20 Times God of War Infiltrated Other Games
“Horizon Forbidden West” (2022)
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“Horizon Forbidden West” added many new features, though one that didn’t impact gameplay was Aloy’s face paint. Completing certain tasks or quests would earn you new markings. One of the hardest to earn is the Mark of War face paint, which styles the heroine’s face after Kratos’ signature pale appearance and red tattoo. You have to collect a series of totems; the Totems of Brotherhood are modeled after Brok and Sindri, and are found near a destroyed machine with a hammer sticking out. The Totem of War resembles Kratos, found outside a cabin near a tree with an axe in it. Finally, the Totem of Youth resembles Atreus, found near some trees full of arrows.
“Astro’s Playroom” (2020)
Sony’s PS5 came with this adorable, Easter Egg-filled platformer pre-installed. The entire game serves to showcase the system’s new controller as well as pay tribute to the empire of PlayStation. Each of the game’s four worlds feature multiple robots dressed as Sony characters, such as Jin from “Ghost of Tsushima” and Drake from the “Uncharted” series. Of course, that means one of Sony's biggest franchises had to make an appearance. In Orbital Obstacles, you can find two bots booting up the 2005 original game. And on Bot Beach, you’ll find two more in a boat dressed as Kratos and Atreus from the 2018 entry.
“The Order: 1886” (2015)
This steampunk, cover-based shooter is the very definition of a missed opportunity. It had a great world to explore; it’s just that we didn’t get to explore it very thoroughly. Or for very long. Still, players enjoyed what little time they had with it, and “God of War” fans even got a neat Easter Egg. At certain points, you might notice an advertisement for Kratos Cycles plastered on a wall. We can’t deny the tagline, “Ride Like a God,” is a nice touch. In another, more simpler life, maybe Kratos would’ve been happy to just build bicycles for some folks.
“Tearaway Unfolded: Crafted Edition” (2015)
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This delightful platforming adventure featured a beautiful paper craft world to explore. But as lovely and carefree as its presentation is, that didn’t stop developer Media Molecule from referencing gaming’s angriest protagonist. By pre-ordering the game’s Crafted Edition, players gained all kinds of extra goodies. One such bonus item was a Kratos costume for the main character. While it doesn’t change anything about the gameplay, it does make your player character look like a handmade paper doll of Kratos. It’s hard to take his signature menacing scowl seriously when he looks so cute.
“Heavenly Sword” (2007)
Plenty of games pay tribute to those that came before them. Ninja Theory’s 2007 hack-and-slash game, “Heavenly Sword,” may have been too similar to “God of War” to stand on its own. But at least the developers knew what they were doing as evidenced by this Easter Egg. While playing as Kai in Chapter 3, players find an armory full of trophies from warriors defeated. Here lies a set of armor and swords credited as belonging to Lang-Ztu. But closer inspection shows it’s actually Kratos’ God Armor and the Blades of Athena.
“Death Stranding” (2019)
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Boy, Hideo Kojima sure does love his Easter Eggs. “Death Stranding” features more than its fair share, including an Aloy hologram and about a billion celebrity cameos. Comparatively, the “God of War” reference is admittedly small. But it was still nice to stumble upon. Throughout the game, Sam can collect Memory Chips, which unlock information about the world before the game’s apocalyptic event. Memory Chip 49 unlocks a lore entry for the 2018 installment’s soundtrack from composer Bear McCreary. The game was praised from nearly every angle, including its score. So it was cool to see it pop up here, even if the reference is small.
“World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth” (2018)
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As it’s arguably the biggest MMORPG of all time, “World of Warcraft” has received a ton of expansions since its 2004 release. The seventh, “Battle for Azeroth,” launched just a few months after Kratos’ 2018 adventure. And Blizzard included a nice nod to the warrior’s new era. In Orgrimmar, you can come across an axe-wielding Orc and his bow-wielding son standing next to the river. These are clearly the Orc versions of Kratos and his son Atreus. If you had any doubt, you can also catch snippets of their conversation. The boy questions his tribe’s actions during the current war, while his father attempts to make him understand.
“Ghost of Tsushima” (2020)
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Sucker Punch gave us a terrific samurai experience in “Ghost of Tsushima,” and even had enough creative juices left for some DLC. The Iki Island expansion put Jin Sakai up against a new threat just off the coast of his home. However, it was also a treasure trove for new armor sets, many of which were inspired by beloved PlayStation exclusives. One such set was the Ghost of Sparta Armor. You’d find the Shrine of Ash on the island’s east coast, and unlock the set by solving a “God of War”-themed riddle. It’s really only dye for the Sakai Clan Armor, but it’s definitely cool enough to ensure you’ll never change it.
“Gladihoppers” (2018)
For those who have never heard of this mobile game, “Gladihoppers” is a silly, physics-based gladiator fighter. The “hoppers” half refers to the fact that players can only hop across the arena instead of walk. The developers included some fun Easter Egg weapons and armor you could unlock depending on what you name your character. You’ll earn Witcher-style armor if you name them Geralt or the Buster Sword should you name them Cloud. If you choose to go the “God of War” route and name them Kratos, you’ll be given a single Blade of Chaos. Presumably, two would just make you too damn strong.
“The Simpsons Game” (2007)
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“The Simpsons” have made parodies of just about every popular thing in existence, and that includes “God of War.” The family’s 2007 adventure pokes fun at many different games, but the “God of War” bit is found in the seventh level. Here, Bart and Lisa must contend with a bunch of evil dolphins and aliens invading a pier. Impossible to miss is a giant billboard for some God of Wharf-brand hot chowder, accompanied by a Simpsons-style Kratos. Funnily enough, they followed this up a few years later in a Season 23 episode making fun of E3. Here, Bart gets excited to go hands-on with the brand new “Guts of War II: Entrails of Intestinox.”
“ModNation Racers” (2010)
“Mario Kart” will likely always be the king of kart racers. But with its focus on user-generated content, “ModNation Racers” managed to set itself apart. Although it also offered various Sony mascots depending on where players pre-ordered from. Sackboy, Ratchet & Clank, and Nathan Drake were all options. But only by pre-ordering the title at GameStop could players get Kratos and his Kart of Chaos. Like “Tearaway Unfolded,” it’s a little odd seeing Kratos in a cartoony world. But he’s still one of the coolest racer options and his gold inlaid kart is certainly the flashiest.
“Borderlands 3” (2019)
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After being introduced in the 2018 game, Mimir quickly became one of our favorite characters across the entire series. It seems we aren’t the only ones, as Gearbox included a nod to him in “Borderlands 3.” Inside the Tazandeer Ruins, you can easily spot a rowboat stuck in a river. Peering in, you’ll see what looks to be a mannequin head with horns. Most “God of War” Easter Eggs concern Kratos or, more recently, Atreus. So it was nice to see Mimir get a little love, even if it is brief.
“Guacamelee! 2” (2018)
With its Mexican flair and Metroidvania structure, the “Guacamelee!” games are a genuine delight for all who enjoy action platformers. They also have a terrific sense of humor, as evidenced by the dialogue and lighthearted Easter Eggs littered throughout. In the second game, advertisements for various businesses and wrestlers are clear references to video games. One such poster displays a father and son wrestling duo called Papa and Chico. While the boy wears a luchador mask, the father is obviously Kratos with his red tattoo and pale skin. Having personally seen what these two can do, we’d rather go up against anyone else.
“Fortnite” (2017)
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“Fortnite” is so gigantic that it has seen crossovers with Marvel, “Stranger Things,” DC, and “Star Wars.” And in December of 2020, Kratos himself joined the fray. Styled after his appearance in the 2018 release, players could purchase Kratos for 1,500 V-bucks, the in-game currency. But shelling out 2,200 for the Kratos Bundle was also worth it since it additionally came with a Guardian Shield glider, a Leviathan Axe-themed pickaxe, Mimir back bling, and the Freezing Burst emote. Playing as Kratos would surely give you an extra boost of confidence while hunting down foes. Sadly, Kratos and his gear were seemingly only available during a short period.
“LittleBigPlanet” Series (2008-14)
Sony’s “LittleBigPlanet” series has always been great at bringing in other PlayStation characters, or at least letting its cute mascot dress like them. The franchise’s “God of War” content stretches back as far as the first game. By pre-ordering the first entry at GameStop, or purchasing it as DLC later, players gained skins for Kratos, Medusa, and the Minotaur as well as a “God of War”-themed level pack. For “LittleBigPlanet 3,” the developers showed more love by offering a special “Fear” costume for Kratos, as well as costumes for Athena, Poseidon, Zeus, and Hercules. And the supporting character Toggle could dress as Hades.
“Sackboy: A Big Adventure” (2020)
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“Sackboy” continued the tradition of costume cameos set by its predecessors. Since it launched in 2020, players have enjoyed dressing the adorable mascot up like Jin Sakai, Ratchet or Clank, and even one of the Fall Guys, among many others. Sadly, it didn’t launch with any “God of War” themed costumes. But when “Ragnarok” released in late 2022, players were given a free update. You could then dress him up like Kratos, Atreus, or Freya. It was nice seeing the little guy dressed up like newer characters. Although it didn’t really add anything to gameplay, it was understandably quite a different journey to take Kratos and his son on.
“Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny” (2009)
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One of the most exciting aspects of a new “Soulcalibur” release is finding out which guest characters Bandai Namco will add. From “Soulcalibur II”’s trifecta of Link, Heihachi, and Spawn to “Soulcalibur VI”’s Geralt of Rivia, they’re always a welcome inclusion. For the PSP entry, “Broken Destiny,” Kratos was brought in via a ritual and a portal. How he got there isn’t really important. What is important is how much of a beatdown he can lay on his opponents. His close-to-long range blades add variety and Icarus’ wings make juggling a breeze. That’s not to mention his powerful Godly abilities, which deal heavy damage especially when implemented in combos.
“Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds” (2007)
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Kart racing is one thing, but Kratos playing a round of golf is something else entirely. Known as “Everybody’s Golf” in Japan, Kratos appeared as a DLC character in the franchise’s fifth entry on the PlayStation 3. And it’s just as silly and wonderful as you might expect. His Clubs of Chaos, which are chains rather than traditional shafts, are an excellent touch. And hearing him yell things like “I am immortal!” after scoring a Birdie never gets old. As befits the God, however, Kratos is classified as an Expert character. His drive and spin stats may be high, but his impact stat, which controls where the ball goes, is terrible. That’s a nice little meta joke on the character’s historical lack of control.
“Shovel Knight” (2014)
Who knew Kratos would look so good in 8-bit? “Shovel Knight” is one of the best indie games of the last decade. And since it’s basically on everything, hordes of players can enjoy it. But only players on PlayStation platforms get the chance to take on the God of War. Kratos will appear as an optional boss fight after obtaining the Curious Map. His ability to stun and long-range blades make it a tough fight. He’ll even heal himself after the first phase. It’s worth the trouble, though, since defeating him gets you the Armor of Chaos. This infuses your attacks with fire, makes your downward thrust faster, and gives you the chance to shoot a fiery blast after gaining a red orb from a fallen enemy.
“Mortal Kombat” (2011)
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Most of Kratos’ cameos are surprising given his source material. But putting him in 2011’s ultra-violent “Mortal Kombat” was a match made in Heaven. While “Soulcalibur” had to heavily censor his brutality, developer NetherRealm had no such issue. His blades can tear enemies apart just as they do in his own series. And he also came loaded up with various weapons from his long history of killing Gods. His Bow of Apollo gives him more range, the Boots of Hermes let him dash through foes, Helios’ Head can briefly stun, and his Golden Fleece can counter attacks. If you never got to fight as the God of War, then you missed out.
