You are listening to Vacation in the dungeon. The podcast with your host(s) Muhammad Tahir and Charlton Smit.

In this episode of Vacation in the dungeon the Podcast we discuss: gaming and vacation. Sit back relax and lets get the adventure started

Alright, let’s talk about Norway. Snow covered mountains, dense forests. It all screams Scandinavia. The landscapes in God of War are stunning, and it really feels like you could step right into those frozen forests and jagged mountains. You can almost hear the crunch of snow underfoot, feel the icy wind cutting through your jacket, and sense the weight of the wilderness pressing in on you. The cold is brutal, and it’s easy to imagine how unforgiving a real Norwegian winter would be. Kratos and Atreus aren’t just battling monsters here they’re constantly fighting the elements themselves, and that struggle makes every step feel alive and tense.

The mythology is incredible. There are nods to the Völsung Saga and other Norse legends, but what really stands out is how much the game evokes the same harsh, relentless world you see in Vinland Saga. Just like in the anime, the Norse world is unforgiving, full of brutal battles, survival, and hard choices. You get the sense of humans being small in a massive, dangerous world, and every victory feels earned.

The realms, from the Lake of Nine to Jötunheim, feel monumental. The forests hide secrets, icy lakes reflect a world that’s beautiful yet deadly, and towering mountains rise like ancient guardians. It’s cold, harsh, but breathtakingly beautiful, giving the game a sense of majesty and danger all at once. It makes you want to bundle up, maybe grab a scarf, and definitely an axe, because you never know what kind of mythological threat might appear next. Norway in God of War feels alive and legendary, a place where the myths, the struggles, and the epic landscapes all come together in a way that sticks with you long after the game ends.

Muhammmad -Norway almost doesn’t feel like real quiet towns leading into massive mountains, icy waters, and ever-changing landscapes that make you feel tiny in the best way. The air is crisp, the weather unpredictable, and nature clearly in charge, while even Oslo blends life into its surroundings. Norwegians match that energy: chill, confident, and low-key, with simple but high-quality food like fresh salmon or brunost. That’s why God of War works so well here: Kratos trekking through snowy forests and rugged terrain feels completely natural, like the country itself is already epic enough to be part of a myth. So picture this: you’re standing at the edge of a towering fjord, water dark as obsidian, mountains rising like the ribs of the world itself. The air is sharp, cold enough to bite, but clean in that way that makes you inhale deeper. And if you’ve played God of War (2018), it’s impossible not to feel like somewhere—maybe just over that ridge—Kratos and Atreus are trekking through the snow, talking about the nature of gods and giants with that heavy father-son tension.

Charlton :Norway is a character all on its own. The forests? Exactly the kind of place where a draugr might stumble out from behind a pine tree. The waterfalls? Pure myth—half beauty, half danger. And the mountains? Those massive slopes practically echo with the same silent power as the World Serpent. Heck, you can stand on the rocks in Vøringsfossen and almost feel that rumble as if Jörmungandr is sliding beneath the fjord. But here’s where the crossover really hits: Santa Monica Studio didn’t just borrow from Norse mythology… they borrowed from Norway’s atmosphere. The grey skies, the biting winds, the quiet, haunting stillness of the north—you see it in every step Kratos takes. When he trudges through deep snow? That’s Norway’s winters. When the camera