Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok PlayStation 5 Review

Dawn of Ragnarök is Assassin's Creed Valhalla's first significant expansion. Anyone who has the Platinum trophy in Valhalla will undoubtedly recall their dreams of journeying to the mysterious kingdoms of Asgard and Jotunheim.  More than the breathtaking visuals of Asgard buildings and the enormous roots of the Yggdrasil tree, the overwhelming volume of collectable material that flooded both places made them a must-see for every fan. The most rewarding experience in Assassin's Creed Valhalla comes after a significant amount of time spent in the game, which seems like a tedious, stretched-out RPG for some players.

 

If you still want Assassin's Creed Valhalla after a year and a half, you will not be disappointed with this expansion. Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök provides a plot of around 10-12 hours, and a large area to explore that may double the playing duration. On the other hand, if you are better prepared for a new chapter in the Assassin's Creed franchise, you will be able to complete this expansion without skipping a beat. It's about a year and a half that Assassin's Creed Valhalla has been out, yet the game continues to get fresh content. Even as a service update, Dawn of Ragnarök is above and beyond the norm. The series's expansion has always been enormous, but this one is the most extensive and most costly thus yet. But as it turns out, bigger isn't necessarily always better.

The scorching Muspels of Muspelheim have taken over Svartalfheim and made it their home. They are being led by the fire giant Surtr to pursue a mysterious artifact that may provide them with even more power. Surtr, on the other hand, felt it was a brilliant idea to kidnap Havi's son, Baldr, and hold him hostage. This is the ideal reason for Havi to pay a visit to Svartalfheim. You are greeted with immense woods, towering mountains, and even floating boulders when you first arrive. As soon as the screenshot moment is over, you'll notice that the wide world is unusually silent for a game like this. The Muspels forced the dwarves who originally lived there into exile in the mountains, where they have remained since. Natural spectacles are the only thing to look at in this desolate vast landscape.

 

After a dramatic first encounter with Surtr and his wife Sinmara, players will find themselves on a trip across an entirely new territory that is jam-packed with diversions, treasures, combat, and brand-new weapons and equipment. As mythological to Eivor as the kingdoms encountered in the main game, I didn't believe that Svartalfheim's scale was nearly as big as Asgard's. Unlike Valhalla, where the size and verticality of Havi's home really made an impression. Passing through camps once again and battling enemies identical to the English enemies except for a bit of fire. That void, like Valhalla, is packed with camps and towns swarming with sparrows, all of which you must raze to the ground to achieve victory.

Despite having a compelling narrative, Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök fails to provide a satisfactory explanation for Surtr, the immortal fire giant that guards Muspelheim, and his motivations for snatching Havi's son and capturing Svartalfheim. The plot has a tiny epilogue, but it can only be obtained by visiting a particular subterranean bunker before the credits roll. I feel that should have been included in the main tale as most players will believe that they have completed Dawn of Ragnarök and will exit the game once the credits have rolled. The moment credits roll, you'll want to pay attention to what Havi says when you're teleported back into the game. You should also visit the underground shelter referenced to better understand why you've been working so hard to keep Surtr from obtaining the powerful relic.

I have to say that, even after hours of play, my opinions haven't changed much. A lot of the main storyline of the expansion is just fetching quests. The main goal is to get an item or rescue an ally, and sometimes these tasks are interrupted by a fight with one of Surtr's most powerful legionaries. Havi's previous missions in the role of a thief and infiltrator were utterly absent. This confirmed that the action soul and the fantasy approach were the main factors in producing the work, both in the narrative and in the combat.

 

When it comes to expecting that the inclusion would fundamentally alter the gameplay or that maybe a journey to the world of Norwegian mythology and legends will breathe new life into the Assassin franchise, you will most likely be quite disappointed, to say the least. Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök is highly conservative; it doesn't provide any fresh ideas and is mainly concerned with rehashing the same old material. Even the Ragnarök, the Judicial Apocalyptic Day, used to announce the event, is a ruse. There is no twilight of the gods; instead, you are cast as a character in an episode of Norwegian mythologies, which is spiced up with the occasional boss fights.

The inclusion of supernatural abilities is the most significant change in Dawn of Ragnarök, making them more evident than the ability to light your sword on fire or send shockwaves through the earth. Runes and talents like firing lightning bolt arrows are included in this. Having a complete set of Divine gear unlocks a Kassandra-style resistance to fall damage and the ability to utilize super-powerful Odin runes. A few enhancements may be applied to the actual world, but most are only helpful in the fantasy realm.

The most notable supernatural ability is the Hugr-Rip, which grants you access to the abilities of killed enemies. Jotunheim, Muspelheim, Raven, Rebirth, and Winter are the other four abilities that make up the whole set. You can switch between two different abilities at any moment by defeating an enemy of the appropriate sort and taking their power. To activate a power, you must use a unique resource known as Hugr, which you get through fighting opponents or discovering specific things in the environment. Hugr-Rip failed to amaze me throughout my ten-hour dive into the main storyline.

 

All abilities provide a brief 'different' experience before reverting to the hack and slash gameplay we've been used to. The abilities are enjoyable to play around, although their effectiveness varies greatly. As lava is constantly in the way, you are forced to exclusively employ the Muspellsheim and Raben abilities. In addition, the forces make many tasks simpler. Although Muspell can fly up the mountain in minutes as a raven, the stealth component is reduced with Muspell in disguise or while using teleportation.

However, although the trek through Svartalfheim is an enjoyable adventure that allows you to interact with characters both new and old as you attempt to rescue both the realm and Baldr, the story's conclusion comes as an unexpected shock and with a distinct lack of reward in my view. I wouldn't describe the final boss encounter as incredibly epic in nature; instead of seeming more like a rehash, the plot comes to an abrupt halt nearly quickly after the fatal strike is delivered.

The events of Dawn of Ragnarök itself are only mentioned in passing once the main questline has been completed, and I won't give anything away about the plot points or character development. The rest of your time is taken up with numerous side quests, such as discovering mythological tales from Norse mythology and visiting dwarven altars where you can earn skill points by making offerings. Also, tracking down dwarf shelters marked by graffiti painted by the diminutive artist Banski and rescuing dwarves being held prisoner by Jotun, to name just a few.

 

Some of the game's inherent dullness is masked again by the excellent voice acting in this installment. There's little doubt that the diehard fans will find Dawn of Ragnarök entertaining. Truth be told, it only makes a half-hearted attempt to provide a complete fantasy experience. It is a simple extension that does nothing to justify its price or presence by not going all in. Even with these flaws, Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök isn't a bad game, but it isn't particularly fantastic either. Essentially, it's more of the same. Although well-known components have been combined without taking any unnecessary risks, this does not result in a distinct release; instead, it felt like Ubisoft cashing on the fans.

Some people like it, while others toss it in the trash after two days. It's a pity, no matter whatever side you're a fan of or support. Norse mythology did, in fact, provide an opportunity to introduce something new and exciting, but those were not taken advantage of. Although Ubisoft deserves credit for attempting them, the unique abilities seem more formidable on paper than in-game. You can still have a good time with Dawn of Ragnarök if you're still craving Valhalla after hours of gameplay. Svartalfheim is a gorgeous place to wander around, although it has nothing to do with Assassin's Creed.

 

Azfar Rayan (@AzfarRayan)
Editor, NoobFeed