God of War’s Nordic-set masterpiece duo has firmly established itself as one of PlayStation’s most iconic franchises. Born in the PS2 era, God of War made a name for itself with its excellent action gameplay, an intriguing tale of divine revenge, and a memorable lead role in the Spartan demigod Kratos. Eighteen years later, God of War has grown into gaming’s influential action-adventure series, with its increasingly fine-tuned action underpinned by his older, more sympathetic Kratos, It blends deeper lore with stronger narrative hooks.
Now that God of War Ragnarok has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Greatest Gods of All Time, we’ve created a timeline for the series for those interested in playing (or replaying) from the beginning.
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How many God of War games are there?
Released by Sony 10 God of War Games — 6 text adventures on home consoles, 2 on portable consoles, 1 on mobile and 1 on Facebook Messenger.
The second mobile release, God of War: Mimir’s Vision, has been left out as this AR game provides players with background knowledge from the world of God of War rather than adding to the ongoing narrative. increase. Despite being comical, this chronology also excludes PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. Included in the God of War canon.
Although this list only includes games, there are also several God of War stories told through novels and comics.
chronological god of war games
These blurbs contain minor spoilers for each game, including characters, settings, and story beats.
1. God of War: Ascension (2013)
The seventh God of War game by release date, but the first chronologically, Ascension is a revenge tale that explores the early days of Kratos’ transformation from a Spartan demigod to God of War.
Ascension comes months after Kratos was manipulated into killing his wife and daughter by the Greek God of War Ares (more on this in the original God of War section below). . Traumatized by the killing, Kratos refuses to honor the oath he swore to Ares, setting the Ascension story in motion. Ares seeks revenge through the game’s hostile Furies, three beings tasked with punishing treachery. The story ends with Kratos leaving his Spartan home behind, still grieving.
2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (2008)
Kratos’ next adventure will be told in the aptly named PSP game God of War: Chains of Olympus. Olympus takes place midway through Kratos’ ten-year enslavement to the gods (five years before him in God of War).
The main plot tasks Kratos with the task of rescuing Helios, the Titan God of the Sun, from the underworld at Athena’s request. There, he encounters the game’s main antagonist, Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. Persephone gives Kratos a chance to reunite with his daughter, and Kratos wrestles with the apocalyptic ramifications of that reunion and his promise to return Helios to the gods.
3. God of War (2005)
Set nearly ten years after Ascension, the first God of War game begins with Kratos succumbing to grief and jumping off a cliff into the Aegean Sea. Before he hits the water, he flashes back three weeks to discover what drove the Spartans to the brink.
Kratos, who is nearing the end of his life as a slave to the gods, is given one final mission by Athena. It’s about defeating Ares and saving the city of Athens from his siege. Promising forgiveness for his past atrocities as a reward, Kratos sets off to obtain Pandora’s Box and kill Ares. This job takes him back to Hell, and Kratos finally faces off against the God of War. Triumphant yet haunted by his past, Kratos jumps off the bluff as seen in the opening of the game. Athena pulls him out of the water and offers him the throne of Olympus, completing a ten-year ascension to become the God of War.
Throughout the game, the narrator provides important backstory on Kratos’ life through cut scenes. Kratos was once a respected captain in the Spartan army. When on the verge of death and defeat against a barbarian horde, he offered himself to Ares in exchange for victory. Ares answered the call, defeated the barbarian, and claimed Kratos as his servant, fusing his arm with the Chaos Blade.
4. God of War: Ghost of Sparta (2010)
The second PSP game in the series, Ghost of Sparta, takes place between God of War and God of War 2. The subtitle refers to the nickname given to Kratos for his pale white appearance as a result of the Oracle’s curse that fixed Kratos’ ashes. his wife and children in his skin.
Ghosts of Sparta puts an end to the narrative threads of two families: Kratos travels to Atlantis, where he was killed by his mortal mother and the gods as a child to prevent the fulfillment of the prophesied demise of Olympus. Meet both of your kidnapped long lost brother Deimos.
At the climax, Kratos and his brother are reunited to battle Thanatos, the Greek god of death. Despite the victory, it’s another unfortunate ending for Kratos. By the time the credits rolled, Kratos was even more tired and furious with the other Olympians.
5. God of War: Betrayal (2007)
According to Sony Santa Monica’s Animation Director, this mobile 2D side-scroller is officially part of God of War Canon. Bruno VelasquezThe gods, frustrated by Kratos’ thirst for blood, seek to thwart his latest conquest by Argos, the many-eyed giant who serves Hera, Queen of the Gods. Kratos is accused of murdering Argos by an unidentified assassin in an attempt to further sour his relationship with Olympus. Zeus then sends a messenger to put an end to Kratos’ continued destruction. Betrayal leaves the player with the following message and sets the events that occur in God of War 2. [Kratos]”
God of War: Betrayal was released in 2007, before the rise of smartphones, and is not available on modern mobile stores. You can safely skip it, but people who want to play will have to access it via a Java emulator.
6. God of War 2 (2007)
God of War 2 pits Kratos against Zeus, King of Olympus. Kratos, already banished for his years of rampage, continues to wreak havoc across Greece by rejecting Athena’s pleas for peace. This is the final straw for Olympus. Zeus descends on the battlefield and kills Kratos.
Kratos finds new allies in the Titans and Earth’s mother, Gaia. She offers Kratos a way to rewrite his past and save his own life.After traveling to the Underworld, Kratos follows Gaia’s instructions and is led to the Sisters of Fate. After further bloodshed, Kratos takes control of the Loom of his Fate and returns to the scene of his death.Kratos’ plan to kill Zeus ends when another Olympian steps in front of his blade. is blocked when It’s here that we (and Kratos) learn about his true parentage, as Kratos harnesses the power of his Loom to join the Titans of the past in future wars. Back in the present, Kratos leads the Titans in an attack on Mount Olympus to set God of War 3.
7. God of War 3 (2010)
God of War 3 takes place right after the previous game, ending Kratos’ Greek tale and settling the war between Zeus and the Olympians.
Kratos and the Titans battle the Olympians with devastating results. Kratos is betrayed (again) and falls into the underworld (again). There, Kratos teams up with his old allies to defeat Zeus once and for all. Back on Earth, Kratos faces the wrath of the Titans and the gods as he wages an epic slaughter for a final showdown with Zeus.
Kratos declares vengeance over and sacrifices himself to free hope for humanity as the world crumbles.
8. God of War: Call from the Wilderness (2018)
God of War: Call from the Wiz is a Facebook Messenger text adventure released ahead of God of War 2018. The roughly 30-minute story introduces Kratos’ son Atreus and provides some background to the character’s extrasensory abilities while adding a little flavor to Kratos’ relationship with his mother Fei. The story is set before God of War 2018, when Faye is still alive.
Call from the Wild seems to be no longer playable, but like God of War: Betrayal, this is a story you can finally skip.Those who want to experience it can find the full playthrough Youtube.
9. God of War (2018)
Set many years after God of War 3, 2018’s God of War transports Kratos from Greece to the Nordic kingdom of Midgard. Kratos now lives with his son Atreus. Kratos and Atreus plan to grant Faye’s dying wish. Scatter her ashes from the highest peaks of the Nine Worlds.
Their journey is no easy hike. The duo travels through multiple realms and encounters friends and foes from Norse mythology, including Balder, Freya, Thor’s sons Magni and Modi, and the last living giants Jormungandr and Mimir. Along the way, Kratos struggles with his paternity and the truth he keeps hiding from Atreus: his past and Atreus’ identity.
Following their adventure, the Nine Realms enter Fimbulwinter, a three-year harbinger of Ragnarok, the end of the world.
10. God of War Ragnarok (2022)
Given the recent release of Ragnarok, this plot synopsis is particularly vague to avoid spoilers.
God of War: Ragnarok is the latest story-rich God of War game, set three years after 2018’s God of War, as Nine Realms near the end of Fimblewinter and the beginning of Ragnarok.
Many of the characters have returned from 2018, with some newcomers such as All-Father Odin and son Thor, but the focus remains on the adventures of Kratos and Atreus, exploring their newfound identities and powers. Emphasis is placed on the latter. As Kratos and Atreus, traverse all nine realms and the Realm Between Realms on a personal quest for identity and a larger quest to defeat the Asgards and survive Ragnarok.
We don’t want to ruin your trip, but Ragnarok leaves the door open for future God of War stories to be told.
How to play God of Wargames by release date
- God of War (2005)
- God of War 2 (2007)
- God of War: Betrayal (2007)
- God of War: Chains of Olympus (2008)
- God of War 3 (2010)
- God of War: Ghosts of Sparta (2010)
- God of War: Ascension (2013)
- God of War: Call from the Wilderness (2018)
- God of War (2018)
- God of War Ragnarok (2022)
What’s next for God of War?
Sony has yet to announce another God of War game. commercial success We hope to see future entries for God of War (2018) and Ragnarok.
Announced is the God of War TV series. A live-action show in development for Amazon’s Prime Video Streaming service will adapt the 2018 God of War story. Game Director Corey Barlog serves as Executive Producer. Rafe Judkins (The Wheel of Time) is the showrunner.
Jordan is a freelance writer at IGN covering games, shows and movies.
