I’ll be honest. When Ubisoft first announced they were dropping a massive, $40 expansion centered entirely on Norse mythology, people were skeptical. It felt like a lot. We had already spent dozens of hours in England as Eivor, and now we were supposed to dive back in as Odin—or Havi, as the game calls him—to save a son most players barely felt connected to? It was a big ask. Assassin's Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok wasn't just another DLC; it was marketed as the "most ambitious expansion in franchise history." But does it actually hold up, or is it just a bloated asset flip?
It’s complicated.
If you’re coming to this looking for a grounded, stealthy assassin experience, you're going to be disappointed. Period. This is a full-blown high-fantasy RPG. We’re talking about teleporting with bows, turning into a raven to assassinate giants from the sky, and literally walking on lava. It’s wild. Ubisoft Sofia, the studio behind Rogue and Curse of the Pharaohs, took the reins here, and you can tell they wanted to push the engine until it screamed.
The Svartalfheim Problem
Svartalfheim is gorgeous. Let's get that out of the way. It’s a realm of gold-flecked mountains and massive, floating monoliths that dwarf anything we saw in the base game’s versions of Asgard or Jotunheim. But here’s the thing: it’s huge. Maybe too huge.
You play as Havi. You’re looking for Baldr, who has been kidnapped by the fire giant Surtr. This sets up a massive world where you’re basically a god among dwarves. The dwarves themselves are hiding in "Shelters," which are essentially underground hubs that serve as your quest markers and upgrade stations.
What's interesting is how the world feels vertically designed. In the base game, you’re mostly riding a horse across rolling hills. In Assassin's Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok, you’re constantly looking up. The scale is intentionally intimidating. However, some players find the emptiness of the landscape a bit draining. There are long stretches where you’re just traveling between points of interest with nothing but rocks and the occasional Muspel patrol to keep you company. It’s a vibe, for sure, but it’s not for everyone.
That New Hugr-Rip Bracer Changes Everything
The biggest mechanical shift is the Hugr-Rip. This is a magical bracer given to you by the dwarves that allows you to suck the life force (Hugr) out of fallen enemies to gain their powers.
👉 See also: Grand Theft Auto Games Timeline: Why the Chronology is a Beautiful Mess
It’s a game-changer. Honestly.
- You can take the Power of Muspelheim, which makes you immune to fire and lava. This isn't just a defensive buff; it lets you blend in with Muspel enemies, effectively giving you a social stealth mechanic in a world where you'd otherwise be spotted instantly.
- Then there’s the Power of the Raven. This is the one everyone uses. You turn into a white raven and can fly for a limited time. It completely trivializes the parkour, which some purists hate, but man, it feels good to bypass a five-minute climb by just flapping your wings.
- The Power of Rebirth lets you resurrect fallen enemies to fight for you. It’s chaotic. It’s messy. It turns large-scale skirmishes into a necromantic brawl.
The catch? You can only hold two powers at a time. This forces a bit of tactical thinking. If you’re heading into a volcano and you don’t have the fire-resistance power equipped, you’re dead. You have to hunt down specific enemies to "recharge" or swap your abilities. It adds a layer of preparation that the base game lacked.
Is the Story Actually Any Good?
Here is where the community gets split. If you love the Isu lore—the sci-fi "First Civilization" stuff that underpins the whole series—you’ll find some nuggets here. Assassin's Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok is essentially a metaphorical retelling of Isu history through the lens of Norse myth.
But if you don't care about the Isu? It’s just a standard "save my son" plot.
Surtr is a decent villain, mostly because he’s voiced by the incredible Richard Lintern, but he lacks the nuance of someone like Fulke from the main campaign. He’s a big, fiery guy who wants to burn the world. Simple. The real heart of the story is Havi’s desperation. You see a side of the All-Father that isn't wise or noble; he’s selfish, driven by fear of his own fate, and willing to burn bridges to save his bloodline. It mirrors Eivor’s journey but with much higher stakes.
The ending of the expansion is... abrupt. It doesn't quite "finish" the Ragnarok story in the way some expected, mainly because the actual Ragnarok event is saved for a different part of the Valhalla experience (the free "Last Chapter" update). This left a sour taste in the mouths of people who paid $40 at launch expecting a definitive conclusion.
✨ Don't miss: Among Us Spider-Man: Why Everyone Is Still Obsessed With These Mods
The Valkyrie Arena: A Grind or a Gift?
One of the more divisive additions is Kara’s Domain. It’s a combat arena where you fight waves of enemies while applying "boasts" (handicaps) to increase your rewards.
I’ll say it: the rewards are worth it. You can get some of the coolest-looking armor sets in the game here. But the "boasts" can make the combat feel cheap. One boast makes enemies explode on death; another drains your health if you aren't constantly attacking. It turns the game into more of an arcade slasher. If you enjoy the combat system, you’ll spend hours here. If you think Valhalla’s combat is floaty or repetitive, you’ll likely do it once and never come back.
Let's Talk About the "Atgeir"
New weapon alert. The Atgeir is a polearm, basically a glaive. It has a unique combo system where you have to time your light and heavy attacks to perform specific finishers.
It’s arguably the most fun weapon in the game. It has incredible reach and the animations are brutal. In a game where most people just dual-wield spears because they're "meta," the Atgeir offers a genuine reason to try a different playstyle. It feels weighty. When you sweep a group of Jotnars off their feet with a well-timed heavy swing, it's incredibly satisfying.
Technical Reality Check
Let’s be real for a second. This expansion is huge—roughly 20 to 30 hours of content. Because of that scale, it brought back some of the bugs we thought were patched out of the base game. During my last playthrough, I still encountered floating NPCs and the occasional "T-pose" from a dwarf in a shelter.
It’s also demanding on hardware. If you’re playing on a base PS4 or Xbox One, expect some significant frame rate dips when things get fiery. The particle effects from the lava and the Hugr-Rip abilities can really chug the older consoles. On PS5 or PC, it’s a locked 60fps for the most part, and the loading times are negligible.
🔗 Read more: Why the Among the Sleep Mom is Still Gaming's Most Uncomfortable Horror Twist
Why It Still Matters in 2026
You might be wondering why anyone is still talking about this when newer Assassin's Creed games are on the horizon. It's because Assassin's Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok represents the peak of "The RPG Era" for Ubisoft. It's the furthest they've ever gone away from the original DNA of the series.
For some, it's a cautionary tale of "feature creep." For others, it’s the most creative the series has ever been. It’s a playground for power fantasies.
Comparing it to Mirage, which came out later and focused on a smaller, more intimate city, Dawn of Ragnarok feels like a behemoth. It’s the "everything bagel" of video games. It has stealth (kinda), massive battles, mythical boss fights, puzzles, and a gear system that goes deep into the weeds of stat-tracking.
Is It Worth the Price Now?
At $40? Probably not, unless you’re a die-hard fan. But it frequently goes on sale for under $15, or it's included in various Ubisoft subscription tiers. At that price point, it's a steal. The amount of voice acting, unique assets, and sheer map size is staggering for a DLC.
Actionable Next Steps for Players
If you’re planning to dive into Svartalfheim this weekend, here’s how to not hate your life:
- Don't rush the main quest. The Shelters are hidden for a reason. Use the environmental clues (like the orange dwarf signs painted on rocks) to find them. They contain the best gear upgrades.
- Prioritize the "Power of the Raven" upgrades. Specifically, look for the upgrade that allows you to fly for longer and perform air assassinations. It makes the vertical exploration a joy rather than a chore.
- Get the Atgeir early. You get one fairly early in the story. Invest your titanium in it. The reach is a lifesaver when you're being swarmed by Muspels who can set you on fire with a single touch.
- Check your Power Level. This DLC is tuned for Power Level 340. If you’re way below that, the game will "boost" you, but it’s still tough. Make sure you have your favorite runes equipped before you cross the gate.
- Look for the "Combs" and "Artifacts." These aren't just collectibles; they provide significant lore context that makes the ending feel slightly less confusing.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok is a weird, loud, beautiful mess of an expansion. It’s the sound of a developer throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. While not every mechanic lands perfectly, the sheer spectacle of it is something every Valhalla fan should experience at least once, even if only to see Odin fly through the clouds as a raven.