The God of War franchise still holds strong after thirteen years and six games.

The God of War franchise consists of games across different PlayStation consoles, all released in a span of 13 years.

At the time of the first God of War’s release, the PlayStation 2, along with its competitors the Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube, saw a slew of different hack and slash-based action games, all that seemed the same. But what made the God of War games stand out was that it pushed the boundaries of the genre by having a riveting story around a powerful character named Kratos; the gamer follows the journey of Kratos in the world of Greek Mythology.

The world created throughout the six God of War games, along with the tragic story of Kratos makes the player feel as if the storyline is actually ripped from Greek mythology, while at the same time taking creative and innovative liberties.

With three of the games serving as the main saga, “God of War I-III,” along with two spin-offs, “Chains of Olympus” and “Ghost of Sparta” and one prequel, “God of War: Ascension,” that compliment Kratos’ journey make for an exciting story throughout the games.

Unlike most hack and slash games at the time, God of War had the players use specific combos and strategies involving Kratos’ everchanging blades and magic to think outside the box in order to defeat enemies.

The game also took time to challenge gamers with platforming segments and puzzles to sharpen one’s mind and to get to the next battle. But the standout of all the God of War games are the epic boss battles that go from over the top to absolutely brutal in all the best ways. The boss battles are also complimented by innovative quick time events that make the climatic showdowns as cinematic as a film.

Graphics are another key factor that add to the innovation of the God of War franchise. While most of the games in the series may not hold up to some gamers who were not around during God of War’s inception, at the time, they were breathtaking as the look and movement of the world look undeniably realistic. Each game pushes its console’s hardware to the absolute limit as the graphics become better and better.

Another revolutionary factor to the God of War games is the sound design. The sound of the games, from the voice acting, the sound effects and one of the best scores in gaming history, make the series a technical masterpiece.

The God of War franchise provides a rich world, incredible gameplay and technical achievements. Whether a gamer plays all six games chronologically or by order of release, there is always something to take away from the God of War franchise.

This year, a new God of War game is coming and plans to bring so much more to the God of War franchise such as new camera work, revamped graphics, new gameplay, more character development and a whole new world, the world of Norse mythology. The new God of War is one of the most highly anticipated PS4 games of the year. While some games in the series are better that others, the God of War series is definitely a series worth checking out for any gamer that has yet to experience the epic saga.

Overall Grade: A+