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The latest God of War Ragnarok Valhalla DLC has introduced an unparalleled level of difficulty known as “Show me Mastery,” a challenge so formidable that even the game developers themselves haven’t conquered it yet, as disclosed by the game director, Mihir Sheth. This revelation came as a surprise during the recent unveiling at The Game Awards event, presenting players with an unexpected and eagerly awaited free expansion.
Upon its release in 2022, God of War Ragnarok swiftly claimed the title of the fastest-selling first-party game in PlayStation history, selling over 5.1 million copies within its debut week. The sequel garnered immense praise from both fans and critics for its innovative additions while maintaining the essence of what made the original 2018 God of War exceptional. Notably, Ragnarok was lauded for its varied difficulty settings, ranging from the easier “Give me Story” to the formidable “Give me God of War.” The game’s challenges, evolving from the demanding Valkyrie battles in the previous installment to the intense Berserker battles in Ragnarok, provided players with monumental hurdles that adjusted based on these settings, a feature greatly appreciated by the gaming community.
The anticipation for even greater challenges escalated when the Valhalla director unveiled the existence of a new, more daunting difficulty mode called “Show me Mastery.” Mihir Sheth expressed eagerness to witness the community’s attempts to conquer this seemingly insurmountable challenge, implying that perhaps the development team had finally outmatched the players with an unbeatable task. Valhalla’s gameplay aims to deliver an experience reminiscent of the Crucible in Ragnarok and the Niflheim maze from the 2018 God of War, incorporating roguelike elements that reset progress upon a player’s demise, amplifying the already formidable challenge.
God of War enthusiasts have a track record of astounding developers with their feats, such as achieving no-hit runs and record-breaking speedruns. Notably, a player defeated Ragnarok’s Queen Gna within 11 seconds at the highest difficulty, while another accomplished the same feat at level one, armed only with arrows and a shield. Taking this prowess to an extreme, a player even defeated Thor at the highest difficulty using their hand placed inside a Pringles can, showcasing the community’s willingness to tackle any challenge head-on.
Initially surprising players due to rumors hinting at a potential half-sequel to God of War Ragnarok, Valhalla is now speculated to serve as a precursor to the next full installment in the series. This speculation arises from Ragnarok’s open-ended conclusion, featuring Atreus’ departure and presenting Kratos with a new path, leaving players intrigued about what lies ahead in the God of War saga.