God of War vs God of War Ragnarok

Play God of War (2018) first — Ragnarok is a direct continuation and assumes every beat of it. Ragnarok is bigger, has far more combat variety and more realms to visit. The 2018 game is more focused and its father-and-son story is the reason the reboot worked.

What They Have in Common

Same axe, same over-the-shoulder camera, same Norse setting, and both are among the best-produced games PlayStation has published.

Pick God of War (2018) for focus.

One continuous shot, one journey, one relationship. Tighter, shorter, and the combat is deliberately narrow so the axe never stops feeling good.

More like this: games like God of War.

Pick Ragnarok for scale.

More weapons, more realms, more playable perspectives, and side content that is genuinely worth doing. It is longer and less disciplined for it.

More like this: games like God of War Ragnarok.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I play God of War or God of War Ragnarok first?

Play God of War (2018) first — Ragnarok is a direct continuation and assumes every beat of it. Ragnarok is bigger, has far more combat variety and more realms to visit. The 2018 game is more focused and its father-and-son story is the reason the reboot worked.

Is God of War better than God of War Ragnarok?

Better is the wrong question for these two — they are close enough that the answer depends on what you want from the next twenty hours. Pick God of War (2018) for focus. Pick Ragnarok for scale.

Are these comparisons based on review scores?

No. There are no scores anywhere on this page. This is a written opinion about what each game is for, so you can judge whether it matches what you are after.