God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla is a gamer’s dream DLC. It’s a narrative and gameplay masterpiece that mirrors Kratos’ internal battle with his past… and is free from the developers!
But the roguelike nature of the plotline is a symbol of the endless loop of trauma, healing, and redemption of Kratos. Each of his runs in Valhalla is his attempt to escape the bonds of his violent past.
Let’s explore how the gameplay mechanics align with Kratos’ psychological journey, reinforcing the themes of repetition, failure, and eventual transcendence, which you can transfer into big rewards while gaming on Betchan in real life with your friends!
The Nature of Roguelikes: Repetition and Progression
Roguelikes are characterized by cyclical gameplay… one dies, resets, and keeps trying, getting better with each cycle. Valhalla returns to this format, making Kratos (and the player) repeat fights, adjust, and go further. But why does this format work so well for the story?
A Cycle of Violence
Kratos’ life has been defined by repetition. As the Ghost of Sparta, he was trapped in an endless loop of vengeance. Killing gods, suffering loss, and repeating the same mistakes. Even in the Norse saga, he struggles to escape his past.
The roguelike loop mirrors this perfectly:
Each run represents another attempt to overcome his nature.
Every death is a reminder of past failures.
Every rebirth is a chance to do better.
Just as Kratos can’t escape his bloody history, the person playing can’t escape the cycle until they learn, adapt, and grow.
Permanent Growth Amidst Repetition
Despite the repetition, roguelikes allow for progression, so in this add-on, our main character keeps some upgrades between runs, just as he retains lessons from his past. It is an accurate reflection of character growth. While he stumbles, he never truly resets to who he once was.
Valhalla as Kratos’ Psychological Trial
Valhalla is also a mental journey, as the DLC forces our protagonist to confront his past in ways he never has before, making the roguelike structure a perfect storytelling device.
Confronting Old Ghosts
Throughout the DLC, Kratos faces echoes of his past like familiar enemies, visions of Athena, and even his younger self. These encounters can be seen as manifestations of his lingering guilt and trauma.
Athena represents his unchecked rage.
The Greek soldiers symbolize his countless victims.
His younger self signifies the man he once was and who he fears becoming again.
Each run forces him to face these demons, just as real trauma resurfaces repeatedly until properly addressed.
Breaking the Cycle
There is no beating Valhalla but to learn to come to terms with the past. This is reminiscent of Kratos in Ragnarok, who starts to become free of his self-hatred and can take a new role as a mentor and warrior.
This special structure reinforces this:
Early runs end in failure (reliving past mistakes).
Later runs show mastery (growth and acceptance).
The final victory symbolizes breaking free from the cycle.
Gameplay as a Reflection of Kratos’ Mindset
The way Valhalla plays also mirrors Kratos’ mental state, as the combat, upgrades, and even the environment change based on his emotional progress.
Shifting Realities
The rotating chambers of Valhalla are also indicators of the broken mental state of Kratos. One minute, you find him in a peaceful place in a Norse hall, the other in the burning ruins of Greece. This is a reflection of how trauma can distort the past into the present.
Choices That Matter
Between runs, our champion selects different paths, some offering strength, others wisdom. These choices parallel his internal struggle:
Will he cling to old ways (pure combat upgrades)?
Or embrace growth (defensive or supportive abilities)?
His decisions shape not just the gameplay, but the narrative’s outcome.
By forcing people (and Kratos) to repeat, fail, and improve, it mirrors the real struggle of overcoming trauma.
