TheGod of Warfranchise began with its first game in 2005 on the PlayStation 2. It was developed by Sony’s in-house Santa Monica Studio and directed by David Jaffe, who was also known for theTwisted Metalfranchise. The games were first loosely based on Greek mythology and then focused on Norse mythology in the 2018 reboot. The original series was comparable to theDevil May Cryseries in terms of its gameplay, butGod of Warwas more approachable in terms of its difficulty for even the most casual player.
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In terms of its scale and storytelling, the series took inspiration from the Ray Harryhausen classics likeClash of Titans, Jason and the Argonauts,and theSinbadfilm series. TheGod of Warseries is easily one of the most cinematic series available in gaming. As large-scale epics, the length of the games have to be just right. Let’s take a look at the campaign length in the series’ history.
Updated July 14, 2025, by Tom Bowen:With the next God of War gamelooking increasingly unlikely to release in 2021, those looking to get their fill of hack and slash thrills may now find themselves turning to some of Kratos' past outings instead. Though many of these games are short in length, the series is one that’s renowned for providing its players with plenty of post-game content, making multiple playthroughs a must for those looking to see all that they have to offer. Some provide quite a bit more than others in this regard, but there’s generally always something for those who return for a second bite.
9God Of War: A Call From The Wilds – 30 minutes
Prior to the release ofGod of Warfor the PS4, the team behind the game teamed up with Facebook to release a text-based game that was designed to build up hype. Users typed commands in to a chat box to progress the story, which revealed information about key characters as well as lore about the series itself.
Though incredibly basic at its core, the game was fairly enjoyable and could be completed in half an hour. Those who took the time to make it to the end were rewarded with high definition concept art from the upcoming game as well as an interesting look intothe relationship between Kratos and Atreus.
For as enjoyable as the experience was, the game provided very little reason for players to return for a second playthrough, with no branching storylines nor any real skill required to make it to the end. As a game designed to get fans excited aboutGod of War(2018), however, it’s hard to argue thatA Call from the Wildsdidn’t serve its purpose well.
8God Of War: Betrayal – 2 Hours
God of War: Betrayalwas released in 2007 for mobile phones. It’s a 2D side-scrolling action/platforming game with a story chronologically set between the events of God of War: Ghost of SpartaandGod of War II. It’s not much to look at, nor is it particularly long, but it’s still a fairly interesting experience nonetheless.
The game’s narrative sees Kratos framed for the death of Argos in an attempt to turn the gods against him. As well as trying to give the series more exposure across different media platforms the game’s story was created to give players more insight into Kratos’ relationship with the gods.
There’s plenty of variety in enemy types and the combat is fairly solid too. The platforming, on the other hand, can sometimes be a little hit and miss, due largely to the limitations of the platform. Though there’s no real incentive to return to the game after completing it, its short length did make it ideal for those looking for something to play while on the move.
7God Of War: Chains Of Olympus – 5 ½ Hours
God of War: Chain of Olympus was originally released on the PlayStation Portable in 2008. The game was released as a prequel to the firstGod of Wargame and chronologically is the second game in the series afterGod of War: Ascension.
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The game was subsequently released as part of theGod of War: Originsset for the PlayStation 3 in 2011. It was one of the first games that could really show off the power of the PSP when compared to other handhelds and provided a home console experience in the palm of the player’s hands.
Although there are plenty of bonus armor sets to unlock inChains of Olympus, it doesn’t include a traditional new game plus mode. Even so, with multiple difficulty settings and plenty of distractions, there’s more than enough to warrant a second playthrough for those looking to squeeze a few more hours out of their purchase.
6God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta – 6 ½ Hours
God of War: Ghost of Spartawas first released on the PlayStation Portable in 2010. The game’s story is set between the events of the firstGod of Warand the mobile gameBetrayaland is set during Kratos’ ten years service to the gods.
The game was later remastered and released together withChains of Olympusas part of theOriginsbundle in 2011 for the PlayStation 3. Despite the short length of 6 ½ hours, developers Ready at Dawn managed to squeeze in more gameplay and combat mechanics than its predecessor.
Ghost of Spartahas a new game plus mode which allows players to carry over their progress into subsequent playthroughs. The only downside of this is that players won’t be able to increase the difficulty setting in new game plus, meaning they’ll either have to replay the game at the same difficulty (or lower) or start from scratch on a higher setting.
5God Of War: Ascension – 8 ½ Hours
God of War: Ascensionwas released on the PlayStation 3 in 2013. It’s a prequel with the story being set chronologically as the first in Kratos’ saga. The game’s story is set six months after the death of his wife and child and begins with Kratos’ imprisonment at the hands of the Furies.
The game also introduced an online-only multiplayer which wasn’t well-received by fans. Furthermore, the story wasn’t quite up to par with its immediate predecessor on the home consolesGod of War III.Nevertheless, the combat was still solid and the game’s length at 8 ½ hours seemed to be just right and didn’t outstay its welcome.
As with many of the series' other entries,Ascensionfeatures a new game plus mode, in which players can gain access to plenty of new costumes and armor sets. They’ll also be able to unlock the power of the artifacts that they’ve collected, which can grant bonuses like infinite magic, infinite rage, and reduced damage.
4God Of War – 9 Hours
The first God of War was originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2005. It was the game that started it all for the series and introduced a new epic and cinematic exclusive for PlayStation brand that would continue on to the PlayStation 4.
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God of Warshows Kratos’ journey of revenge against the God of War Areswho tricked him into killing his family. A remastered version was released as part of theGod of War Sagafor the PlayStation 3 in 2012.
The firstGod of Wargame arrived a little too early for there to be a new game plus mode, although that’s not to say that there’s nothing left to do after completing the main story. Players will gain access to the Challenge of the Gods mode and completing these challenges will unlock new outfits that can grant powerful perks in a standard playthrough.
3God Of War III – 10 ½ Hours
God of War IIIwas originally released for the PlayStation 3 in 2010. it is a direct sequel toGod of War IIand the seventh title chronologically in the series. The game was remastered for the PlayStation 4 in 2015 and visually still holds up incredibly well.
Prior to the Norse Mythology-set reboot released in 2018,God of War IIIwas considered to be the biggest and the best game in the series. The epic boss scenes and the incredible orchestral score remains some of the best in any genre. It’s also the game where Kratos is at his most vicious, with the God of Wardecapitating several gods during his ascent of Mount Olympus.
Thanks to the game’s multiple difficulty settings and the Challenges of Olympus, there are plenty of reasons to dive back intoGod of War IIIafter completing the main story. The Chaos difficulty setting will push players to their absolute limits, while the perks granted by the challenge rewards can completely change the gameplay.
2God Of War II – 12 Hours
God of War IIwas first released on the PlayStation 2 in 2007 and in chronological terms, it is the sixth in the series’ storyline. The game was later remastered for the PlayStation 3 and released as part of theGod of War Collectionin 2009 and theGod of Sagain 2012.
Betrayed and killed by Zeus, Kratos rises from the underworld to seek revenge and find the Sisters of Fate to change the course of history. It’s the second-longest game in the series but managed to outdo its predecessor in every sense of the word.
Kratos' second outing was the first game in the series to feature a new game plus mode, with players able to unlock special perks by completing the Challenge of the Titans. The bonus costumes aren’t really much to look at, but the abilities they provide really can change the way that players approach the game.
1God Of War (2018) – 20 ½ Hours
The newGod of Warwas released in 2018 exclusively for the PlayStation 4. The game was as much a reboot – set now in Norse Mythology – as it was a continuation of Kratos’ story and development. It featured fantastic new voice work fromStargate’sChristopher Judgewho brought in some much-needed humanity to the character. The narrative was definitely a step up from previous entries in the franchise.
In addition, the gameplay, combat, and exploration were a complete departure from its Greek mythology-set predecessors. The game had a more grounded but impactful combat system with some similarities to theDark Soulsseries and the game’s semi-open world was huge, masterfully interconnected and the biggest in terms of its campaign size the series had ever seen taking around 20 ½ to complete without taking on the game’s many side quests.
Given the series' strong track record when it comes to post-game content, the announcement thatGod of Warwould feature a new game plus mode didn’t really come as much of a surprise. It cranks up the difficulty quite a bit, while also granting access to special armor sets that can’t be acquired in a regular playthrough. The game’s also full of collectibles, so even a regular playthrough can extend far beyond the 20-hour mark.
