Bayonetta
Another third-person action game, in which players control Bayonetta, a shape-shifting witch who awakens after a 500-year slumber with no memory of who she is. The narrative takes plenty of inspiration from Scandinavian mythology, with several characters named after Norse Gods. But Bayonetta’s story is much more on the quirky side than God of War. In fact, it does a wonderful job of balancing dark fantasy with everything from whimsical one-liners to downright raunchy scenes.
Using melee weapons, magic, and modern firearms, Bayonetta takes on angelic enemies in scintillating fast-paced combat. One of its most unique features is that players can not only dual-wield weapons but also use Bayonetta’s feet too! The eccentricity is typical of the game’s tone, but best of all, it makes for stacks of combo abilities that keep the game feeling fresh right until the end.
Bloodborne
Games like God of War
FromSoftware’s PS4 exclusive has been lauded as one of the console’s best, and it’s easy to see why. Bloodborne’s eerie Gothic setting is superbly designed, both with respect to its incredible detail and its well-constructed HUB design. Although seemingly light on narrative at first glance, there’s actually a detailed story to uncover pieced together with snippets of lore, if you know where to look.
Bloodborne’s combat places much less emphasis on defense than the Dark Souls games that preceded it. In tuning the design more toward dodging and attacking, Bloodborne has a faster, arcade-like feel to it that’s exciting to play, and it might appeal to you even if you aren’t typically into the attack/parry mechanism of Souls combat.
There’s no question that God of War has taken big inspiration from FromSoftware’s combat, and it’s level design too. In fact, director Cory Barlog has spoken of his appreciation of the game and its semi-open-world layout.
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Crystal Dynamics’ sequel to its popular Tomb Raider reboot offers a similarly expansive semi-open world level design to God of War. The emphasis on exploration, platforming, and puzzle-solving across its snow-covered setting shares plenty of parallels.
You’ll also find the same sort of role-playing mechanics woven into its combat, with Lara Croft able to learn new abilities via a skill tree. There are plenty of weapons to unlock and a there’s good balance between shooting, melee, and stealth combat.
Players who enjoyed the exploration, upgrades, and action of God of War will likely also enjoy Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Lords of the Fallen
Games like God of War
Lords of the Fallen is an action-RPG in which players take control of a criminal protagonist called Harkyn who has been summoned from his jail cell to rid the world of an invasive legion of otherworldly creatures called the Rhogar. The narrative does feel a little derivative at times, but there’s so much fun to be had in its arcade-like combat, compelling enemy designs, and addictive loot system that you should definitely consider playing it as an alternative to God of War.
Its combat is fairly similar to God of War, with a host of awesome melee weapons to smash enemies apart, from enormous scythes to magical gauntlets. As you battle your way through impressive-looking enemies, you’ll traverse snowy peaks and crumbling castle ruins that do look pretty spectacular. There are many of the same systems you’d find in a Souls game here, but it’s a more accessible experience that might suit someone interested in a less brutally difficult experience.
Ghost of Tsushima
If you’ve heard people suggest that Ghost of Tsushima is “just another open-world game,” don’t believe them. Sure, its design is certainly based on a popular blueprint, but there’s a finesse to execution that absolutely deserves special praise.
Few open-world games boast the same cinematic initiative as Ghost of Tsushima, from the minimalist HUD to the complete lack of waypoints. Fewer still have you reflect on story beats in hot springs to increase your health or compose poetry for cosmetics. It’s true that much of this turns out to be busy work by the game’s end, but there’s a magic of exploration in Ghost of Tsushima that’s truly breathtaking.
The combat is where the game really shines, though, and it’s here that Ghost of Tsushima really reminds of God of War. The swordplay is oh-so tactile, and the Akira Kurosawa-inspired showdowns never get old. It’s a third-person melee experience for the ages each and every time!
Ghost of Tsushima also boasts a brilliant co-operative multiplayer expansion called Legends. The new mode more or less came out of nowhere and added a wealth of new content to slice through, which makes the most of the game’s brilliant combat system with even tougher challenges than the single-player experience.
