You’re standing on a cliff in Greece, covered in the ashes of your dead family, screaming at the gods. Then, suddenly, you’re in the freezing woods of Midgard, trying to teach a kid how to hunt deer without losing your temper. If you just look at a god of war list games index, the jump feels jarring. It’s weird.
Actually, it's more than weird—it’s one of the most ambitious narrative pivots in the history of the medium. Most people think there are only two or three "main" games, but that's a mistake. If you skip the "side" titles, you’re missing the actual reason Kratos is so angry in the first place. You’re missing the nuance.
Santa Monica Studio didn't just make a hack-and-slash series. They built a tragedy. To get it, you have to look at the full picture, from the grainy textures of the PlayStation 2 era to the photorealistic snow of the Norse saga.
The Greek Era: Where the Blood Started
Everything started in 2005. David Jaffe and his team wanted to make something that felt like a Ray Harryhausen film but with way more gore. They succeeded. The original God of War introduced us to a Kratos who wasn't a hero. He was a blunt instrument.
He was the Ghost of Sparta.
The thing about the early god of war list games is that they weren't released in chronological order. God of War II (2007) picked up the pace, giving us the scale we craved. Fighting the Colossus of Rhodes felt impossible on a PS2. It pushed the hardware to its absolute limit. Honestly, it's still impressive today.
But then you have the prequels. God of War: Ascension (2013) is often the black sheep of the family. It’s the only one with a multiplayer mode, which was... a choice. It wasn't a bad game, but coming after the high-octane finale of the third main entry, it felt a bit like a step backward for some fans. Yet, if you want to see Kratos at his most vulnerable—right after he broke his blood oath to Ares—you have to play it.
The Handheld Gems You Probably Skipped
Don't sleep on the PSP titles. Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta aren't just "lite" versions of the console games. Ready at Dawn, the studio behind them, did something magical with the limited hardware.
In Ghost of Sparta, we actually meet Kratos' brother, Deimos. This isn't just trivia. It’s the foundational trauma that explains why Kratos hates the Olympian gods so much. It wasn't just about his wife and daughter; it was about a lifetime of being manipulated by prophecy. If you're looking at a god of war list games order to understand the lore, this one is mandatory.
Chains of Olympus gives us that heartbreaking moment with Calliope in the Elysian Fields. Kratos has to literally push his daughter away to save the world. It’s brutal. It’s peak God of War.
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The Total Evolution of the God of War List Games
In 2018, everything changed. Cory Barlog returned to direct, and he brought a totally different energy. The fixed camera was gone. The "over-the-shoulder" perspective made everything feel intimate. And Kratos had a beard. A big, bushy, "I'm retired and trying to be better" beard.
The 2018 God of War wasn't a reboot, even though people call it that. It’s a sequel. It’s a continuation of a man who destroyed his entire world and had to go find a new one.
Then came God of War Ragnarök in 2022. It had to stick the landing of a massive prophecy. It had to deal with Odin, who wasn't a thundering warrior like Zeus, but a manipulative, gaslighting cult leader. It worked because the stakes were personal. It wasn't just about the end of the world; it was about whether Atreus would grow up to be a monster like his father.
- God of War: Ascension (The Prequel)
- God of War: Chains of Olympus (The PSP Prequel)
- God of War (2005 - The Classic)
- God of War: Ghost of Sparta (The Lore Heavy-Hitter)
- God of War II (The Epic)
- God of War III (The Finale)
- God of War (2018 - The New Beginning)
- God of War Ragnarök (The End of the Norse Saga)
- God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla (The DLC that acts as an Epilogue)
Why the Valhalla DLC is the Real Ending
Technically, Valhalla is a free DLC for Ragnarök. But in reality? It’s the perfect bookend for any god of war list games completionist. It forces Kratos to literally sit on a throne and face his past.
It uses roguelite mechanics, sure. But the story beats are what matter. It brings back the Greek-era music. It brings back the classic enemies. It forces a conversation between the "Old Kratos" and the "New Kratos." It’s the closure we didn't know we needed. Without it, the journey feels slightly unfinished.
The Mechanics of Murder: How Playstyles Shifted
In the early days, it was all about the Blades of Chaos. Square, Square, Triangle. That was the bread and butter. You were managing crowds. You were dodging. It was fast, fluid, and felt like a dance of death.
When the series moved to the Norse realm, the Leviathan Axe changed the math. The combat became "heavy." You felt every hit. The recall mechanic—hitting Triangle to bring the axe back to your hand—is arguably the single best-feeling button press in modern gaming. It never gets old.
The shift from "hack-and-slash" to "action-RPG" was controversial at first. Some old-school fans missed the jump button. (Yes, you couldn't jump in the 2018 game). But the depth added by runic attacks, armor builds, and Atreus's arrow types made the combat more tactical. You couldn't just mash buttons anymore. You had to think.
Real Talk: Which Ones Can You Skip?
If you're pressed for time, can you skip some of these? Honestly, yeah.
God of War: Betrayal was a 2D mobile game for Java-based phones. It’s technically canon, but unless you’re a die-hard scholar of Spartan history, you don't need to track down an emulator for it.
Ascension is skippable if you just want the "Greatest Hits," but you’ll miss some of the best boss fights in the series. The Hecatonchires fight at the beginning is a masterclass in scale.
However, if you want the full emotional weight of Ragnarök, you absolutely cannot skip God of War III. You need to see the carnage Kratos caused in Greece to understand why he is so terrified of his own shadow in the later games.
Expert Tips for Playing Through the God of War List Games
If you are planning a marathon, do not play in chronological order your first time. Play in release order. The jump in graphics and gameplay mechanics from Ascension back to the 2005 original is jarring and might ruin your momentum.
Instead, start with the 2005 classic. Experience the series as it grew. Watch the technology evolve alongside the character.
- Check the PlayStation Plus Collection: Many of these titles, including the remastered God of War III, are often available through Sony's subscription tiers.
- Don't ignore the Lore Markers: In the Norse games, the dialogue between Kratos and Mimir while rowing the boat contains more character development than most full games.
- Turn on the "Classic" Controls: In the newer games, if you’re an old-school fan, you can remap the buttons to feel a bit more like the PS2 era, though the shoulder buttons are generally better for the new camera style.
The legacy of these games isn't just the gore. It’s the story of a man who was a monster, realized it, and spent centuries trying to find a way to be a father instead. Whether you’re tearing the wings off a Valkyrie or fighting a literal Hydra, the heart of the series is always Kratos.
To get the most out of your playthrough, start with the God of War (2018) if you want a modern experience, but keep a copy of God of War III Remastered nearby for when you want to see what Kratos is truly capable of when he lets go. Once you finish the main story of Ragnarök, immediately jump into the Valhalla DLC—it's the only way to truly see Kratos's arc come full circle.