TheGod of Warseries is now officially 20 years old and, to celebrate, Santa Monica Studio has added some new content to the franchise’s latest game,God of War: Ragnarok. On March 20, players on all platforms received a special Dark Odyssey cosmetic bundle as part of a free in-game update. This collection includes themed armor sets and costumes for some of the main characters in the game, including Kratos, Freya, and Atreus. It also contains weapon and shield skins, in addition to a fully black-and-gold cosmetic that completely changes Kratos' appearance. Players are able to apply these new Dark Odyssey skins to any weapon attachment and shield rond inGod of War: Ragnarok.
The Dark Odyssey cosmetics thatSanta Monica Studio added toGod of War: Ragnarokwere inspired by a skin of the same name fromGod of War 2, which also featured the same black-and-gold color palette. to receive this skin, players had to beat the entirety ofGod of War2on the God Mode setting, which was the hardest difficulty in the game.God of War: Ragnarok’s Dark Odyssey cosmetics aren’t locked behind any specific requirements like they were inGod of War 2, but they do serve as a nostalgic reminder of an era in the series' history when unique-looking skins like these were commonplace.
The Bonus Costumes from the OG God of War Games Need to Make a Comeback
Players Can Unlock Special Costumes for Kratos in the Early God of War Games
The earlyGod of Wargames, namely those that were part of the Greek Saga, had special bonus costumes that players could unlock for Kratos to wear. The majority of these costumes did not cost any real-world money, but they sometimes weren’t easy to obtain. Inthe originalGod of War(2005) on the PS2, players had to complete a special series of post-game levels called the Challenge of the Gods to unlock new costumes. Meanwhile, inGod of War 2(and most of the games that came after it), players could get certain skins either by finishing the game on any difficulty or by completing specific challenges.
Players could not switch between costumes whenever they felt like in the OGGod of Wargames; instead, they could only select them at the start of a new playthrough.
Many of the special costumes from the originalGod of Wargames were both cool-looking and beneficial in battle.God of War: Chains of Olympus’s infamous Spud of War costume, which made Kratos look like a giant walking potato, gave the titular God of War an infinite magic boost and a 4x armor stat increase.The Dark Odyssey skinfromGod of War2, on the other hand, significantly increased the number of red orbs that Kratos could receive during combat, and it not only doubled the strength of his attacks, but halved his defense stats as well.
Since they’re more easily obtainable, the Dark Odyssey cosmetics inGod of War: Ragnarokdon’t have any special stat-boosting attributes like they did inGod of War 2.
The Norse God of War Games Have Replaced Bonus Costumes With Unlockable Armor Sets
Although they’ve been a staple of the series for more than a decade, Santa Monica Studio has decided to abandon bonus costumes entirely with itsrecent NorseGod of Wargames. While the newest entries in the series do feature some other unlockables that players can obtain after completing them, they’re not nearly as inventive.God of War(2018) andGod of War: Ragnarokboth contain some unique armor sets that can only be crafted during their respective New Game Plus modes, and even though they are rather useful, none of them look as distinct or as hilarious as the costumes from the GreekGod of Wargames.
Future God of War Games Should Add Dark Odyssey-Style Rewards for Players Who Beat Them on the Highest Difficulty
God of War(2018) may not have any Dark Odyssey-style costumes, but it does contain some unique shield skins that can only be obtained by completing the game onthe Give Me God of War difficulty setting, the most challenging mode in the game. Those who beatGod of War: Ragnarokon this same setting, however, get absolutely nothing for their efforts. Hopefully, if Santa Monica Studio does bring unlockable cosmetics back in futureGod of Wargames, it won’t forget to add exclusive skins for beating the game on the hardest difficulty again.
God of War Ragnarok
WHERE TO PLAY
Embark on an epic and heartfelt journey as Kratos and Atreus struggle with holding on and letting goFrom Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018). Fimbulwinter is well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms.
