God Of War Ragnarok is coming out, and long-time fans of the franchise are screaming to the top of their lungs. Good for them! But what about you, who hasn't played any GoW game ever, and want to play (and enjoy) Ragnarok when it launches?
Well, if you're reading this right now, you're in the right place! In this guide, we're going to tell you how to play the God Of War games in order, so you won't be completely lost on the next chapter of Kratos' story once Ragnarok has been released. Without further ado, let's begin!
God Of War Games Order By Chronological Date
While this isn't the easiest to follow, the best way to experience past GoW games is by going through them chronologically - irrespective of release date. That way, you will see the entire story of Kratos unfold from his romp through the pantheon of Greek gods to his eventual settling in the Norse realm.
Here's the chronological God Of War games order with the platforms they released on, as per MeriStation:
- Ascension (PS3)
- Chains Of Olympus (PSP, PS3)
- God Of War (PS2)
- Ghost Of Sparta (PSP, PS3)
- God Of War II (PS2, PS3)
- God Of War III (PS3)
- God Of War 2018 (PS4, PS5, PC)
By Release Date
For simplicity's sake, you can just play all previous GoW games before Ragnarok by their release date. Just remember that the prequels (Ascension, Chains Of Olympus, and Ghost Of Sparta) are in here and could confuse your sensation of time. Nevertheless, here are the games by order of release date:
- God Of War (2005)
- God Of War II (2007)
- Chains Of Olympus (2008)
- God Of War III (2010)
- Ghost Of Sparta (2010)
- Ascension (2013)
- God Of War (2018)
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How Can I Play The Games That Launched On Older Consoles?
As you can see in the order of games above, there are several titles that came out on really old PlayStation consoles that you may not have access to anymore. And since buying an old console just to play specific games on it might not be cost-effective, you have an option: PlayStation Plus Premium.
all new playstation plus
The topmost tier of Sony's subscription service offers access to several old GoW games that you otherwise won't be able to play except if you got an old console lying around (or if you decided to buy one). As of this writing, PS Plus Premium (which costs $17.99 a month) will give you access to these classic GoW games, writes Eurogamer:
- God Of War 2018
- God Of War III Remastered
- God Of War I HD>
- God Of War II HD
- Ascension
The only ones missing as of this moment is Ghost Of Sparta and Chains Of Olympus, though technically those can be considered optional. But if you really want to play those two games, you're going to need to dust off your old PlayStation 3 or PSP - or buy secondhand.
DISCLAIMER: You Don't *Actually* Need To Play All Older Games
Now, here's a quick disclaimer. Aside from 2018's God Of War, you technically do not have to play every old GoW game. That's because Kratos' story in the Norse mythological realm can stand on its own.
Furthermore, Kratos' son Atreus plays a huge part in the exposition. As per Press Start, Kratos himself (and the player, by extension) doesn't know a lot about Norse mythology. But Atreus does because of his mother. So he takes on the role of explaining to Kratos all of the stuff that's unfamiliar to him. Couple that with the fact that Atreus doesn't know a lot of his father's past, so Kratos will actually trickle out a few details throughout the course of the journey.
Aside from that, combat in the 2018 game is drastically different from the older ones on the PS3, PS2, and PSP. This means that you do not have to be an expert at the older games' hack-and-slash combat, allowing you to have a fresh start.
Related Article: FINALLY! God Of War Ragnarok LAUNCHES November 9th
This article is posted on GameNGuide
Written by RJ Pierce