Why You Should Explore In God of War PC

 There is a myriad of reasons why players should explore in God of War on PC, many of which stem from the game's original release on the PlayStation 4.

The critically acclaimed God of War is available to play on PC through Stream beginning Jan. 14, 2022, making way for all players who have yet to experience the game to explore Midgard and several other realms in Norse Mythology. God of War (2018) won Game of the Year at The Game Awards in 2018 and has since received even more praise nearly four years after its initial release. God of War was launched as a reboot to the series and begins more than a decade after the events of God of War 3.

The 2018 God of War didn't just reboot the series, it completely changed everything from the original trilogy and subsequent games. Previously, every fight and cutscene featuring the God of War and the other Greek gods were viewed from a fixed cinematic camera and quick-cut transitions, limiting exploration of Greece and the other areas of the mythology. The God of War story is told entirely from start to finish in a single over-the-shoulder style shot that players can move more freely, allowing them to explore the breathtaking landscape. With enhanced graphic capabilities, every part of God of War on PC will make exploration of the terrain that much more aesthetically pleasing.

Aside from the actual views in God of War, there are near-endless reasons for players to explore the game's environment on PC. God of War is packed full of lore, mini-bosses, side quests (labors), and collectibles that are only available when players take the time to venture outside of the main quests. Players have more control over the adventure that both the Kratos and his son, Atreus, have than in any other game in the franchise, allowing them to experience an enhanced story when they explore every possible area. Regardless of whether or not someone has played the game prior to its PC release, all players should fully experience God of War in its entirety.

Explore In God Of War To Get Upgrades, Hacksilver, & Collectibles

Much like the original release, those who explore in God of War for PC will undoubtedly earn more XP and Hacksilver than those who only stick to the main story. God of War features an RPG-style skill system in which players can choose which skills to upgrade for Kratos first, and each skill can be unlocked after Kratos earns a specific amount of XP. Unlocking the best skills to upgrade first in God of War is entirely up to the playstyle of whoever is at the helm, but failing to earn enough XP will limit Kratos in his abilities. Additionally, XP also goes into what skills Atreus can unlock for his bow, and enemies can quickly overwhelm players who are underprepared. All enemies in God of War are set-leveled, meaning fights only get easier if players take the time to upgrade the skills of both the God of War and Atreus.

Hacksilver is the main currency in the game for all armor upgrades and purchases. It can be spent on new chest, shoulder, and waist gear for Kratos, as well as pommel upgrades for both the Leviathan Axe and the Blades of Chaos. Additionally, Hacksilver can be spent on upgrades for Atreus's armor, bow, and quiver as well. To get more Hacksilver in God of War, players will need to explore every area of Midgard and the other available realms for hidden collectibles, mini-bosses, and the like that reward more of the currency. Hacksilver can also be earned from the several types of chests found throughout God of War, as well as many other crafting materials needed for upgrades.

While Hacksilver and XP are the main forms of currency for all skill, armor, and weapon part purchases, other crafting materials that are needed for upgrading weapons and armor are only found by exploring in God of War. Some of the crafting materials are only found by exploring God of War's hidden areas, many of which are expansive and not part of the main story quests. For example, the Creation Island Treasure in God of War requires players to first find the map to the treasure, then follow the map itself to the treasure's actual location. There are several types of these treasure maps throughout God of War, and those who choose to explore on PC will be able to find the rare upgrade materials associated with each.

God of War is also full of hidden collectibles like artifact sets, Idunn Apple chests, and Horn of Blood Mead chests, all of which are extremely helpful for beating the game. Throughout God of War, there are seven sets of artifacts that Kratos can find and sell for more Hacksilver and XP. Additionally, the benefit of collecting an entire set is that while finding each individual item rewards XP, collecting the entire set rewards a large bonus amount in God of War as well. Finding the locations of every Idunn Apple chest in God of War will allow players to maximize Kratos' health bar, and finding every Horn of Blood Mead chest will maximize his Spartan Rage meter.

Explore God Of War On PC For More Fights

As players progress through the story and unlock new tools in God of War, they'll gain the ability to access realms that aren't even part of the main story. Both the realms of Muspelheim and Niflheim are only accessible once Kratos and Atreus find four realm ciphers for each location, and the realms contain additional challenges within. Muspelheim, in particular, is an ideal realm for players when Kratos has reached level four, and Niflheim is perfect for players near the endgame content. In fact, Niflheim can even be visited during the postgame without any sense of Kratos being overpowered when entering the realm. The Muspelheim and Niflheim ciphers in God of War can only be found if players choose to explore the game, on PC or otherwise.

Of course, there are also multiple side quests given to Kratos and Atreus in God of War, but if there is any singular particular reason why players should explore God of War on PC, it's so that they can fight the Valkyries. The Valkyries are the toughest enemies in God of War, even more so than most of the Norse gods fought throughout the game. None of the Valkyries are fought as part of the main story, and players can even choose to face them after they've beaten the main story. Once all Valkyries have been defeated, the final challenge is to defeat the Queen of the Valkyries in God of War. Once players have explored everything in God of War for PC, they can even try to tackle the hardest challenge - the Give Me God Of War difficulty.