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If you’re new to theGod of Warseries and thinking about exploring its rich world, you might be wondering where to start. With over half a dozen games, spanning theGreek Saga and the Norse Saga, deciding where to begin can feel overwhelming.
Fans often have differing opinions — some suggest skipping the Greek games and diving straight into the new Norse Saga, while others view that as sacrilege. Fortunately, the guide below will help you discover the best order to experience theGod of Warseries, ensuring you don’t miss out on any of its epic moments.
All God Of War Games In The Series
Thereare 10God of Wargames in total, butonly eight are essential. Two titles can be skipped without missing any significant story or gameplay:God of War: Betrayal (2007), a mobile game with limited impact on the narrative, andGod of War: A Call from the Wilds (2018), a Facebook-based text adventure. The rest of the games are key toexperiencing Kratos' full journey.
Most Popular Orders To Play The God Of War Games
When it comes to playing a long-running series likeGod of War, there are two main approaches:release orderorchronological order. With several titles serving as prequels to the main trilogy, it’s natural to wonder which method offers the best experience for diving into these critically acclaimed games.
Release Order
Playing inrelease orderis straightforward: simply follow the order in which the games were originally launched. This is how most long-time fans experienced the series. Keep in mind, however, that some titles, likeChains of OlympusandGhost of Sparta, don’t match the production quality of the main trilogy. Playing the games in release order also allows players to experience thenatural evolution of gameplay mechanicsand design improvements as the series progressed.
The release order is as follows:
Chronological Order
If you’re more invested in the story aspect of theGod of Warseries, playing in chronological order is the way to go. However, be prepared for somegraphic and gameplay whiplashas you jump between games with varying levels of polish. The starting game is also widely regarded as the weakest in the series, so don’t judge the entire franchise based on your first experience.
The chronological order is as follows:
Best Order To Play The God Of War Games
While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer that will satisfy every fan — some may even be strongly opposed to it — the order listed below takes both narrative and gameplay into account. This approach ensures that new players won’t feel overwhelmed or burned out by the series. We recommend playing theGod of Wargames in the following order:
Start with the originalGod of War, but don’t jump straight into its sequel. Instead, play its prequel,Chains of Olympus, followed byGhost of Sparta(which takes place after the first game). Next, playGod of War 2andGod of War 3— it’s important to play these two consecutively, as the third game picks up immediately after the second. After finishingGod of War 3, move on toAscensiontocomplete the Greek Saga.
From there, the order is straightforward: playGod of War (2018), followed byRagnarok, and then dive into theexcellent ValhallaDLC inRagnarok.
As mentioned earlier,God of War: Ascensionis considered theweakest in the series. If you’re not enjoying it, you might want to consider skipping it and watching a recap on YouTube to catch up on its story. However, Ascension does feature some impressive, over-the-top action, so it’s still recommended to push through if you may.
Alternate Order To Play God Of War Games
While the olderGod of Wargames aresome of the best that PlayStation has to offer, no one would blame you for not enjoying them, as they are somewhat dated. There’s an alternative order that can ease you into theGod of Waruniverse:playing the Norse Saga before the Greek Saga.
While many fans would consider this blasphemy (and not without reason), there’s a compelling argument for it. The Norse games feature improved combat, higher production value, gorgeous visuals, and, interestingly, not knowing the context of the Greek games can add a sense of mystery to the narratives of bothGod of War (2018)and Kratos’ tragic past.
The alternate way to play theGod of Wargames is as follows:
