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[DispatchNinja]

3 wasn't really holding up that well for me. 2018 is a much better made game.

 

[tommib]

What?

Take it from the director then, not from me: https://gamerant.com/god-of-war-dark-souls-combat-comparison/

davidjaffe , didn’t you say as well that GOW 2018 was a post-dark souls game leaning too heavily on its combat as too many other recent games?

 

[Dragon_Rocks]

Seriously!? the guy "suppose" to be demigod not normal person to can easily get killed by bunch of humans. Original God of War was never meant to have sequel, this is why new director had to come up with new way to continue the story.

Original GoW definitely had sequels planned. I think you did not unlock/see the secret cutscenes and audios.

 

[PsyEd]

For me it was first GoW...like WAY ahead of it's time in terms of polish, action, sound, QTE's, epic bosses and damn...even the progressive scan option is in the menu! Plus davidjaffe is the man....no matter who says what.

And the 3rd was my fav since it's the angriest GoW in the series....I mean the violence it has is the best thing I could do after having a crap day at the office....to vent my frustration ! GoW 2 is my 3rd fav...rest I love but not as much as the first 3.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Can't be beat.

 

[ParaSeoul]

I loved all the God of War games (except Ascension) and 2018 was simply the best.

I also love all of them but I wouldn't say its the best one. Enjoyed it a lot though.

 

[ParaSeoul]

GoW 2018 for sure. The original trilogy, while fun, was mostly style over substance.

 

[TransTrender]

I voted GoW2. The best answer.

GoW3 was ass right up until it turned in to a side perspective tournament fighter. Pure fucking gold after that.

GoW2018 absolutely sucked from a narrative perspective and being gated by content based on your story progression. The main actors did fine but Freya fucking kill me soo bad. Couple of story beats were 'bad' but maybe I didn't understand something. Technical marvel yes absolutely. What I liked the most was the exploration and the gear game, but the gear game meta was exploitative and a time sink like Diablo games and such, which as a critique should lower the overall appeal like leaving a bad taste in your mouth. AAAA/10 production value. GotY 2018. But arguably not the best GoW game.

Really looking forward to Ragnarok!

 

[Södy]

Gameplay: God of War 3
Locations and levels: God of War 1

 

[JimmyRustler]

One of the most consistent series ever.

Seems that I‘m one of only two people to vote for Ghost of Sparta.
I love them all but GoS was overall the most entertaining package imo.

 

[samoilaaa]

Different strokes and all that. GoW3 has the most fun combat, but damn GoW4 felt more compelling and im a sucker for the setting and the souls-like gameplay

it felt more compelling because of the cinematic graphics , that doesnt make it a better game

 

[MasterDerico]

Gow 2018 destroyed the gameplay, also destroyed Kratos personality. Its by faaar the worst Gow imo. It's like "Gow family friendly version".

The impact of the first one was memorable, and Gow 3 is close to flawless...I don't know what i will vote, probably on the first.

 

[01011001]

2>3>1>2018>CoO>GoS>A

the fact so many voted for 2018 is sad to say the least. the awful boss fights alone make it worse than all of the og trilogy, also all the pretentious wannabe hollywood nonsense they tried to pull

 

[01011001]

Gow 2018 destroyed the gameplay, also destroyed Kratos personality. Its by faaar the worst Gow imo. It's like "Gow family friendly version".

nah, I feel it is better than the PSP ones as those feel very janky at times and just all in all feel like a cheap knockoff of the original games. they were impressive at the time, but I would never go back to them honestly

 

[ParaSeoul]

One of the most consistent series ever.

Seems that I‘m one of only two people to vote for Ghost of Sparta.
I love them all but GoS was overall the most entertaining package imo.

Ghost of Sparta is really good,really impressive PSP showcase too. Also like Chains of Olympus went more into Kratos backstory in an emotional way and most people don't even realize.

 

[Banjo64]

GoW 2018 for sure. The original trilogy, while fun, was mostly style over substance.

Huh, I think it’s the complete opposite way around. Not that I didn’t enjoy 2018.

 

[AV]

3 and 2018 both excel at what they do, it's just very different.

 

[Sinkao87]

God of war 2 (PS2)

 

[TheGodfather07]

Can't decide between GOW III and GOW 2018. I like them both equally.

 

[01011001]

GoW 2018 for sure. The original trilogy, while fun, was mostly style over substance.

uhm... what? first of all, all GoW games are style over substance to some degree compared with the best games in the genre, but if any of them is the most guilty of that it is GoW 2018

 

[Kupfer]

Did play and finish all of these but Ascension but from the ones I played, GoW2 was the best experience.
Not because I played it when it was released and I have the retro glasses on ( I just caught up on the GoW saga in 2017, in preparation for GoW 2018 ), but because it just makes everything GoW 1 does well even better.
GoW 3 was also very good, unfortunately from the locations and characters not as comprehensive and lasting impression as GoW 2, at least for me.
The PSP titles were very good PSP games and are still fun today and the weakest GoW in my opinion is GoW 2018 because it is no longer a GoW. It's a typical semi open world according to Sony formula, a bit of Uncharted here, a bit of Horizon there, sparkled with some TloU, with Dark Souls light combat system, no real bosses and the most boring passages I've ever experienced in such a AAA game ( climbing, crawling, squeezing, anything to have "no" loading times ). And boy.

 

[Hitchyhero]

I do like story more of GoW2018.... But I've never seen that epicnes of Gow3

 

[Whitecrow]

2018 dominating the the poll proves how short the memory of gamers is.

It's pretty sad honestly.

 

[Kupfer]

2018 dominating the the poll proves how short the memory of gamers is.

Or it shows how young the audience here is and doesn't know the old games anymore, when the look counts more than the gameplay.

 

[tommib]

Or it shows how young the audience here is and doesn't know the old games anymore, when the look counts more than the gameplay.

Or it’s just where we are. All the gamers I know IRL absolutely loved it and are 40+. The boy sidekick has a strong appeal to fathers. The game surely captured a large group of people. Just not me.

And thank you for reminding me of the hidden loadings PTSD I got since then. Half of my memories from it are of Kratos opening gates and lifting rocks.

 

[IDKFA]

2018.

Shouldn't even be open for debate.

 

[The artful mincer]

God of war 2018 by a country mile. It fluidly combined 3rd person ranged combat with a deep melee system that nobody has done better before or after.

The close camera is the best thing about it. You actually have to watch your back far more than any other similar game encouraging more movement and to deal with enemies far quicker. It allows greater fluidity between the ranged and close quarters combat.

Some gamers wine that you keep getting hit off screen etc. I have 2 words for you git gud. In a real fight you don't get an aerial view of your combat space so why should every game complie to this? The limitations it puts on the player are what make it interesting.

The ranged combat options are a cut above the competition. It requires skill to aim at different body parts etc and more gameplay depth e.g. hitting legs to trip or knocking a Valkyrie out the sky. By the end of the game you have about 9 different ranged attacks all accessible without a weapon wheel or having to pause the game. It shames 90% of pure 3rd person shooters

Compare this to dark souls, Previous god of wars and devil may cry where you lock on and spam attacks... how anyone can prefer that I don't know.

It has all that and a pretty deep close combat system which feels satisfying and is easily on par with the previous god of war games. The lack of jumping is easily forgotten considering the increased depth we get from the ranged combat.

It has waaaay better exploration and adventuring with plenty of hidden secrets to find without feeling overwhelming like alot of open world games. The previous games where straight linear games with barely any secrets to find. It also has about as much content as the original trilogy combined.

The story is much better as well. Frankly the story in the original trilogy got increasingly silly after 1 although they were always fun.

The only thing 2 and 3 have over it is more unique boss fights. Not standard enemies though if we actually tallied them I think God of war actually has the most.

Anyway if you had an agenda you would probably say it had no agency or played on rails.

 

[Topher]

Or it shows how young the audience here is and doesn't know the old games anymore, when the look counts more than the gameplay.

Or just people with different opinions. I'm very familiar with the old games, but I was blown away with 2018. It is ok to disagree without having to generalize those you disagree with.

Same for all those above who say it is "sad" that anyone dare disagree with their favorite GOW game. Is recognizing differences of opinion really that difficult?

 

[Dr Kaneda]

I liked the original 3, particularly 2. But I guess 3 would be the "best" iteration of that formulae. Anyway, it had been years since I played them and then GOW 2018 came out and I really liked that but I guess sort of bought into internet contrarianism and adopted a position that the original trilogy was more fun. But like I said it had been years since I actually played them, not since 3 first released way back in 2010. When I recently tried to replay 3 the other day and I was honestly surprised by how much I didn't like it compared to GOW 2018, it is so much better it's unreal. And it's not because of it's age since something like DMC3 which is 5 years older is still superior to it.

It might be the aesthetics maybe? GOW3 has such waxy graphics it's I bit off putting. But I wasn't feeling the gameplay either and it seemed more mindless and clunky than I remember. The quick time events are also are lot more noticeable than in the 2018 version.

 

[nominedomine]

They were all pretty good for their time (haven't played Ascension), but the 2018 game just elevates the entire franchise to another level, I can't think of any franchise that had this much success reinventing itself.

 

[Yoboman]

I liked the original 3, particularly 2. But I guess 3 would be the "best" iteration of that formulae. Anyway, it had been years since I played them and then GOW 2018 came out and I really liked that but I guess sort of bought into internet contrarianism and adopted a position that the original trilogy was more fun. But like I said it had been years since I actually played them, not since 3 first released way back in 2010. When I recently tried to replay 3 the other day and I was honestly surprised by how much I didn't like it compared to GOW 2018, it is so much better it's unreal. And it's not because of it's age since something like DMC3 which is 5 years older is still superior to it.

It might be the aesthetics maybe? GOW3 has such waxy graphics it's I bit off putting. But I wasn't feeling the gameplay either and it seemed more mindless and clunky than I remember. The quick time events are also are lot more noticeable than in the 2018 version.

2018 is a lot better. Genuine exploration and adventure opportunities instead of the linear path, and better combat in the sense of an enemy to enemy challenge. Whereas the originals were way more mindless as you say and you could spam light attack through the majority of the games

 

[Mr Branding]

The other 3 bros who voted Ascension know what’s up

 

[WalterSobchak]

I only played GOW2 and the 2 psp games before GOW 2018. 2018 is my favorite by a country mile. The others were fun but it kinda felt like a button mashing hack and slash overall . Plus you can throw your axe and have it come back , so that seals it.

 

[avin]

The poll should be restricted to those that played all these games, or more realistically, GoW1-3 and 2018. I'm curious if we'd get the same answer.

avin

 

[Dragon_Rocks]

Gow2 had the best pacing with good boss battles.

 

[RAIDEN1]

GOW 2018 will be the first time I have EVER played a GOW game, much less brought one, part of my backlog list... on the PS4....

 

[The artful mincer]

Give me a break about all this recency bias clap trap! Trying doing the same poll about the last of us, resident evil or even the uncharted series.

Yeah I am sure if you did a Final Fantasy poll 15 and 13 would win.

 

[ParaSeoul]

Or it shows how young the audience here is and doesn't know the old games anymore, when the look counts more than the gameplay.

Look at any gaf first X thread,its full of boomers.

 

[MasterCornholio]

GoW 2018 reinvention was definitely appreciated and helped bring the series back to glory. GoW 3 had some amazing boss battles though.

 

[ParaSeoul]

Give me a break about all this recency bias clap trap! Trying doing the same poll about the last of us, resident evil or even the uncharted series.

Yeah I am sure if you did a Final Fantasy poll 15 and 13 would win.

Difference is people don't think its cool to pretend to have played a GOW game. The Earthbound phenomenon.

 

[Topher]

Difference is people don't think its cool to pretend to have played a GOW game.

What is this "pretend to have played" stuff all about again?

 

[MasterDerico]

nah, I feel it is better than the PSP ones as those feel very janky at times and just all in all feel like a cheap knockoff of the original games. they were impressive at the time, but I would never go back to them honestly

Was made for PSP, a portable, and imo was an awesome job! As the gameplay followed the ps2 games, i like waay more than Gow 2018...

 

[deriks]

God of War II is the best game. You can play out of nowhere and understand everything. If wasn't the kinda big quick time events, was one of the greatest ever, but ok

 

[Wohc]

III followed by II. The old games had their focus on gameplay and were way more gory.

 

[Salz01]

Blows my mind that 2 isn’t at the top. It’s far better than 3. 2018 had so many boring sections to it. The puzzles were tedious. I just think more people played 2018, compared to GOW 2.

 

[Represent.]

2>3>1>2018>CoO>GoS>A

the fact so many voted for 2018 is sad to say the least. the awful boss fights alone make it worse than all of the og trilogy, also all the pretentious wannabe hollywood nonsense they tried to pull

By "prententious hollywood nonsense" .. you mean an actual story with substance, excellent production values and great acting? Yeah its no wonder why this medium is seen as "for kids". every game that puts effort into the story is labeled a "movie game" or some other dumb shit

 

[SafeOrAlone]

It’s a toss up between 2 and 3 for me. 2 has everything you could want with an extreme level of polish.
3 isn’t paced as well but is just batshit insane in terms of scale and “wow” moments.

 

[ParaSeoul]

What is this "pretend to have played" stuff all about again?

Big fanbases comprised of a startling amount of fans who experienced something only via lets plays or reading the wiki.

 

[Lord Malachite]

God Of War: Betrayal not included in the poll, so the results are already wrong. /s/

 

[Topher]

Big fanbases comprised of a startling amount of fans who experienced something only via lets plays or reading the wiki.

So a generalized assumption. Got it.