While the Valkyries were the strongest enemies in 2018's God of War Ragnarok enemy variety will address the most common complaint with the last game, but it may also cheapen the once-intimidating Valkyries.
While Kratos and Atreus were thought to have defeated all nine Valkyries in 2018's God of War, the God of War Ragnarok story trailer recently posted to YouTube by PlayStation suggests otherwise. One scene in the trailer sees the dynamic duo ambushed by two Valkyries, who refer to the Ghost of Sparta as a "pretender god." The scenes tease an epic 2v2 battle with Kratos and Atreus fighting the winged warriors in a gorgeous mythic setting, and based on the dialogue and cutscenes it appears to be taken from the game's main storyline. This would be a major departure from the last game, however, where battling the Valkyries was an entirely optional side quest.
God of War's Optional Valkyries Were Incredibly Tough
The Valkyrie bosses in God of War were completely optional encounters, but God of War Ragnarok looks to make them major story bosses. While this could make the battle more intense, it is also sure to make the Valkyries much easier to defeat than they were in the last game. 2018's God of War had Valkyries as optional enemies, so Santa Monica Studio could make them difficult to defeat for even the most skilled players without blocking story progression. The Valkyrie Queen Sigrun exemplified this concept, with most players needing multiple attempts before they could best her in combat. However, because the Valkyries appear to be mandatory bosses in God of War Ragnarok the developers will need to ensure that players of any skill level can beat them and progress the plot.
While some players are able to beat God of War Valkyrie bosses in seconds, they are generally meant to be the ultimate test of the game's combat system. Each one poses a unique challenge, and Queen Sigrun combines each of their powers and movesets to become the game's strongest and most versatile final boss. By reducing the Valkyries to mere storyline bosses, Santa Monica risks undermining their power and making them pose zero challenge to those who managed to beat Sigrun in the last game. Facing two Valkyries at once will only exacerbate this problem, since Kratos and Atreus could barely handle one at a time back in 2018's God of War.
The role of the Valkyries in God of War Ragnarok is still unclear, but facing two at a time as a storyline battle definitely makes them seem less deadly than they were in God of War (2018). While enhanced God of War Ragnarok combat moves could make a rematch even more engaging, it remains to be seen why Valkyries would attack Kratos and Atreus considering they freed them in the previous game. By changing them from optional bosses to mandatory foes, God of War Ragnarök could wind up dishonoring the Valkyries.
Source: PlayStation/YouTube