Summary
God of Waris one of the most enduring franchises in gaming. Santa Monica Studio’s epic saga of an angry Spartan hacking and slashing his way through the great Greek myths stretches back to 2005. The franchise has given players no shortage of hack-and-slash thrills over the years, and most of them are exceptionally high in quality. Each entry maintains a palpable passion, possibly due to not coming out every year like some other long-running series.
Sadly, no property is perfect.God of Warhas gone through several changes to stay fresh, but these added gimmicks and narrative angles don’t always pay off. This inevitably makes some entries more appealing than others. At the end of the day, everyone has their favorite.
Updated on August 02, 2025 by Mark Sammut:God of War’s future is currently unknown. One has to assume that Santa Monica will, sooner or later, revive the franchise, be it with Kratos or Atreus. However, so far, a new project has not been announced. While waiting for the IP’s big return, players might wish to revisit some of thebest God of War games.
Every God Of War Game
Sony and Santa Monica have produced quite a fewGod of Wargames over the last two decades, most of which are generally highly regarded. To make this information as accessible as possible, the following table contains everyGod of Wargame, not counting remasters and collections.
PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3
God of War 2
God of War 3
PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
PlayStation 3
BeforeGod of War’s big 2018 return, Sony releasedGod of War: A Call from the Wildson Facebook, providing fans with some insight into Atreus' backstory and relationships with both of his parents. While mainly consisting of text and a handful of images,A Call from the Wildsshowcases the reboot/revival’s strong writing and shift toward introspection.
Unfortunately, nowadays, the original Facebook game does not seem to be available. Fortunately,Sony uploaded the story onto YouTube, so it is not completely lost to time either.
Out of all theGod of Wargames,Betrayalis the one that even die-hard fans might have forgotten about. Released to mobile devices shortly afterGod of War 2’s debut,Betrayaltakes place between the first and second entries, and it does a respectable job of expanding upon Kratos' story.
A 2D side-scroller,Betrayalimpressively adaptsGod of War’s style of gameplay for amobile setting. While naturally simplified,Betrayalhas all the violent action and puzzles any fan could want. This spin-off is certainly far from thebestGod of Wargame, but it was pretty decent when compared to other Java ME projects released in the mid-2000s. That said, players who skipped this release were not missing much.
For a mobile game released in 2007,Betrayalwas likely to meet expectations when it debuted, even if it has not aged particularly well. Still, the combat was surprisingly vicious and gory, and there was some depth to the combo system.
It was painfully clear whenGod of War: Ascensiondebuted that the studio, SCE Santa Monica, was running out of ideas. Building an entire game around Kratos breaking his oath to Ares screams unnecessary, and the execution doesn’t assuage any skepticism. The journey here is so forgettable and uninspired that it evaporates from memory as soon as someone completes the campaign.
It doesn’t help thatGod of War: Ascensioncrippled the combat, having combos dependent on the player’s ability to dodge. On paper, that’s a neat concept to mix up the gameplay, but it’s frustrating and completely counterintuitive to how the battles had functioned in the first five titles. It’s another in the line of missteps that hamperAscension’s enjoyment.Ascensiondid incorporate multiplayer, but it did not add too much value to the overall package and failed to add much longevity to the game’s lifespan.
This prequel proved the franchise can work on a handheld system.God of War: Chains of Olympusdelivers all the polish and spectacle of a consoleGoWentry on the PSP, and it feels just as good as ever to slice enemies to ribbons.
Unfortunately, the reduced format means the game gets a bit too caught up in block-pushing puzzle-solving instead of combat. The story also feels incidental to Kratos and the overarching narrativeuntil the last act.Chains of Olympusis also the shortest console entry in the series, and it does not offer a lot of replay value. Consequently, someone could easily blow through the campaign in an afternoon and find they have nothing left to do outside of repeating the same levels over and over again. That type of experience can work for action games that reward players for mastering their combo-heavy combat systems, butChains of Olympusdoes not offer anything like that.
Nevertheless,Chains of Olympusis a solid portable entry whose biggest weakness is that the other games in the franchise are better.Chains of Olympuswas packaged withGhost of Spartaas part of the PS3’sGod of War Origins Collection, and together they deliver an experience roughly equivalent to one of the mainline entries.
It’s always special to reflect on the original entry in a franchise. This 2005 hit laid the foundation for the rest of theGod of Warseries, and what a solid foundation it is! The hack-and-slash gameplay is a blast from the get-go, combining fast-paced strategy and raw, satisfying power.God of War’s intuitive controls lend themselves beautifully to the devastating combos, and players feel a real sense of progression as they unlock more through the simple-yet-effective upgrade system.
On top of that, the narrativeintroduces Kratos with surprising care, steadily doling out development throughout the journey and getting the player just as invested in his quest for vengeance by the end. What ultimately hindersGod of War’s replay value is its long stretches of awkward platforming and repetitive puzzles. After experiencing its sequels, the original game’s flaws became a bit harder to ignore, even if its positives continue to shine through to this very day. Even with these issues, though,God of Warremains one of the strongest debuts in gaming.
For this second PSP outing, developer Ready at Dawn took everything it learned the first time around and crafted a more confident entry, one that shows a few new layers to Kratos. That’s admirable for this late in the series, and it informs much of the game.Ghost of Spartarelies less on scale and more on creativity. Not only does it plow lesser-known legends, but it weaves these into some truly inspired visuals and set pieces, many of which directly reflect Kratos’s struggle. This makes the gameplay and presentation even more impressive thanChains of Olympus.
Although the set pieces themselves aren’t quite as memorable, the game’s moment-to-moment thrills, personal story, and continued dive (Atlantis pun) in Greek myth are plenty strong enough, pushing Sony’s portable system to its limit.Ghost of Spartawas one of the main reasons to own a PSP, and the game looks pretty good when experienced on the PS3. Do not discount this entry just because it is a spin-off asGhost of Spartais among thebestGod of Wargames.
This is exactly the radical reinvention the series needed in 2018. The PS4’sGod of Waris a more methodical adventure guided mostly by character. An older Kratos coming to terms with his past and trying to build a better future for his son makes for an exceedingly compelling relationship, and the pair’s attempts to find common ground are some of the most poignant moments in the series.
The gameplay reflects that intimate perspective, as it’s much slower, more focused on strategy, and the camera is much closer to the action. While it’sa bit clunkier than previous entries, the battle system still nails the brutality and flavor ofGod of War. Of course, it helps that the game mines just as much intriguing lore from Norse legends as the previous ones did with Greek mythology. All of this helped revitalize the franchise, leaving fans excited about the next entry,Ragnarok.
God of Waralso marked a significant first for the franchise as it was ported to a non-PlayStation ecosystem (that was not mobile). In January 2022,God of Warmade its way to PC, following in the footsteps ofDays GoneandHorizon Zero Dawn. It is a decent port that opens up the franchise to an audience that might have never directly experienced Kratos' story.
3God Of War 3
A Relentless Blockbuster And The End Of Kratos' Original Story
Putting aside something likeAscension,God of War 3is arguably the most divisive but still beloved entry in the franchise. In terms of pure excess, the 2010 release represents Santa Monica’s series at its absolute peak, especially when it comes to the classic pre-genre shift era. As the culmination of the Ancient Greece arc,God of War 3revels in glorious over-the-top mayhem, pushing Kratos to effectively dismantle an entire pantheon in pursuit of revenge. Sure, he comes into this chapter with the blood of gods already on his hands, but the Spartan baths in their remains throughout this massacre.
Focusing solely on gameplay,God of War 3is arguably unmatched. The combat is fast-paced, fine-tuned, and relentless. While satisfying on the easiest levels, the system shines when played on the highest difficulties, showcasing that there is more depth here than just a mindless hack and slash. The visuals are fantastic and grandiose, with Kratos' battle with Cronos being the definition of epic. The campaign builds beautifully up to the final fight with Zeus, which serves as a fitting climax for the original trilogy.
As great asGod of War 3is, the story does not quite have the nuance of its predecessors. At this point, Kratos is completely and utterly fueled by revenge, which can make him come across as one-dimensional. His characterization slightly undermines the Greek Tragedy aspect that was part of the first twoGod of Wargames, resulting in arguably a shallower experience. Honestly, after this entry, Kratos needed a substantial reboot as he had nowhere left to go.
God of War 3 Remasteredis the version to play nowadays, but it is too similar to the original release to warrant a separate entry.
With 2018’sGod of War, Santa Monica confidently launched a new era in Kratos' story, one that set high expectations for the foreshadowed sequel. Except for perhapsElden Ring,Ragnarokwas probably the biggest game of 2022, and the game is more than capable of carrying the weight burdened by this attention. On the surface, the sequel does not deviate too far from its predecessor, offering hefty combat alongside smart character work. However,Ragnarokis not happy to merely retread past glories and smartly picks which areas to evolve and expand.
In terms of storytelling,Ragnarokis an ambitious and cinematic conclusion to the franchise’s Norse mythology era. As told in the tales of old, Ragnarok refers to a cataclysmic series of events that brings devastating destruction to the world of humans along with the demise of key Norse figures such as Odin and Thor. Santa Monica uses this myth to craft an explorative romp that directs Kratos and Atreus to the Nine Realms.
Ragnarokemphasizes exploration quite a bit as well, providing quite a few open areas that each contain loot and optional content. While pretty short for the most part, side quests are great for lore and world-building, and they usually emphasize a companion’s history (Freya, for example). Speaking of companions,Ragnarokjuggles quite a few secondary characters who join Kratos and Atreus on their (respective) journeys, including one or two surprises that will not be spoiled here. The sequel improves upon its predecessor’s combat significantly, offering far more variety and customization options.
Telling a gripping story about grief, anger, and regret,Ragnarokis a character-driven epic that balances quieter personal moments and large-scale set pieces. If there is one major criticism that can be thrown atRagnarok, it would have to be the story’s final act. Considering Ragnarok is built up to be such a cataclysmic deal, the actual event is surprisingly underwhelming and lasts for just about two hours. The ending feels rushed, particularly Kratos' final battles with Thor and Odin.
Also, Atreus' sections can be polarizing, particularly one overly long excursion to Ironwood that, while introducing some important plot threads and lore details, brings the campaign to a screeching halt. Due to focusing on ranged combat, Atreus plays very differently from Kratos, which is both a positive and a negative. While he should not have been a copy of his father, Atreus is just not as fun to use as Kratos.
The PC version ofGod of War Ragnaroklaunched on June 25, 2025, introducing arguably the most expansive entry in the franchise to a whole new audience. Admittedly, the fact that none of the pre-2018 games are available on PC is a detriment since PC-only players cannot directly experience Kratos' formative years, losing some context that influences the protagonist’s behavior and mentality in the latest offerings. Still,God of WarandRagnarokare worth playing in isolation, although newcomers should start with the former before picking up the latter.
Valhalla
Ragnarokpresents a strong case for being one of the bestGod of Wargames on its own, but theValhalla DLCbrings things up a few notches. Santa Monica’s franchise is not exactly known for dropping post-release content, so Valhalla came as something of a surprise; furthermore, the release is free and adds potentially hours upon hours of gameplay. This release is so good that the mode could have probably been expanded into a spin-off game, and it would not have seemed like a cash grab.
Kratos is summoned to Valhalla, a place that forces the warrior to reminisce over his long and blood-soaked history. Reduced to his essential weapons, Kratos must work his way through Valhalla’s halls, battling enemies from the past along the way. En route, he finds resources and upgrades that grant him a boost, although they are lost if the protagonist falls in battle. This DLC follows the structure of a roguelite, a concept that emphasizesRagnarok’s combat while still incorporating narrative depth.
