A darkness has descended over the lands of Midgard. The goddess Hel, spurned by the pantheon of Asgard is seeking revenge for her banishment at the hands of Odin. Unleashing her legion of undead warriors from the Underworld, Hel intends to claim the world of men. The Viking warriors of Midgard rally to protect their homes but nothing they do can stem the tide of the endless undead…

Skarin, a lone warrior battles tirelessly for the preservation of his home, but the more of Hel’s dark army he fells the more rise again. As more and more of his fellows fall the last remnants of hope fade from Skarin…

Out of nowhere a huge sword swings over his head, he turns to see a creature neither man nor beast facing him with pure hatred in his eyes. The two do battle, but Skarin is battle weary and the strength of the creature soon becomes too much for him. Its huge sword enters Skarins flesh and all is darkness, but this is not the end for Skarin…

A voice whispers to him in the dark, the goddess Freya offers to return Skarin’s life to him if he swears to be her Champion on Midgard. Without a moments hesitation Skarin takes Freya’s blessing and she uses her power to free his hometown of Brighthelm, giving him a safe haven in the dark times ahead.

This Beginners Guide will give you all the preperation needed to fight Hel’s forces and make the most of your time in Midgard! 

INTRO:

As Viking: Battle for Asgard begins you will find yourself in the now liberated town of Brighthelm. This is a great time to get used to the basic controls of the game, jump ‘Y’, light attack ‘A’ and heavy attack ‘X’.  You can use the ‘B’ button to talk to the villagers of Brighthelm and find out a little more about Skarin and his home.

Certain characters will give you important information which update’s your map, they will also give you hints as to where you need to go next. One of these is Chief Haral who is standing by the palisades at the bottom of Brighthelm. He will explain a little about your past and suggest that you go to help the Vikings at the near by farm. He will also open the gates of Brighthelm allowing you to explore the Southern half of the island.

MAP:

Another important feature to get to grips with is the Brisingaman, a mystical amulet given to Skarin by the goddess Freya. This acts as a radar and shows you where all the quest giving characters can be found, it also highlights enemies you need to vanquish in red.  Another feature of the Brisingaman is the ability to set destinations.

This can be accomplished in the map screen, which you access by pressing the ‘Back’ button. This will then open up four separate tabs; Map, Quest Information, Moves List and Inventory. To mark a destination simply scroll across to the map tab, move the cursor between the different area’s of Niflberg and press ‘X.’ When you exit the map screen you will notice that a blue triangle has appeared at the top of the Brisingaman, this marks your destination.

As I mentioned the map screen is split into 4 tabs, the second of these is Quest Information. This records all of the information given to you by the various characters you come into contact with on your quest.

The next tab on will also prove helpful, it keeps a list of all the moves that you learn through the course of the game and how to perform them. Moves are learnt in the Duel Arena, for more information on this see the section on Power Runes and Rage Crystals.

The final section of the map screen is the Inventory, here you will find all of the items that you have collected and have yet to use in the course of your Quest. There is a scale showing you the level of your Power Runes, an area to keep your Dragon Gems a tally of the amount of Gold your have collected and an area to show the amount of Throwing Axes, Health Potions and in Level 2 the amount of Flame Pots you have purchased.

GOLD:

The currency of Midgard is Gold and it is a key part of the game. It can be found all over the three islands in various places and also earned. In particular there is an innkeeper who will ask you to retrieve Kegs to ease the minds of the troubled warriors. For every Keg you return to him he will pay you for your trouble. These kegs are named after the islands they are found upon and are dotted all around the coast.

EXPLORATION:

As well as Skarin’s main quest there are smaller things that you can do through the course of game play to make the battles and skirmishes a lot more manageable. And the key to all of these is exploration. There are maps that can be purchased from the Shop Keeper (see next section) to make this task a little easier but the key is to fully explore the island. Climb vines, explore caves, and scour the woods. You never know what you might find, it could be a group of captive Viking warriors, a chest full of Gold or even a mysterious Red Skull that can be found in war torn settlements.

SHOP KEEPER:

Another key feature of Viking: Battle for Asgard is the Shop Keeper. One of these can be found in the starting camp on every level. They sell a wide variety of items and their stock increases as you progress through the game. To begin with you will be able to purchase such items as:

Throwing Axes: - A deadly projectile weapon, they are bought as individual weapons and you can carry a max of 10 at a time.

Health Potions: - A quick fix for use in skirmishes or battles. These potions will restore a small amount of your health. Skarin can only carry three of these at a time so use them wisely.

Health Advances: - This does exactly what it says on the tin, advances your health bar. There are 5 Health advance stages the highest of which become available later in the game.

Meals:- These increase your health bar, but be warned, if your health drops down to its original state the effects of the meal will wear off.

Treasure Maps: - (Gold bag, Treasure Chest, Urn) Once purchased these treasure maps will appear as gold dots on your Brisingaman.

POWER RUNES AND RAGE CRYSTALS:

As well as your basic combat moves there are a series of more advanced moves for Skarin to learn on his quest. These can be learned in the Duel Arena where the spirits of dead warriors will teach you all they know, for a price…

You are presented with a list of moves each with its own advantages and you must choose which you wish to master first. Each level of the game presents you with more moves to learn, each making your quest to defeat Hel and her legion that bit easier.

The more powerful the move the more energy it will require from Skarin. He builds this energy in the form of Rage Crystals, which are collected during combat. To release the power of these crystals you hold down ‘LT.’

As well as the power of the Rage Crystals Skarin can also utilize the power of the Runes. These can be purchased at the Blacksmith. There are three different types of Rune, Fire, Ice and Lightning. Holding down the ‘RT’ can activate these powers and pressing the button that corresponds to the power you wish to use (for example to use Fire hold ‘RT’ and press ‘B’.) Each of these Elemental attacks has a special move that can be unleashed by holding ‘A’ + ‘X.’ Ice will freeze the earth in a radial attack where as Fire and Lightning will fire a concentrated blast at an enemy of your choosing.

LEYSTONES:

The islands of Midgard are vast and through the power of the Brisingaman, Skarin is able to travel across them in the blink of an eye. Spread at various points on the island are Leystones, these magical stones must be discovered before they become available for Skarin to use. Once again this is why it is important to explore the islands thoroughly.

Once more than one Leystone has been discovered, travel between them could not be simpler. Approach the stone and you will be prompted to tap ‘B.’ Do this and the map screen will appear but with a difference, instead of the settlements and locations of interest you would normally find there are just Leysones. Select the Leystone you wish to travel to and tap ‘A.’ Skarin will then be instantly transported to anywhere you chose. 

ENEMIES:

Grunts:

Once warriors of Midgard these creatures want nothing more than the total destruction of the land that was once their home. Where the taint of Hel is upon the land you will find the Grunt.

Tough Grunts:

Just as their lesser brethren, tough Grunts were once warriors of Midgard. But unlike Grunts they have their wits about them. They will block your onslaught of attacks and avoid you, making them a much more challenging foe.

Berserkers:

These creatures are nothing short of unhinged. They will attack with speed and ferocity making it difficult to counter attack or even block.

Assassins:

Usually found hiding in trees or caves these Assassins of Hel will sneak up on you when you least expect it and launch an unblockable attack. They are quick and hard to attack but once you have them they are easily vanquished.

Champions:

Much larger than other members of Hel’s dark army, the Champion is a formidable foe. They carry a huge sword with a vast reach. The only way to defeat them is to attack them until they become weak and finish them with a series of timed blows. The style of finishing move will depend upon the angle you attack the Champion from and how close you are when you begin the attack. Once they have been felled, Champions will provide you with a dragon token.

Shaman:

Once loyal to the Asgardian gods, these powerful beings they use dark magic to resurrect Hel’s  forces. They are always protected by a group of legion but as well as this they have 5 totem poles pulsing with energy that prevent them from taking damage. The only way to destroy them and stop them replenishing Hel’s numbers is to destroy the totem poles one by one. Once this is done they become completely helpless and stand at the mercy of Skarin.

 

Giants:

Slow but with a terrifying blow Giants can kill you in a number of ways. They may decide to grab Skarin and take a bite out of him, or alternatively kick or hit him. Or they could simply bang the ground with their massive fists, sending a shockwave through the very earth he stands on. Either way these big beasts are similar to Champions in the respect that they require completion of timed blows before they are vanquished.

I hope you have enjoyed our Viking: Battle For Asgard Beginners Guide. For more information about the game, please head over to www.sega.com/viking. Also be sure to add Skarin as a friend on MySpace and Facebook!

 

 

Hi guys,

Welcome to our third Viking: Battle for Asgard Q&A. Keep your questions coming on our official forum!

Q. When can we expect the next update about this game?

A. Right now!

Q. Any news on when the official site will be up?

A. The official Viking: Battle For Asgard website is now online. If you are over 18 years old, visit www.sega.com/viking to check it out!

Q. Couldn’t help but notice that Skarin’s hairstyle seems to have changed slightly in the vids and pics. Is that simply a redesign of the character, or will he sport different looks through the game?

A. Some of the screenshots were taken early during the game’s development. As such, our artists were still finalizing Skarin’s look. With the entire mortal realm of Midgard to save, Skarin has little time to experiment with other hairstyles during the game.

Q. Speaking of looks; Is it futile to give my idea of what Skarin’s sword should look like? ‘Cause I mean ok, I don’t mind that he uses a hand-and-a-half sword, but it doesn’t really look *Viking* enough.

A. Skarin’s is no ordinary sword, and can be upgraded to harness powerful magical abilities. While Norse weaponry of the period was certainly referenced, we wanted to give our Viking Champion a unique sword from which to battle the undead Legion forces.

Q. Is this planned to be just a single game, like Spartan was, or will it have sequels?

A. We really enjoyed developing Viking: Battle For Asgard and are currently considering our options…

Q. Oh, and will Hel appear as in the mythology? Right side of her a beautiful woman, and left side a rotting corpse? Didn’t look like it in the trailer (if indeed that was Hel), but it COULD have changed…. just like Skarin’s haircut, hah.

A. Hel does indeed have a bit of a nasty skin condition. If you have seen the concept art, her legs looks like they are well past their sell-by date! There have been many different interpretations of how Hel looks in Norse mythology, and I believe ours captures her outward beauty and inner decay rather well.

Q. Why did the developers go for a more muscled and less dressed Viking style for Skarin whereas how much muscles he has wouldn’t actually save him in the cold frozen north (does he migrate in the winter?)

A. Between 7-55% of a person’s total body heat is lost through the head, dependent on their cardiac output. Killing undead Legion hordes and traversing islands over a kilometre square is tiring work. Therefore Skarin’s long hair and well-covered lower torso are enough to regulate his temperature to a suitable level.

Q. I have a question; will Viking Battle for Asgard have a good Composer?

A. Viking: Battle For Asgard’s musical score is by Richard Beddow, Walter Mair, and Simon Ravn (and they are all very good!). It was performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus Recording Studio.

Q. And the most important question; since we’re talking about Vikings here. Will Skarin have the ability to go berserk?

A. When Skarin performs quick attacks, he is rewarded with rage crystals that can be spent on more powerful attacks. Many additional moves can also be learnt from your ancestors in the training arena, including a powerful combo attack that allows you to target several enemies in quick succession.

For further information, be sure to add Viking: Battle of Asgard as a friend on MySpace and join our Facebook group!

Thanks,

Mark O’Connell

A fierce struggle is taking place within the realm of the Norse Gods. The Goddess Hel has been banished for defying Odin, Lord of Asgard. Angry at her fate, Hel has raised an army of resurrected Viking warriors to wipe out all of humanity in the mortal realm of Midgard, seeking to bring about Ragnarok - the apocalyptic battle that that will destroy Asgard and the Gods themselves. The task of stopping Hel and defending the future of mankind falls to Skarin, a promising but deeply flawed young warrior, ignorant of the true reason for his favour with the Gods…

Here is the full list of Achievements available in Viking Battle for Asgard (Xbox 360):

Viking Conqueror Normal (30 points)
Reach the end of the game on the normal difficulty setting

Viking Conqueror Hard (60 points)
Reach the end of the game on the hard difficulty setting

Niflberg Supplies Freed (20 points)
Niflberg farm and quarry freed from the Legion
Liberate the farm and the quarry in Niflberg

Dragon Summoner (15 points)
Summoned the dragon-guardian of Niflberg
Find and charge the dragon gem Hugin and dragon amulet, and summon a dragon

Skullbagger 1 (15 points)
Collected all the skulls in Niflberg
Collect the 6 skulls in Darkwater

Skullbagger 2 (15 points)
Collected all the skulls in Galcliff
Collect the 6 skulls in Holdenfort and the 6 skulls in Caldberg

Skullbagger 3 (15 points)
Collected all the skulls in Isaholm

Savior of Niflberg Normal (25 points)
Liberated Niflberg on normal difficulty level

Savior of Niflberg Hard (35 points)
Liberated Niflberg on hard difficulty level

Galcliff Supplies Freed (20 points)
Galcliff farm, still, lumber mill, and quarry freed from the Legion
Liberate the farm, still, lumber mill, and the quarry in Galcliff

Dragon Master (15 points)
Summoned the dragon-guardian of Galcliff
Complete the second dragon gem, and summon a dragon

Demon’s Nemesis (40 points)
Killed Hel’s Harbinger
Kill Hel’s Harbinger Drakan

Redeemer Of Galcliff Normal (30 points)
Liberated Galcliff on normal difficulty level
Liberate Galcliff completely on the normal difficulty level

Redeemer of Galcliff Hard (40 points)
Liberated Galcliff on hard difficulty level
Liberate Galcliff completely on the hard difficulty level

Isaholm Supplies Freed (20 points)
Isaholm farm, still, lumber mill, and quarry freed from the Legion
Liberate the farm, still, lumber mill, and the quarry in Isaholm

Dragon Overlord (15 points)
Summoned the dragon-guardian of Isaholm
Recover the final dragon gem, and summon a dragon

Death King (25 points)
Performed 150 fatalities

Demon Eviscerator (20 points)
Performed 100 fatalities
Finish off 100 Legion with fatality moves

They Never Saw Me Coming (20 points)
Executed 100 sneaky kills
Execute 100 sneaky kills

Giant Killer (25 points)
Defeated a Legion Giant
Find and slaughter a Legion Giant

The Flames of Freya (20 points)
Incinerated 10 Legion soldiers
Buy flamepots and incinerate 10 Legion soldiers with them

Thor’s Mortal Lightning Rod (5 points)
Blasted a Legion with Thor’s ultimate lightning
Send a Legion back to the underworld in the most lightning-tastic way imaginable

Odin’s Doomsinger (5 points)
Absolutely immolated a Legion
Use the ultimate fire attack to kill a Legion

Heimdall’s Enforcer (5 points)
Mastered the ultimate ice attack
Glacially wipe out a Legion using the ultimate ice attack

Deadly Axe Juggler (15 points)
Demonstrated uncanny deadliness with throwing axes
Kill 5 Legion just using Throwing axes

Euthanasia Euphoria (5 points)
Pushed 20 Legion off cliffs to their death
Use your defensive bash to knock your Legion foes to their doom!

Friend Of The People (10 points)
Powered-up over 500 Vikings using the magic of the runes
Power-up over 500 Vikings in your armies with runic magic

Assassin of Assassins (15 points)
Defeated a Legion Assassin
Locate and kill a Legion Assassin

Blinded To Fear (45 points)
Killed 50 Legion without using a health potion
Kill 50 Legion without using a health potion

Viking Slaughterer (12 points)
Unlocked 4 advanced combat moves
Learn a total of 4 new moves

Viking Butcher (10 points)
Mastered the first advanced combat move
Master the first new move at the Battle Arena

Viking Slayer (14 points)
Mastered 8 advanced combat moves
Master a total of 8 new moves

Viking Warrior (16 points)
Mastered 12 advanced combat moves
Master a total of 12 new moves

Viking Blademaster (18 points)
Unlocked all advanced combat moves
Learn all the moves in the game

Demon Hacker (5 points)
Performed 25 fatalities
Finish off 25 Legion with fatality moves

Secretive Rogue (20 points)
Sneaked into the infested settlement of Darkwater
Complete the quest to sneak into Darkwater

The Perfect Killer (20 points)
Killed a Legion Champion without being hit
Kill a Legion Champion without being hit

Killer of Champions (5 points)
Killed 10 Champions
Kill 10 Champions

Killer of Giants (5 points)
Killed 5 Giants
Kill 5 Giants

Hero of Darkwater (10 points)
Achieved victory at the battle for Darkwater
Lead your army to victory at the battle for Darkwater

Hero Of Holdenfort (10 points)
Achieved victory at the battle of Holdenfort
Lead your army to victory at the battle for Holdenfort

Hero Of Caldberg (10 points)
Achieved victory at the battle of Caldberg
Lead your army to victory at the battle for Caldberg

Hero Of Thornvik (10 points)
Achieved victory at the battle of Thornvik
Lead your army to victory at the battle for Thornvik

Hero Of Midgard (20 points)
Achieved victory at the final battle for all Midgard
Lead your army to victory at the final battle for all Midgard

Thirst For Blood (10 points)
Kill 50 Legion in Midgard

Lust For Blood (20 points)
Kill 100 Legion soldiers

Champion of Champions (25 points)
Defeated a Legion Champion
Find and defeat a Legion Champion

Berzerker (35 points)
Killed 200 Legion in Midgard
Kill 200 Legion soldiers

Slaughter Master (50 points)
Killed 500 Legion in Midgard
Kill 500 Legion soldiers

No Need for Immortality (50 points)
Lead your army to victory at Hel’s Fortress without the need for immortality.

Thanks,

Mark O’Connell

Hi guys,

Welcome to our second Viking: Battle for Asgard Q&A. Keep your questions coming!

Q. About the searching for relic missions, are we talking Zelda style dungeons with puzzles and stuff like that?

A. In some quests you will need to seek out relics such as a dragon gem so that you may communicate with the dragons. There aren’t puzzles as such as Viking: Battle for Asgard is more combat-focused. Each of Midgard’s three Islands are over a kilometer square in size and offer many different environments to explore such as caves, forests and forts.

Q. When in Stealth mode can you go up against walls, peek around corners, hide and all that kind of stuff? What is the depth of the stealth mode?

A. To navigate safely around Midgard, stealth can be a valuable tactic to approaching objectives. You can of course charge in and attack the Legion head on, but sometimes its better to infiltrate the area unseen, liberate and recruit reinforcements and then attack the Legion in greater numbers. Skarin can climb up vines, shimmy along ledges, and swing across chasms to avoid the enemies below. He can even sneak up to execute them with special stealth kills.

Q. I’ve read that we will be able to face off against some mythical beasts from Norse mythology, How will this play out?

A. While we would like to keep these encounters a surprise, let’s just say that some of the enemies will be much larger then our Viking champion. Each will require a lot of skill, cunning and dexterity to overcome them.

Q. Can you talk to NPCs in towns and villages?

A. Characters will give you quests and provide tips. If you can earn their trust through the completion of secondary quests, they can be convinced to add their number to your pool of forces.

Q. Are there any QTE (Quick Time Events) in the game? If so, how many and where?

A. Yes there are Quick Time Events. Some opponents will require attacks to be executed in a certain order to target their unique weaknesses. A giant for example could only be toppled if he is first brought down to size. Other enemies require completely different tactics in order to defeat them, such as Shamans who are protected by a magical force and assassins who use their agility and stealth to gain the upper hand.

Q. As far as the Xbox 360 version goes, can you tell us what the unlockable achievements will be like?

A. It is important to make the achievements both fun and challenging to encourage players to get the most out of the game. Only the most skilled warriors will be able to tame dragons, lead mighty armies to victory, liberate all of Midgard from Hel’s evil clutches to prevent Ragnorok (the end of the world).

Q. When will the official Viking: Battle for Asgard webpage be up?

A. Very soon! We are currently putting the finishing touches on the official Viking: Battle for Asgard website, which will feature exclusive information and screenshots, character bios, videos, downloads and much more. I will keep you all informed when it is ready to launch so stay tuned!

If you haven’t already, be sure to add Viking: Battle of Asgard as a friend on MySpace and join our Facebook group!

Thanks,

Mark O’Connell

Hi guys,

Welcome to our first Viking: Battle for Asgard Q&A, featuring some of your most asked questions to date!

Q. In the screenshots Skarin has got a few daggers strapped around his waist, are those merely decoration, or useable weapons?

A. Skarin has a variety of weaponry at his disposal, including throwing weapons. Some of these weapons can also be upgraded with magical runes to increase their potency.

Q. Skarin seems to have a two-handed sword strapped to his back (the grip on the sword is rather massive) will he be using it as a two-hander? If not why not shorten the handle so it looks a bit more like real Viking style swords?

A. Skarin can learn a wide range of combat moves during the course of the game (players will have to train at combat arenas to earn new moves). Some of these moves require two weapons, others are one-weapon hits and cuts. As for shortening the sword from two-handed two one-handed, we’re sure Skarin would like to leave his options open when facing off against some of the bigger creatures of Midgard!

Q. Will Skarin have a selection of weapons to use? If so would it be too much to hope that there’ll be a combo that goes along these lines: “Nothing screams Scandinavian more than a burly blonde man maiming an opponent with a rather large axe.”? I think Skarin would look very slick wielding a Dane axe!

A. Skarin always carries the same basic weapons but as we’ve mentioned these can be upgraded over time with different runes and magic. In addition as Skarin learns new moves new uses for his weapons become available such as fixing an enemy in place for decapitation or dismemberment. The more spectacularly Skarin fights, the more impressed his Patron goddess Freya becomes, rewarding him with magical energy. We’re not actually naming any ‘combos’ as the individual moves are up to the player to chain together, so you could certainly make up a sequence of attacks and name it “The Burly Blonde Bash” if you like!

Q. With Skarin’s army, will we get different unit types? So far from the screenshots it looks like all units have a sword & shield. I know it’s still very early days but i’m wondering if we’ll get axe & shield units? Or Dane axe wielding units?

A. Yes, Skarin’s army is comprised of different unit types. There are archer, rank and file Viking and more powerful and heavily armoured warriors. As you rightly say it is early days and we’re still working on the variety within these different unit types.

Q. What’s with that blue orb on the bearded axe Skarin uses in his off-hand?

A. The blue amulet is Brisingamen, a powerful talisman the Goddess Freya gives to Skarin as a way of communication. In the game it will provide you with useful information about your surroundings and current mission objectives. Think of it as an olde worlde PDA?

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Viking: Battle of Asgard Q&A!

Mark O’Connell

Hi guys,

Gamereactor.dk have posted a Viking: Battle For Asgard interview online at http://www.gamereactor.dk/grtv/player/popup.php?partner=&cat=Interview&id=1590

Enjoy!

Mark O’Connell