Exploring Asgard Through Atreus’s Eyes

One of the great additions that God of War Ragnarök brings us is the ability to play as a character other than Kratos. You can explore several worlds and take on multiple missions—both main and side quests—as Atreus, Kratos' son. After a falling out, they decide to split up. This expands the game significantly; while they share the same storyline, we now have to upgrade the characters separately, finding armor, runes, and weapons for each of them.

One of the many places we visit with Atreus is Asgard. The reason is that Odin has recognized the magical capabilities Atreus possesses and has manipulated him into helping him solve a mystery and access new powers and information—things that Atreus is susceptible to. After his fight with Kratos, like any son, he decides to defy his father and go with Odin, who is clearly behaving like an enemy.

The one who greets Atreus upon his arrival is Heimdall, Odin's son and the guardian of the entrance to Asgard. He clearly doesn't share his father's end goal of using Atreus, so he is abusive and defiant toward us. He outclasses us in strength and speed, and his eyes allow him to anticipate every movement, so when it comes time to face him, he will be very difficult to defeat.

After the conversation with Odin, you can explore Asgard freely. The landscapes are incredible, the views are breathtaking, but I was surprised by how "old-school" it feels; everything has an ancient, very Nordic vibe, full of creatures like the Valkyries. The gods are located behind a great wall that surrounds Odin's palace, where he lives alongside several of his children and other deities, while outside the walls, we can find human settlements.

It was great to be able to explore a world like this, full of life, sun, and greenery, especially since all the others we've visited so far have been cold and dark. It was also a total surprise to actually play as another character, because in the previous game, we could only trigger certain attacks with Atreus. I suppose being able to play as him now is a sign of his growth, maturity, and the skills he possesses that he didn't have before.

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