If you’re unsure which difficulty to choose in God of War (2018), start with Give Me a Balanced Experience. Choose Give Me a Story if you want less combat pressure, Give Me a Challenge if you enjoy demanding action games, and Give Me God of War only if you want the hardest mode and are prepared to stick with it.
Which difficulty should I choose?
The best fit depends on how much you want combat to test you, how comfortable you are learning through failure, and whether following the story is your main priority. The recommendations below are based on the mode descriptions reported at the time and on developer guidance—not a guarantee that every player will experience a setting the same way.
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God Of War | $22.40 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Setting | Best fit | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Give Me a Story | Players who primarily want Kratos and Atreus’s story, with less emphasis on combat difficulty. | The mode gives players more leeway with enemies and challenges, according to contemporary reporting on the studio’s announcement. Game Informer |
| Give Me a Balanced Experience | First-time players who want both the story and a meaningful combat experience, especially if they are unsure. | A well-rounded option; “balanced” does not mean every encounter will feel easy or equally difficult to every player. Game Informer |
| Give Me a Challenge | Players familiar with action games or the series who want fights to demand more attention. | Reported as the harder choice for players experienced with action games or God of War. Game Informer |
| Give Me God of War | Players deliberately seeking the most demanding experience and willing to commit to it. | The highest difficulty, with changes to enemy behavior and combat tuning. It cannot be changed mid-game. Santa Monica Studio’s developer guidance |
There is no “correct” setting that makes the game more legitimate. Pick the mode that makes you want to keep playing; you do not need to prove your skill by starting at the top.
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It is more than a health or damage adjustment. Mihir Sheth, Senior Combat Tech-Designer at Santa Monica Studio, describes it as the hardest mode and explains that enemies become more powerful, deal more damage, defend better against damage and stun, and resist hit reactions. They can counter quickly, and some enemies can turn Elite, gaining power, aggression, and new attacks. Ailments inflicted on Kratos become more potent and last longer; melee targeting assistance is reduced, and Rage and passive bonuses build more slowly. Sheth’s explanation
#1 Best Overall
- Physical combat over the shoulder free camera brings the action closer than ever combat in God of war is up close frenetic and unflinching. Kratos' Axes powerful, magic and multi faceted is a brutal weapon as well as a versatile tool for exploration
- Midgard and beyond: Set within the untamed forests, mountains, and realms of Norse lore, God of war features a distinctly new setting with its own pantheon of creatures, monsters, and gods
- Vicious, physical combat with an over the shoulder free camera that brings the player closer to the action than ever before
“Give Me God of War is meant to test mastery of all the combat mechanics and tools available to Kratos and Atreus.”
—Mihir Sheth, Senior Combat Tech-Designer at Santa Monica Studio
Rank #2
God of War Ragnarök - PlayStation 4
- 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)
Sheth recommends completing the main story at least once on Give Me a Balanced Experience or Give Me a Challenge before attempting the hardest mode, so players can learn the combat systems. That is advice, not a prerequisite.
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Developer tips for harder fights
- Keep the camera on as many enemies as possible in crowded encounters.
- Consider dodging sideways: unlike rolling, it can preserve a light-attack combo.
- Use Atreus’s arrows and precise axe throws to interrupt enemies before they turn Elite.
- Use enemy afflictions to create openings.
These are the combat designer’s recommendations, not a promise that one tactic works in every encounter. Optional Valkyries, for example, test different responses to specific attacks. Senior Staff Combat Designer Denny Yeh notes that on Give Me God of War, arrows do not knock down one particular Valkyrie, while the slower, riskier axe throw can. That example applies to that encounter, not every enemy. Yeh’s Valkyrie design discussion
Rank #3
- Living as a man outside the shadow of the gods - Kratos, together with his son Atreus, must venture into the brutal Norse wilds and fight to fulfil a deeply personal quest.
- Discover an emotionally gripping tale of father and son.
- Journey to a dark, elemental world of fearsome creatures.
- Conquer your foes in vicious close-quarters combat.
Can I change difficulty later?
The important exception is Give Me God of War: the game warns that this setting cannot be changed mid-game, according to Sheth’s published guidance. If you are uncertain about committing to the hardest mode, choose another setting instead. The available evidence here does not establish whether the other settings can be changed at any point, so do not assume the hardest mode’s restriction applies to all four.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Are these the same settings as God of War Ragnarök?
No. This article is about God of War (2018), whose four labels are Give Me a Story, Give Me a Balanced Experience, Give Me a Challenge, and Give Me God of War. God of War Ragnarök has a different five-option menu: Story, Grace, Balance, No Mercy, and God of War. PlayStation says Santa Monica Studio added the fifth level for more flexibility on its Ragnarök accessibility page. Don’t use the sequel’s names when looking for the 2018 game’s settings.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Beautifully rendered at 1080p and running at 60 frames per second, God of War III Remastered is ready for the next generation
- The brand new photo mode will allow players to freeze the jaw-dropping action to edit, save and share photos.
- God of War III Remastered shows off realistic muscle contours, detailed facial expressions and new heightened levels of brutality and gore
Rank #4
- Physical combat over the shoulder free camera brings the action closer than ever combat in God of war is up close frenetic and unflinching. Kratos' Axes powerful, magic and multi faceted is a brutal weapon as well as a versatile tool for exploration
- Midgard and beyond: Set within the untamed forests, mountains, and realms of Norse lore, God of war features a distinctly new setting with its own pantheon of creatures, monsters, and gods
- Vicious, physical combat with an over the shoulder free camera that brings the player closer to the action than ever before
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.
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