When the franchise started in 2005, it became an instant hit, mainly because how theGod of Wargames weren’t afraid to show dark and gruesome themes that shone a light on Greek Mythology in a mostly negative way. Thecombatof God of War was similar to many action games at the time, but Santa Monica somehow managed to make it feel satisfying yet challenging, something that carried on in nearly every sequel that came after the first game.
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Over the period of nearly twenty years, Santa Monica Studios has released eight mainline God of War games, excluding the Java-based God of War Betrayal, and some of these games are just better than others.
8God Of War: Ascension
A Wholly-Disappointing Release
God of War: Ascension
Sitting at the bottom of the pack is the last Greek Mythology-based God of War title, which was also the last game of the franchise to come out on the PlayStation 3. God of War Ascension should never have existed in the first place and only went ahead to show that the studio was running out of ideas after already having made five games in this setting.
The game attempted to expand the series’ lore by exploring Kratos’ early days of servitude to Ares, but it fell heavily short, not just on the story aspect, but also on the newcombat systemit introduced, which many players hated. The focus on multiplayer, which was a first for the franchise, felt out of place and detracted from the single-player experience. The stunning visuals and creative boss fights, however, such as the battle with the Hecatonchires, are still a spectacle to experience.
7God Of War Chains Of Olympus
Kratos’ First Foray Into Portable Consoles
God of War: Chains of Olympus
The Chains of Olympus was the franchise’s debut on handhelds, specifically the PlayStation Portable. Despite the hardware limitations of the PSP, it blew people away because of how accurately the game managed to capture the authentic God of War experience.
Sadly, that’s about it in terms of the good stuff. Chains of Olympus came out on a device that didn’t have enough buttons, which is why the game felt awkward to control. While it did play more or less like the actual console game, it was severely held back by the PSP’s hardware, which is why the game is filled with puzzle sections instead of meaningful and fun combat encounters. Plus, it’s short – players could easily finish in a single afternoon – and there’s little-to-no replay value. Still, it did portray Kratos in a new light, showcasing his service to the gods and his emotional struggle with the loss of his daughter, Calliope.
6God Of War
The Game That Introduced Kratos to the World
God of War
The game that began the franchise is no slouch; the things it did right, it did so well that all of the future God of War games until 2018 followed in its footsteps. God of War took inspiration from the Devil May Cry series and Ico, attempting to merge the combat and platforming aspects of these two games. The result was a game that provided a solid foundation for many upcoming sequels, and even if it was flawed in some ways when compared to the future entries, it was a banger at the time of its release.
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The narrative of the game was exceptionally well done, and the developers made sure to create some memorable set pieces that players would remember long after they were done with the game. Still, many people thought that the game would do much better without the awkward platforming sections and repetitive puzzles, especially the ones that had Kratos push boxes around.
5God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta
A Closer Look At Kratos’ Childhood
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Ready at Dawn Studios, the developers of God of War games on the PSP, managed to squeeze every ounce of power out of the system when they came out with Ghost of Sparta. Compared to Chains of Olympus, this entry was much more confident and fixed nearly everything that was wrong with its predecessor.
The game centered the story around Kratos’ brother, Deimos, and also took a dive into his childhood and his relationship with his mother, both of whom were killed by Zeus, something that only fueled his rage against the King of Gods of Olympus. Its refined combat, impressive visuals and encounters with lesser-known Greek Mythos monsters made this game the reason why many people purchased a PlayStation Portable.
4God Of War Ragnarok
Final Chapter of Kratos’ Norse Saga
God of War Ragnarok
Building on 2018’s God of War reboot, Ragnarokmade improvements to a lot of thingsfrom the previous titles, such as a more-refined combat as well as the addition of a brand new moveset that harkens back to the olden days of Kratos’ adventures in Sparta. The world is larger, the story is more emotional and there are many more characters that help deliver the conclusion to the Kratos’ Norse storyline.
There are glaring issues, however, especially with the story’s pacing and some of its sections. In the initial few hours of the game’s playthrough, players might experience some inconsistent storytelling, and as they play more of it, they’ll get to the Atreus sections of the game. While it’s true that Atreus sections do help tell the story from the point of view of not just one but two protagonists, these sections are lengthy and many players find them a slog to go through. But once players get past all of this, and the somewhat disappointing ending, God of War Ragnarok is a game that is worth sinking many hours into.
3God Of War 3
So Much Bloodshed
God of War III
No one will deny that God of War 3 was a spectacle; from the start of the game, with Kratos bringing forth the wrath of the Titans to Mount Olympus, to the very end where he finally realizes his revenge story, everything was top-notch. Santa Monica Studios used everything they had learned from the previous entries, especially when it came to the gameplay which is the most fun here than it was in the prequels.
Sadly, in their attempt to outdo the masterpiece that was God of War 2, they focused too much on grandeur and visual spectacles, which is why Kratos lacks much of the emotional depth that was present in older entries, even in the two games made for the PSP. Thestory of the gameis linear, with the end goal being in sight from the very beginning, and there’s little to no nuance or character development in the plot. Despite that, there is no other God of War game that shows an angry, blood-thirsty and rage-fueled Kratos better than the third entry.
2God Of War (2018)
Kratos Now Has a Son
After the disaster that was God of War Ascension, Santa Monica Studios knew that they couldn’t milk the Greek mythos any further, so they took a whopping five-year hiatus to come out with a reboot of the franchise. 2018’s God of War shows Kratos as a much older man who has finally settled down for a more peaceful life in the Norse mythos while looking after his eleven-year-old son, Atreus, and a killer beard which probably gets more of Kratos’ attention than even his son.
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God of War (2018) completely changed the formula; the game is much slower and more deliberate, with a stronger focus on Kratos’ relationship with Atreus. The camera is not set close to Kratos’ shoulder for a much closer look at the action, which is different from the previous entries but not in a bad way. In fact, this clunkier combat is exactly what was needed for a series that had been getting long in the tooth by the time of its previous entry. There’s almost nothing bad about God of War (2018), except for the fact that some fans didn’t like its RPG-like upgrade system.
1God Of War 2
The Magnum Opus of the God of War Franchise
God of War II
Something that’s almost unanimously agreed at this point, God of War 2 is the pinnacle of the franchise and a high point that the series never really achieved after this title. Improving in nearly every way on the slightly-flawed first entry, Kratos is back with a story that is extremely well-paced and with just the right mix of character development and emotional depth.
The game continued Kratos’ quest for revenge on Zeus while diving much deeper into the Greek Mythology lore. The awkward platforming and puzzle sections are gone, replaced by more creative environmental exploration and creative puzzles that actually feel rewarding. The combat is much more fleshed out, and it ends on one of the most-memorable cliffhangers in video gaming.
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