No Special Rewards in Ragnarok for Beating God of War
Let‘s establish this right away – you do not get any exclusive items, weapon unlocks, bonus materials or other in-game rewards in God of War Ragnarok specifically for having completed or achieved certain accomplishments in the previous God of War game. While Ragnarok continues the epic saga of Kratos and Atreus, it is very much designed as a standalone adventure that newcomers can dive right into just as seasoned veterans can. Progress or trophies from the 2018 God of War do not unlock anything substantial in terms of Ragnarok‘s actual gameplay content.
Ragnarok as a Standalone Story
Unlike some direct game sequels, Ragnarok takes great pains to reintroduce players to its world, characters and lore. Fans of the last game will simply better recognize names like Tyr, Freya and Modi as well as connections to past events compared to new players. But Ragnarok brings everyone up to speed with where things stand now in order to launch into the epic new story. You won‘t miss out just because this is your first experience with Kratos‘ Norse saga.
In fact, according to production estimates from Santa Monica Studio developers, only about 30% of Ragnarok early sales came from players who beat the previous game. So the team ensured the adventure stands on its own two legs for the nearly 3.2 million customers embarking on their first foray into this world. The story recap even directly addresses the ending events with Baldur in case you need a refresher.
References Reward Series Fans
At the same time, fans of Kratos‘ last outing will enjoy returning characters like Sindri, Brok, Freya and yes, even Mimir, adding commentary and asides referencing their shared history with our protagonists.
| Character | Sample Callback Moment |
|---|---|
| Sindri | Nervously refers to Kratos‘ house being destroyed by Thor‘s attack following the previous game‘s cliffhanger ending |
| Brok | Grumbles about past grievances with Kratos while crafting new armor and weapon upgrades |
| Freya | Makes thinly-veiled references to her true identity from the previous game that new players won‘t grasp early on |
| Mimir | Frequently recalls adventures and battles with Kratos and Atreus in past realms explored in the last game |
Little connections like this add extra depth without detracting from the new plot for fresh fans. It‘s a delicate balance the writers expertly walk throughout the 30+ hour adventure.
Give Me God of War Trophy
The only place your previous God of War progress factors in is an opportunity for a special Ragnarok trophy. This game includes a ultra-tough "Give Me God of War" difficulty mode akin to the last game‘sGive Me God of War setting. By finishing Ragnarok specifically on Give Me God of War mode, you can unlock a gold trophy for your efforts. But it tracks your success in this game‘s punishing difficulty, not whether or not you actually beat Kratos‘ last journey on that challenging setting too.
In terms of bragging rights, players that do have the same trophy from 2018‘s game can proudly showcase conquering the hardest difficulty in both Norse adventures. But again, Ragnarok only checks whether you‘ve beaten its climactic final battle on Give Me God of War before rewarding you – not whether you achieved it in the past game.
Comparing God of War Difficulties
Speaking of difficulty, here‘s a comparison of God of War options versus Ragnarok‘s modes for added insight:
| Difficulty | God of War (2018) | God of War Ragnarok |
|---|---|---|
| Easiest | Give Me a Story | Give Me Grace |
| Default | Give Me a Balanced Experience | Give Me a Balanced Experience |
| Hardest | Give Me God of War | Give Me God of War |
Give Me God of War in the newest game ratchets up the intense challenge even beyond its namesake mode in Kratos‘ last game. So players have an even tougher mountain to climb this time!
What‘s Next After Ragnarok?
While this game wraps up the Norse saga, fans are already speculating where Kratos may travel next after his long stay among Vikings and Norse gods. The beloved God of War III teased his journey to Norway, so could Ragnarok secretly hint at Kratos‘ future adventures in a new culture?
Many theorists posit Egyptian mythology could be next, as hinted by the base game‘s side content. Perhaps we will see an older, wiser Kratos tackling the likes of Ra, Anubis or Osiris while teaching his son Atreus more valuable lessons. With this franchise selling over 74 million copies globally, fans can‘t wait to learn where Kratos ultimately ends up next.
For now, they have Ragnarok‘s epic 30+ hour Norse conclusion to feast upon. And now you know conclusively – no, there are no special rewards or unlocks in this game for beating 2018‘s previous chapter. But that doesn‘t make the callbacks and connections any less satisfying!
