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The God of War series has become a household name since its launch in 2005. With each iteration, the title continues to reinvent itself, leaving an indelible mark on the history of gaming. As it has always been at the forefront for PlayStation, you may consider this iconic series similar to that of Zelda: a standalone title that makes players invest in a console.
Kratos has evolved as a character in more than 15 years, and his arc never seemed stale or overdone. Santa Monica Studios has never failed to impress, be it the grotesque and grand scale of the boss battles in God of War 3 or the incredible storytelling of God of War (2018).
Each game in the series has distinct qualities, making it hard to rank this legendary series. Nonetheless, we'll delve into the details of each entry and see what sets them apart, ranking each game released from 2005 until 2022.
All God of War games ranked
8) God of War: Ascension
Serving as a prequel to the first game, Ascension ranks last on our list. While the game is not outright bad, it leaves much to be desired. On paper, prequel games should enhance your overall experience of the mainline entries. Prequels and spinoffs are a slippery slope, as sometimes it's better to leave the gaps in the story to make the world feel more lived-in and realistic.
Ascension feels like a forgettable journey that one didn't need to set out on. While the game has its shining moments, with Orkos' death being one of the most heartfelt moments throughout, it lacks in many ways the other entries shine on this list.
7) God of War: Chains of Olympus
It's almost ironic how another prequel game chronologically set right after Ascension is rated just below it. Chains of Olympus is also lackluster, but what sets it apart is its release on the iconic PlayStation Portable (PSP).
While Chains of Olympus used to be one of the best PSP games, it lacks a lot of substance as a God of War title. While the majority of the story has puzzle-solving instead of the combat the series is known for, only players willing to delve deep into the lore should check out this entry.
6) God of War
The PS2 period classic God of War has much to thank for the success of the series and its continued existence as a strong PlayStation franchise. The utilization of lethal combos and quick-time events made it one of the finest hack-and-slash video games of its time when it first came out. The game introduced the legendary Blades of Chaos, which has become a series staple.
But there are also several issues with this title. The platforming and puzzles feel overdone, hindering the game's pacing and making the overall experience quite mundane. Despite these problems, God of War ranks among the best gaming debuts.
5) God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Ghost of Sparta, another PSP title, fares much better than Chains of Olympus, as it corrects several mistakes. The game boasts an amazing story about Kratos learning that his brother Deimos is still alive. It tells a heartfelt story with incredible cutscenes compared to its shoddy predecessor.
Ghost of Sparta offers much smoother combat, coupled with engaging visuals, making it a treat for God of War games. Despite being a spinoff/prequel, Ghost of Sparta is considered one of the best titles in the series.
4) God of War 2
Santa Monica is known to learn from its mistakes, and that is what the studio did with the sequel to the original classic game. In almost every way, God of War 2 is an improvement over its predecessor. All the original characters are fleshed out, the gameplay is more focused, and the narrative is far bigger in scope with improved combat and traversal mechanics.
In a day and age where sequels are usually cash grabs, this one sets the bar for what a sequel should be like. The game, however, still had a lot of mishaps, such as the final cliffhanger, which saw Zeus running away, making the ending feel incomplete. However, the next title on our list makes up for all the errors of this title.
3) God of War 3
God of War 3 is the epic conclusion to what is now termed the Greek Saga. This entry offers one of the best battles in the series, or better yet, one of the best boss battles in gaming. The game serves as the true revenge story of Kratos and is the most grotesque and violent the series has ever been. The conclusion to one of the most iconic titles had to be grand, and Santa Monica definitely delivered with this one.
Showcasing an incredible story, brutal combat, and amazing visuals, the final entry in the Greek saga shines as the best game on PlayStation 3's roster. Everything about this game is incredible, including one of the most theorized post-credits scenes, which segues into our next entry on this list.
2) God of War: Ragnarok
God of War: Ragnarok is the conclusion to the epic Norse Saga. It's almost as though each generation of PlayStation has a God of War highlight, with Ragnarok as that for PlayStation 5. While the puzzle sequences might get a little boring and annoying, the game shines with its story and dialogue.
Ragnarok was one of the most-awaited titles after the release of its predecessor in 2018, with Ragnarok serving as the end of the Norse Pantheon. The game has an incredible amount of detail put into it. Acting as a semi-open-world game, you can traverse different realms, each offering something new.
The combat of Ragnarok is brutal, with a plethora of weapons to choose from as you progress. The game begins with an incredible opening boss battle with Thor as Kratos is launched into the air with Mjolnir. However, the most iconic opening sequence of the series is still in our next entry on this list.
1) God of War (2018)
This release should not be considered a God of War game with the amount of changes it made. It begins with one of the most incredible boss battles with Baldur. You should definitely check it out, even if you haven't played the game. The game focuses on a much older, bereaved Kratos who has lost his wife and is on a quest to spread her ashes from the tallest mountain in all the realms.
The game may sound like a father-son simulator, but it is much more than that. This Kratos is not the same one we knew, whose answer to everything is mashing the "O" button with his blades. While many players had a problem with this as they felt robbed of the original "brutal" gameplay,
Narratively, Kratos' character in this game is perfect, as he has learned from his mistakes and tackles problems in a calm and composed way. The game even flips the whole story with a plot twist that you definitely won't see coming.
While this game has a lot of callbacks to the original Greek Saga, you can play it with no previous knowledge of the earlier releases. While you may miss out on some fascinating details, such as seeing Zeus in hell or Mimir talking to Kratos about his Sparta days, this is one of the best titles to get into God of War if you don't want to play the older ones.
Key takeaway
God of War is one of the best game franchises to date. While this list may be dated from worst to best, don't let that delude you; each entry is truly beautiful and has something for everyone to appreciate.
With the recent release of Ragnarok, the series has ended on a high note. While there are rumors of a new DLC being released and even a new TV series being developed, there's much to be known about what Santa Monica has in store for us.
