God of War Ragnarok: how long to explore the entire adventure?

God of War Ragnarök, follow the epic journey of Kratos and Atreus in the Nordic universe, broader and more immersive than ever. This video game, now a staple of the gaming landscape, does not just tell an epic adventure: it offers players a complete experience where careful exploration, gameplay mastery, and the quest for 100% completion are all exciting challenges. With such richness, one question often arises: how long does it really take to explore all of God of War Ragnarök? Between the playtime needed to follow the main story, venture into side quests, and achieve total completion, the numbers vary greatly depending on your goals and playstyle. In this article, we dive into detailed information about the expected playtime, accompanied by analyses and examples to enlighten all fans of this mythical adventure.

The duration of the main story of God of War Ragnarök: immersion and intensity

For those who prioritize the narrative and want to focus on the core adventure, the duration of the main story of God of War Ragnarök generally ranges between 20 and 25 hours. This timeframe includes precious cinematics, which last around 3h30 and bring to life the characters, plots, and the unique atmosphere of this Nordic world. This narrative/gameplay ratio demonstrates the care Santa Monica Studio puts into offering an interactive cinematic experience.

By progressing this way, you will discover key events, face major bosses, and follow the storyline without worrying about side distractions. Some variations in duration can be explained by the chosen difficulty: a normal mode will make the combat part more accessible while higher levels will require more time and strategy to overcome tough enemies.

During my own adventure, the desire to take on several challenges sometimes made me exceed the 30-hour mark just in the main story, indicating that this time can evolve depending on how you approach the game. This time frame places God of War Ragnarök in a perfect balance, allowing players to immerse themselves fully without tiring their attention during long sessions.

Unlike some shorter or longer action-adventure games on the market in 2026, the offered duration here ensures a dense and high-quality experience. It then becomes clear that this adventure is designed to provide a controlled pace, with an efficient blend of narrative sequences and action.

Exploring side quests: enriching playtime and the universe

God of War Ragnarök does not stop at its main plot. Truly designed as a semi-open exploration game, it offers a large number of side quests that deepen the understanding of the world and provide varied challenges. Count between 36 and 40 hours to complete the story as a whole including these secondary objectives.

With more than forty of these optional missions, the game invites players to consider each realm and each area as a full-fledged adventure ground. Quests range from treasure hunts—with in-game maps to decipher and complex puzzles—to battles against particularly formidable optional bosses.

Among the most appreciated are missions allowing the liberation of regions controlled by enemies, thus bringing a genuine layer of complementary narrative and a feeling of impact on the world. Exploration then becomes much more than just an extension of playtime: it grants a depth only true enthusiasts truly appreciate.

The numerous collections of artifacts scattered in these areas also enrich exploration, offering a unique archaeological and cultural breath. One thus discovers the richness of the Nordic universe, its myths and legends, inviting the player to fully immerse. This seriousness in content construction ensures a complete and coherent gaming experience, well in line with the expectations of modern players.

Illustrative list of typical secondary objectives to explore

• Treasure hunts with encrypted maps
• Challenging optional bosses
• Arena challenges testing your tactical skills
• Solving complex environmental puzzles
• Collections of items and artifacts enhancing the story
• Liberation of territories controlled by enemies

Completing God of War Ragnarök at 100%: a time-consuming but rewarding experience

For players eager for completion, fully completing God of War Ragnarök entails a long journey ranging from 50 to 70 hours depending on profiles. This range represents the time required to collect all collections, complete all challenges, and explore every corner of the nine realms. The term “100%” does not just mean finishing the game but achieving a true personal feat.

Some sources even mention that despite 70 hours accumulated, not everything will necessarily be accomplished, as some optional challenges and collectibles require patience, reflection, and gameplay mastery. A truly exhaustive exploration of the system in a way.

This level of completion is particularly aimed at enthusiasts who want to live every moment of the game intensely and leave nothing to chance. Their playtime will be marked by multiple back and forth between zones, revisiting combat mechanics, but above all, an in-depth search for hidden elements offering a unique thematic richness.

God of War Ragnarök thus invites its fans to push their limits and discover secrets hidden beyond the initial story.

Summary table of durations according to playstyle

Type of progression	Estimated duration	Description
Main story only	20-25 hours	Direct storyline follow-up, little exploration of side quests
Main story + side quests	36-40 hours	Exploration of major side missions, narrative enrichment
100% completion	50-70 hours	Exhaustive search for all collectibles and challenges
100% completion on “God of War” hard mode	85+ hours	Mastery and extreme challenges in maximum difficulty

The “God of War” difficulty: an ultimate challenge for experienced players

Beyond simple completion, God of War Ragnarök offers an ultimate difficulty called “God of War” aimed at seasoned players seeking an intense challenge. This option significantly alters the duration of the adventure, often exceeding 85 hours with more punitive gameplay and reinforced enemies.

This difficulty requires mastering combat mechanics perfectly, optimal use of skills, and an in-depth knowledge of strategies to adopt against the toughest bosses. It is an experience as mentally rewarding as physically challenging.

If you seek to test your abilities thoroughly, this option pushes you to your limits. The satisfaction that comes from it, especially when defeating legendary bosses, matches the time and effort invested, much like other demanding video games released recently.

However, this choice is reserved for players already with solid experience with God of War, as it demands a lot of endurance and patience. The pleasure lies as much in the progression as in the end of each difficult victory.

The nine realms to explore: diversity and richness of the universe

One of the strong points of God of War Ragnarök lies precisely in its universe: the nine Nordic realms each offer a unique visual identity and atmosphere. These realms are not mere backdrops but living environments, full of puzzles, challenges, and specific collections.

Each realm is built around its own narrative and offers a series of varied activities guaranteeing an exciting complete exploration. For example, you can move from Midgard to the icy lands of Jotunheim, passing through Svartalfheim with its mysterious atmosphere. The integration of these worlds in a semi-open framework allows fluid navigation while preserving content density.

This richness enhances the game guide many enthusiasts consult to not miss anything, making each gaming session a new adventure. In 2026, it remains one of the references in terms of video game universe.

• Midgard: central realm and starting point of the adventure
• Jotunheim: land of giants, rich in mythology and majestic landscapes
• Svartalfheim: land of puzzles and mysterious encounters
• Alfheim: realm of the light elves, offering an ethereal atmosphere
• Helheim: land of the dead, dark and eerie
• Niflheim: icy zone with a particular survival system
• Muspelheim: land of fire and tough arena challenges
• Vanaheim: realm of the Vanir, offering quests of knowledge and craftsmanship
• Asgard: domain of the gods and narrative climax

The impact of the free Valhalla DLC on the complete adventure duration

Since the end of 2023, players who finished God of War Ragnarök have had the opportunity to extend their journey thanks to the Valhalla DLC, entirely free. This roguelite expansion adds about 8 hours of additional content, renewing the gameplay experience.

Valhalla does not just add a simple new story: it offers a gameplay system where runs are dynamic and often unpredictable, renewing difficulty and replayability. This roguelite approach brings a breath of fresh air to an already rich game and enhances the overall experience.

For exploration and challenge lovers, this DLC is a true gift that extends playtime without burdening the main progression. It fits perfectly into the natural cycle of players wishing to deepen their mastery of the title. In 2026, this addition is recognized as one of the best examples of free expansions that succeeded in satisfying and maintaining fan community interest.

God of War Ragnarök: a perfect balance between narrative, exploration, and playtime

Analyzing the duration of God of War Ragnarök reveals how brilliantly the title has fused exploration, side quests, and a captivating narrative thread. Whether you opt for a quick read of the story or a meticulous exploration of the realms, the playtime adapts to your profile.

The key remains the quality of the experience lived: each player, whether beginner or veteran, will find reasons to immerse themselves in what can be called a major video game work.

This flexibility also demonstrates the success of the in-game guide, which guides players without ever hindering their freedom. The many possibilities offered by game maps and the variety of secondary objectives encourage taking time, thus savoring every moment in this vast and fascinating world.