TheGod of Warfranchise has featured some trulymemorable boss fightsin its time. In fact, the franchise is probably most known to gamers for its killer combat and incredible boss fights, though the recent iterations have also included somegreat narrativesfor gamers to enjoy.
That being said, with so many incredible boss fights, there are bound to be some incredible brawls that go under the radar, and so is the case withGod of War. The franchise has had a rich history, with some bosses far more underrated than they deserve to be.
Though not the mostchallenging boss fighton this list, Icarus makes the list by delivering one adrenaline-filled fall. The fight in question sees Kratos and Icarus fall from a bridge into the chasm below, much like the falling brawl between Gandalf and the Balrog inLord of the Rings.
Most of the action is button prompts and analog stick wiggling, but it’s the sheer cinematic feel given to the fight. Tussling the way down, pummeling away before Kratos rips off Icarus' wings in trueGod of Warfashion, leaving the crazed Icarus to plummet into the clouds below as Kratos glides to safety with his newly acquired wings. Short and sweet.
Daudi Kaupmadr is the first boss players are confronted with when playing 2018’s Norse rebootedGod of War,and whilst it was adeparture from the colossal boss fightsof the series past, it was still an enthralling fight that’s often overlooked.
With Kratos and Atreus focused on a hunt for a deer, the pair are thrust into action out of the blue as a hulking troll’s hand takes the prized deer. The music begins to roar, and the fight ensues, further showcasing just howpowerful the Leviathan Axewill go on to be. It also brings a sense of dread as the preliminary hunt hits home how much Atreus is out of his depth for the journey that lies ahead. It’s a great boss battle that acts as a strong start forthe motivational storythat’s about to unfold.
If there was ever an example of a franchise that translated perfectly to the PSP, it wasGod of War. The rage-fueled Demi-God’s two forays on the console were some ofSony’s best first-party effortson the portable platform. Though the games are often overlooked in comparison with the mainline trilogy and recent Norse outings, they still managed to deliver great hack-and-slash adventures.
Most notable of the two is the excellent opening boss battle with the Basilisk inGod of War: Chains of Olympus. The fight itself left many gamers gawping at their portable screens as Kratos wrestled a cyclops, only for the enormous Basilisk to burst through the gate and discard it like trash. In turn, it throws gamers into a visceral multistaged boss fight that sees Kratos dodging flames, plunging blades into its eyes, and toppling towers onto the relentless beast. The Basilisk was a fun, tough, and entertaining boss fight. One that only teased the great action game that would follow.
On Kratos' journey back to the summit of Mount Olympus, he meets with a whole manor of obstacles along his way. One such challenge that falls under the radar for many gamers is the battle in the labyrinth against Skorpius, the scorpion queen.
Isolated to only a box, the player is descended on by a swarm of scorpions before the crystallized queen joins the fray. With the limited space provided, it makes for a thrilling fight that requires gamers' alertness to dodge its sweeping tail and damaging pincers, whilst pummeling away at the crystallized weak spots. Plus, the fight features yet another great Kratos finisher as he plunges Skorpius' stinger into her back before ripping it forward.
Some gamers may argue Hades' inclusion on an underrated boss fight list, but whilst the battle is exhilarating, the problem he faces is thatGod of War 3already has so many notable boss fights, that the battle against Hades doesn’t stand out to players as much as the towering Cronos brawl, the spectacular opening bout against Poseiden or the trilogy capping final battle against Zeus.
Hades is a hulking beast and his hits pack a wallop, but the God of the Underworld also has a personal score to settle following Kratos' butchering of his Godly family and wife. The fight is a great dual between the two and the likes of the soul-hooking Claws of Hades and entrapping chains spreading across the map keep the fight varied and the player alert. It’s a stellar fight and one that ends perfectly with Kratos using the Claws of Hades to tear the soul from the God himself.
The Nidhogg is a beast that falls victim to circumstance in Kratos' adventure inGod of War: Ragnarok. Needing to cut the roots of Yggdrasil to help free Freya, the Nidhogg appears through a realm tear, attempting to protect the roots.
It’s one of theharder fightsplayers face inGod of War: Ragnarok.The Nidhogg is a fast, vicious creature that demands players utilize dodging and parrying to good effect in order to stand a chance. The creature has a bag full of tricks to assault players with, including striking its tail through realm tears or sucking in stones through its belly pouch, only to fire them back at Kratos seconds later. It’s certainly a difficult beast to slay, but those that do will be rewarded by Freya closing an open realm tear as it tries to flee, decapitating Nidhogg between the realms.
God of Warhad plenty of stand-out fights, especially with the recurring antagonist,the Stranger/Baldur subverting expectations on his arrival. The game, likeGod of War 3,is packed with so many, that other great fights can fall to the wayside. The same is true for the fight against the Dark elf King Svartáljǫfurr.
Like Daudi Kaupmadr before, Svartáljǫfurr seemingly appears out of nowhere to deliver gamers one hell of a beat down in Alfheim. The Dark Elf King has plenty of tricks to combat Kratos, including his ability to hover across the arena, plunge players into darkness, or leave explosive mines around the place. It was a tough fight for many gamers, but it felt truly rewarding to defeat him, even if Kratos and Atreus left unsure if he was the right elf to stop or not.
God of Warset the standard for what the franchise would become: high-intensity action, fluid combat, and incredible boss fights. Though with so many entries, gamers tend to overlook just how brilliant the opening Aegean Sea bout of Kratos against the Hydra really was.
The boss fight was exhilarating throughout. As players attempt to focus on one of the two smaller heads, the other would pull Kratos across the ship for their turn to fight, constantly switching the player’s focus on which head would feel the wrath of the Blades of Chaos first. After pinning the first two heads, players rise to the mast of the ship for the final battle against the main head of the Hydra. Rain pouring, thunder crashing. It was a battle of mythic proportions and ended in the same vein, with Kratos skewering the central head on the ship’s broken mast.
