God of War Alternatives for 2024

7 Games Like God of War Worth Playing in 2024

God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok raised the bar for immersive, narrative-rich action-adventure games. These games don’t necessarily exceed the bar set by Santa Monica Studio, rather they share and successfully implement notable design and/or gameplay characteristics found in the recent God of War games. So as we await news on the future of Kratos and Atreus, these are 7 games God of War fans may enjoy, whether you come to the series for its visceral third-person combat, inspired world design, compelling narrative, and/or exploration of Norse mythology.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

For fans of God of War’s combat, Norse setting/mythological exploration, and/or story.

• Like Kratos in God of War (2018), Senua embarks on a perilous journey motivated by a deceased lover — a journey set within a similarly mythology-rich Norse world.
• Senua’s journey takes her to Ninja Theory’s iteration of Helheim, a mythological realm that will be familiar to those who played God of War, with appearances from shared characters like Garmr and Surtr.
• Hellblade and God of War share visceral third-person combat played from a tight, over-the-shoulder perspective.
• Both games effectively employ a continuous, one-shot approach in service of elevated immersion.

Available on: Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC | iGV’s

The Last of Us Parts 1 & 2

For fans of God of War’s story, immersive world, and/or cinematic qualities.

• The Last of Us doesn’t share a lot in common with God of War from a setting or moment-to-moment gameplay perspective.
• The best-in-class narratives in both series are driven by well-written characters and the emotionally complex relationships they share.
• Those who enjoyed the father-son dynamic of Kratos and Atreus will likely enjoy the parent-child-like dynamic of Joel and Ellie, as both games pair a morally questionable protector archetype with a vulnerable, wise-cracking teenager.

Available on: Part 2: PS5, PS4; Part 1: PS5, PS4, PS3, PC | iGV’s

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

For fans of God of War’s Norse setting/mythological exploration, combat, and/or RPG mechanics.

• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla took Ubisoft’s flagship series to Northern Europe against the backdrop of Norse mythology.
• Many characters from the Nine Realms will be familiar to God of War players, including Odin, Loki, Thor, Freya/Freyja, and Tyr.
• Valhalla’s bloody, melee-weapon-based combat may appeal to God of War fans, while those who enjoyed GoW’s RPG elements will find even more of the genre’s mechanics baked into Valhalla — skill tree, loot, side activities galore, and stat-affecting armor.

Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC | iGV’s

Jotun

For fans of God of War’s Norse mythology and/or boss fights.

• Jotun offers a visually different exploration of Norse mythology.
• It trades the realistic graphics of God of War for beautifully hand-drawn environments and characters, including iterations of Jormungar, Thor, Freya, Mimir, and Odin.
• Jotun is a slower game than God of War, built largely on exploration and light puzzle-solving, though it’s capable of ramping up the intensity with well-designed, challenging boss fights against massive Norse giants.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Wii U, PC | iGV’s

Rise of the Tomb Raider

For fans of God of War’s semi-open-world design.

• Rise of the Tomb Raider most notably shares God of War’s semi-open-world design, presenting players with multiple Metroidvania-like areas in which the levels circle back on themselves and expand as you progress.
• This design is well suited for games that balance combat, puzzles, and exploration, which Rise of the Tomb Raider and God of War do exceptionally well.
• Tomb Raider relies more on ranged combat, though its third-person perspective will be comfortable for God of War fans, as will Rise’s snowy setting and character-driven narrative.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC | iGV’s

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order & Survivor

For fans of God of War’s semi-open-world design and/or combat.

• Like God of War, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor are built around several explorable hubs with areas gated by progression-based abilities.
• GoW fans may also enjoy Jedi’s satisfying, melee-based third-person combat and inspired, challenging boss fights.
• The two series also share the secret sauce for a successful action-adventure game: engaging moment-to-moment gameplay within an immersive world propelled by rewarding exploration and a compelling story.

Available on: Survivor: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC; Fallen Order: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC | iGV’s

The Walking Dead: Season 1

For fans of God of War’s story.

• Telltale’s The Walking Dead lives on the opposite end of gaming’s interactivity spectrum: It’s a choice-based point-and-click adventure game with sparse action sequences experienced through QTEs.
• Over five episodes, The Walking Dead’s first season tells one of the most memorable stories in games.
• Like God of War (and The Last of Us), you play as a gruff man in search of redemption tasked with protecting and educating a precocious child in the midst of apocalyptic destruction.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Mobile | iGV’s