God of War: Ragnarok is the Longest Game in the Series
As a long-time God of War fan whose played every major entry in the series, I‘ve seen first-hand how the scope and scale of these epic action/adventure games has grown over time. Naturally, this translates into ever-lengthening playtimes with each new release.
God of War: Ragnarok is the Longest Game in the Series
Based on aggregated playtime data from HowLongToBeat, Ragnarok stands tall as the most content-rich God of War game yet at a total average playtime of 34 hours. That‘s nearly double the length of some of the earlier PS2-era titles.
So what allows Ragnarok to feature so much more gameplay than its predecessors? The key lies in how God of War has evolved from a linear action game into a rich open world RPG brimming with things to do.
The Expansive Open World Makes a Big Difference
Unlike earlier God of War games that progressed along mostly linear, pre-determined paths, the 2018 reboot and Ragnarok enable free roaming exploration across sprawling realms interconnected by the mythical World Tree.
This vast open world design translates into much more gameplay as players uncover hidden areas off the beaten path, return to previously visited locations to take on new challenges, and generally have more freedom in how they tackle objectives.
Wealth of New Side Content Adds Playtime
Complementing the bigger open world is an abundance of new side content in the modern God of War games. Ragnarok is packed with side quests, Favor missions, legendary chests to unlock, artifacts to discover, mini-bosses guarding epic loot, and new arena challenges to test your combat skills.
The earlier, more linear God of War titles simply didn‘t have the quantity or diversity of side content that the new games do thanks to their open world foundations.
| Game | Main Story | Completionist | Total Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| God of War (2005) | 10 hours | 17 hours | 12 hours |
| God of War 2 (2007)) | 13 hours | 19 hours | 15 hours |
| God of War 3 (2010) | 10 hours | 15 hours | 12 hours |
| God of War (2018) | 20 hours | 49 hours | 32 hours |
| God of War: Ragnarok | 21 hours | 52 hours | 34 hours |
As you can see, the gulf in playtime between the latest two God of War games compared to the earlier titles is significant. Ragnarok stands tall as the undisputed content king.
Post-Game Content Extends the Experience
Another way Ragnarok differentiates itself is the introduction of meaningful post-game content. After the credits roll, you can test your combat skills against the ultra-tough Gauntlet of Strength arena battles or take on more challenging Muspelheim Trials.
These intense late-game challenges can easily add several more hours of gameplay for those seeking greater mastery. Earlier God of War games had minimal post-game activities by comparison.
The Formula for God of War‘s Growth
When looking at how newer God of War titles like Ragnarok dwarf the length of the older games, the secret formula becomes clear:
- Transition to open world level design with large, interconnected realms to explore rather than linear paths
- Integration of RPG mechanics like side quests and upgrade systems to support open-ended progression
- Focus on optional content diversity with challenges catering to all playstyles
- Respect players‘ time with meaningful end-game content and unlockables for those who wish to test their mastery
This evolution has allowed God of War to remain at the vanguard of the action/adventure genre while giving fans much more gameplay for their money. Based on Ragnarok‘s rave reviews and immense amount of content, the formula seems to be working wonderfully!
