God of War Ragnarok has an incredibly impressive hidden region just waiting to be explored. Late in the story, you’ll be able to unlock this vast region that’s packed with dozens of collectibles, high level equipment, and unique boss fights against titanic opponents. It’s all optional and it can all be missed. If you don’t want to miss out on one of the coolest locations in Ragnarok, check out the guide below. We’ll keep spoilers to an absolute minimum.
What makes the Crater so special? The region is split into three sub-areas. Each one is huge and filled with side-quest content. There are dungeons to explore, dragons to hunt, puzzles to solve, and some of the best environmental interaction we’ve seen yet. Thanks to the power of Celestial Altars, you’ll be able to flip the valley between two different states. You’ll even be able to change the entire layout of the Crater, allowing you to access all those side-areas you missed the first time through.
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How To Unlock The Crater | ‘Scent of Survival’ Favor Guide
The Crater is only available after your second visit to Vanaheim. After the complex escape sequence in the story, you’ll return to Freyr’s Camp. One of the characters is temporarily missing. Following them will lead to a giant quest.
- Scent of Survival Favor: Freyr’s Camp | Alfheim – In the camp, go to the road up the path, left of the door exit. A hound will appear here. The dog only appears after completing your major mission on the second visit to Vanaheim during the main story.
- Follow the hound mission marker across the stream and into the jungle. There are blue glowing paw prints you can follow.
- Turn the night into day at the altar and cross the vine path. On the ledge, you’ll find the dog. Here, you can ride Freyr’s Boat to a new location.
The Crater isn’t just one new location — its three. Starting in the Plains, you can also find the sunken Sinkholes to the east, or the Jungle to the southwest. All three areas are packed with special content. You’ll find spirits to give favors, epic monster hunts, giant unique bosses, and new ways to change the environment itself. Explore thoroughly, because this single area can take 6+ hours to complete alone. It is all optional, but absolutely worth checking out.
This is just the beginning of the Crater. This location is critical for fully upgrading your armor — you’ll only find the best upgrade materials for crafting by following a hidden quest.
