Do you need to play God of War 3 before God of War 4?

As a long-time God of War fan who has eagerly followed the franchise since the very first game back in 2005, this is a question I‘ve been asked a lot recently. And you can understand why – with the enormous anticipation building for God of War Ragnarök launching later this year, new fans are flocking to the series trying to catch up on over a decade of complex lore and backstory intertwined across several titles.

It‘s enough to make your head spin as a newcomer – with so many games spanning the years, how do you make sense of the winding narrative? Do you need to play every single previous God of War entry to fully appreciate the most recent release?

Kratos‘ Long and Tragic Backstory

To tackle this question, we first need to understand where God of War (2018) fits into the grand scheme of the franchise. The epic saga of its leading antihero Kratos stretches back over multiple games, initially centered in Greek mythology before pivoting to Norse gods in recent years.

The original God of War trilogy on PS2 and PS3 – God of War (2005), God of War II (2007), and God of War III (2010) completes what fans dubbed the "Ares arc". This chronicled Kratos‘ bloody crusade of vengeance against Ares, the God of War who tricked him into slaying his own family. After killing Ares, Kratos sought revenge on the rest of Olympus in the sequels – most notably climaxing in an epic showdown against his father Zeus himself.

This original saga cemented the Ghost of Sparta, Kratos, as a pop culture icon – with his ash-white complexion, fiery red tattoo across his body, and double-chained blades becoming instantly recognizable. But it also completed his heroic arc brilliantly – leaving him finally at peace after decades of torment.

So when God of War (2018) was announced with Kratos returning as the world-weary father of a young boy named Atreus, many fans were confused about how he ended up re-entering the fray.

A Pivotal Shift to Norse Lore

As we soon discovered, God of War (2018) picks up long after the events of God of War III in a new realm steeped in Norse mythology rather than Greek. No longer raging angrily against the gods, this Kratos has matured into a mentor for Atreus to teach restraint and wisdom he once lacked. It is a fascinating evolution for arguably gaming‘s most iconic antihero.

But through subtle story callbacks and references, we learn that Kratos has been hiding from his traumatic past in Midgard – with the iconic double-chained Blades of Chaos he used to tear Olympus down now buried under a homestead, severed from his forearms.

Of course, that past inevitably catches up to the Ghost of Sparta, intertwining his destiny with gods like Baldur, Modi, Magni and the über-father Odin himself.

So in summary – no, you do not need to have played every previous God of War entry to enjoy the 2018 reboot. It purposefully crafts a new saga only loosely connected to Kratos‘ exploits across Greek mythology. It sets the table for Ragnarök nicely on its own terms.

But…

Why God of War III Provides Crucial Context

While arguably not essential, I strongly recommend playing God of War III before jumping into the 2018 release and upcoming Ragnarök sequel.

The reason? It provides vital closure and catharsis for Kratos that explains his mindset shift into reluctant, grizzled mentor rather than petulant destroyer of worlds.

Seeing firsthand the bloody culmination of his insatiable revenge against gods like Zeus, Poseidon and Hades gives deeper meaning to his desire for Atreus to not follow in those violent footsteps. And when the Blades of Chaos are inevitably dug up, their reemergence hits harder knowing the painful history Kratos hoped to bury forever.

So beyond catching major plot points connecting the Greek and Norse eras, God of War III fundamentally transforms how you perceive the once one-dimensional ball of rage that was Kratos. It lends additional emotional poignancy to every interaction with his son, and informs their fragile relationship dynamic plagued by lies and secrets of his past.

The Verdict?

Can you enjoy God of War (2018) without prior franchise knowledge or playing every preceding game? Absolutely. The soft reboot does a masterful job establishing a new tone and lore baseline for newcomers.

But will seeing the full arc of Kratos‘ initial bloody quest for revenge and eventual peace make you appreciate God of War‘s latter years as an unexpectedly fallible father? Unquestionably so. It remains one of the sagas absolute high points across nearly 20 years.

So before you ride the dragon boat across the realms with Kratos and Atreus once again in Ragnarök, I strongly recommend witnessing the Ghost of Sparta’s Greek tragedy to completion, most pivotally told in God of War III, to fully understand what has always made this franchise so special – blistering action combined with surprisingly poignant storytelling.