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God of War Ragnarokmay not bea traditional open-world game, but it offers numerous expansive areas for players to explore. Across the Nine Realms, several regions can take up to ten hours to fully complete, and completing some of these areas in a single visit without having access to certain abilities is not possible.
The world design inGod of War Ragnarokfrequently halts your progress until you acquire specific abilities, encouraging you to revisit areas later. This blend of open-world map andMetroidvania-style explorationsetsRagnarokapart from its peers.
When to Start Exploring in God of War Ragnarok
Many gamers love diving into exploration as soon as they gain access to the open-world section of a game, and while there’s nothing wrong with that approach, it can often be time-consuming and repetitive. You’ll frequently encounter obstacles that you’re not yet equipped to handle, forcing you to backtrack. This can lead to frustration and disappointment for some players. So, when is thebest time to start exploring inGod of War Ragnarok?
There are two ideal times toexplore the realms ofGod of War Ragnarokwithout frequent interruptions: after completing a specific mission and after finishing the main campaign.
Exploring After Specific Missions in God of War Ragnarok
All the abilities needed to traverse theGod of War Ragnarokmap are unlocked as you progress through the main story. By the time you completethe tenth main mission, “Forging Destiny”— where you venture to Svartalfheim with Brok — you’ll have nearly all the tools required to navigate the Nine Realms.
However, one exception remains. A significant portion of Vanaheim only becomes accessible after finishing the fourteenth main mission, “Creatures of Prophecy.”
To streamline exploration, it’s recommended thatGod of War Ragnarokplayers fully explore all other realms and the unlocked areas of Vanaheim after completing “Forging Destiny.” Save the remaining portion of Vanaheim for aftercompleting “Creatures of Prophecy.”This approach will ensure a smoother and more rewarding exploration experience, as you won’t need to lump all the exploration in the game after the 14th mission.
Exploring After Completing the Main Campaign of God of War Ragnarok
If you think you’ll be able to100% complete every realmafter finishing the fourteenth mission, you’d be mistaken.God of War Ragnarokfeatures a substantial amount of content that only becomes available after completing the main story. These include:
To fully explore everything the game has to offer without interruptions, it’s best to start exploringafter completing the main campaign. However, this approach can lead to burnout for some players. A more balanced strategy is to focus on significant exploration after the tenth (“Forging Destiny”) and fourteenth (“Creatures of Prophecy”) main missions, leaving the remaining content for the endgame.
Exploring When Playing as Atreus in God of War Ragnarok
Several areas in the game are accessible onlywhen playing as Atreus. Since you won’t have the opportunity to play as Atreus after completing the main story, it’s highly recommended to explore these areas during the missions where he is playable.
That said, these sections rarely contain anything significant or essential, so missing any of them won’t have a major impact on your overall exploration or completion progress.
