Perhaps the biggest selling point of the God of War series has been watching protagonist Kratos go toe to toe with all-powerful gods from the Greek and Norse realms. With Ragnarok being the conclusion of the Norse saga, many fans are wondering where the series will head next. We have some ideas.
There are two big things with this list we want to make clear first. First, there’s speculation about Kratos dying in God of War Ragnarok, so you’ll have to play the game yourself to see how that plot unfolds. Hand in hand with that comes a debate over whether or not Atreus should replace Kratos in future games. Thus, we’ve written this list with a mix of direct sequel and spinoff ideas. The other big thing — and this is why the spinoff suggestion is so important — is that writing a list about a white guy from Greece killing gods belonging to cultures of color could easily be very problematic. Imagining someone other than Kratos, perhaps a totally new character, in several of these examples is the best way to think about it.
African (Multiple)
There is no singular African pantheon: many tribes across the continent and religions have their own deities, heroic figures, and mythical creatures. Of course, that just means there’s a lot of material that could make for cool combat encounters. The Ethiopian Catoblepas has already become a staple of Final Fantasy games, for example. Zulu figure Uncama made a journey to the underworld as part of his legend, and that sounds like a great plotline to us.
Ancient Egyptian
This is the one that God of Wars fans want to see most, and they have for some time now. Given the relative closeness of Greece and Egypt, it was actually expected after the conclusion of God of War III. It was also hinted at within Tyr’s Temple in God of War 2018. Assassin’s Creed Origins fans already got the chance to take on the likes of Anubis and Sobek in the game’s first expansion, but there’s plenty of room for other interpretations of the gods.
Aztec
Central and South American mythologies are often forgotten in a lot of modern media, but there is some fascinating stuff to learn about here. In Aztec culture, the deities are arranged by elements like fire, water, and sky. Huitzilopochtli is the god of the sun and fire, but he’s also the literal god of war. What better protagonist could you ask for?
Inca
The Inca empire had a variety of peoples with differing beliefs under its reign, but just like with the African pantheons, that provides a wide array of legends to choose from. In fact, there’s a trio of deities here that all represent the art of war: Huaria, Illapa, and Vichama. Sounds like a three-player God of War spinoff would be the right move there.
Irish
The ancient race of Irish gods is known as the Tuatha Dé Danann. Shin Megami Tensei players will recognize names like Cu Chulainn, Leanan Sidhe, and Scathach. Heroic figure Fionn mac Cumhaill would make for a good protagonist here — especially if the series ends up gravitating back toward the lewdness of the past. Fionn’s love life is a big part of his legend.
Japanese
Similarly, SMT fans should be very familiar with a lot of the prominent figures of the Shinto pantheon, as well as imports like Buddhism and Taoism. We’ve seen plenty of other games tackle these ancient stories too, most prominently Okami. The legendary swordsman Susanoo-no-Mikoto (who’s present in both of those series) would make for a formidable protagonist — or final boss. The abundance of yokai means there’s no shortage of basic enemies to battle either.
Native (North) American
As with several entries on this list, there are a variety of tribes with varying beliefs to account for here, all of which compose the overall Native American pantheon. You’ll find recurring themes among them though: gods of creation, the sun, the moon, and other forces of nature are common. The Lakotah people even have a sacred clown called Haokah, so we could get some comic relief amidst all the trademark violent gameplay.
Roman
Many view the Roman and Greek gods as two sides of the same coin, and to be fair, there are a lot of direct comparisons to be made between the two. For example, Greece’s god of war Ares has a direct counterpart in the Romans’ Mars. Due to the similarities, some sort of reboot that shifts the story over to a different culture could be the way to go here. Either that or Atreus could run into some trouble on the way to visit where his dad came from.
Sumerian
If you want to dig really deep, the earliest pantheon of gods belongs to Sumer, the first literate civilization. Many people will have at least heard of the Epic of Gilgamesh, which tells the tale of the titular hero. Gilgamesh would make for the perfect protagonist here, going up against war gods like Enlil and Inanna. You literally can’t go back any further if you’re looking to produce a prequel.
Honorable Mention: The Brothers Grimm
This technically isn’t a pantheon, but we have to throw it in because it does feel like a good idea. Grimms’ Fairy Tales is chock-full of stories that have been adapted time and time again, often with a gritty or horror bent. Imagine Kratos going dad-mode to save Hansel and Gretel from a witch or rescue Little Red Riding Hood from a disguised wolf. It’s a little silly, but it could totally work. At least The Wolf Among Us 2 is already on the way.
