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God of War

God of War

Released: 4/20/2018

From Santa Monica Studio and creative director Cory Barlog comes a new beginning for one of gaming’s most recognizable icons. Living as a man outside the shadow of the gods, Kratos must adapt to unfamiliar lands, unexpected threats, and a second chance at being a father. Together with his son Atreus, the pair will venture into the brutal Norse wilds and fight to fulfill a deeply personal quest. - Bold New Beginning — His vengeance against the Gods of Olympus years behind him, Kratos now lives as a man in the realm of Norse Gods and monsters. It is in this harsh, unforgiving world that he must fight to survive…And teach his son to do the same. This startling reimagining of God of War deconstructs the core elements that defined the series—satisfying combat breathtaking scale and a powerful narrative—and fuses them. - A Second Chance — Kratos is a father again. As mentor and protector to Atreus, a son determined to earn his respect, he is forced to deal with and control the rage that has long defined him while out in a very dangerous world with his son. - A Darker, More Elemental World — From the marble and columns of ornate Olympus to the gritty forests, mountains, and caves of Pre-Viking Norse lore, this is a distinctly new realm with its own pantheon of creatures, monsters, and gods. With an added emphasis on discovery and exploration, the world will draw players in to explore every inch of God of War’s breathtakingly threatening landscape—by far the largest in the franchise. - Vicious, Physical Combat — With an over the shoulder free camera that brings the player closer to the action than ever before, fights in God of War mirror the pantheon of Norse creatures Kratos will face: grand, gritty, and grueling. A new main weapon and new abilities retain the defining spirit of God of War while presenting a vision of violent conflict that forges new ground in the genre.

From Santa Monica Studio and creative director Cory Barlog comes a new beginning for one of gaming’s most recognizable icons. Living as a man outside the shadow of the gods, Kratos must adapt to unfamiliar lands, unexpected threats, and a second chance at being a father. Together with his son Atreus, the pair will venture into the brutal Norse wilds and fight to fulfill a deeply personal quest. - Bold New Beginning — His vengeance against the Gods of Olympus years behind him, Kratos now lives as a man in the realm of Norse Gods and monsters. It is in this harsh, unforgiving world that he must fight to survive…And teach his son to do the same. This startling reimagining of God of War deconstructs the core elements that defined the series—satisfying combat breathtaking scale and a powerful narrative—and fuses them. - A Second Chance — Kratos is a father again. As mentor and protector to Atreus, a son determined to earn his respect, he is forced to deal with and control the rage that has long defined him while out in a very dangerous world with his son. - A Darker, More Elemental World — From the marble and columns of ornate Olympus to the gritty forests, mountains, and caves of Pre-Viking Norse lore, this is a distinctly new realm with its own pantheon of creatures, monsters, and gods. With an added emphasis on discovery and exploration, the world will draw players in to explore every inch of God of War’s breathtakingly threatening landscape—by far the largest in the franchise. - Vicious, Physical Combat — With an over the shoulder free camera that brings the player closer to the action than ever before, fights in God of War mirror the pantheon of Norse creatures Kratos will face: grand, gritty, and grueling. A new main weapon and new abilities retain the defining spirit of God of War while presenting a vision of violent conflict that forges new ground in the genre.

From Santa Monica Studio and creative director Cory Barlog comes a new beginning for one of gaming’s most recognizable icons. Living as a man outside the shadow of the gods, Kratos must adapt to unfamiliar lands, unexpected threats, and a second chance at being a father. Together with his son Atreus, the pair will venture into the brutal Norse wilds and fight to fulfill a deeply personal quest. - Bold New Beginning — His vengeance against the Gods of Olympus years behind him, Kratos now lives as a man in the realm of Norse Gods and monsters. It is in this harsh, unforgiving world that he must fight to survive…And teach his son to do the same. This startling reimagining of God of War deconstructs the core elements that defined the series—satisfying combat breathtaking scale and a powerful narrative—and fuses them. - A Second Chance — Kratos is a father again. As mentor and protector to Atreus, a son determined to earn his respect, he is forced to deal with and control the rage that has long defined him while out in a very dangerous world with his son. - A Darker, More Elemental World — From the marble and columns of ornate Olympus to the gritty forests, mountains, and caves of Pre-Viking Norse lore, this is a distinctly new realm with its own pantheon of creatures, monsters, and gods. With an added emphasis on discovery and exploration, the world will draw players in to explore every inch of God of War’s breathtakingly threatening landscape—by far the largest in the franchise. - Vicious, Physical Combat — With an over the shoulder free camera that brings the player closer to the action than ever before, fights in God of War mirror the pantheon of Norse creatures Kratos will face: grand, gritty, and grueling. A new main weapon and new abilities retain the defining spirit of God of War while presenting a vision of violent conflict that forges new ground in the genre.

Critics
94
Steam
96
Metacritic
90

Score Breakdown

94.4

Critic Average

217 reviews

96

Steam User Score

184,158 reviews

90

Metacritic User Score

29,848 reviews

Disparity Breakdown

Steam Disparity
-1.5
Metacritic Disparity
+4.4
Combined Disparity
+1.5

Average of both sources

Review Timing

86 early (40%)67 launch window (31%)64 late (29%)

Review summary

Updated Aug 30, 2026

Based on 217 scored critic reviews, critics give this game an average score of 94.4/100. Critics score this game 1.5 points lower than Steam users and 4.4 points higher than Metacritic users.

How these comparisons are calculated
Sources behind this summary(5 recent of 217)+
  1. Bogdan RobertviaGameWatcher
    Feb 24, 2022·Late review
    90/100View review
    Steam 95.9/100 · -5.9 ptsMetacritic 90/100 · 0.0 pts
  2. Jason MothviaBossLevelGamer
    Feb 9, 2022·Late review
    97/100View review
    Steam 95.9/100 · +1.1 ptsMetacritic 90/100 · +7.0 pts
  3. James BentleyviaThe Outerhaven Productions
    Feb 9, 2022·Late review
    90/100View review
    Steam 95.9/100 · -5.9 ptsMetacritic 90/100 · 0.0 pts
  4. Claire Ferrinviacublikefoot
    Feb 1, 2022·Late review
    70/100View review
    Steam 95.9/100 · -25.9 ptsMetacritic 90/100 · -20.0 pts
  5. Jakub SmolakviaGamerweb.pl
    Feb 1, 2022·Late review
    90/100View review
    Steam 95.9/100 · -5.9 ptsMetacritic 90/100 · 0.0 pts