God of War Ragnarök is the best first choice if you have not played the latest Norse-era game. It continues the modern saga directly and is available on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. If you have already finished it, choose according to the part of God of War you miss most: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla for Viking culture and large-scale RPG progression, Elden Ring for mythic exploration and build freedom, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II for a concentrated character story and brutal combat, or Horizon Forbidden West for a huge open world with varied action.
PlayStation currently lists God of War Laufey as the next chapter, with a stated release date of February 16, 2027. Release schedules can change, so check the official US God of War series page before making plans around that date. The game is described as introducing Faye as the franchise’s first new playable protagonist.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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God of War Ragnarök - PlayStation 5 | $37.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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God of War Ragnarök | $31.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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God of War Ragnarök Launch Edition - PlayStation 5 | $27.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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God of War Ragnarök (PS5) | $37.02 | Buy on Amazon |
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God Of War Ragnarok | Launch Edition | PS5 Game (PlayStation 5) | Brand NEW | PS6 PS5 Upgrade Soon | $46.33 | Buy on Amazon |
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Quick recommendations
| What you want while waiting | Best match | What you get | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct continuation of the recent story | God of War Ragnarök | The latest mainline Norse-era entry, with the same characters and setting family | It is a previous chapter, not a replacement for the announced new game; God of War (2018) provides important story context |
| Vikings, Norse gods and a broad RPG | Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | Raiding, settlement construction, character progression and a Norse-mythology expansion | Its open-ended RPG and raid structure moves at a different pace from God of War |
| Mythic exploration and combat experimentation | Elden Ring | A large fantasy world with weapons, magic, skills and player-defined builds | Its narrative structure and difficulty are very different from God of War’s guided cinematic campaign |
| A short, intense character-led experience | Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II | Visceral combat and a focused continuation of Senua’s story | It is a distinct, linear-feeling character drama rather than a broad adventure RPG |
| A large world with varied action in a different genre | Horizon Forbidden West | Open-world exploration, an epic narrative and machine-focused combat in a science-fiction setting | It replaces mythology with science fiction and uses a different combat rhythm |
These are preference matches, not claims that every game plays identically to God of War. The useful question is which ingredient matters most to you: continuity, mythology, combat, story focus or world size.
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What is coming next in the God of War series?
PlayStation’s current US series page identifies God of War Laufey as the next chapter and gives February 16, 2027 as its release date. The page describes Faye as the new playable protagonist, a major change because the series has previously centered its playable perspective on Kratos. No platform, price or edition details beyond the information on that page should be assumed until PlayStation publishes them.
#1 Best Overall
- Feel your journey through the Norse realms, made possible by immersive haptic feedback and adaptive trigger functionality.
- Take advantage of multidirectional 3D Audio; hear enemies approaching from any direction. (3D audio with stereo headphones (analog or USB))
- Bask in the beautiful worlds you travel through, brought to life by precise art direction and arresting attention to detail.
- Switch between full 4K resolution at a targeted 30 frames per second, or dynamic resolution upscaled to 4K at a targeted 60fps. (4K resolution requires a compatible 4K TV or display)
The announced next chapter is separate from the already released games. God of War Ragnarök (2022) remains the most recent mainline entry, and its Valhalla add-on arrived in 2023. Valhalla is an add-on to Ragnarök, not a new numbered sequel, so it is best treated as additional material after completing the main campaign.
There is also a Greek-era side option: God of War Sons of Sparta. Santa Monica Studio’s PlayStation Blog announcement describes it as a canon 2D action-platformer about young Kratos and Deimos during their Agoge training. It launched digitally on PlayStation 5 on February 12, 2026. The announcement listed a US standard edition at $29.99 and a digital deluxe edition at $39.99 at that time. Those were announcement prices; current pricing and availability may differ. Sons of Sparta is useful if you want more Greek mythology or a side-scrolling format, but it is not the next Norse-era mainline chapter.
1. God of War Ragnarök: the essential catch-up choice
Why it fits
Ragnarök is the only recommendation here that directly continues the modern God of War storyline. It follows the 2018 game’s version of Kratos and Atreus and develops the Norse setting, family relationships and consequences established there. PlayStation lists versions for both PS5 and PS4, making it the safest recommendation for readers who own either recent PlayStation generation.
If you skipped God of War (2018), play that first whenever possible. Ragnarök is designed as a continuation, and its emotional stakes, character introductions and references make more sense in sequence. Starting with Ragnarök is still possible, but you will be entering a story already in motion.
What to expect
- A cinematic, character-led campaign built around Kratos, Atreus and the Norse realms.
- Close-range combat with weapons, shields, skills and build choices rather than a purely fixed moveset.
- Exploration areas and optional activities alongside the main story.
- A polished mainline presentation rather than the free-form structure of a large role-playing sandbox.
Who should choose it
Choose Ragnarök before anything else if your priority is seeing what happens next to the characters from the 2018 reboot. It also makes the most sense for someone who wants the closest available experience in tone, camera perspective and combat language. It cannot provide the novelty of a new protagonist or a new era, because it is the preceding chapter, but it is the correct place to fill a gap in the franchise.
Rank #2
2. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: the broad Viking role-playing option
Why it fits
Ubisoft presents Valhalla as the journey of a Viking raider, with settlement building, raids and long-term character progression. Its setting supplies the Viking-era atmosphere and Norse religious imagery that many players associate with the recent God of War games. The game also has a Dawn of Ragnarök expansion involving Odin and Norse mythology, giving mythology-focused players an additional campaign within the same broad RPG framework.
Valhalla is available across a range of systems, including PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, according to Ubisoft’s official game page. Specific editions and backward-compatible versions vary by platform and territory, so verify the listing for your hardware before buying.
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How its structure differs
Valhalla is much wider and more activity-driven than God of War. You spend substantial time traveling, gathering resources, improving a settlement, choosing equipment and deciding which regional objectives to pursue. Raids and open-world tasks can interrupt the main narrative rather than simply branching from a tightly paced sequence of set pieces.
- Best overlap: Viking culture, legendary figures, exploration and an upgrade-driven character.
- Biggest difference: a sprawling RPG loop replaces God of War’s concentrated cinematic pacing.
- Expansion note: Dawn of Ragnarök adds an Odin-focused mythological story, but it remains an expansion to Valhalla rather than a God of War connection.
Who should choose it
Pick Valhalla when you want to live in a Viking world for dozens of hours and enjoy deciding how your character develops. Do not choose it expecting every fight, camera move or story beat to mirror God of War. Its appeal is breadth: settlement management, raids and a large map let you make your own route through the setting.
3. Elden Ring: mythic scale and build freedom
Why it fits
Bandai Namco describes Elden Ring as a large fantasy world built for exploration, with weapons, magic, skills and multiple approaches to combat. That combination suits players who enjoy God of War’s mythic creatures and weapon-based action but want far more control over their route, equipment and fighting style.
Rank #3
- Launch Edition includes in-game downloadable content Kratos Risen Snow Armor & Atreus Risen Snow Tunic (Cosmetic)
- Feel your journey through the Norse realms, made possible by immersive haptic feedback and adaptive trigger functionality.
- Take advantage of multidirectional 3D Audio; hear enemies approaching from any direction. (3D audio with stereo headphones (analog or USB)
- Bask in the beautiful worlds you travel through, brought to life by precise art direction and arresting attention to detail.
- Switch between full 4K resolution at a targeted 30 frames per second, or dynamic resolution upscaled to 4K at a targeted 60fps. (4K resolution requires a compatible 4K TV or display)
Combat and exploration trade-offs
Elden Ring does not guide you through a cinematic sequence of realms in the same way. Its world frequently withholds direction, allowing you to discover areas, bosses and story fragments in an order you determine. A failed encounter may send you searching for a different weapon, spell or upgrade rather than simply asking you to repeat the same arena.
- Build variety: combine different weapons, attributes, magic and skills instead of relying on one fixed hero setup.
- Exploration: move through a broad interconnected fantasy landscape where optional discoveries can become major detours.
- Story delivery: expect environmental clues, item descriptions and optional encounters rather than constant cinematic exposition.
- Difficulty: progress often depends on learning enemy patterns, changing equipment or exploring elsewhere; it is not tuned like a straightforward story-action game.
Who should choose it
Choose Elden Ring if the part of God of War you remember most is battling legendary creatures with a weapon you have customized, then uncovering a strange world at your own pace. Choose something else if you mainly want a linear father-and-son drama, frequent cutscenes or a predictable difficulty curve.
4. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II: a focused, visceral story
Why it fits
The PlayStation Store describes Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II as the next chapter of Senua’s story and emphasizes brutal combat. Like the modern God of War games, it treats mythology and trauma as parts of a serious character drama rather than as disposable fantasy decoration. Its combat is deliberately physical and intense, making each confrontation feel personal.
How it differs from the other picks
Hellblade II is the focused option in this group. It does not ask you to manage a settlement, assemble a large open-world build or clear dozens of unrelated activities. The experience is centered on Senua’s perspective, atmosphere and forward momentum. That concentration can be a strength if you want a powerful story that you can complete without committing to a giant RPG.
- Choose it for: a serious tone, close character focus, oppressive atmosphere and visceral one-on-one combat.
- Do not choose it for: extensive loot systems, broad freedom of movement or a large collection of side quests.
- Platform check: confirm the current PlayStation Store listing and edition for your intended platform and region before purchase.
Who should choose it
Hellblade II is the best fit when you want the emotional intensity of a myth-inspired journey but prefer a compact, directed experience. It is also a useful contrast to Valhalla and Elden Ring: the world is not designed as a playground, and the protagonist’s perspective remains the center of the game.
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5. Horizon Forbidden West: open-world action in science fiction
Why it fits
PlayStation describes Horizon Forbidden West as an open-world action RPG with an epic narrative and varied combat. It offers the large-scale exploration and equipment experimentation that many God of War players enjoy, but places them in a science-fiction world of machines, lost technology and ecological mystery rather than a mythological one.
PlayStation lists Horizon Forbidden West for PS4 and PS5. The two versions share the same core adventure, while performance and presentation options depend on the console generation and edition.
What makes its combat distinct
Horizon’s battles revolve around reading machine behavior, targeting components and switching tools for different weaknesses. Encounters reward preparation and ranged positioning as well as close attacks. That creates a different rhythm from God of War’s compact arenas, where parries, dodges and weapon combos are usually the immediate focus.
- World: a large map with settlements, ruins and machine habitats to investigate.
- Progression: skills, weapons and equipment support different approaches to exploration and combat.
- Story: a science-fiction mystery with an expansive cast and long-running world questions.
- Trade-off: the setting and combat logic are fundamentally different from Norse mythology and God of War’s melee-first design.
Who should choose it
Choose Horizon Forbidden West when your priority is a substantial open world with a strong central narrative and many kinds of activities. It is the strongest alternative here for players who want to keep exploring after the main quest, provided they are happy to trade gods and monsters for machines and future technology.
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- Have you played God of War (2018)? If not, start there, then move to Ragnarök for the intended story order.
- Do you want the same franchise or a different world? Choose Ragnarök for continuity; choose one of the other four for a fresh setting and cast.
- Do you prefer direction or freedom? Hellblade II is the most focused; Valhalla and Elden Ring provide much more room to roam.
- Is mythology essential? Valhalla and Elden Ring retain mythic or legendary themes. Hellblade II is Norse-inspired in tone and subject. Horizon Forbidden West is science fiction.
- What hardware do you own? Ragnarök and Horizon Forbidden West have official PS4 and PS5 listings. Valhalla spans PC, Xbox Series X|S and PS5 among other versions. Check the current store page for Hellblade II and Elden Ring before assuming compatibility.
A practical play order while you wait
If you want a sequence rather than one purchase, use this order:
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- Those who break fate: Atreus seeks knowledge to help him understand the prophecy of "Loki" and what role he is to play in Ragnarök. Kratos must decide whether he will be chained by the fear of repeating his mistakes or break free of his past to be the father Atreus needs.
- Weapons of war : The Leviathan Axe, Blades of Chaos and Guardian Shield return alongside a host of new abilities for both Kratos and Atreus. As they take on gods and monsters from across the Nine Realms, Kratos's deadly Spartan skills will be tested like never before as he fights to protect his family.
- Explore the realms :Journey to dangerous and stunning landscapes and face a wide variety of enemy creatures, monsters and Norse gods as Kratos and Atreus search for answers and allies.
- Please note that this item is not for sale to people under the age of 18. By placing an order for this product, you declare that you are 18 years of age or older. This item must be used responsibly and appropriately.
- God of War (2018): establish the modern Norse storyline if you have not played it.
- God of War Ragnarök: complete the latest mainline chapter and then consider its Valhalla add-on.
- Hellblade II: move to a shorter, intense myth-inspired story while the tone is still fresh.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: spend longer in a Viking setting with settlement and raid systems.
- Elden Ring: take on the largest exploration and build challenge when you want an open-ended fantasy project.
- Horizon Forbidden West: switch genres for a science-fiction open world with a different approach to combat.
This order is not a quality ranking. It moves from direct franchise continuity to increasingly different interpretations of exploration, mythology and action.
Availability, prices and what to verify
The information available for these games does not establish a universal current price, subscription-catalog status, age suitability or physical edition in every territory. Store prices, bundles and platform support can change. Before purchasing, verify the edition, your console or PC requirements, language options and whether downloadable expansions are included.
The only specific prices in the available official announcements are for God of War Sons of Sparta: $29.99 for the standard digital edition and $39.99 for the digital deluxe edition in the United States at its February 12, 2026 announcement. Treat those as launch-announcement figures, not a guarantee of today’s price.
Bottom line
Start with God of War Ragnarök if you need to catch up on the current saga. Choose Assassin’s Creed Valhalla for Viking-era breadth, Elden Ring for mythic freedom, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II for concentrated intensity, and Horizon Forbidden West for a large science-fiction adventure. Keep God of War Sons of Sparta in reserve if a canon Greek-era side story and 2D action-platforming sound more appealing than another open-world game.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
