10 Most Satisfying God of War Kills

Helios

“God of War III” (2010)

If there’s one character who loves to double cross others, it has to be Helios. Having sided with the gods despite being a Titan, Helios was abducted by Atlas in “Chains of Olympus” and only survived because of Kratos’ help. However, he fights against Kratos in “God of War III,” and is a constant annoyance until Kratos shoots his chariot down. It’s satisfying to see Kratos put Helios down for attempting to trick him into entering the Flame of Olympus, as the traitor finally gets his just desserts. Kratos proceeds to stomp out Helios’ powers and rips his head out to use as a light to illuminate his path forward. At the time of the game’s release, it wasn’t common for such full-on violence outside of cutscenes, making Helios’ demise a visually stunning move.

Perseus

“God of War II” (2007)

Most of the characters that Kratos has killed make the mistake of challenging him rather than Kratos actually ever planning to fight them. Kratos finds Perseus trapped in a room with no way out and the latter looks to dish out his frustration on the protagonist. We’re given reasons to dislike Perseus straightaway, as he comes across as melodramatic and arrogant, using underhanded tactics to use in the battle. Perseus attempts to use his invisibility to both taunt and finish off Kratos, so it’s very enjoyable when his strategy comes back to bite him as Kratos destroys all of Perseus’ weapons one by one. In the end, Perseus is finally shut up for good when Kratos tosses him out to his demise, ironically allowing Perseus to escape the room he’d wanted to leave in the first place.

Cronos

“God of War III” (2010)

Cronos is responsible for the entire series’ events due to his decision to devour his own children. After Zeus gained revenge on his father, a cycle of familial violence continued into Kratos’ time. Coming across his grandson, Cronos blames Kratos for landing him in the pit of Tarturus and tries to kill him as his form of vengeance. Of course, Kratos ends up with the upper hand, scaling his gigantic grandfather to use the chains of Pandora’s Temple to incapacitate him. Not only does killing Cronos feel justified for his attempt at Kratos’ life, but because he deserved punishment for all the evil he was responsible for bringing forward. Not to mention that taking down a colossal boss the size of Cronos is an achievement that players will be very proud to have accomplished.

Baldur

“God of War” (2018)

While Kratos generally steamrolls through his opponents, Baldur is a striking exception. Their first encounter plays out in an extensive boss fight, where Baldur no-sells most of Kratos’ attacks and then frequently antagonizes him and Atreus throughout the game. The final fight is an even bigger set piece, with Kratos and Atreus battling Baldur across the skies and with the intervention of Freya. With Baldur such a thorn in players’ side for the duration of the game, it’s pleasing to see him face defeat when his invulnerability is removed. It’s even more satisfying to witness Kratos finish him off after Baldur learns nothing from the ordeal and tries to eliminate his own mother. Defeating Baldur in battle is fulfilling in terms of gameplay while his killing is a great payoff to what the story was building toward.

Charon

“God of War: Chains of Olympus” (2008)

Charon is the only boss to have definitively beaten Kratos in battle, and tosses Kratos to the underworld after his win. It takes a whole lot of trials and tribulations to make way back to Charon, by which point Kratos is empowered by the Gauntlet of Zeus. This time around, Charon’s go-to maneuver of using mystical columns doesn’t work because Kratos simply destroys them with the gauntlet. Players have never been equipped to handle losses while controlling Kratos, which makes beating down Charon extremely satisfying and the perfect way to get back at the boss who forced us to taste defeat. It also highlights the way the series engages players right into the action, as Charon’s kill is initiated and completed through player controls rather than in a cutscene.

Hercules

“God of War III” (2010)

Hercules was always among the mythological figures that fans wanted Kratos to face and it came to pass in "God of War III". It's a worthy battle because of the similarities between the two, with Hercules coming across as Kratos' equal in terms of physicality, strength, and skills. Moreover, Hercules's resentful attitude toward Kratos and wanting to kill his own brother sets the scene for a high octane clash, so it's rewarding when we get to shatter Hercules's ambitions. Staying true to Kratos and Hercules's hard-hitting fight, the kill itself is appropriately savage in nature, as Kratos bashes Hercules to his end. It's an altogether convincing way to drive home the point that Kratos is the apex demigod out there and there's a certain sense of pride that comes with terminating Hercules to prove it.

Sisters of Fate

“God of War II” (2007)

Watching Kratos defy the odds is one of the reasons fans are so attached to the protagonist, and he pulls off his greatest heist against the Sisters of Fate. Things look bleak against the first pair, who go so as to force Kratos into the past to ensure the death of his younger version. The battle against the sister truly feels like a race against time and the thrills keep on increasing every time Kratos overcomes their attacks. It's ultimately poetic justice that the holders of time are erased from time itself when Kratos seals Lahkesis and Atropos in their own interdimensional mirrors. Finishing off the last sister, Clotho is perhaps more rewarding because it takes an enormous effort to reach her, with her death validating the players' long journey to claim Keatos' victory.

Ares

“God of War” (2005)

Things with Ares are so personal that players generally feel the same rage and contempt Kratos does towards him. Ares was responsible for the deaths of Kratos' family, turning him into the Ghost of Sparta. The boss fight against Ares only makes us anticipate finishing him off even more because of the difficulty involved. The spikes protruding from his back are a challenge to avoid and overcome, which adds to the level of threat he poses. While we don't get to land the finishing blow during gameplay, Ares' defeat plays out in awesome fashion as Kratos delivers a chilling one-liner before landing the killing blow. The satisfaction of taking down the sheer force that Ares was, combined with the vengeance Kratos finally achieved, remain memorable and have the same impact no matter how many times players initiate Ares' demise in repeated playthroughs.

Zeus

“God of War III” (2010)

The overarching antagonist to the original series was the king of the gods and eliminating him had to be memorable. "God of War III" accomplished just that as fighting Zeus is a dynamic experience that involves a one-on-one confrontation, Gaia's intervention, and a battle inside Kratos' mind. Overcoming it all, we're finally left with a defenseless Zeus to deliver Kratos' wrath upon and it's as bloody and brilliant as one could imagine. Incorporating a first-person camera, the game places us in Kratos' position to beat down Zeus to the extent that the screen is painted red, leaving no doubt that Kratos got his revenge and then some. It's easily the most visceral of slayings players complete in the series, signifying the anger and drive Kratos possessed to end Zeus's reign once and for all.

Sigrun

“God of War” (2018)

While the other killings have some personal or emotional connection for Kratos involved, there's nothing but players' own loathing of Sigrun that makes her death the greatest achievement in any "God of War" game. The worst of the Valkyries to face in terms of difficulty level, Sigrun will most definitely have caused millions of gamers to rage quit. With her otherworldly agility and scything attacks, Sigrun is nearly impossible to beat. That's mainly why the ones who do manage to defeat this Valkyrie experience a special kind of happiness, one that almost feels like the pinnacle of achievement in gaming. The shot of Kratos tearing off Sigrun's wings is a thing of beauty, mainly because of the struggles it takes to finally reach the point where she's slain.