Summary:
- God of War (2018) is the only game on PlayStation Plus Extra right now.
- God of War HD, God of War II HD, God of War III Remastered, and God of War: Ascension are all on PlayStation Plus Premium.
- All the God of War games are still great to play in 2023, and they’re worth playing in order, but if you choose one, choose the 2018 Reboot God of War.
God of War has been one of, if not the most iconic PlayStation franchises Sony has in their arsenal. Since Kratos started seeking vengeance in 2005, we’ve seen some of the best games in history made by Santa Monica Studios.
This article will look at the Ghost of Sparta’s adventures available on PlayStation Plus memberships and rank them in how enjoyable they are to play today in 2023.
Want to check out other legendary PlayStation series? Check out our Naughty Dog lists:
- Every Uncharted Game on PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium Ranked
- Every Jak and Daxter Game on PlayStation Plus Premium Ranked
What God of War Games are on PlayStation Plus Extra?
The reboot, God of War (2018), is the only God of War game available on PlayStation Plus Extra right now.
What God of War Games are on PlayStation Plus Premium?
You can play God of War HD, God of War II HD, God of War III Remastered, and God of War: Ascension for free if you have a PlayStation Plus Premium membership.
5: God of War: Ascension
Service: PlayStation Plus Premium
Ascension is, unfortunately, a victim of timing more than anything, it came out 3 years after God of War III, and it felt like Santa Monica Studios was going through the motions when developing it.
The game is still of great quality, and the controls play tight, but all of the combat is focused on the blades of chaos and dodging, which is a disappointment compared to the other games in the series. One bonus is that it’s the only God of War game with multiplayer, which was a welcome addition to the game when it was released.
The story is a cool concept, a prequel to the series. Still, it feels underwhelming compared to Kratos’ other journeys.
I’m putting Ascension at number 5 on this list because of how it compares to the rest of the games, don’t get me wrong, it’s still a great game. But if we’re looking at all the God of War games, it’s the least enjoyable game on PS Plus Premium.
4: God of War HD
Service: PlayStation Plus Premium
The game that kicked off the series was perfect upon its release and set the standard for Santa Monica. The core hack-and-slash gameplay from the first game was so good that it stayed the same until the series rebooted in 2018.
The story focuses on Kratos’ relentless pursuit of vengeance against Ares after he tricked him into killing his wife and daughter. You’ll encounter many different figures and creatures in Greek mythology on your journey. The combat only uses the blades of chaos weapon-wise, but Kratos gets 4 unique abilities to attack enemies differently. Which gives the game some variety when fighting. The puzzles are fun, and they don’t feel like unnecessary chores.
I’m putting it as number 4 on this list only because it feels a little dated in 2023 compared to the others playing it now, and each game mostly builds on the previous entry.
3: God of War II HD
Service: PlayStation Plus Premium
Following the first game was a difficult task. But, God of War II managed to do the impossible and meet expectations. They expanded and improved the story, gameplay and graphics to make one of the PS2’s best titles.
In the sequel, Kratos takes over as the new God of War after Ares dies in the previous game. But then Zeus betrays him, strips him of his god powers, and sends him to the underworld. No surprise here; Kratos wants vengeance and spends the whole game trying to give Zeus the business.
They built on the combat by adding more magic elements and weapons, making the action scenes even bigger. It ends with one of the most challenging bosses in God of War and a cliffhanger ending, which excites you for the sequel now, but it would have been tough to wait when it came out.
2: God of War III Remastered
Service: PlayStation Plus Premium
God of War 3 was the exciting conclusion to Kratos’ original story, where he finally gets his revenge on the gods and concludes the Greek mythology storyline. This game is considered one of the greatest PS3 games ever made because of its fantastic story and epic action scenes.
Kratos climbs up Mount Olympus with the help of Athena’s spirit and fights against gods, titans, and monsters to find Pandora. Throughout the game, Kratos is focused on his revenge mission against his father, Zeus, and it dials the violence up to the max.
The gameplay is also similar to the previous games, but they kept the trend of making everything bigger and better; there are more weapons and tools, the bosses are bigger, and the scale is much bigger. You could tell Santa Monica was pushing the PS3 to its limits.
God of War 3 is just a flat-out awesome game. Overall, it gives a satisfying ending to Kratos’ storyline in ancient Greece. I’m putting it as number 2 on this list because, to this day, the game looks and plays well while delivering a bittersweet ending.
1: God of War (2018)
Service: PlayStation Plus Extra
The 2018 reboot reinvented the whole series and paid off tremendously since the old formula was starting to get stale to many fans.
Instead of following the other games and making it even larger, they went in the opposite direction. They told a story about Kratos learning to be a father to his son, Atreus after losing his wife, Faye. This time, the Ghost of Sparta is played by a different voice actor, and he’s not the same rage-filled, vengeance-seeking warrior he used to be.
Gameplay-wise, they swapped the fixed camera setting, changed it to third-person, and made the map open world. They added the Leviathan axe, one of the most incredible weapons in gaming, and more RPG elements to the game, you can now upgrade your weapons and armor, and it’s a great addition to the series.
Santa Monica took a massive risk by switching up the formula, but it paid off. The story is gripping and leaves you wanting more, and the combat feels like an evolution from the previous games, so I’m putting it at 1 on this list.