God of War is one of PlayStation’s greatest franchises. The story of Kratos seeking revenge against the gods of Olympus is a bloody, brutal and vicious Greek tragedy. This series offers players some of the best — and most violent — action sequences ever found in a video game. Even when the franchise is taken from Greek mythology to Norse mythology in the new iteration, all that adrenaline-fueled fun follows. Below are eight of the top God of War boss battles to get the blood flowing.
Hydra — God of War
The first fight of the series introduces the gaming world to its next greatest icon: Kratos. Right off the bat, this opening battle shows players what they’re in store for. Stuck on a sinking ship under attack by this massive beast, players must use Kratos’s signature hack-and-slash combat to defeat the Hydra.
Through a classic quick time event, players impale the Hydra on the broken mast of the ship in a violent finale. This intro sets the bar high for the rest of the boss fights throughout the entire series.
Ares — God of War
After being tricked into killing his family by Ares, Kratos wanted nothing but revenge. When Kratos finally gets his chance at a showdown with the God of War, you know it’s going to be a fight for the ages. Using the power of Pandora’s Box to even the odds, Kratos is ready to claim his vengeance.
Players take control of a now giant-sized Kratos as they battle Ares in a showdown that looks like something out of a Godzilla movie. In the end, Kratos kills Ares and claims the title of “God of War.” This victory paves the way for the next chapter of the series.
Colossus of Rhodes — God of War II
Sequels can be hard to nail, so God of War II had a big challenge ahead of itself. How can you top the opening Hydra boss fight from the first game? Well, the answer to that is to go bigger — much bigger.
An angered Zeus brings a statue to life, hoping to squash Kratos, the new God of War. Players use catapults to help take down the living statue from the outside before making their way inside to dismantle it piece by piece. This fight goes to prove that these games only get better with a bigger scale, more action, and massive bosses to fight.
Icarus — God of War II
Kratos needs the wings of Icarus to reach the Sisters of Fate. Too bad — Icarus doesn’t want to give them up. This fight is an exciting change from what players are used to in a boss battle because it takes place entirely in the air. When Icarus and Kratos begin their free fall, players must be quick with their button pressing to subdue Icarus before they hit the ground.
The skydiving fight ends with Kratos ripping the wings off Icarus, plunging him to his death. This exciting fight also highlights an important point about Kratos and his relentless nature. Kratos is a man on a mission and will cut down anyone who gets in his way, even someone harmless like Icarus.
Cronos — God of War III
If you thought fighting gods and monsters was crazy, wait until Kratos takes on his biggest opponent ever: the Titan Cronos. Players get a unique level experience when they battle Cronos because he is the level. Players will be climbing up the hands and arms of this giant as they avoid getting squished. The fight takes a nasty turn when Cronos decides to eat Kratos.
Luckily, not even digestion can defeat Kratos, as he cuts his way out of Cronos’s belly (gross). Once free, a series of quick time events lets the player use the chains binding Cronos against him, allowing Kratos to deliver the killing blow with the Blade of Olympus. If you didn’t feel like a god before, you definitely will after this fight.
Zeus — God of War III
This fight is probably the most important of the entire series because it’s the most personal for Kratos. After tearing with way through the gods, Kratos is ready for his rematch with Zeus, his father. The fight starts out as a side-scrolling brawl before literally tossing players inside the Titan Gaia.
Kratos delivers the final blow to Zeus, taking out Gaia in the process. It’s not over yet as the spirit of Zeus won’t give up this fight. With help from the ghosts of his dead wife and child, Kratos gains the upper hand and ends the battle by returning Zeus to his body and beating him to death. Players finish the fight by repeatedly hitting the circle button until the screen becomes completely covered in blood. Yikes.
The Stranger — God of War (2018)
The new series, which is inspired by Norse mythology, has a lot to prove with its first big boss battle. And guess what? It doesn’t disappoint. This fight makes players feel like a powerful god as they trade punches with this mysterious foe.
With no cuts or loading screens, this seamless fight has no interruptions, which add to the epic experience. Players will fly through the air, crash through boulders, and smash into trees. This fight nails what it would be like when two godlike characters clash for the first time. It proves that, even though this is a new direction for the series, this is still the same Kratos we all know and love.
Magni and Modi — God of War (2018)
Fans know the best fights happen when Kratos takes on the Greek gods. So what happens when Kratos takes on a couple of Norse gods? Well, it’s just as much fun. In this tag team fight, Kratos and his son, Atreus, must battle Thor’s sons, Magni and Modi. Players haven’t fought many gods at this point in the game, so this fight gives you a two for one deal.
Luckily, they even the odds by having Atreus help Kratos. Players use a cool back-to-back mini-game where Kratos and Atreus time their strikes while still defending against incoming attacks. It’s not the craziest fight of the series, but it helps cement this new Norse mythology-inspired direction and world for the series.
