EVERY God of War Game Ranked By Difficulty

As a text-based game for Facebook Messenger, “A Call from the Wilds” was never going to be difficult. This installment is all about filling the narrative before the events of 2018’s “God of War.” The only “challenge” is choosing between given scenarios, as Atreus can select different routes for his journey in the Nordic wilds. But since all choices lead to the same conclusion, finishing “A Call from the Wilds” is a matter of how quickly the player goes through it. To its credit, the text-based adventure goes for a deliberately simple narrative style. This is to invite everyone to participate, including people who aren’t gamers.

“Betrayal” best exemplifies “God of War’s” status as part of the hack-and-slash genre. The gameplay is mainly about swinging the Blades of Athena at every enemy onscreen. Its limitations as a mobile game makes “Betrayal” pretty simple – all players need to do is attack anything that moves. The lack of aggression in Kratos’ foes leads to an even easier experience, as the difficulty level remains stagnant throughout its runtime. Occasional enemy hordes and tricky platforming can be surprising, but it’s not enough to consider “Betrayal” a hard game by any means. In terms of the story, the breeziness of the combat shows just how powerful Kratos was during his time as the God of War.

“Chains of Olympus” is the best entry for new “God of War” players. On its easier settings, finishing the game won’t even make players break a sweat. Meanwhile, the more difficult modes test players’ skills outside of their comfort zone. While not particularly grueling, it’s challenging enough to deliver an exhilarating experience. Boss battles are by far the simplest in the series, as beating these villains only requires well-timed dodges and subsequent attacks. Quick-time events contribute to “Chains of Olympus’” simplicity since players just need to follow onscreen prompts. Things get tougher if enemies corner Kratos, although weapons like Zeus’ Gauntlet will turn things around.

The second PSP game goes for moments of spectacle, such as the destruction of Atlantis and the face-off against God of Death Thanatos. This doesn’t hide the fact that it’s still more of the same, which means gameplay is along the same lines as “Chains of Olympus.” While there are more enemies to contend with, Kratos’ abilities as the God of War render them no better than cannon fodder. The most notable change is to boss fights, as these are trickier to tackle. Bosses like Thanatos and Kratos’ monstrous mother require some getting used to. But they’re still easy to dispose of once players figure out what their weaknesses are.

“Ascension” goes for a slightly different approach, with the game featuring elemental powers as part of combat. This brings some diversity to the manner of play, although it doesn’t influence its difficulty by much. The main difference here is Kratos’ power level, which is lower than what fans are used to. This is because “Ascension” features a younger Kratos whose offensive moves don’t pack as much of a punch. The lack of finesse in combos also makes combat a bit more demanding. Players have to ensure they don’t lose too much health since there are fewer energy chests around the map. However, “Ascension” is so similar to previous installments that fans will see these as little more than minor inconveniences in their journey.

The second entry takes a “bigger and better” approach, amping up all facets of gameplay from the original. Everything from boss fights to platforming, and general combat is featured in abundance. “God of War II” is noticeably challenging once the difficulty setting is adjusted, with bosses giving little room for players to make mistakes. It gets progressively difficult the closer Kratos reaches the Sisters of Fate. But the benefit of simpler controls, powerful weapons, and plenty of quick-time events gives players an edge. Upgrading weapons and magic is a relief, as enemies go down to Kratos’ barrage of attacks. Those who dedicate their time to learning combos will have an easier playthrough, as practice definitely makes perfect when it comes to “God of War II.”

The end of the Greek arc brings Kratos’ toughest challenges yet, as the might of Olympus goes against him. With powerful attacks of their own, bosses like Hades, Hercules, and Zeus test players’ quickness and choice of moves. The game forces fans to improvise, as certain enemy defenses can’t be penetrated until weapons like the Nemean Cestus are acquired. “God of War III” also contains the most enemy swarms in the series. This can be a problem in harder difficulties as they tend to attack altogether. It helps that Kratos is at his peak of power here, but smarter A.I. means that repeating the same moves reaps fewer rewards. Although upgrades ease things up a bit, “God of War III” never makes players feel too safe.

The first game seems a lot more difficult in retrospect since Kratos doesn’t have the same firepower as he does later on. Enemies tend to go hard with their attacks, with several unblockable ones landing significant damage. More so than other installments, “God of War” places particular focus on puzzles. These are a challenge of their own, even reaching frustrating levels for those unable to crack them. Despite having few boss fights, “God of War” gives players a hard time with the ones that are present. The key to success here is to blend combat with well-timed defenses and quick evasions. But not everyone will figure that out in their first playthrough. Its commendable difficulty goes to show that the hack-and-slash genre is as much about substance as it is about style.

The Nordic Saga’s first chapter is a complete revamp from previous installments. Because of this, every player is essentially a novice when they begin 2018’s “God of War.” The change from a fixed camera to an over-the-shoulder perspective limits Kratos’ mobility, as gameplay favors defense over aggression. Certain enemies are immune to particular weapons in Kratos’ arsenal, making it necessary for fans to pick their battles. This entry also elevates difficulty levels for side villains like the Valkyries – some of whom are challenging enough to make people rage-quit. Even powerful weapons such as the Blades of Chaos lack the variety of combos that Kratos once enjoyed. As such, making it through “God of War” requires mastery of everything from upgrading weaponry, handling Atreus’ bow, and keeping an eye on Kratos’ health meter at all times.

While it’s technically similar to the previous entry, “Ragnarök” feels distinct because of its heightened difficulty. This time around, boss fights are hard right from the get-go, while even normal enemies take no mercy. Staying true to its war-based theme, the world in “Ragnarök” has danger lurking around every corner. Several big-time foes like Thor and Heimdall go toe-to-toe with Kratos, proving to be the greatest threats he’s faced yet. The story places the protagonists with their backs to the wall, which is reflected within gameplay as almost every battle is a fight for survival. Difficulty levels like “Give Me God of War” mode aren’t for the faint of heart, as this ultra-hard setting makes the Nordic landscape a hellish place to traverse. All in all, those who don’t master the intricacies of solid defense and skill upgrades will find “Ragnarök” too difficult to overcome.