For 10 years, Kratos has been tearing Mount Olympus apart.
What started off as a relatively unknown action game about Greek Mythology turned into one of the most recognizable brands in gaming, and God of War has been a Sony staple for a decade. There's something so satisfying about playing a God of War title - sure, they're not the most complicated games out there, but they don't have to be. God of War games are meant for one thing, and one thing only: fun.
And on the 10th anniversary of the first God of War, it's time to look back at the iconic franchise.
Part of the reason that God of War is so much fun is because of the bosses, and over the years, the series has featured some of the best boss fights ever. Picking the best of the best wasn't easy, even after narrowing the choices down to the core games - that being said, here are our pick for the Top Five boss fights in God of War.
5. The Hydra
God of War (2005)
Back when God of War was first released, players really didn't have any idea what to expect - but they didn't have to wait long to find out, either. The first level of the game starts off on a ship filled with smaller enemies, but within minutes, one of the Hydra's massive heads starts to tear the boat apart. Things only get worse when it's revealed that the heads only get bigger from there, and the Kratos' finishing blow still stands out as one of the most satisfying conclusions to a boss fight in the series.
4. The Colossus of Rhodes
God of War II (2007)
In the same way that the Hydra set the scale for the first game, the Colossus of Rhodes set the scale for God of War II. This wasn't just a fight, the entire level was a battle against the massive statue. It's a lengthy fight (some may say too lengthy), but watching as the fight moved through the entire city of Rhodes and into the statue itself was like nothing else in gaming at the time. In the first 15 minutes alone, God of War II managed to completely shatter player expectations, and that was only the beginning.
3. Cronos
God of War III (2010)
If God of War III was all about the size and scale of Kratos' war against the gods, there exists no better example than that of Cronos. The opening of the game did a fantastic job of introducing players to what battling on the back of a Titan felt like, but Cronos was the best example of what it was like to fight a Titan itself. Fighting up, down, around and inside the Titan was an absolute blast, and felling something as huge as Cronos felt epic in every sense of the word...if a little gross at the same time.
2. The Last Spartan
God of War II (2007)
The God of War games have never been known for their emotional storytelling skills - Kratos isn't exactly the most sympathetic of characters - but God of War II definitely tried to tell a more emotionally gripping story. In some ways, it succeeded - fighting the Last Spartan was a twist that few saw coming, but looking back, it's easy to see how everything went so wrong. It served as yet another impetus for Kratos to take Zeus apart, but it also served another purpose - it showed that Kratos actually cared about something other than murder, and helped humanize what had become a mindless killing machine.
1. Zeus
God of War III (2010)
It was the confrontation that had been building for two entire games: Kratos would finally take on the ruler of Olympus in a bloody battle for the fate of the world.
While the fight against Zeus during the finale of God of War II got obnoxiously difficult by the time it wrapped up, the finale battle of God of War III was perfectly tuned. Fighting against Zeus (and, at times, the Titan Gaia) was truly a sight to behold, and the battle constantly threw new and unique twists at the player throughout its entire duration. On top of all that, it's also one of the most satisfying conclusions to any game ever made: watching the screen slowly turn red is a moment that few gamers will ever forget.
With God of War III: Remastered coming to the PS4 this summer, there's a chance that Sony may be getting ready to finally continue Kratos' story. It's been five years since the timeline came to a halt, and while there have been a few games released since then, they haven't captured the same feeling of awe that the core titles did. If Sony is using God of War III: Remastered to gauge fan interest, players might not be that far away from another installment.
Hopefully, gamers won't have much longer to wait before the next true God of War game comes to Sony's latest console - and, with any luck, it'll hold up to the incredible standards set by its predecessors.
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