The largest update to the Viking strategy game, Northgard hits today and on top of that, it’s free. The most expansive update since launch, Ragnarok comes with a wealth of content, like a cataclysmic-themed map with new tiles and events, a new neutral faction and the addition of a new gameplay mechanic in Military Paths. By defeating enemies or losing a unit, players gain experience points to use on one of three Military Paths – Tactician, Guardian, and Conqueror. Each has three unlockable skills and offer powerful choices to a players army, and allows greater specialization/playstyle options. The latest patch notes have the full details.
“We are very happy to see Northgard grow and be able to offer our most expansive update since the game’s launch for free,” declares Sebastien Vidal, CEO and co-founder at Shiro Games. “We still have a lot of cool ideas in store, and our community can expect more content updates in the upcoming months.”
Other new features to Northgard:
-
New Ragnarok map: promising to be a testing challenge to beginners and veterans alike, this cataclysmic-themed map comes with new tiles and events illustrating the devastating results of the end times. No fertile land remains, and farming is now impossible, with prospective clan leaders having to plan carefully if they want to survive and stand victorious on this demanding new map.
-
New Volcano tile: occupying the centre of the map, the Volcano will violently erupt at random times, throwing massive boulders across the map. They are both a blessing and a curse, as each rock crashing in a clan’s territory can be mined for valuable resources during four months. If players fail to do so, each stone left unchecked will turn into a powerful and extremely aggressive Rock Golem.
-
Ancient Graveyard tile: home to the souls of fallen Viking warriors, these hallowed grounds can be colonized and studied, resulting in the recruitment of Spectral Warriors boasting very high defence. While such supernatural allies can prove useful, Vikings are highly superstitious and the clan will suffer a happiness penalty as long as these ghostly beings remain in the player’s territory.
-
Fallen Sailors event: as the apocalypse draws near, the countless souls of the Fallen Sailors drowned during the long journey to Northgard are eager to return to the world of the living. This event can occur at any moment and will see a wave of Spectral Warriors invade and haunt the players’ shores, attacking any Viking in sight.
-
The Myrkalfars: a new neutral faction of Northgard, these dark elves are particularly aggressive and will raid random clans every year, stealing their resources over time. To be spared by future raids, players can choose to trade with and befriend the Myrkalfar, making a good amount of Krowns in the process. Cooperation is not the only way, however, and, while it may prove challenging, any clan able to raze the dark elves’ camp will be able to recover some of the stolen resources.
