Summary

  • Kratos has endured a series of dark events in his journey, including betrayal and murder, which have shaped his character and motivations.
  • The God of War games feature thrilling combat and captivating stories from various mythologies, keeping fans excited for more.
  • The endings of some God of War games, such as God of War 2 and God of War 3, are particularly dark, with devastating consequences for both Kratos and the world around him.

The protagonist of the God of War series, Kratos, hasn’t exactly had the best life. Through death, deception, betrayal, and even apocalypse, Kratos has gone through some truly dark events. His journey is far from over, and the God of War games continue to excite fans with their thrilling combat, and enchanting stories of godly mythologies from around the world.

Hardest God Of War Games featured image
8 Hardest God Of War Games, Ranked

These are some of the hardest games in the God of War franchise that are guaranteed to give players a tough time.

With over 10 God of War games in the series, some of them have some truly dark endings that add to the pain of Kratos’ journey. With the latest God of War Game, God of War: Ragnarok, Kratos is faced with an impending apocalypse, and new challenges of fatherhood. Yet, how does the game hold up to some of the darkest endings in God of War history?

7 God of War 2 (2007)

kratos kissing athena
God of War II
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Released
March 13, 2007
Developer(s)
Santa Monica Studio
Genre(s)
Action

Kratos embarks on a rageful journey across Ancient Greece after the betrayal of his fellow gods. Kratos was always seen as a black sheep, but this was confirmed to him after Zeus’ murder of the God of War. Kratos journeys out of Hades’ realm and wields the Blade of Olympus, the weapon capable of killing Zeus. Yet, the blade meant for Zeus pierces Athena’s heart, killing the one person left that Kratos trusted.

The game ends with Kratos siding with the Titans, declaring war on all of Olympus. God of War 2 has the gods of Olympus watch as the Titans invade their kingdom, teasing the final part of the trilogy that would end in utter bloodshed, and a full-scale war by none other than Kratos himself. It’s a pretty dark ending, knowing that Kratos is going to devastate Greece for his chance at revenge against the man he just found out was his own father.

6 God of War: Ascension

kratos and orkos
God of War: Ascension
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Hack and Slash
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Released
March 12, 2013
Developer(s)
Santa Monica Studio
Platform(s)
PS3
Genre(s)
Hack and Slash

Featuring in between the first God of War game, Kratos’ journey here begins just six months after he murdered his wife and daughter. Kratos’ quest for freedom begins here, as he is captured and imprisoned by the Furies for betraying Ares. Kratos is forced to kill the Furies to free himself and reclaim the truth that is unknown to him.

With the death of the Furies, Kratos must kill his oath keeper, Orkos, in order to free them both from Ares’ servitude. Kratos kills Orkos, a close friend, and reclaims his freedom and memories. Yet, these memories come as a burden, as he uncovers the memories of his own slaughtering of his wife and daughter. The clarity of these deaths would haunt him forever, and begin his journey to kill Ares.

5 God of War (2005)

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God of War
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Developer(s)
Santa Monica Studio
Platform(s)
PlayStation 2
Genre(s)
Hack and Slash

Kratos succeeds in killing Ares, the god that enslaved him to eternal service to the God of War. With Ares’ death, Kratos has done the impossible, as a mortal, defeating a god is no easy task, but one that Kratos accomplishes, causing a grand upset in Zeus’ kingdom. The reason Kratos went on this journey to kill Ares was to avenge the murder of his wife and daughter and try to absolve himself.

God-of-War-Ragnarok-The-Hardest-Boss-Fights,-Ranked-By-Difficulty
God of War Ragnarok: The Hardest Boss Fights, Ranked By Difficulty

God of War Ragnarok has over 50 bosses to keep players on their toes through Kratos and Atreus's journey. These are some of the hardest to defeat.

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The ending of the game has Kratos attempt suicide, as he leaps off of the highest mountain in Greece, putting to an end a decade of misery. Yet, in his darkest hour, the gods of Olympus saved him, calling upon him to become the new God of War.

4 God of War: Chains of Olympus

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God of War: Chains of Olympus
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Developer(s)
Ready at Dawn
Platform(s)
PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3
Genre(s)
Hack and Slash

Kratos embarks on a journey for the gods of Olympus on a promise to free him from his past. This game takes place halfway through the original God of War, with Kratos still in his service to the gods and Ares. Kratos is tasked with waking the gods from their slumber, caused by Helios’ disappearance and the powers of Morpheus. The game itself is fairly dark, as Kratos reunites with his daughter, Calliope, but has no choice but to pull away.

Kratos does what he does best, which is to murder gods. He kills Persephone, Hades’ wife, and keeps Atlas enslaved to hold up the world. Despite saving mankind, Kratos cared not, for he had forsaken and abandoned his daughter, a task that he had to do in order to save her afterlife. Kratos lands on the same cliff that he would later attempt to take his life, with his promise from the Gods unfulfilled.

3 God of War: Ghost of Sparta

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God of War: Ghost of Sparta
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Developer(s)
Ready at Dawn
Platform(s)
PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita
Genre(s)
Hack and Slash

Set between the first God of War and God of War 2, this game has Kratos venture to Atlantis, where players will uncover more about his past to learn of his mother, and his long-lost brother, Deimos, the man prophesied to bring the destruction of Olympus. The ending has Kratos and Deimos team up to fight Thanatos, but the might of Thanatos kills Deimos, leaving Kratos once more without a brother, and without a family.

thor vs kratos, kratos shouting, surtr and the blades of chaos
God Of War Ragnarok: 10 Strongest Characters, Ranked

God of War Ragnarok is filled with gods and monsters that can easily fight their way to the top spot of being the strongest character in the game.

With his mother and brother dead, Kratos has no ties left to the human world and even contemplates suicide again. With nothing to bind him to mortals, he is ready to become a god. However, Kratos rejects this godhood, and his rage binds him to a fate that would see the gods destroyed.

2 God of War (2018)

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God of War
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Released
April 20, 2018
Developer(s)
Santa Monica Studio
Platform(s)
PC, PlayStation 4
Genre(s)
Action, Adventure

Kratos has a new journey awaiting him, as he is once again a father. Kratos’ wife is dead, and he must take his son across the Norse realms to scatter her ashes. This game uncovers more of Kratos’ mental state in a new realm, his distrust for gods, and his unwillingness to show his son his true self. The ending of God of War (2018) has Kratos and Atreus unify their father and son bond to kill Baldur, evoking the wrath of Freya, their friend, and the only god they trust.

With Baldur’s death, the first snowfall begins, and Ragnarok will come for the realms, thrusting Kratos into yet another apocalypse that he is responsible for. It’s a dark ending, one that promises the death of Odin and the Norse gods. Even if Kratos managed to accept who he is, it can’t stop what’s coming.

1 God of War 3 (2010)

kratos stabbing himself with the blade of olympus
God of War III
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Released
March 16, 2010
Developer(s)
Santa Monica Studio
Platform(s)
PS4, PS3
Genre(s)
Action, Adventure

Kratos’ journey comes to an end with God of War 3. After his promise to bring the destruction of Olympus to Zeus’ front door, he has achieved the impossible, and just one man has managed to kill practically every god in Zeus’ kingdom and beyond. With all the gods dead, and a brutal murder of the king of the gods, Zeus, humanity is left with no hope, and each god holds powers now unleashed to devastate the world, bringing forth an apocalypse.

Kratos’ quest for vengeance has blinded him to understanding the fates of mortals. After beating Zeus to death with his own hands, and seeing what he has brought to the world, he decides to put an end to his vengeance by driving the blade of Olympus through his chest, killing himself to provide humanity with hope, and a fate free from the rule of gods. Although there is hope for life, the ending has Kratos bleeding out, along, with dying to end his story.

MORE:God Of War: Which Game Is Better? 2018 vs Ragnarok