Where to go after Nidavellir in God of War Ragnarok

God of War Ragnarok is not an open-world game as such, but it’s certainly more open than previous games in the God of War series. The first two or three hours of the game are almost totally linear, but during the The Quest for Tyr goal, just before you leave Nidavellir, Sindri gives you the Dwarven Compass. This beautiful artifact lets you track objectives on your map and on your HUD, and is going to come in useful now that you can have more than active objective in your journal at once, and now that the environment is rather more open to free exploration.

Related: How to get Nidavellir Ore in God of War Ragnarok

The game eases you into your new-found freedom, though. After receiving the compass, you get into a boat and paddle your way through a snaking rock tunnel. Then, as you emerge from the tunnel into the Bay of Bounty, you’re given an explicit, two-way choice. Mimir says he would appreciate checking out the mining rigs in the lake to the right, while Atreus points out that Durlin’s place is through the open gate to the left.

Should you check out the mining rigs or go to Durlin’s place?

These two choices are not mutually exclusive. The game is basically letting you know that from here on in, you’ll have the choice between exploring and doing side quests (known as Favours in God of War Ragnarok), and following the main story questline (known as The Path in God of War Ragnarok). You’ll have to go to Durlin’s place eventually in order to progress through The Quest for Tye (and the game as a whole), but the mining rigs, the In Service of Asgard Favour side quest, are optional.

You’re not limited to these two choices either. You could also decide to pursue some Labours for some extra XP, or you could go hunting for some collectibles. There are definitely no wrong or bad choices here, but we would recommend turning right and completing the In Service of Asgard Favour before continuing with The Quest for Tyr. You’ll get some useful XP and loot, and it’s a fun side quest in its own right.