of the Year contender. Making your way through the game’s story, you’ll uncover new realms & areas to explore, alongside side quests you can attend to whilst progressing through the main quest line. But what happens when you complete the game? Whilst there is the addition of New Game + (Arriving August 20th), there’s plenty still left for Kratos & Atreus to do before they head back home to restart the journey all over again.
Take F(L)ight against the Valkyries
After beating the game, you’ll see this warning plastered across your screen. ‘There are 8 Valkyries & the Valkyrie queen waiting out there, you’ll need to track them down throughout the realms and defeat them.’ Just in case you haven’t ventured to battle them yet, I’ll give you fair warning, these girls aren’t a cake walk. The majority are incredibly tough boss battles, and will demand Kratos at his best. If you have what it takes to defeat them, you’ll be generously rewarded with rare to epic loot drops (including some of the game's best armour), as well as a brand new side quest to work your way through.
Dwarf Favours
Brok & Sindri have helped you throughout your journey, providing you with useful weapon upgrades, crafting you new armour & talismans, all with their unique… erm charm? The thing is, they’ll need your help too (besides moving stubborn mules across a bridge) as they have their interests to attend to. The Dwarves will set you side quests with the promise of rare items as rewards. These can be done on your way through the story, but we bet most of you would have been too hooked on the story to stop and help these foul-mouthed blacksmiths earlier in your journey, so why not lend a hand now?
Don’t get Trolled
You’ll encounter a few of these grimly looking foes throughout your main story run, but truth be told, there are 10 trolls in total just waiting to be found & fought across the realms. You’ll have encountered some of these during your main quest, but some still linger across the realms. Each Troll will still drop great loot and remain great enemies to do battle with, whether you’re the type of Kratos to keep your distance or charge headfirst into the fray.
How to free your Dragon
Spread across the realm of Midgard are three captured dragons that you need to hunt down and free. Thankfully, they aren’t all as aggressive as the first big beast you encounter. To free them, you’ll need to find out where they’re captured & break their three magical bindings. Of course, it isn’t as easy as it sounds, as you’ll encounter a horde of enemies trying to stop you. So finish the game and go make Toothless proud!
Lending a hand to the Wayward Spirits
Aside from Brok & Sindri’s side quests, you’ll also encounter the wayward spirits who are scattered throughout Midgard. The spirits will have their own quests to accomplish, but being powerless apparitions makes these quests a little challenging for them. So Kratos and Atreus need to lend a hand collecting bones, tearing down statutes, freeing damned crew members and so fourth, I’m not here to dish out their missions for them, I’m just telling you there’s still some needy spirits out there, just crying out for a hand.
Closing Realm Tears
You’re probably well aware you shouldn’t go sticking your hands into gateways to another realm. I mean, who knows what kind of diseases or beasts are on the other side of those things? Though when you’re a Demi-God capable of dispatching towering titans, catching a case of the Helheim sniffles is probably the least of your worries. You can find these tears spread across the six accessible realms. They’ll be challenging enemies, and worthwhile rewards await you on the other side. Just make sure you’re well-equipped to take out the unknown threats on the other side.
Muspelheim Trials
If there’s one thing you can look forward to after rolling the end credits, it’s more combat encounters and obtaining better gear. The first of two realms to open up in the end game is Muspelheim, the realm of fire, home to Surtr. Though you won’t bump into the harbinger of Ragnarok, instead, you’ll find a path up a volcano full of combat trials. These sorts of trials task you with defeating 100 enemies, surviving 5 minutes or killing enemies in a specified circle. They're a great way to hone your fighting skills, and the only way to obtain the three types of flame imbued epic armour. Make sure you’ve sharpened your blades and buffed your pommels as you endure some of the games’ biggest challenges.
Exploring Ivaldi’s Workshop on Niflheim
Niflheim is the other of the two realms unlocked in the end game. This realm is all about collecting loot and getting the hell out of there, before the cursed mist or rooms full of enemies kill you off. This is essentially a smash and grab job as you’ll have a cursed mist allowance bar that gradually depletes, though it is revived partly by opening chests. You’ll venture into the workshop collecting mist echoes and other goodies such as epic armour, and the ability to spend longer in the workshop. The workshop is set up like a labyrinth, filled with traps, powerful enemies and oh so many chests. The problem is you’ll need to keep an eye on your health and the mist allowance bar, because if you die in there, you’ll lose every single thing you collected since you entered the maze. Don’t worry, though, because you can enter the maze as many times as you please, since all of the chests and enemies respawn each time you leave the workshop. It’s certainly one of the best endgame experiences in God of War. So what are you waiting for? Hope in and give the workshop your best.
Finding all 51 of Odin’s ravens
Like every game out there, God of War also has its share of collectable fever. Though Kratos’ bird watching experience isn’t as peaceful as most, as you’ll need to remove the watchful eyes of the Allfather by throwing your axe at them. You’ll have seen these ghostly ravens hanging around throughout your adventure, but now it’s time to head back and remove all 51 of those Norse-themed CCTV cameras. Just don’t expect much more than a trophy & a small feeling of accomplishment when you’re finished, though.
The Secret Ending
All you need to do is head home after your perilous journey and take a well-deserved rest…
Think this will scratch that God Of War itch? Let us know in the comments below if you’ve done any of the end game content, or you’re just gearing up in preparation for New Game +?
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