God of Warhas gone through one of the most successful modern resurgences of all time. The original games were quite engaging in their own right, but it goes without saying that Kratos' one-dimensional angry persona led to his character being quite simple when it came to the majority of the original trilogy’s runtime. So, whenGod of War’s reboot came around, fans were elated to see a more mature Kratos taking on the daunting task of being a father.
RELATED:The Best Verified Action Games For The Steam Deck
Of course, whilethe combat system in the modernGod of Wargameshas also changed quite a bit, there’s no denying that the original trilogy’s combat still holds a soft spot in the hearts of many fans. Players who want to check out the classic gameplay ofGod of Warand how it inspired other titles should check out the following games that add their own unique spin to this combat system.
10Thor: God Of Thunder
During the heyday of Marvel movies, there was a string of video game tie-ins that accompanied most movies. One such title that flew under the radar of most gamers isThor: God of Thunder.
The game’s lack of polish showed in each and every facet of its design, with the combat being a shallow interpretation ofGod of War’s amazing combat system. It was clear thatfans looking for experiences matchingGod of War’s qualitywould have to expand their search quite a bit.
9Conan
For what it’s worth, there’s no denying thatConanhad a ton of heart and is a fun title as long as players are willing to overlook certain faults. However, this is easier said than done, withConanbeing pretty rough around the edges in many ways.
As a result, the game ended up being a fairly unremarkable title that didn’t really turn many heads. That being said,players who likeGod of War’s classic combatand don’t mind a few shortcuts taken here and there in terms of overall game design will find a lot of things to love aboutConan.
8Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow
In a bid to modernize the series, Konami released a trilogy ofCastlevaniatitles that ended up being fairly unremarkable 3D fighting games.Castlevania: Lords of Shadowwas the first title that kickstarted this supposed resurgence for theCastlevaniaseries.
RELATED:Hack & Slash Switch Games To Play If You Like God Of War
As most people would expect, turning a revolutionary series likeCastlevaniainto a soullessGod of Warclone didn’t sit well with many hardcore fans. Some of the battles in the series were also inspired byShadow of the Colossus, although this imitation also paled in comparison to the original.
7Heavenly Sword
The PlayStation 3 took a while to get going, with its long list of exclusives slowly increasing as each year passed. One of the earlier exclusives on the PlayStation 3 that isn’t remembered by many isHeavenly Sword.
Controlling Nariko and slashing through enemiesusing a litany of flashy moves made for a great time. However, whileHeavenly Swordwas a pretty solid game in its own right, it never really managed to capture the magic thatGod of Wardid in any way.
6X-Men Origins: Wolverine
For a movie tie-in game, it’s surprising just how enjoyableX-Men Origins: Wolverineis. The combat was satisfying, crunchy, and gory enough to satisfy most fans of this clawed superhero.
The game featured a lunge mechanic that was satisfying to pull off every single time. It’s a shame that more people don’t talk aboutX-Men Origins: Wolverinesinceit added a fresh and unique spin to the classicGod of Warcombat systemthat made it such a blast.
5Darksiders
Darksidersis easily one of the most popularGod of Warclones out there. It helped that the overall lore of the series was also pretty engaging in its own right, makingDarksidersa worthwhile world to explore.
The game’s action-packed combat was spaced out with puzzles that actually took some brain power to solve. All in all,Darksidersis an excellent action-adventure title that fans ofGod of Warwill have a great time with.
4Dante’s Inferno
Dante’s Infernois another popularGod of Warclone that many people are pretty familiar with. While the combat itself might’ve been slightly repetitive, it’s far from the only thing that’s great aboutDante’s Inferno.
The captivating setting of the game, Hell itself, was surprisingly fun to explore. Each stage had a strong sense of art direction that helpedDante’s Infernostand out quite a bit from the rest of theGod of Warclones that were being peddled around.
3Asura’s Wrath
Asura’s Wrathfeatures a protagonist who can rival Kratos in terms of sheer rage. Just like Kratos, Asura has also been betrayed by the gods and demands justice for the atrocities he had to overcome.
RELATED:The Best Action Games To Play If You Like God Of War
The fun action combat is broken up by several quick-time events that make the title appear incredibly cinematic. It’s unfortunate that Capcom had gated the actual ending of this game since the lack of any controversy might’ve made most people realizejust how amazingAsura’s Wrathreally is.
2Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeancecan definitely compete for the distinction of being one of the greatest video game spinoffs of all time. Controlling a cybernetic ninja in the form of Raiden makes for a great time, with PlatinumGames showing once again why they’re masters of their craft.
The combat ofMetal Gear Rising: Revengeaceis extremely challenging but well worth mastering. The sheer satisfaction that comes from obliterating a tough enemy with a series of expert combos is something that not many titles can replicate, even in the current generation of gaming!
1Bayonetta
Another PlatinumGames title that isinspired byGod of War’s classic combat system isBayonetta. Controlling the titular witch and using her impressive suite of abilities makes for a great time.
Getting a good rating inBayonetta’s stages requires the player to use everything at their disposal. The instant-death QTEs might be one of the most hated parts of the game, but it’s a small asterisk in what is otherwise a masterful action title.
