Kratos was never meant to be a hero. By the time we find him in God of War Chains of Olympus, he’s basically the gods' glorified errand boy, drowning his nightmares in the blood of Persian soldiers and mythical beasts. If you’re looking for a god of war chains walkthrough, you’re probably either stuck on that brutal Basilisk chase or wondering why your health bar looks so pathetic halfway through the game. Honestly, this PSP classic—now playable on modern hardware via the Origins Collection or emulation—is tighter and meaner than the console entries. It doesn't waste your time.
The sun has literally fallen from the sky. Morpheus is tucking the world into a nightmare-filled bed, and you're the only guy angry enough to do something about it.
The Shores of Attica: Where Most Players Trip Up
Attica is a meat grinder. It’s the opening level, but it sets the tone for the rest of the game. You’ll spend the first twenty minutes wondering why a giant lizard is trying to eat your face. The Basilisk isn’t just a boss; it’s a recurring headache. When you’re on the city walls, don't just mash Square. You'll die. Use the Plume of Prometheus (Square, Square, Triangle) to keep the fodder at bay while you focus on the environmental triggers.
Most people miss the first few Gorgon Eyes here. Look, if you aren't smashing every wooden crate and checking behind every half-broken wall, you're playing God of War wrong. There’s a chest hidden right after you use the ram to break the gate—tucked away to the left. Grab it. You’ll need that extra health when the Persian King shows up.
The Persian King is a pushover if you’re patient. He has this fire move, the Efreet, which is basically an "I win" button once you take it from his cold, dead hands. To beat him, parry. The timing is generous. Wait for the swing, tap L, and punish him. Once he’s down, you get the Efreet magic. Pro tip: dump all your early Red Orbs into the Efreet. It’s the most reliable crowd control in the game, especially when you get swarmed by those annoying Harpies later on.
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Navigating the Temple of Helios and the Caves of Olympus
After Attica, the game slows down. Kinda. You’re in the Temple of Helios now, and the puzzles start to kick in. This is where a god of war chains walkthrough becomes less about combat and more about not getting lost in the architecture. You have to reflect light. It’s a recurring theme. Use the Sun Shield—which you’ll find early on—to parry projectiles back at those annoying archers.
The Caves of Olympus are a visual treat but a platforming nightmare if you aren't precise. You’ll meet Eos. She’s glowing, she’s desperate, and she gives you the Light of Dawn. This is your ranged attack. It’s okay, but honestly, save your magic for the Efreet or the Charon’s Wrath later.
- Secret Alert: In the caves, there’s a section where you have to swim through several tunnels. There is a Phoenix Feather hidden behind a breakable wall underwater. If you miss it, you’re going to be one feather short of a magic upgrade for a long time.
- Combat Trick: When fighting the Minotaurs in the narrow hallways, use the Spirit of Hercules (Triangle, Triangle, Triangle). It has high knockback. It keeps them from pinning you against the wall.
Hades and the Fields of Asphodel
The tone shifts hard when Kratos descends into the Underworld. This is where the narrative weight of Chains of Olympus actually hits. You aren't just killing monsters; you’re dealing with Kratos’s grief. But before the feelings, you have to deal with Charon.
Charon is the first "wall" for many players. He’s the ferryman of the Styx, and he’s a jerk. The first time you fight him, you’re supposed to lose. Don't burn your magic. Don't sweat it. Just take the loss. After you crawl back from the depths of Tartarus with the Gauntlet of Zeus, then it's go time.
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The Gauntlet of Zeus changes the game. It turns Kratos into a heavyweight boxer. It breaks shields. It shatters armor. It makes the Blades of Chaos feel like wet noodles in comparison. When you face Charon again, use the Gauntlet's "Olympic Strike." It interrupts his healing phase. If you let him stand on those pillars and regenerate, the fight will last twenty minutes. Knock him down. Smash his face. Move on.
The Final Stretch: Persephone and the Pillar of the World
Persephone is the final boss, and she’s arguably one of the most technical fights in the entire pre-2018 God of War era. She flies. She throws rocks. She has a white energy beam that will melt your health bar in three seconds.
The fight happens in two stages. First, it’s a brawl on the ground. Use the Gauntlet. Don't even bother with the Blades here. You need the burst damage. When she flies into the air, you have to play a game of "dead man's volley" with her projectiles. Reflect them back using the Sun Shield.
Then comes the "hug" sequence. It’s the most famous part of the game. You have to mash buttons to pull away from Calliope, Kratos's daughter. It’s brutal. It’s meant to be. If you don't do it fast enough, the world ends. Literally.
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Once you’re back in the fight, stand in the circles of light on the floor. Use the Sun Shield to reflect the light at Persephone. It stuns her. That’s your window. If you try to just jump up and hit her, she’ll swat you like a fly. Stay in the light.
Hidden Collectibles and Missable Upgrades
You cannot max out Kratos if you just run from point A to point B. The game is designed to reward the curious.
- The Hidden Hallway in Tartarus: After you get the Gauntlet, go back toward the area where you were chained up. There’s a wall that looks solid but has a slight crack. Punch it. There are three Red Orb chests inside.
- The Statues in Helios: Before you leave the temple, look at the statues of the gods. Some can be pulled. Some can be destroyed. There’s a Gorgon Eye behind the statue of Zeus.
- The Phoenix Feather Count: You need five feathers per upgrade. There are 15 in total. If you reach the final elevator and you only have 14, you missed the one in the jail cells of Tartarus.
Actionable Strategy for God of War Chains of Olympus
To master this game, you need to change how you think about Kratos. In the later games, he’s a tank. Here, he’s fast but fragile.
- Prioritize the Gauntlet: As soon as you get the Gauntlet of Zeus, spend every single Red Orb you have on it. Level 3 Gauntlet can kill a Cyclops in about four hits. It makes the final boss much more manageable.
- Master the Parry: The Sun Shield is your best friend. In the god of war chains walkthrough, we cannot emphasize this enough: parrying creates Orbs. If you’re low on health, find a projectile-throwing enemy, parry their shots, and reap the rewards.
- The Efreet is for I-Frames: When you use the Efreet magic, Kratos is invincible for a few frames during the animation. If a boss is about to hit you with an unblockable attack and you can't dodge in time, trigger the Efreet. You’ll take zero damage and deal some out in return.
- Check the Corners: Every time the camera angle changes, walk toward the "lens." Developers love hiding chests just out of the default field of view.
Stop mashing Square. Start watching the enemy's shoulders. When they twitch, you dodge or parry. That is how you survive the prequel that defined the PSP's legacy. Once you've cleared the story, don't forget the Challenges of the Gods. They're soul-crushingly hard, but they unlock the bonus costumes that make your second playthrough a total power trip.