God of War Ragnarok Easter eggs explained

Easter eggs are a staple of video games, and God of War Ragnarok has a fair few for players to discover. Whether it's a reference to an inspiration, a cheeky nod for players in the know, or a funny in-joke from the developers that players understood, here are the ones we found on our playthroughs.

Kvasir's Poems

God of War Ragnarok is full of collectibles for you to find on your travels. One type of said collectible is Kvasir's poems, a set of poetry books written by a long-lost author.

At first glance, these could just be a few random paragraphs of poetry that make sense within the God of War lore. However, if you look closer you will find that each of these poems are references to iconic PlayStation-exclusive titles.

Your first inkling that these poems are Easter eggs can be found on the front covers. As Kratos picks up these collectibles, you'll see that the front covers feature drawings of a popular PlayStation title.

The poems inside are also clear references to iconic PlayStation games. For example, there's 'Tool and Bang', a clear parallel to Ratchet and Clank. 'Visions After Rest' is also a more subtle nod to Dreams.

Once you've collected all of Kvasir's poems, be sure to visit Sindri's house. All of the poems that you collect are displayed there, with all of the delightful covers in perfect view.

Composer cameo

God of War Ragnarok features a banging soundtrack, composed by none other than Bear McCreary. It's not just McCreary's music that makes an appearance in the game, though. If you listen closely, you'll also hear his voice appear from the Dwarf character 'Ræb'.

To make the Easter egg even more delightful, Ræb is a musician who can be regularly seen playing an instrument throughout the Ragnarok story. He even plays it at Brok's funeral towards the end of the game. And if it wasn't clear enough that Ræb is Bear McCreary, read his name backwards.

PlayStation All-Stars reference

Fans of the PlayStation-themed Super Smash Bros knockoff title will be pleased to know that God of War Ragnarok makes Kratos's appearance in the ensemble canon. While you're parading around the Nine Realms, listen out for a particular comment from Mimir.

"Brother, I've heard my share of stories about your homeland, but I'd also heard that you once fought in a tournament… I heard you did battle with beasts, scoundrels, princesses, the undead, automatons, and history's greatest musician," remarks Mimir.

Of course, Kratos bats this comment away with a simple "I would not speak of this." However, it's clear that Mimir is referencing PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. In that game, Kratos went up against the likes of Nathan Drake (scoundrel), and PaRappa The Rapper (history's greatest musician). It may not have been a fantastic game, but that doesn't matter now that it's officially canon.

Boat Captain reference

The Boat Captain is a long-returning reference from the God of War games. In the first title, Kratos essentially sentenced a poor Boat Captain to death after he sacrificed him for a key he needed on his journey. Later on, he sacrificed the captain again as he tried to escape the pits of Tartarus.

The Boat Captain can actually be found in the last God of War game on one of the side quests, but a reference to him returns in Ragnarok.

After you complete the Lyngbakr side quest, check your quest log to see the notes Kratos has written. In his entry, Kratos talks about how this adventure reminded him of a Boat Captain he wronged long ago. It seems like Kratos is still atoning for the actions in his life from long before his journey with Atreus.

Finding the real Tyr

Perhaps the biggest twist in God of War Ragnarok is that the Tyr we spend the entire game with is not actually the real Tyr. In fact, he's Odin in disguise as he keeps an eye on the actions of Kratos and the gang.

That begs the question, where is the real Tyr? Is he really dead? It turns out that Tyr is still alive, but imprisoned in an Asgardian keep. Said Asgardian keep is displaced after the destruction of Asgard at the end of the game. If you head to Niflheim after the credits roll, you'll find a new area that you can explore. Clear your way down to the bottom of the keep and you'll find the real Tyr locked up in a cell.

Once you've freed him, you'll bump into Tyr several more times as you travel between the remaining realms. He'll have some wisdom to part with you, so it's definitely worth hunting him down and listening to what he has to say.

There are likely many more references and Easter eggs we missed, so keep an eye out on your next playthrough.