A new behind-the-scenes look at God of War Ragnarok details how Santa Monica Studio made the beautiful and expansive realm of Vanaheim. The epic sequel lets players explore each of Norse mythology's Nine Realms, though not every realm is created equal. Players will spend a lot of time exploring the frozen wastes of Midgard and the mystic sands of Alfheim, but Vanaheim stands out as the biggest and arguably best level in God of War Ragnarok.
The seventh episode of the God of War Ragnarok making-of series, posted to YouTube by PlayStation, details the process of designing and building Vanaheim. A gorgeous realm of jungles and rivers, this mythic location is home to the Vanir gods like Freya and her brother Freyr. Vanaheim's landscapes and creatures reflect the regal Vanir gods, while also creating a dense environment for players to explore. The mythic wolves Skoll and Hati give Vanaheim a unique and mechanically impressive day-night cycle, too, which lets players change the appearance of the realm and the enemies they encounter within it.
Vanaheim Is God Of War Ragnarok's Greatest Destination
Vanaheim is easily the largest realm in God of War Ragnarok, and The Crater makes up a huge portion of the level's real estate. God of War Ragnarok's biggest area is surprisingly optional, too, with Kratos stumbling upon it while pursuing a seemingly simple side quest involving Freyr's companion Birgir. The Crater is entirely disconnected from the rest of Vanaheim, essentially serving as a self-contained open-world area with its own objectives and enemies. By visiting The Crater players can learn more about Atreus' mother Faye, help Freya confront her past and even battle a number of unique dragon bosses.
Among the new realms introduced in God of War Ragnarok, Vanaheim is easily the biggest and arguably the most beautiful. However, some God of War Ragnarok players may instead prefer exploring the new dwarven realm of Svartalfheim. First visited early in Kratos and Atreus' journey, Svartalfheim is defined by crystal-clear rivers and rocky islands that sit at the feet of enormous mountains. Svartalfheim contains plenty of exciting quests for players to tackle, like destroying mining rigs and freeing the noble Lyngbakr, but the realm is still dwarfed in size by Vanaheim.
The massive story of God of War Ragnarok takes players to all nine Norse worlds, but Vanaheim stands out as a particularly gorgeous environment and expansive gameplay space. The jungles, rivers and caves of the Vanir homeworld are stuffed with content, while Skoll and Hati let Kratos give the realm a temporal makeover at his leisure. Thanks to epic story moments and engaging side quests, God of War Ragnarok players are sure to remember their time in Vanaheim.
Source: PlayStation/YouTube
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God of War Ragnarok
- Released:
- 2022-11-09
- Developer:
- Santa Monica Studio
- Franchise:
- God of War
- Genre:
- Adventure, Action
- Platform:
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Publisher:
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- ESRB:
- M
- Summary:
- Ragnarok has arrived in God of War Ragnarok, the sequel to the 2018 game of the year released on PlayStation 4. Three years have passed since Kratos and his son, Atreus, completed their quest across the realms while facing a small handful of Norse gods. However, their actions come with consequences. The Allfather, Odin, is ready for vengeance, and his son, Thor, leads the charge. Atreus, looking to find more answers about his lineage on his mother's side, embarks on another quest with his father to discover the truth while contending with the wrath of Odin's realm in this conclusion to the Norse God of War Saga.
- Prequel:
- God of War
- How Long To Beat:
- 26 Hours
