Just as you use Kratos as a tool to project your godly gaming skills into the world, he uses an array of weapons to maximize his godly strength. These weapons have been a great part of what gives the God of War games their distinctive feel and are always a key element in game progression. They’re also very important pieces of the story even since the very first game was released in 2005. The developers are always hard at work adapting Greek and most recently Norse mythology to give us a world filled with brutal fights and amazing weapons, while making sure it’s still somewhat coherent with the many myths in its setting. Reflecting on the franchise and the tools of destruction it puts in our hands, I’ve come up with my picks for the best weapons in the perpetually angry Spartan’s epic journey.
10. Blade of Artemis
The first entry in our list is a God of War classic from the first game in the series. It was granted to Kratos by the Greek Goddess of the Hunt to help him in his quest to slay Ares, the original God of War. It’s big enough to deal with crowds of enemies, and it’s also capable of piercing armor, which many other weapons cannot. While this purple-glowing JRPG-like sword brings back many memories, it’s also somewhat slow and doesn’t get any new fancy moves through upgrading. So it’s not the most interesting in the Ghost of Sparta’s arsenal.
9. Spear of Destiny
Continuing the trend of purple-glowing weapons we have this God of War II exclusive, the Spear of Destiny. Kratos takes this from a Gryphon-rider, impaling him and the beast with it in mid-air, only to come upon their dead bodies a couple hours later and retrieving the spear from the mythological beast’s carcass. Other than having an interesting origin story, the spear also shines for how versatile it is. This extensible weapon is very fast and its flashy moves have amazing range. It can also shoot crystal shards and even place magical bombs that explode after a moment, helping you easily dispatch large crowds of grunts in the blink of an eye.
8. Nemesis Whip
The Nemesis Whip from God of War III was made out to be the weapon which would finally allow you to defeat Zeus. It was supposed to provide an advantage so great that it would justify the trouble of murdering the titan Cronos to get the Omphalos Stone needed to forge it. When you finally give Hephaestus the stone he fashions you… this. The Nemesis Whip is by no means a bad weapon, as it will get you plenty of orbs thanks to the ease with which it keeps and lengthens combos. But its moves are too similar to those of the Blades of Chaos, your default weapon, making it somewhat forgettable in the grand tapestry of the franchise.
7. Claws of Hades
Taking the title of “best purple-glowing weapon in God of War” we have these iconic hooks from the third installment. Unlike the Nemesis Whip, this chained weapon has its own move-set and style that set it apart from the Blades of Chaos. They get more powerful the more enemies you slay with them in quick succession and they carry the strength of different souls you can summon to help you out, such as a Gorgon Serpent or a Centaur General. While these weapons are fan-favorites for playing through the game, as well as essentially necessary for the 1.000 hit combo “Hitman” achievement, their most iconic moment has to be driving them into Hades’s scalp and pulling out his soul right after taking the Claws from him, effectively destroying Hell.
6. Blade of Olympus
The ultimate weapon created by Zeus to end the first Great Titan War is definitely one of the most powerful ever wielded by the Ghost of Sparta. Although you may only use this blue-glowing great-sword for a short while in GoW II and when activating Spartan Rage in GoW III, there’s no lack of evidence proving its destructive power capable of killing even gods with ease. It really is a shame that it’s only available in such specific situations. But luckily for those of us willing to replay games, it can be used and upgraded like any other weapon throughout the game after clearing GoW II and starting a subsequent playthrough.
5. Nemean Cestus
These gauntlets were made to commemorate the defeat of the Nemean Lion by the hands of Hercules during his 12 labors. They were also what Kratos used to turn his half-brother’s face into mashed potatoes during GoW III. These fists of fury have absolutely devastating power with amazingly satisfying combos you can use in almost any situation. They’re also the only weapon available to Kratos able to break Onyx, a mythical material used in shields and armor by some enemies in the game.
4. Arms of Sparta
Among the most unique weapons on this list are the Arms of Sparta, Kratos’s weapons from before he became Ares’s champion. These very unremarkable shield and spear acquire great power when wielded by someone like Kratos, and are among the most unique and versatile in his arsenal. Not only are they the only weapon to allow the use of a shield other than the Leviathan Axe, but the spear can also be thrown like a projectile to attack far-away enemies. In retrospect this weapon might be seen as a primitive version of what the Leviathan Axe would later perfect. The Arms of Sparta are exclusive to the PSP game Ghost of Sparta and show Kratos’s #SpartanPride more than anything else in the series.
3. Talon Bow
The Talon Bow isn’t too special by itself, even after being imbued with diverse mystical powers during Kratos’s journey through the world of Norse mythology. But it’s really not about the bow, it’s about the wielder. Atreus, Kratos’s son, goes from not being able to hunt deer to bringing down hordes of dark elves by himself in the space of just a couple hours becoming a definite asset, rather than a drag like most video-game sidekicks tend to be. He’ll use the bow to distract, damage, and even choke enemies to help you in battle. As well as shooting magical arrows needed to clear a bunch of puzzles all across Midgard and the other realms you visit throughout the game. Hell, seeing his immense expertise by the end of the game, one is left wondering if it wouldn’t be better to just step back and let him do all the work.
2. Leviathan Axe
You can throw it, you can recall it, you can freeze enemies with it or cleave them in half in just a couple of swings. Yes, the second place in our list goes to the amazing Leviathan Axe. Sensing the need to shake things up in the tried and true GoW formula for the latest installment, the developers replaced Kratos’s classic Blades of Chaos with a slower and more down-to-earth weapon that trades combos for strong, short and satisfying flurries and lets Kratos use a shield. This weapon is very customizable both through upgrades and equipping runes which give you different special attacks. It’s also a real pleasure to watch the axe develop from its original rough look into something more refined each time Brok or Sindri go to work on it. These two dwarven brothers were the ones who made it in the first place, with the specific goal of countering Thor’s Mjölnir Hammer (also forged by the brothers) which makes me very excited for what’s to come in the next God of War game.
1. Blades of Chaos
Given we’re looking back at the series as a whole, I have to give the first place to the incredibly iconic Blades of Chaos which Kratos obtained as a symbol of his pledge to Ares. They’re not only important as a game-play element, but as a symbol of war, rage, and destruction in its story. Seared onto Kratos’s flesh, they can’t be removed from his hands. Just as his violent deeds can’t be washed off from his mind and soul. They don’t only look amazing by themselves, they also have a captivating move-set that’s almost like a dance of death and destruction. They’re a big part of what made the original GoW so good, perfecting the hack and slash formula in style, and the developers couldn’t keep themselves from including them in the latest installment as well(albeit with a modified move-set more fitting for the new game-play). It’s safe to say God of War wouldn’t be what it is today if it wasn’t for these stylish chained blades.
