Dawn of Ragnarök DLC brings loads of new content into Assassin's Creed Valhalla, all while Evior faces the most challenging test of any expansion yet in franchise history. Since the DLC takes place in Svartalfheim, the new items and mechanics possess mythical powers, which aid Evior along the journey of stopping Ragnarök's looming doom. However, only time can tell if they'll help Evior triumph in the end.
Assassin's Creed expansions are known for their ever-evolving additions to the original gameplay, especially the past three titles. Origins' and Odyssey's DLC expansions included new elements to both games, but Valhalla took it to a new level. In Wrath of The Druids, a new trade system in Ireland got introduced that became one of the best ways for Evior to earn in-game resources. Similarly, The Siege of Paris brought in the Scythe weapon type and a more narrative-driven assassination style. Dawn of Ragnarök is following that path but amplifies it, giving Evior the power of the All-Father god, Odin.
Four new elements are coming to Assassin's Creed Valhalla in Dawn of Ragnarök: godly powers, a mythical realm location, three new enemies, and powerful items. Odin's godly powers rank as the biggest development to the new elements. Nonetheless, every aspect means to engulf players in Ubisoft's version of Norse mythology and the events of Ragnarök.
Odin's Godly Powers Are Dawn of Ragnarök's Best Addition To AC Valhalla
AC Odyssey's Kassandra recently met Valhalla's Evior in crossover content, but that's not the only thing the two share. Odyssey's Fate of Atlantis DLC introduced godly abilities into Assassin's Creed. It boosted players' statistics by an incredible margin and helped turn the tide in close battles. Dawn of Ragnarök is now transitioning those godly abilities from the Greek world to the Norse, and there are four different abilities to Odin's godly powers.
Odin's first ability absorbs defeated enemies' powers, allowing players to store it for later use. A scene from the reveal trailer shows Odin punching a dead ice-type enemy after a fight, and its power gets transferred through the gauntlets. Although there are no dragons in AC Valhalla, this power is similar to Skyrim's Dovahkiin absorb power.
Odin's next godly power, a raven shape-shifting mechanic, is the most intriguing of the rest. Dawn of Ragnarök continued The Siege of Paris' attempt to make assassinations more stealthy and invigorating. Odin can turn into a raven, fly to an enemy, and quickly transform back for an assassination kill. Ubisoft has received criticism in its latest Assassin's Creed titles for not allowing players enough freedom when assassinating targets. Raven shape-shift brings more assassination variety to Valhalla.
Raising defeated enemies from the dead is Odin's third godly power, and it's the most unusual one added to any Assassin's Creed. Necromancy is a regular ability in games such as Witcher 3, Skyrim, and ESO, so it's interesting to see Ubisoft - a studio focused on more historical elements - take a shot at in Valhalla. Nonetheless, it now joins Assassin's Creed Valhalla's unlockable abilities.
Odin's fourth and last godly ability adds a molten lava shield to his skin and adds ice powers to his weapon. Aside from the narrative, Dawn of Ragnarök focuses heavily on combat because the premiere trailer shows Odin surrounded by enemies, taking them on in what looks to be the last stand. It makes sense that players need more protection and powerful weapons to combat the challenge awaiting Odin in Dawn of Ragnarök.
New Ice & Fire Enemies Add A Challenge To Dawn of Ragnarök
Along with the godly powers, Dawn of Ragnarök also brings new enemies into Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Ice and fire monsters from other Norse mythological realms have made their way into Svartalfheim, challenging Odin during the saga events. Jotnars are the ice monsters from the Jotunheim realm, and they possess similarities to God of War's Hel-Walkers. Muspels are the other fire-type monsters who dwell in Muspelheim, an environment that hasn't gotten much attention in video games. Although Ubisoft hasn't confirmed the Jotnars' and Muspels' end-game purpose, they look to be minions controlled by some greater force of power.
At the head of the new enemies lies an "unkillable" boss - Surtr. At this point, there's not much information on Surts' attributes, but it's a fire giant boss that is the strongest adversary Odin (and Evior) has ever faced. In the reveal trailer, the giant holds a massive sword and has molten lava dripping from its body. Other enemies (probably Jotnars and Muspels) stand around Surtr as if they're praising its power and prowess. Out of the toughest enemies in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Surtr ranks at the top.
Svartalfheim Is The New Location In AC Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök
Evior also traverses to a new realm called Svartalfheim in Dawn of Ragnarök. It's the home realm for Dwarves in Norse Mythology. Humongous mountain peaks and underground caverns were the main focus in the premiere trailer; Ubisoft built the world to have a similar exploration aspect as the regular game and other DLCs, as that's one of the studios strong points. How Svartalfheim will tie into the other mythological realms in AC Valhalla, like Asgard, is unclear at the moment. However, information indicates it's under invasion from Surtr and the giant's minions, and Odin's son is held captive in the realm. Svartalfheim is a beautiful world and will help Valhalla maintain one of the best open-world designs in the gaming industry.
Ubisoft hasn't officially confirmed any new gear coming in with Dawn of Ragnarök, but images show many new items that aren't already in the game. Firstly, Odin is wearing an armor set that looks exclusive to him; the character even has the traditional eye patch over the left eye. So, at least one new gear set thus far is coming. Secondly, Odin is also wielding a brand new weapon. It's a polearm-type weapon that has a long, thin ax blade. It'll be interesting to see how the weapon gets classified, as it doesn't fit the regular look of a spear or a scythe. It could be one of Assassin's Creed Valhallas' most powerful weapons because the larger ones tend to rack up more damage than the smaller ones, like the Beared Axes and Short Swords.
AC Valhalla's upcoming March DLC has a lot of new content to offer. As Evior plays in the form of Odin, these new elements will help the two work together to rescue Odin's son from Ragnarök and the evil invaders. However, it may not be enough to bring Odin out on the other end alive, as Norse mythology points towards his final moments during the events of Ragnarök. Although now it won't be Fenrir that swallows the All-Father god; it'll be Surtr, the most powerful giant Evior and Odin has ever faced. For that reason, it's probable that Dawn of Ragnarök is the finale for Assassin's Creed Valhalla.