Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has been keeping us company for months now. And for months he has been taking us around Europe, from Norwegian fjords to England, from Ireland to France. But now it’s time to take a different journey. Dawn of Ragnarok, the latest DLC released by Ubisoft takes us to Svartalfheim, one of the Nine Kingdoms of Norse mythology.
But our adventure begins there, in that small village that Eivor, the protagonist of the game, calls “home”: Ravensthorpe.
As Odin
To tell the truth, you will never actually leave the outpost that you have built with difficulty, to the sound of conquests, alliances and raids. That of Eivoir in fact is a dreamlike vision, which will take you into the world of dwarves and dark elves, a world that will make you take on the role of Odino and who will ask you to help the Norse god to save his son Baldr.
However, you will not be completely alone. The dwarves will help you, first by saving your life and then by giving you a precious bracelet, the Raider of Hugr. The latter will allow you to take advantage of the Divine Powers, a new mechanic designed specifically for Ragnarok’s Rise.
After making your way through your ax, you can finally use some supernatural power. Specifically, you will have five, each available in two variants; you can equip them by absorbing them from enemies but no, you will not be able to use them repeatedly and at will. First of all you will have two powers at a time and secondly, you’ll have to deal with some sort of mana; in essence you will have to recharge the magical sap at your disposal, collecting a specific flower or using the roots of Yggdrasil. Don’t forget that the effect is temporary then you will have to decide which power to use and when, taking into account both the specific situation and the enemies you will face.
The latest Assassin’s Creed Valhalla DLC also confronts us with a new challenge. In fact, you will have the opportunity to know the Muspel and the Jotunstwo opponents who harness the power of lava and ice to put you in trouble. Next to the traditional attacks you will therefore have to take into account the elemental ones. Nothing dramatic, mind you. You will just have to get used to considering this aspect, always staying alert and keeping your distance to avoid nasty surprises.
However, not all evil comes to harm. From the Muspels and the Jotuns you will inherit some interesting divine power, which will give more variety to the clashes.
The news, however, ends here. The expansion is in fact a kind of mini-Valhallawith a dedicated map, side missions, areas to explore, (dwarven) outposts to trade, towers to climb and some raids to do. Everything will therefore seem extremely familiar to you.
Change though the setting, inspired and evocative, designed to strike and bewitch you, alternating bucolic expanses, dangerous lava areas and gilded quarrying. Accompanying you in this fantasy-flavored adventure is a soundtrack of the highest level, capable of underlining your epic deeds without ever abandoning the Scandinavian imprint.
A DLC (almost) for everyone
Dawn of Ragnarok was born as an endgame content, that is, as an expansion designed for those who have already enjoyed the main campaign. It testifies first of all the required level – 340 – but not only. In reality, the references to everything that happened previously are different so, to have a clear picture of the situation, it is advisable to complete the story of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
However, this does not mean that access to the DLC is forbidden without having first experienced the full story of Eivor. Ubisoft has devised two strategies to please all players. The first allows you to start the DLC even at level 0, choosing to start from Svartalfheim; the second, on the other hand, is designed for those who have already started playing but have not yet reached the necessary level. In this case Valhalla allows you a temporary upgrade, giving you the strength and equipment you need to face the expansion. However, keep in mind that all of this will disappear once the DLC is finished, leaving you only the experience points actually earned during your journey.
But how long does this trip to one of the Nine Kingdoms actually last? To complete the story it will take about 15 hourswith the possibility of extending the stay by carrying out all the secondary quests.
The review of L’Alba del Ragnarok
It is worth the splurge 39,99 € per Dawn of Ragnarok?
The answer is not so obvious. The Assassin’s Creed Valhalla expansion is exactly that, an expansion. This means that the base is unchanged, with few innovations and many familiar elements. If the main game has thrilled you, if you still don’t have enough of it, if you continue to love Eivor and the world built by Ubisoft, then you will also enjoy this additional content.. An epic journey of about 20 hours that will allow you to unleash yourself like a true god.
Conversely, if finishing the game was difficult, if you found it repetitive, then you will hardly change your mind with this DLC.