Summary
God of War Ragnarokgot a surprising time in the spotlight at this year’s The Game Awards, with the presentation announcing that the game will receive a free roguelike DLC namedValhallaon December 12. This points to a growing trend coming from Sony in particular, with many of their most influential games, likeThe Last of Us Part 2, being set for their own roguelike experiences in the near future.
In the same vein asGod of War Ragnarok, a roguelike mode namedNo Returnwill be a core new feature inThe Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, which is set for a release date of January 19. Both new game modes promise to be exciting new additions to some of PlayStation’s most iconic titles, butGod of War’sValhallamode may just exceed the experience ofTLoU2’sNo Returnfor one clear reason.
God of War Ragnarok’s Roguelike Has More Narrative Value Than The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered’s
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered’s roguelike modeis set to be one of the largest pull factors of the upcoming release, with Naughty Dog having to introduce a lot of original content to justify a remaster. Alongside theNo Returnroguelike experience,The Last of Us 2 Remasteredis set to introduce the following changes:
While this will all combine to introduce a great new experience for fans of the franchise, it is worth noting that theNo Returnroguelike mode is set to have little narrative relevance to the main story of the IP. Instead,No Returnwill simply offer twists and challengesto pre-existing gameplay sequences forThe Last of Us 2, with the potential to unlock unique cosmetics and characters while exploring the full breadth of the game’s combat avenues.
God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC Packs a Smart Story Punch
At its core,God of War Ragnarok’sValhallaDLCplays the same asNo Return, with the free expansion seeing players once again take control of Kratos in a replayable experience that encourages different builds and gameplay possibilities. In a given run, players can choose between short-term boosts or permanent upgrades, with Kratos fighting through Valhalla during a journey of deep introspection.
TheValhallamode acts as a direct epilogue to themain story ofGod of War Ragnarok, making it a must-play feature for hardcore fans of the franchise. This narrative value behindValhallais its largest strong point, making the rougelike mode less of a novelty and more of a constructive aid to the game’s main story.
The concept ofValhallaperfectly fits the tenets of roguelike experiences, with the mythological power of the realm making Kratos' infinite lives fit directly into the lore of the DLC. WhileThe Last of Us 2RemasteredandGod of War Ragnarokare both set to receive engaging roguelike modes, the direct ties that the latter shares to the game’s main story make it a much more interesting prospect than the former.
