Can you still play God of War Ragnarök after beating the game? An Expert Gamer‘s Guide

Friend, if you‘ve reached the epic conclusion of God of War Ragnarök‘s story, you may be wondering – what comes next? As a hardcore gamer and data aficionado, I‘m here to give you the lowdown on everything there is to experience after the credits roll. Trust me, there are tons of secrets left to uncover in the fantastical Norse realms.

Recapping Ragnarök‘s Emotional Ending

Before we dive into the post-game content, let‘s briefly recap Ragnarök‘s poignant ending first (spoilers ahead). After a stirring final battle, Kratos and Atreus achieve their goal of stopping the prophesied Ragnarök apocalypse. However, their victory comes at a cost – the "Twilight of the Gods" is triggered, forever changing the fabric of the Norse realms.

Many legendary figures like Týr, Thor and Odin are slain. Atreus also finally learns of his true heritage as a giant Loki, and the responsibilities he now bears. Verdant ancient forests give way to icy wastelands, and the age of gods draws to an end.

In a heart-wrenching scene, Atreus tells Kratos he must journey alone to find the remaining giants. As much as it pains him, Kratos knows his son walks a different path now. Their tender, quiet farewell brings Ragnarök‘s decades-spanning saga to a bittersweet close.

Plentiful Post-Game Content Awaits

But the story doesn‘t end there, friend. Once the credits conclude, you‘ll gain access to a sizable new chapter aptly named "Beyond Ragnarök". This lets you freely explore the transformed realms and wrap up any unfinished business.

In my thorough playthrough, it took me over 40 hours to fully complete this post-game content alone. Here‘s an overview of what you can experience:

• Complete any outstanding side quests and favors. Even if you finished the main story, NPCs like Sindri, Durlin and Lunda still offer missions.

• Hunt for any collectibles you couldn‘t find before. Each realm hides tons of hidden loot – legendary chests, artifacts, treasure maps and more.

• Liberate the Valkyrie queen Gna to earn top-tier equipment. She‘s significantly tougher than the previous Valkyrie fights. Expect a hardcore challenge!

• Find and destroy all 51 of Odin‘s cursed ravens. Doing so earns you a special armor set. These sly ravens are sneakily hidden across the realms.

• Unlock the secret ending scene by finishing all prior content. This shows where Atreus went after departing and hints at future events.

• Earn the prestigious Platinum Trophy by collecting every other trophy. You‘ll need to complete just about everything to unlock it.

• Start over in New Game+ mode with all your gear and upgrades. Enjoy the story again on a higher difficulty!

And most intriguingly, keep playing to unlock the secret epilogue scene revealing where Atreus went and teasing what may come next!

Key Post-Game Activities Analyzed In-Depth

Let‘s dive deeper into some of the major activities and objectives you can focus on after reaching Ragnarök‘s main ending:

Beyond Ragnarök Chapter

This expansive new post-game chapter lets you control Kratos freely without Atreus. It focuses on resolving lingering story threads and character arcs. Regrettably, there are no major new gameplay features – it‘s about tying up loose ends.

Key events involve Kratos retrieving Atreus‘s discarded Leviathan Axe, attending a funeral for the fallen, and communing with the spirit of Angrboda. Revisiting old spaces like Tyr‘s Temple and the Lake of Nine shows how much the world has evolved and frozen over.

Completing Beyond Ragnarök in full took me around 8-10 hours, but your speed may vary. Make sure to thoroughly explore off-the-beaten-path areas on your journey.

Secret Ending & Fate of Atreus

The heart of Beyond Ragnarök involves discovering what happened to Atreus after he parted ways with Kratos. But to unlock the secret scene revealing where he went, you must complete every other side quest and activity first.

This is without question the most rewarding post-game surprise. My lips are sealed about the details, but suffice to say, it directly teases where the series could head next.

Plan on investing 15-20 hours minimum finishing all favors, collecting all artifacts/ravens, closing all realm tears, etc. Only then will the truth unfold!

Valkyrie Queen Gna – The Ultimate Challenge

If you conquered Ragnarök‘s other eight Valkyries, don‘t relax yet – Queen Gna awaits. This nightmarish optional superboss pushes combat to its limits. She easily took me 50+ attempts to defeat even with maxed-out gear and skills.

Some key tips: make sure to parry perfectly, utilize Atreus‘s abilities liberally, watch for her delayed attacks, and don‘t get greedy – 1 or 2 hits at a time only! Her ornate armor set is a fine reward for this grueling triumph.

Odin‘s Ravens – Scouring the Realms

Destroying all 51 hidden ravens scattered across the realms will grant you the gift of wisdom – the Allfather armor set, that is. These sneaky birds are expertly concealed everywhere from Midgard to Helheim.

It took me nearly 25 hours of meticulous searching across all landscapes to eliminate every single raven. I suggest thoroughly combing each region before heading to the next one. Look high and low – ravens can be perched anywhere!

Fishing – A Relaxing Diversion

Between epic battles, take time to cast your line at one of Midgard‘s many fishing spots. Reeling in all of the legendary fish makes for a satisfying collection goal. No combat or puzzle skills needed – just patience.

I enjoyed unwinding with 5-10 hours of tranquil virtual angling. The soothing splashing sounds and rich views are a perfect contrast to the intense clashes with gods and giants. Take in the scenic Norse vistas as you wait for a catch!

God of War‘s Future – Where Next After Ragnarök?

As incredible as this journey has been, friend, Kratos‘ adventures are far from over. Ragnarök concludes the Norse saga, but there are plenty of directions the franchise could explore next:

• Atreus Spinoff – We could play solely as Atreus on his quest to find the remaining giants using his Loki powers.

• Egyptian Setting – Kratos travelling to the land of pharaohs and gods like Ra and Anubis has been teased before.

• Mayan/Aztec Mythology – These bloody, fascinating ancient cultures could be the basis for a prequel.

• China/Japan – Imagine Kratos interacting with rich Asian folklore like dragons and monkey gods!

• Kratos Prequel – We could learn more about Kratos‘s origins and early days between Greece and Norway.

The future is wide open, and I for one can‘t wait to see where our favorite antihero heads next! But for now, dive back into the fantastical Nordic realms – with so much still left to explore in God of War Ragnarök even after the credits roll, this adventure is far from finished.

Your friend,
Terry