Under-the-Radar Games to Play While Waiting for God of War Laufey

The modern God of War soft reboot hardly invented a new genre, yet both God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök have pushed the action-adventure formula to new heights. Its refined narrative-driven gameplay, featuring the perfect balance of combat, exploration, traversal challenges, unlockable abilities, puzzles, boss battles, and, naturally, chatty companions, became a staple of PlayStation exclusives for years. It’s safe to say that after its tremendous success and claiming GOTY in 2018, God of War influenced numerous other games in the genre.

As God of War Laufey prepares to push the formula one step further, presumably sometime next year, many fans of the series might look for games to scratch the same itch without replaying the older GoW titles yet again. Fortunately, there have been plenty of smaller under-the-radar AA titles that share strong similarities with what you love most about God of War, feeling and playing almost exactly like it. The titles below can be a pleasant surprise for any GoW fan, standing as overlooked hidden gems to enjoy while waiting for God of War Laufey.

Echoes Of The End: Enhanced Edition

The Female-Led God Of War Game You Can Play Right Now

How Long to Beat: 15 Hours

Steam Reviews: 77% Positive

Undoubtedly, GoW fans will feel right at home when launching Echoes of the End for the first time. The game is clearly inspired by Santa Monica Studio’s masterpieces and is often called the “Icelandic God of War.” Not only does it follow every bit of the formula with exceptional dedication, from borrowed traversal mechanics and boat sections to huge troll bosses, it also looks the part, with its fantasy-infused Northern mountainous landscapes and caves mirroring the feel of Midgard. Playing as the powerful vestige Ryn with supernatural abilities, you’ll meet wise scholar Abram on a journey across an ancient land on the brink of devastating war.

Of course, like every game here, Echoes of the End is very much a double-A game, so you should set your expectations accordingly. While the visuals do some heavy lifting thanks to UE5’s truly cinematic presentation with stunning landscapes and character models, even after all the improvements in the Enhanced Edition (and there were quite a lot), you’d better be ready for some janky animations that aren’t as refined as those in triple-A titles.

The combat also won’t live up to the God of War bar, which is why the gameplay loop clearly favors puzzles (roughly 70% puzzles to 30% combat). This might not suit fans looking for the same bombastic feel. Still, Echoes of the End: Enhanced Edition is an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoyed the modern-era God of War games, as it replicates the core formula almost to a fault.

Flintlock: The Siege Of Dawn

No Better Weapon To Kill A God Than An Axe

How Long to Beat: 15 Hours

Steam Reviews: 74% Positive

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn might not play exactly like God of War, stepping one foot into soulslike territory, yet there are enough similarities to make it worth a go. The game blends traits of the soulslike genre with classic action-adventure design, creating a mix that might just be up your alley. Flintlock is far more approachable than you’d expect from a soulslike, centered around highly dynamic combat with no stamina bar and offering plenty of ways to discover your own style by combining melee and ranged weapons with magic abilities. On top of that, it offers a much more traditional and compelling narrative centered around humanity’s fight against mighty Gods and their armies of the Dead.

Aside from that, The Siege of Dawn delivers winning companion dynamics through Enki, a mysterious and charming fox-like creature who aids you in both combat and traversal in a unique way. Not to mention Flintlock’s robust selection of axes in all forms and shapes as the primary weapon for the protagonist Nor — something Kratos himself would certainly appreciate.

The world structure is another well-trodden path, brimming with vast, layered levels you can explore at your own pace, discovering hidden secrets and loot, tackling side quests with rewards, and even tracking down optional bosses. Overall, even if Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn can’t be called a masterpiece, it serves as a pleasant way to scratch your GoW itch before God of War Laufey arrives.

Blades Of Fire

You Don’t Need Brok And Sindri To Forge Your Own Weapons

How Long to Beat: 50 Hours

Steam Reviews: 77% Positive

Old, retired Kratos Aran lives alone in a remote hut, hiding his warrior’s past and the weapon scars on his mighty hands. Upon meeting young abbot Atreus Adso, who delivers Thor’s Forger’s hammer to him, Aran begins his epic journey across mythical realms, slowly unleashing his unstoppable nature and the expertise of an elite Ward Commander chosen by the Gods.

With such strong parallels in overall structure and tone to God of War, as well as MercurySteam (Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Metroid Dread) at the helm, Blades of Fire is one of the most overlooked action-adventure titles of the past few years, one that fully delivers on its refined combat system and unique forging mechanic.

Unlike Echoes of the End, combat is the heart and soul of Blades of Fire: weighty, punchy, brutal, and spectacular. On top of that, you can forge any of the seven weapon types from scratch, carefully choosing the right materials and properties to create a weapon that suits you perfectly. The combat adds a strategic layer through directional attacks and stamina management, allowing you to strike from any angle and exploit enemy weaknesses. To complement the exceptional combat, Blades of Fire features light environmental puzzles and Metroidvania-style backtracking with new abilities and tools, while your companion Adso helps with hints, lore, and overcoming certain obstacles. The biggest thing holding the game back is its rather outdated visuals, although that’s easy to overlook in an action game this fun.

What’s That Weapon?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)
Medium (5.0s)
Hard (2.5s)
Permadeath (2.5s)

Start

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Results

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High Score: 0

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What’s That Weapon?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)Start

RestartBack

Results

0

High Score: 0
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Evil West

B-Movie Action With Unmistakable God Of War DNA

How Long to Beat: 15 Hours

Steam Reviews: 73% Positive

Despite its wildly different setting of an over-the-top American frontier with a blood-sucking edge, and a more linear, mission-based structure, Evil West mirrors God of War far more than it first appears. With little to no puzzles, limited exploration, and no signature companion dynamics (unless you’re playing in co-op), it might seem like an entirely different breed from modern God of War games. However, Evil West lives and dies by its combat, and it really slaps. It carries a noticeable GoW DNA that flourishes and evolves throughout the game as you face tougher vampire enemies, learn new skills, and master increasingly complex combos and platforming.

While the setting suggests heavy firearm usage, Evil West can actually be played almost entirely through melee. Protagonist Jesse wields a unique lightning-fueled gauntlet along with various gadgets to eradicate dark forces in explosive, stylish fashion. The action feels weighty and incredibly satisfying, with long combo chains and brutal finishers. Spectacle-heavy bosses, often featuring multiple phases and large-scale set pieces, match the grandeur of GoW encounters and stand out as another highlight.

If you want to see how the influence of modern-era God of War stretches beyond Gods, axes, and Norse aesthetics, Evil West is worth playing for its unstoppable, adrenaline-pumping action alone. You’ll likely wish its 15-hour campaign lasted even longer.

Banishers: Ghosts Of New Eden

The Most RPG-ish God Of War-Like Game Ever

How Long to Beat: 50 Hours

Steam Reviews: 84% Positive

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden deserves the full attention of any God of War fan, drawing clear inspiration from the series in terms of structure, world feel, and overall flow. Thanks to its dual-protagonist system, the companion is far less passive than in God of War, as you can freely switch between Red and Antea in combat, as well as learn skills and upgrade gear for both characters.

The majority of the experience, however, feels largely familiar: combat that combines melee, ranged, and supernatural ghostly abilities; exploration filled with hidden secrets and loot-filled chests; and traversal through a semi-open world of interconnected areas that require new abilities to unlock fresh pathways. Set in the harsh American frontier of the late 17th Century, the world of Banishers also feels very Midgard-like, with its mountainous areas, dense forests, dark caves, and cursed dungeons.

When compared to almost any other title on this list, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is less about combat or puzzles and far more about narrative. A large portion of the game is spent in dialogue with NPCs, conducting investigations, analyzing clues, and making decisions with real consequences. As a result, it’s less suited for players chasing constant epic spectacle and more rewarding for those who value deep immersion and care for its characters. The biggest issue here is the somewhat drawn-out structure: combat, traversal, and enemy types become familiar fairly quickly and don’t offer enough variety to fully sustain its lengthy runtime.

Kena: Bridge Of Spirits

Far More Depth Than Its Adorable Appearance Suggests

How Long to Beat: 15 Hours

Steam Reviews: 92% Positive

Despite its endlessly charming aesthetics that feel like a playable Pixar movie, which is a far cry from modern God of War, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a surprisingly robust action-adventure package that ticks all the right boxes for GoW fans. Set in a vivid and majestic world, it features a classic gameplay loop of exploring gorgeous semi-open but interconnected locations, with strong emphasis on platforming, traversal, puzzle-solving to restore balance in nature, hidden secrets, and fights against monsters and incredibly challenging bosses. All of this creates an alluring flow that constantly pulls you toward the next objective or discovery.

Beyond the stunning visuals and magical combat built on melee and ranged attacks, parries, dodges, and Spirit Guide abilities, Kena: Bridge of Spirits shines thanks to its unique companion system. Adorable Rot companions can be gathered throughout the world, visibly growing in number as they follow Kena on her journey. These spirits unlock new abilities and open new areas as you clear corruption around the village and deliver Spirit Mail — and they can even aid you in combat.

With the first glimpses of God of War Laufey showing charming companions and creatures playing a major role, the line between the two series is only getting blurrier. It’ll be interesting to see how the upcoming Kena: Scars of Kosmora evolves the formula as another exciting action-adventure PlayStation exclusive.