How God of War Ragnarök’s Level Designers Made Dwarven Realm Svartalfheim Larger Than Life

The players had a powerful sense of discovery that drove them to plot their routes across the God of War 2018 map. The game’s first franchise title, God of War 2018, featured expansive hubs that were connected by footpaths. Ornate chests holding rare equipment and Jötnar Shrines with lore murals were just some of the items awaiting wide-eyed players across six realms. Golden path locales like Midgard and its massive Lake of the Nine, Alfheim, home to light and dark elves, Helheim, the underworld, and Jötunheim, the land of Giants, were sprawling zones in their own right, filled with enough content to keep players engaged. The optional, but equally powerful Muspelheim and Niflheim realms tested players’ combat skills with intense combat trials. Even with its vast size and many navigable backdrops the Norse universe feels connected. Odin barred access to Asgard, Vanaheim, and Svartalfheim, but Ragnarök director Eric Williams says players will get to explore all nine realms in the sequel and that “The ones you’ve seen before are going to feel new again.”

The frostbitten forest from God of War 2018’s early hours is just as everyone remembers, but Fimbulwinter’s frigid grasp extends beyond Kratos and Atreus’ home region. Transporting the Lake of the Nine requires unconventional methods of transportation because it is solid frozen. Speki, and Svanna are two sled wolves which can transfer characters between faraway places. Players must paddle through serpentine rivers or travel in canoes across open waterways. However, these modes of transport offer a new and exciting way to explore the countryside. 

Atreus, Kratos, and Durlin will be meeting in Svartalfheim. But it’s still unclear how Durlin is going to factor into their latest adventure.

The exclusive footage I watched of the dwarven realm, Svartalfheim, provided me with more than enough insight into the depth and complexity of Ragnarök’s world. Lead level designer James Riding and level designer Jon Hickenbottom spoke with me about their experience crafting the points of interest, with the former saying, “We wanted to evolve the gameplay in the level spaces – more variety and verticality. In Svartalfheim, you’ve got a lot of places that you go to all within one realm. It’s so much content.”

He’s right. As soon as the video starts, I’m thrust into a maze-like depot brimming with wooden machinery, a technical marvel even by God of War’s fantastical standards. Water flows down the sluice gate-separated rickety pipes. The distant towering wheels are visible, while just overhead, an iron block is suspended by a derelict pipe and threatens to break me. Atreus climbs to an elevated ledge, scouts the area, and offers a plan of action, but not before cracking a joke at the expense of his father’s aging knees. Suddenly, the clip jumps forward, and I’m standing on a cliff face with breathtaking views of the entire site. It is difficult to see the silhouettes of the mountaintops on the horizon. A small, sparkling chest is visible a few feet distant, waiting for Kratos. There are many visual cues that indicate walls are mountable, and structures can be activated. This sets the scene for intricate puzzles.

To best this daunting section of Svartalfheim, players must rely on Kratos’ multifunctional toolset: His weapons and, yes, his son. The recording shows Kratos freezing sputtering hot springs and dismantling steaming pots. He also commands Atreus not to touch out-of-reach gadgets. When recalling the initial mindset and intentions behind crafting interactions in the new realm, Hickenbottom said, “We wanted to show off the dwarves and what they’ve been doing here. They’re using water to propel and move things. The dwarves can be seen creating enormous environments in all of the biomes. And then when Kratos comes in, it’s like, how does he bend the environment to his will?”

In the closing minutes of the Broll, Kratos (and Atreus) row through a cavern into a dwarven capital. The boy is stunned, and Mimir triumphantly announces, “Welcome to Niðavellir, brothers.” Afternoon half-light falls warmly against the river’s surface, and multistorey hovels stand proudly beneath a swaying tree line. This magical moment quickly passes. A sound alarm breaks the peace and the peaceful vista is reclaimed by the dwarven inhabitants. Peace is fleeting even in an area that seems to be safe from Fimbulwinter’s immediate effects. This brief glimpse solidifies the enormity of the task at hand and what’s under threat.

“It was a little lonely in the last game,” Riding says. “So, specifically with Svartalfheim, we’re trying to show this lived world. There are things here besides just you two.”

But friendly dwarves aren’t the only locals. The countryside is home to less well-known creatures that lurk in the darkest grottoes. Kratos, Atreus, and others will have to use each piece to their advantage.

This article originally appeared in Issue 349 of Game Informer.