Perhaps one of the most thrilling and chilling aspects of Norse mythology is the concept of Ragnarök. The word ‘apocalypse’ conjures images of surreal monsters attacking mortals and deities alike, entire worlds being engulfed in a fiery flask and trees and shrubs being reduced to ashes before the whole world cools down to be born anew. Not the monsters or the Ragnarok part, but Glory Casino online login provides a thrilling and chilling experience of online gaming. Such a narrative is not strange to the nefarious, world-destroying gamers. This narrative speaks about destroying the world and creating anew. Infused with nostalgia, of course.
Artists and game developers have interpreted Ragnarök in various ways. Ranging from the fantastical to the real world, reenactments to the utterly imaginative. Let’s see, in what other ways have game developers constructed this myth, and what meanings does this myth hold in other genres.
Ragnarök as An Epic Story (God of War: Ragnarök)
The whole franchise of God of War is the epitome of discourse and re-dramatization of Norse mythology. With the embark of the latest installments of the game in 2018 and 2022, Ragnarok becomes the center of a game played by a father-son duo, Atreus and Kratos.
The developers do not attempt to portray the entire myth as it is. For them, Thor, Odin, and Loki are complex characters with their own drawbacks, sorrow, and motivations. Fights with monsters and gods are not only exhilarating action but rather deep tragedies intertwined with fatherhood, destiny, and unavoidable prophecy.
This is why, in God of War, Ragnarök, along with depicting a cataclysm, tells a deeply personal story about family, decision, and grief.
Ragnarök as a Form of Survival Strategy (The Banner Saga)
The tactical RPG series The Banner Saga (2014–2018) illustrates Ragnarök differently. The players, along with their characters, are in a world that is gradually falling apart and must now battle against not only foes, but also starvation, exhaustion, and complex ethical choices.
The main element here is fatalism. None of the players can avoid the fact that Ragnarök is unfolding, but instead can decide how their heroes meet their end: with honor or in turmoil.
This interpretation highlights the philosophical nature of the myth. The end is inescapable and yet, the player has the power to determine the rest in a desperate situation.
Ragnarok in Survival Context (Valheim)
The popular independent game Valheim (2021) allows its players to experience an Odin’s self-created purgatory where the players must survive, construct, fight monsters, and over time prepare for the confrontation with the overgrown bosses.
Although the game does not follow the mythology to the letter, the concept of Ragnarök looming in the distance can be felt throughout the game. Every single biome is packed with dangers to face, and the boss battles are representative of an epic confrontation with mythical beasts that players must undergo.
For Valheim, Ragnarök is not the end of the game, but rather, a test of perseverance and brute force of limitless proportion, an ever present obstacle.
Ragnarok as a representation disorder (Assassin’s Creed Valhalla)
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (2020) incorporates Ragnarök’s elements within the framework of its mythology, and constructs the character’s story with an advancement of world-shattering events. Visions propel the hero to Asgard and Jotunheim, where they watch the mythic timeline unfold.
Ragnarok is here another installment of the Rune Saga within the game, but one that even to the gods is inescapable. Passing through dreams and memories, the player senses a world that is mystically and inescapably forethought.
The designers with Ubisoft view Ragnarok not as the peak of the game, but as a supplementary element to further increase the intensity of the primary narrative.
Ragnarok in Many Games
The theme of Ragnarok is not limited to vast projects, but can be found within some minor titles as well.
- In Jotun (2015), the player faces giant jotnar battling in mythic trials leading to Ragnarök.
- In Too Human (2008), developers take a leap of faith to transform Norse mythology into a sci-fi tale in which Ragnarök turns into a techno-apocalyptic disaster.
These instances show the versatility of the myth as it spans from an indie game to a futuristic sci-fi setting.
Ragnarök as a Universal Symbol of End and Beginning
In what way is Ragnarök a popular notion in the gaming industry?
- Universality. There’s destruction and rebirth in the story which can be found in any culture.
- Epic scale. Gigantic battles, beasts, and the world’s end thunder, fit to fall into a video game, creates a perfect setting.
- Philosophy. Fate, the inevitability of things, and a human’s choice at the brink of the curtains, gives the story a touch more dimension.
Every game takes a different approach in using the myth: some use it as the dramatic center, while others, the atmosphere, or a symbolic background.
Conclusion
Ragnarök in video games is more than just the end of the world, it’s a canvas on which developers paint their thoughts: be it family saga and inheritance (God of War), fatalism and moral choices (The Banner Saga), survival and tenacity (Valheim), or an additional metaphorical layer to the historical narrative (Assassin’s Creed Valhalla).
Ragnarok still stands as a universal symbol in even the most indie and experimental of projects. It serves as a reminder that while the end may be inevitable, how one chooses to confront it is truly how one becomes a hero.
Featured image courtesy of Joshua Newton, Unsplash
