God of War Ragnarok's sixth chapter, The Reckoning, follows Kratos and Freya's journey to Vanaheim. To leave Midgard, Freya needs to destroy the curse Odin placed on her, but she can't do it alone. Though she doesn't exactly want Kratos' assistance after he murdered her son, she has no other options.

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Progressing through Vanaheim can take quite a bit of time, especially if one hopes to obtain all the collectibles along the way. As if this wasn't bad enough, the level is also crawling with some bafflingly powerful enemies. Kratos and Freya need to work together to conquer God of War Ragnarok's sixth chapter, but they struggle to see eye to eye.

Destroying Freya's Curse

Upon entering through the Mystic Gateway, Kratos will begin his search for the curse that binds Freya to Midgard. The Southern Wilds is one of the most visually appealing locations in the game so far, but behind its endearing aesthetic lurks some truly terrifying foes.

To avoid getting injured by the poisonous plants in the next area, Kratos should use his Leviathan Axe to destroy them from a distance. They can deal some serious damage, but defeating the group of Legions further on will reward the player with some Healthstones if they need them. There's a Legendary Chest containing the Wrath of the Frost Ancient hidden behind the hole in the north wall.

Following the path and heading west will lead to a Red Coffin. Once it has been looted, the player can smash the ground in the center of the area to reveal one of Kvsir's Poems. The next step is to follow Freya along the walkway until a group of Gulons attack. The plants get a bit more aggressive in the next area, but the Leviathan Axe will destroy them once they blossom.

To open the Nornir Chest up ahead, Kratos must use his Blades of Chaos to reveal the rune to the east, throw the Leviathan Axe at the rune to the south-west, and use the Blades on the brambles on the eastern wall in the previous area.

Once the correct runes are facing forward, an Idunn Apple can be obtained. There's also a Red Coffin hidden behind some brambles to the left before the lake and another one across the pond.

Kratos will get ambushed by two Wulvers upon entering the next area, but thankfully, one of them will focus on Brok. If they manage to grab Kratos with their red attacks, the only way to escape is to mash Circle. Upon climbing onto the northern ledge, Brok will be dragged into the base of a tree.

Freyr's Camp

After Kratos meets Freyr, the player will have a chance to explore the campsite. If they wish, they can also speak to Brok to enhance Kratos' equipment. There's a Rune Read on the northern path that cannot be obtained after talking to Freyr, so now is a good time to get it. There's also a scroll lying on the ground inside one of the western tents. Once it has been picked up, the player can feel free to move on.

There are a few Gold Cracks along the next path, but Kratos won't be able to interact with them until later. Taking a left at the intersection outside the wooden gate will lead to a Red Coffin; the path to the right allows Kratos to progress. The second path to the right has another Red Coffin. Once Kratos has opened it, the story continues down the southern road.

Before entering the next area, it might be wise to save the game in preparation for the upcoming boss battle.

The Forest Ancient

The Forest Ancient can be tricky to deal with, as it's unlike any of the previous Ragnarok bosses. To defeat it, Kratos will need to throw his Leviathan Axe at the beast's fiery core. He can also use the orbs the Ancient drops to inflict damage, but the Leviathan Axe is far more reliable.

There will be several opportunities to attack using this method throughout the fight, but it can be hard to avoid the flaming projectiles the Forest Ancient shoots out. The key is to keep a decent distance away while dodging the incoming bolts. After dealing enough damage, the Ancient will fall to its knees, prompting the player to attack by pressing R3.

During the latter half of the battle, a hoard of Legions will emerge from the ground to assist the Ancient in combat. They can be dealt with handily enough, but it's vital Kratos steers clear of the Ancient until all the Legions are gone. It's even possible to lure the Legions into the Ancient's projectiles. If done correctly, Kratos won't need to deal with the Legions at all.

Back To The Search

The Blades of Chaos need to be used to clear the brambles blocking the way forward. A few Gulons are coming up, but they are easily vanquished. There's no way to interact with Wind Spout further down the path, so Kratos will need to keep moving until he reaches the area full of Einherjar. The next battle back is quite challenging, so saving the game before pushing on can be a good idea.

Once the Einherjar is defeated, a Flame Gradungr will launch an attack. Though it isn't a boss, it certainly fights like one. Thankfully, it's not as quick as a Wulver, so retaining a safe distance isn't overly difficult.

The tree in the center of the arena can be used to avoid AOE attacks, but Kratos will need to dodge twice when the creature charges. Constantly backing away while throwing the Leviathan Axe is the safest way to bring it down.

The Abandoned Village

After defeating the Draugr Butchers, Kratos can throw his axe at the northwest paddle outside the hut to create a way forward. There's another Rune Read, so there's no reason not to inspect it. Once it has been examined, the player should prepare for an enemy rush in the next area. The Einherjar Brute is the strongest foe here, so Kratos should leave him until last to ensure an easier battle.

Using the Leviathan Axe, Kratos needs to freeze the next plant in order to bypass the purple fumes. He must repeat this process in the next area to access a Legendary Chest containing the Shatter Star Shield.

Continuing forward, Kratos will be faced with a puzzle. He must use a pot of fire to burn away the brambles blocking his path. To do so, the player must swing over to the southern ledge and use the Blades of Chaos to hurl the pot forward.

There's a Nornir Chest to the right of the bridge. Lighting the rune next to it is simple enough, but Kratos must use the fire pot to ignite the other two. Inside lies some Horns of Blood Mead.

Upon squeezing through the upcoming crevice, Kratos will be forced into a battle with Fiske, one of Odin's servants. He's much slower than previous bosses, but he can perform some lightning-fast moves. His purple attack is by far the most lethal. It's difficult to predict, so keeping a safe distance is recommended. He usually attacks three times in a row before becoming vulnerable, but he can also perform a single red attack without warning.

There's a Red Coffin behind the eastern hut outside the gate. Once it's been looted, Kratos can continue following Freya. If the player wishes to obtain another Legendary Chest, they can do so by solving a second crane puzzle. After jumping down from the ledge, Kratos can find a Red Coffin to the left. Next, he'll need to destroy the pillar blocking the crane with his Blades of Chaos. He will then be able to swing across from the platform he was just on, permitting him to obtain the Helios Flare. Before continuing into the next area, it would be wise to save the game.

Defeating Nidhogg

Nidhogg's first phase is rather easy to deal with. Though the player might want to stay back, the best way to hurt the creature is to attack it head-on. After depleting its first health bar, Kratos will drag Nidhogg from the portal it emerged from.

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Kratos needs to stay close to Nidhogg's head if he hopes to deal enough damage. During this phase of the battle, Nidhogg will swipe its claws at Kratos, but there's plenty of time to predict when to block or dodge. To avoid its red ground pound attack, Kratos must dodge backward. Though the player may want to retreat to safety, it's better to keep the pressure on.

The third phase of the battle is the most challenging, as Nidhogg will now make use of the whole arena. Thankfully, Freya joins the battle once it begins, making it slightly easier. Nidhogg will kick this phase off by firing a deadly purple beam from its tail. It's easy to dodge this attack, but the battle gets a lot more challenging when Nidhogg starts climbing the trees.

Kratos will need to dodge and block a series of projectiles before getting the chance to attack. Igniting the brambles below Nidhogg will cause it to fall back to the ground, allowing the player to deal some more damage. Once it's down, it begins repeating the same attack pattern.

Nidhogg enters its final phase once only one of its health bars remains. To deal the finishing blow, Kratos must throw the Leviathan Axe into the beast's stomach, all while avoiding the debris thrown in his direction.

Back To Freyr's Camp

After freeing herself from the curse, Freya will lead the back to the camp. The brambles blocking the way can now be destroyed thanks to her magic, allowing a quicker route to be taken. Before entering the area crawling with Einherjar, Kratos will pass a Red Coffin that requires Freya's magic to open. There's another Red Coffin to the right of the next intersection.

To cross through the purple fumes, Kratos must use the Leviathan Axe to freeze one of the nearby plants. When the axe is lodged inside, Freya can hex it, allowing the ice effect to remain for a short while after the axe is removed. Before venturing right, Kratos can find another Red Coffin to the left. The next Red Coffin is guarded by a plant. To open it, Kratos needs to destroy the hive on the ledge above.

Crossing the river requires Freya to use some more of her magic. The path is blocked with brambles, so the only way to get through is by chaining some Sigils together and igniting them with the Blades of Chaos.

While exploring the tunnel, there will be yet another Red Coffin on a ledge to the north. A lengthy cutscene will play upon reaching the camp. Once it ends, so does the chapter.

God of War Ragnarok is available now for PS4 and PS5.