Ubisoft is always looking for new ways to make Assassin’s Creed Valhalla better. Since its release, the developers have released a couple of DLCs and have added a lot of content to the game through it. And as for Dawn of Ragnarok, it’s Ubisoft’s latest attempt to give players something new to experience.

Story and Gameplay

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok is the latest expansion of the game, with the previous two being Wrath of the Druids and Siege of Paris. Unlike the previous two that focused on continuing Eivor’s story and granting players the luxury to know more about him, Dawn of Ragnarok has shifted the focus to Odin, also known as Havi. This is a name that needs no introduction. However, the story is a continuation of Havi’s storyline from the base game.

The story of Dawn of Ragnarok focuses on how Surtr has conquered Savrtalfheim and kidnapped Baldr. At first, Odin will make a desperate attempt to save his son from the monster, only to find that he is no match for him. However, two dwarves then save his life and grant him another chance to bring back his son. After getting a second chance, Odin becomes more determined than before to defeat the Fire Giant and bring peace to the lands. While you don’t need to finish Odin’s storyline in the main game to access this expansion, it is recommended that you do so. Otherwise, you might get confused at many points.

The Dwarven Shelters

The new expansion features a brand new world that is filled with a lot of new characters. You get the luxury to interact with new faces and learn more about them. There are a bunch of new places for you to explore. You can find Dwarven Shelters through the map, which were set up by Dwarves after they had to run away. These Shelters act as places where you can find merchants and side quests. Here, you can also interact with NPCs to have a fun conversation with them, participate in Drinking Contests, or visit the Blacksmith to upgrade your items. The main story of the game is pretty interesting, and it will take you around 15 hours to complete it. However, the side quests become boring at some points and they often feel repetitive. But if you’re planning to complete the entire expansion, then you will need to invest around 35 hours into it.

The game recommends that you must have a power level of 340 to survive in the world of Dawn of Ragnarok. But if you’re someone who has a lower level, then the game will automatically boost your level to help you survive. One thing to keep in mind is that the entire story takes place in Eivor’s dream. Therefore, even though the new expansion focuses on another character and his story, you’ll still look and talk just like Eivor.

New Enemies

The combat in the new expansion is almost similar to what we have already been experiencing. However, there are some new things about it. First and foremost, we have new enemies that are not easy to take down. They are strong and can use different tricks during the fight, which can prove to be troublesome for you. For instance, some enemies possess abilities through which they can bring back their fallen allies. Furthermore, both fire and lava are a big part of Dawn of Raganork’s combat, so you’ll have to defend yourself from it as well. After all, your main target is a Fire Giant.

The Hugr-Rip

A big addition to the game’s combat system is the Hugr-Rip. This is something that you’ll acquire as you start playing the expansion as Odin, and it can help turn the tables around in combat.

By using it, you can steal the power of your enemies and use it against them. The abilities that you can acquire include:

Turning into a Raven, thanks to which you can travel great distances and heights quickly.
Use World Knots, something through which you can teleport from one place to another.
Turn into a Muspel.
Make NPCs reveal secret information.
Bring back dead enemies and make them fight for you for a short period.

As you can judge for yourself, the Hugr-Rip can help you both outside and inside of combat. Furthermore, by visiting the Blacksmith, you can also apply upgrades to it.

Surtr’s Wife

Other than this, you also get to use a new weapon type, the Atgeir. This is a weapon that focuses mostly on delivering powerful heavy attacks. Compared to the base game, stealth holds much more importance in this new expansion. This is because there exist enemies that can summon Sinmara, who is Surtr’s wife. Therefore, it will be a wise choice to take these enemies out silently, as facing Sinmara can be a challenging task. Furthermore, it will only slow you down from progressing through the story.

Sinmara also has her “Chosen” ones. These are three characters who are deadly in combat, and you’ll need to take them down as you progress through the new expansion. Furthermore, similar to the Order of Ancients, we now have Suttungr’s Outriders who you need to find and kill.

Final Verdict

Overall, the Dawn of Ragnarok is a pretty decent expansion that offers a great world filled with new allies and enemies. If you’re someone who still hasn’t gotten enough of AC Vallhala even after completing the main game and the previous expansions, then you’ll find the new expansion worth investing in. However, there can be times when the content will feel repetitive, so make sure you’re prepared for a few disappointments. Other than that, embarking on a journey to take down the Fire Giant is a fun and challenging experience. Before you leave, make sure to check out our review of the main game as well.