Nordic Ashes: Survivors of Ragnarok

Every few seconds the decision is the same and completely different: a wave of Norse creatures closes in from three directions, and the upgrade panel has just appeared offering a new rune ability, a stat boost, or a relic that synergizes with nothing you currently carry. Nordic Ashes: Survivors of Ragnarok, developed by Noxfall Studios, is a horde-survival roguelite set against the mythological backdrop of Ragnarok, in which a handful of survivors fight to endure as the Nine Realms collapse.

Players choose from more than ten characters, each carrying exclusive weapons and skills. Axeldör is a melee-focused Viking warrior, Thyra a ranged fighter, and Hafgrim a elemental caster, among others. Runs take place across nine maps drawn from Norse mythology’s nine realms, and during each run players collect weapons, abilities, and relics — over 150 of the latter — while fighting elite enemies and bosses that have distinct behaviors rather than simply scaling health. Reward Shrines scattered through each map offer quests and challenges that give runs a secondary objective layer beyond raw survival.

Permanent advancement runs through two systems. Each character has a constellation-shaped skill tree that upgrades that survivor’s stats specifically, and a separate Yggdrasil tree provides broader bonuses that carry across all characters. Character Masteries push individual survivors to their ceiling, and relics can be ascended to stronger versions over time. Five modes — Adventure, Ragnarok, Daily Challenge, Custom, and Nightmare — vary the structure and pressure of runs. The Twitch integration feature lets streamers connect their account so that elite enemies and bosses are named after viewers in chat.

Nordic Ashes released on April 26, 2024, and has accumulated a meaningful update history since. Console availability expanded significantly in late 2025 with Nintendo Switch and PS5 editions, followed by an Xbox release in early 2026. The Twilight of Yggdrasil DLC launched in May 2026 after a multi-week devlog series that previewed features including a Lightning Mode and a Relic Ban mechanic. A Summer Festival seasonal event arrived in June 2026, alongside the addition of Vidar, son of Odin, as an unlockable character.

A new player’s first hour involves picking one of the starting characters, dying to an overwhelming wave before fully understanding the relic interactions, and immediately starting over with a slightly clearer picture of how the constellation tree shapes what the next run should prioritize.