All of the God of War Games, Ranked

God of War is about to do something it hasn’t done before: center someone other than Kratos. Before the series heads into the Everywhen as Faye with God of War Laufey, this look back ranks more than 20 years of god‑slaying and Kratos’ dysfunctional family tree from worst to best.

God of War: Sons of Sparta turned the series into a 2D, sidescrolling metroidvania. The gameplay can grow tedious, but the framing—Kratos telling his daughter Calliope a story about his childhood—offers rare and affecting insight into his first family. God of War: Ascension, the last PS3 entry, feels like a product of a moment when multiplayer was being added to big franchises, and much of the game is underbaked.

It still delivers cinematic set pieces and twitchy action, though its combat leans heavily on the Blades of Chaos and shifting elemental affinities; the final confrontation with the Kraken and the Furies remains impressive.

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