Greetings! My Fellow single-player gaming enthusiasts, if you’re hunting for adventure games like God Of War, settle in! We’ve got a promising selection for you to check out.
Why Do People Like Single-Player Adventure Games Like God Of War?
Single-player games are from a simpler time when developers didn’t push micro-transactions, DLC, and season passes down gamers’ throats. Does anyone remember that era of gaming? We sure do! Single-player titles from start to finish were released as a complete package and experience.
The best franchise that exemplifies single-player games is God Of War. God Of War stands proudly atop the mountain with a track record of always being the complete experience story and gameplay-wise.
Each entry in the series expands upon the character development of Kratos, the main protagonist of God Of War. The games build upon the legacy, and the continuity of the story feels organically executed. Cutscenes fill the space between different gameplay segments naturally, and the voice-acting of the characters is top-notch.
As for the gameplay of God Of War, it’s a trendsetter, plain and simple. The gameplay is broken down into these 3 segments combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving to keep the experience fresh and compelling.
Hack-and-slash fluid combo-chaining, multiple-weapon combinations with seamless switching, and magical attacks filling the screen, God of War has got everything. Traversal sections shake up the formula from constant combat scenarios, and intuitive puzzle sections require logical thinking to solve.
Similar Single-Player Adventure Games Like God Of War
Sadly, experiences like God Of War are a rarity but don’t worry. We’ve done our best to compile a list of 9 alternative games to help you scratch the itch of similar games.
Let’s not waste a single second and kick things off.
9. Bayonetta
Right! Kicking things off on our list is the Umbra Witch herself, Bayonetta. The badass woman took the world by storm with her charmingly alluring looks, bullet-time finesse, and over-the-top spells. Yes, we’ll be focusing on the first game in the series. The audience’s first introduction to the character left an excellent impression on players.
The game has that cheesiness in dialogue and an extra bit of posturing in cutscenes associated with Japanese titles. It’s not cringe-worthy but rather chuckle-inducing. As for the gameplay itself, players will move Bayonetta as she struts about in her heels and shoots at demons. Displaying inhuman levels of flexibility in her poses while she stomps, cartwheels, flies, and backflips to avoid demonic attacks.
The signature ability of bullet-time slows everything around Bayonetta as she calls forth powerful creatures to attack her enemies. There are multiple weapons players can use and switch between combos, including enemy-dropped weapons to keep the combos going. Bayonetta has various transformations and attack spells that players will enjoy discovering and using on enemies, giving endless replay value.
The game is divided into chapters, showing a little story with cutscenes between demon-slaying sessions. Bayonetta might take some time to grasp, but it’s a blast once you’ve get the hang of the control and button timing.
How Is Bayonetta Similar To Adventure Games Like God Of War?
God Of War and Bayonetta are remarkably alike from a pure combat perspective. Both games feature their respective protagonists destroying hordes of enemies.
God Of War uses the traditional hack-and-slash method with chaos blades and other weapons to juggle and eliminate enemies. In Bayonetta, the titular Umbra witch uses 4 guns, two in her hands and two on her heels. The rapid-fire assault on enemies intensifies as she turns to her magical arsenal.
The gameplay is directly comparable in both titles. It’s pretty clear that Bayonetta resembles adventure games like God Of War.
8. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Next up on our list of games like God Of War is the ever-popular The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt starring the titular Witcher, Geral of Rivia. The fantasy world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is gorgeously designed, with tons of secrets for players to discover. Exploration reaps rewards, but be wary of powerful enemies lurking about, as you’ll need the proper skills and preparations to survive.
The story-driven adventure game has a lot of history and world lore, but don’t worry; there’s explanation through cutscenes and dialogues. If you’re more curious, the game has log entries to satiate your knowledge of important events. A checklist at the beginning of the game helps players adjust essential details of the previous 2 games. Quite handy if you’ve not played the previous Witcher titles.
The choice and consequences are a big part of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and players must carefully choose who to side with. The excellent writing of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ensures no right or wrong choices; the shades of grey implications give more depth and nuance to the story. Geralt’s latest epic adventure will have players travel to exotic locations and see the political turmoil within human politics.
Players must look for Geralt’s daughter Ciri, a central character in the game, to help her against the titular Wild Hunt. The combat in Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is more in-depth, requiring tactical positioning, using mutagens, bombs, spells, and upgraded swords to slay enemies. The skill-tree upgrades open vital perks that help improve Geralt’s fighting, health, and crafting abilities.
How Is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Similar To Adventure Games Like God Of War?
The similarities are apparent when comparing The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt to God Of War. Both titles have rich lore and history, and the protagonists have undergone ordeals shaping them into hardened men. Both characters’ legacies are honored instead of ignored and used as the foundation for future stories.
Another common point between the two series is their vast open sections that players are encouraged to explore. Also, thematically, both games feature supernatural entities and creatures that players must slay to survive. God Of War has Greek-inspired monsters, like Medusas and Minotaurs. In Witcher 3 Wild: Hunt, Slavic folklore creatures like Chorts and Banshees exist.
With so many comparison notes, we put Witcher 3: Wild Hunt up with other adventure games like God Of War.
7. Batman: Arkham City
Single-player adventure games must be highly compelling and captivating narrative-wise for players to become invested in the story. No other game has reached the highs with its plot twists and atmospheric tale than Batman: Arkham City.
The blending of cutscenes with gameplay and vice-versa are carried out iconically and do the Batman character justice. The voice of Batman, the late Kevin Conroy, is phenomenal in the role and is the definitive Batman. Set after the events of Arkham Asylum, players immediately start in the thick of things when a riot occurs. The chaos is during Bruce Wayne’s speech, and a team of private security men abducts him.
We see Bruce inside Arkham City, where he escapes, but learns of an ominous event called Protocol 10. The event will occur within the game’s 9 hours timeline, and Bruce suits up as Batman to investigate and stop it from happening. The twists come when Batman learns that Joker and other villains, along with their henchmen, are running amok. Batman must stop and apprehend the villains while also stopping the ominous Protocol 10 from occurring.
The gameplay vastly improved over Arkham Asylum, and players fully see the extent of the free-flow combat style. The gadgets are more diverse and have greater utility this time, and the stealth elements plus boss fights are much more complex. The traversal with the grapnel boost is a thrilling experience, which allows players to explore every nook and cranny of Arkham City freely.
How Is Batman: Arkham City Similar To Adventure Games Like God Of War?
God Of War has had time to build up its impact on gaming, and it holds a respectable position. Thanks to Rocksteady’s creative directors at the time, Mr. Sefton Hill and Mr. Jamie Walker, they perfectly captured Batman’s essence. The persona and gameplay of Batman in Arkham City feel authentically genuine. Both games have a protagonist that makes sense and doesn’t feel out of place.
Another similarity between the two titles is how the gameplay, traversal, and puzzle-solving elements are curated for players. God Of War has puzzles laid out by the pantheon to stop Kratos from progressing. In Arkham City, Riddler is a big nuisance with his riddles and death traps. Both titles have a linear experience, but regardless they’re enjoyable.
We’re confident that with such similarities, it’s easy to classify Batman: Arkham City within the category of similar games like God Of War.
6. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Perhaps, in our opinion, no other game portrays a better feeling of embarking on an adventure than Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen. We’ve played the game numerous times, yet we’ve never experienced fatigue with it. The story is about how our created character bravely attempts to stop a rampaging dragon but fails spectacularly. After curb-stomping us, the Dragon speaks before taking our character’s heart.
Our heartless character wakes up fully alive, and the dragon’s words echo, telling us to get strong enough to face it. With renewed resolve, our character picks a combat class before the game starts properly. Players receive information that the main character is the Arisen, chosen ones destined to slay Dragons. During the tutorial stage, players meet a Pawn, the sworn companions of the Arisen. The map is fully explorable, with no restrictions, and players can take on quests for money.
After progressing, we get a permanent Pawn that we can customize, who is always with us. We can have up to two more temporary Pawns with a total party of 4 with our Arisen, one main Pawn, and two temporary Pawns. The Dragon’s coming has prompted Pawns to join the Arisen. The gameplay is slick, with different character classes having unique skill sets that make experimenting fun. Later on, hybrid classes open up with flashy attacks and effects.
Enemy variety always keeps players on their toes. With several powerful variants, Goblins, Sauriants, and Wolves prowl the open world, with Cyclops, Chimeras, and Ogres also common sightings. Unique and more fearsome creatures like Hydra, Drakes, Griffins, Golems, and Wights have their domains where they prowl.
How Is Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen Similar To Adventure Games Like God Of War?
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen has a lot of common themes with God Of War, especially with the later games. Kratos’s son, Atreus, functions similarly to a Pawn in Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen. Players can’t control Atreus in God of War or the Pawns in Dragon’s Dogma Dark Arisen, but they assist.
The bulk of the gameplay in both titles is combat, and they both shine in that department. Both games have giant enemies with weak spots that players must hit to do significant damage. Specific attacks are more effective than others on every enemy type. Players figure things out by seeing the reaction of the creatures to the attack types.
With the comparisons we mentioned, it’s undeniable that Dragon’s Dogma Dark Arisen is similar to games like God Of War.
5. DOOM Eternal
For a power fantasy that gives players the ultimate rush of run-and-gun thrill without worrying about anything else, DOOM Eternal is a perfect choice. The gameplay of DOOM Eternal is from a first-person perspective, and its non-stop action builds up in intensity. Players must plan their attack pattern on the fly, requiring quick thinking and muscle memory.
The enemy variety is greater than any previous entry, and each has powerful attacks. The innovation of DOOM Eternal is in its aggressive playstyle, where players have to move around constantly. The enemies swarm the DOOM slayer relentlessly, and he has to push back. Targeting specific enemies with different weapons will yield the DOOM slayer health orbs, ammo, and extra lives. The execution animations are incredibly violent and gory, not for the weak-willed.
DOOM Eternal has an epic story on top of its ridiculously addictive gameplay. Players learn that the Earth’s population is almost entirely extinct thanks to the demonic invasion of hell’s armies. The invasion leader is from a different race, looking to ensure her people survive, which prompts the DOOM slayer to action. The plot twists in the narrative come later when the game pays homage to the classic DOOM titles and ties that into the story.
DOOM Eternal is graphic and not meant for the squeamish, as players will shoot, slice, incinerate, explode, and maul demons. The close-up with the first-person view only enhances the immersion of these kills. For returning series fans, it is excellent, but newcomers might want a heads-up before diving in.
How Is DOOM Eternal Similar To Adventure Games Like God Of War?
DOOM Eternal is much like God Of War, as you might think. The two series feature visceral violence and intense action. The shooting in DOOM Eternal might not be an exact parallel to God Of War’s melee, but the gruesome kill animations are present.
Another common point between the two titles is that both feature a protagonist who doesn’t back down from a fight. Kratos’s bloodlust was responsible for his tragic origin, and he still carries that rage within. DOOM slayer is a man on a mission to reclaim his home planet. Their personalities suit the theme of the game and make them interesting characters.
With such common ground between them, you’ve got to admit that DOOM Eternal is similar to other adventure games like God Of War.
4. Metal Gear Rising: Revengance
Oh boy, this next entry on our list is over-the-top Japanese action game quirkiness at its finest. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance drastically differed from the Metal Gear Solid formula. However, players realized the potential for mayhem that Raiden, the game’s hero, could cause, and it quickly became an instant classic.
Sadly, the game isn’t playable on current-generation Sony or Nintendo consoles. There is hope because Metal Gear Rising: Revengrance is playable on PC and Xbox with backward compatibility. The game starts with Raiden, the divisive character from Metal Gear Solid 2 and 4, in the lead role. The mission he’s investigating goes south quickly, and he becomes critically injured. Thankfully, with cutting-edge technology, body repairs happen quickly with added cybernetic implants.
Raiden becomes more machine than man physically, allowing him to be faster, more agile, and stronger. Raiden has a fantastic sword incorporated fantastically into the gameplay mechanics; he chops down enemy androids like a paper shredder. The game slows down briefly, allowing Raiden to hack away at the enemies. He can target specific limbs to deal extra damage and collect special items to recover his time-slow ability or health.
In Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Raiden uncovers a sinister plot to indoctrinate children into becoming soldiers for a private army. He intends to stop the evil act by eliminating everyone involved with the scheme, pushing him against the organization’s enforcers. Each boss fight teaches players about the combat’s depth, and after every successful encounter, players gain a secondary weapon. Players also get a cyborg wolf pet, a genuinely awesome feature!
How Is Metal Gear Rising: Revegeance Similar To Adventure Games Like God Of War?
There’s a lot of similarity between Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and God Of War. Both games have protagonists who were previously manipulated and want to protect children from this fate. The protagonists root out evil people and don’t have qualms about executing them. Both protagonists have anger-induced states; for Kratos, it’s the Spartan Rage, and Raiden has Jack The Ripper mode.
The combat sequences in both games are fun, adrenaline-pumping, and fascinating. Players feel powerful, and they look forward to the next encounter. The boss battles, in particular, are impressive. Both games require careful strategy, not just simple button mashing, and game mechanics like positioning and using multiple weapon combinations are critical.
Given that the two titles share many traits, it’s safe to say that Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is similar to games like God Of War.
3. Devil May Cry 5
Check it out; we’re in the top-tier category, and the last 3 games are on our list. There isn’t a better way to make a splash than the game, which recently marked a comeback to the hack-and-slash gaming style. We’re talking about Devil May Cry 5.
Devil May Cry 5’s gameplay has style, finesse, combo chains, non-stop action, and more powers than you can use. This time players have 3 characters, giving players endless replay value. There’s Nero, the anti-hero edge lord; V, the mysterious magus with a sophisticated voice and resident badass poster-boy of the franchise Dante. Each character has a unique playstyle and different abilities with upgrades to keep players entertained with endless combos.
The enemies are more aggressive and have different attack patterns to keep up with the protagonist’s increased abilities. Players can take the fighting airborne and keep enemies juggled and rattled while setting up others for powerful finishes. The traversal and gameplay are fun and energetic and match the game’s story well.
The plot centers around a demonic figure rising out to threaten humanity, but this threat is cunning. V, the shadow mage, asks Dante for help defeating it while Nero joins the party. Some major plot revelations reveal the origin of the demonic figure, Urizen, and will have fans gushing. We won’t spoil the surprise, but it’s worth your time. Plus, the killer soundtracks are to die for in this game.
How Is Devil May Cry 5 Similar To Adventure Games Like God Of War?
For fans of hack-and-slash, action-adventure games, comparing Devil May Cry and God Of War is a no-brainer. The two games are often discussed side-by-side as the genre’s pinnacles and are the industry standard. The latest iterations of Both games, Devil May Cry 5 and God Of War are phenomenal, bringing new innovative ideas.
Another similarity between the two series is their legacy status; fans still love the personality of the protagonists of both games. Their stories continue by paying tribute to the original games with fan service, but new chapters also emerge for these beloved characters.
2. Ninja Gaiden Sigma
Alright, let us clue you in on a little secret about hack-and-slash style games. Ninja Gaiden championed the genre and set the standards way before God Of War, or Devil May Cry existed. It’s why Ninja Gaiden is so high up on our list, in the runner-up position.
Ninja Gaiden Sigma is the first game in the rebooted timeline, starring master shinobi Ryu Hayabusa. The elite ninja is a master of his craft. Players experience the precision and deadly force that he wields when playing as him. Ryu Hayabusa uses the dragon blade, his primary weapon, to tear his enemies to shreds. The combat isn’t easy to master; enemies are relentless and can overwhelm players expecting an easy encounter, especially the boss fights.
Ninja Gaiden Sigma has a variety of secondary weapons that Ryu wields to deal massive amounts of damage. Every time players chain together combos and deliver finishing blows, yellow orbs spawn. The orbs enable players to purchase items and upgrades, or Ryu can burn them immediately to use the charged attack for a high-damage attack.
Ninja Gaiden Sigma’s story starts with the Black Spider Clan invading the Hayabusa village to steal an artifact. The artifact can awaken the Archfiend. While defending his village, Ryu encounters a frightening enemy in a suit of armor, Doku, and fights him. The fight ends abruptly, and Doku steals the blade before leaving. Ryu goes after him to stop the revival of the demonic entity during the rest of the game.
How Is Ninja Gaiden Sigma Similar To Adventure Games Like God Of War?
Ryu Hayabusa faces demons, soldiers, cyborgs, and ninjas, and it’s like an everyday encounter for him. Kratos combats mythological creatures, avatars of the pantheons, and Greek demi-gods. Both protagonists have faced adversity and lived to tell about it.
The combat in both games is intense and fun. The flow of movement during attacks help keeps the players focused. When both heroes fill up their special attacks, it’s an adrenaline rush like no other. With so many matching traits, it’s clear that Ninja Gaiden Sigma and games like God Of War are alike.
1. Darksiders 2: Deathinitive Edition
And here we go~ the number 1 entry on our list is one of the best concepts in video games that have ever materialized. We’re referring to Darksiders 2: Deathinitive Edition, the game where you play the leader of the horsem*n of the apocalypse, Death.
The game’s timeline is within the same period as the first Darksiders game. Death goes on a journey to undo War’s alleged crime of ending humanity and triggering the apocalypse prematurely. The tale depicts an elder brother going (literally) ends of the earth and beyond to save his sibling. Death’s journey is selfless, and his charming personality makes him one of the most likable protagonists of the past decade.
Death uses humor and sass in his dialogue, and his journey becomes far more complicated when the Crow father refuses to open a portal to the Well of Souls. Death manages to open the portal but lands elsewhere, where he has to solve other pressing concerns. Every NPC gives Death a side-quest which requires traveling to other planes until finally, Death reaches his destination.
The game has everything: fun, rapid combat, melee and magic builds, and a vast open world to explore with puzzles and dungeons. The cutscenes are magnificent and highly entertaining, capturing the strain and emotion on Death’s face, despite his wearing a mask. The boss fights are unique, and the kill animations are superb, making Death feel even more like a badass.
How Is Darksiders 2: Deathinitive Edition Similar To Adventure Games Like God Of War?
Darksiders 2: Deathinitive Edition is an emotional and impactful journey of a brother trying his damndest to help his young sibling. At its core, the latest God Of War is similar; only Kratos acts protectively of his son. The familial themes are common in both games.
As for gameplay elements shared between the titles, the combat involves dodging and attacking enemies at the right time. Death and Kratos are more agile characters; they use speed to close in on enemies and attack them. Kratos and Death use their ingenuity and cunning to overpower giant enemies and slay monsters.
With the comparisons, it’s no surprise that Darksiders 2 Deathinitive Edition is similar to games like God Of War.
Final Thoughts
Wow, that was a big one! We finally got to the end of our list. Between the 9 games we’ve listed, hopefully, you’ll find one that suits your tastes. If you enjoyed reading our suggestions, let us know in the comments below.
If you’d like to see other similar gaming lists, check out 8 Best Post-Apocalyptic Open-World Survival Games Like Days Gone.
