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Metro 2039God of War Sons of Sparta
God of War Sons of Sparta is a 2D pixel-art God of War prequel by Mega Cat Studios with Santa Monica Studio, released on PS5 on Feb 12, 2026 for $29.99, in which teenage Kratos and his brother Deimos search for a missing cadet. It scored 64 on Metacritic and 65 on OpenCritic.
God of War Sons of Sparta is a 2D action platformer about Kratos as a teenager, made by Mega Cat Studios with Santa Monica Studio and released on PS5 the same day it was revealed, at the State of Play of Feb 12, 2026. It costs $29.99, or $39.99 for the Digital Deluxe Edition. Set "at the earliest point in the series timeline", it follows Kratos and his brother Deimos as Spartan cadets searching Laconia for a missing comrade. Reviews were mixed: 64 on Metacritic from 82 critics and 65 on OpenCritic, with 26% of critics recommending it, as of Nov 4, 2026.
It is the newest God of War game before God of War Laufey, which comes to PS5 on May 20, 2027, and its story comes from the same writing team as God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok, the games Faye (Laufey)'s story is tied to.
Quick facts
| Released | Feb 12, 2026 |
| Platform | PS5 (digital) |
| Developer | Mega Cat Studios, with Santa Monica Studio |
| Game director | Zack Manko |
| Price | $29.99 / €29.99 / £24.99 Standard; $39.99 / €39.99 / £32.99 Digital Deluxe |
| Cast | TC Carson (adult Kratos, narrator), Antony Del Rio (young Kratos), Scott Menville (young Deimos) |
| Music | Bear McCreary |
| Rating | T (ESRB) |
| Metacritic | 64 from 82 critics; users 6.0 from 897, as of Nov 4, 2026 |
| OpenCritic | 65, 26% of critics recommend, 98 reviews, as of Nov 4, 2026 |
| Length | 20½ hours main story, 33½ completionist (HowLongToBeat, Nov 4, 2026; see below) |
| Buy | PlayStation Store |
Sources: PlayStation Blog, Feb 12, 2026; PlayStation Blog, Feb 13, 2026; PlayStation Blog, Feb 16, 2026; Metacritic, Nov 4, 2026; OpenCritic, Nov 4, 2026; HowLongToBeat, Nov 4, 2026.
What is Sons of Sparta about?
Kratos and Deimos are cadets in the Agoge, Sparta's training, when a fellow cadet, Vasilis, goes missing, and the brothers go looking for him across Laconia: the foundry of Daedalus, the Veiled Bog, a haunted winery and a village of cultist farmers. The frame is the adult Kratos telling the tale to his daughter Calliope, before the events that made him the Ghost of Sparta. This young Kratos "doesn't even know he's a god", said game director Zack Manko, and is devout toward the gods.
Santa Monica Studio calls it a "canon story" from the writers of the Norse games and Valhalla. Deimos's later fate is the subject of Ghost of Sparta, and where this game sits is on God of War Timeline Explained.
How Sons of Sparta plays
It is a side-scroller in hand-drawn pixel art, with Kratos fighting with spear and shield rather than the Blades of Chaos. The spear's tip, shaft and pommel and the shield's rim can be swapped, three skill trees grow his moves, and the Gifts of Olympus add powers such as Apollo's sling and Hestia's burning shrub. There is a spirit gauge, and stunned enemies can be executed. Other systems, as GameSpot listed them:
- Health: a flask sipped for as long as needed.
- Olive trees: challenge rooms whose olives upgrade the gods' boons.
- Travel: fast travel arrives late; the map takes photo markers.
- Bosses: among them the Ioke and the Skolopendra, with Deimos sometimes fighting alongside.
The Pit of Agonies is a roguelike endgame mode for one player or two in local co-op; PlayStation published the code Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, L1, R1, Touchpad to open it early. Its product page lists 23 accessibility features.
Who made Sons of Sparta?
Mega Cat Studios, founded and run by James Deighan and named after a rescued kitten, pitched what "a God of War zero" would look like on the original PlayStation. Game Informer noted the studio had mostly made backyard sports games before. TC Carson, the Greek-era voice of Kratos, returned as the narrator for the first time in over a decade, and Bear McCreary, composer of the Norse games and Laufey, wrote the music. See God of War Music.
Sons of Sparta reviews
Critics split. IGN's Jarrett Green gave it 6, "okay", and GameSpot's Steve Watts 5. As of Nov 4, 2026 Metacritic averages 64 ("Mixed or Average") from 82 critics, users 6.0 from 897 ratings, and OpenCritic 65 from 98 reviews, rated "Weak". That is the lowest Metacritic score of any Greek-era God of War game. Every score is compared on God of War Reviews; no Game Awards nomination for it was found.
How long is Sons of Sparta?
Longer than the Greek action games. IGN put it at "around 20 hours", and GameSpot's reviewer played about 24. HowLongToBeat's players gave 20½ hours for the main story, 24½ with extras and 33½ to complete it on Nov 4, 2026, much longer than any other Greek-era game; its sample size was not checked, so treat those as early figures. All the series' lengths are on How Long to Beat God of War.
Price and editions
| Edition | US | Europe | UK | Japan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $29.99 | €29.99 | £24.99 | ¥3480 |
| Digital Deluxe | $39.99 | €39.99 | £32.99 | ¥4480 |
Source: PlayStation Blog, Feb 12, 2026.
The Digital Deluxe Edition adds a digital artbook and soundtrack, the Arrow of Virtue spear attachment, Rusty Scrap, the Unstable Gemstone belt attachment, Blood Orbs and avatars. It is sold digitally on PS5; streaming it to PS5 or PlayStation Portal from the cloud needs PlayStation Plus Premium. PlayStation's product page also shows "PS4", but every Sony announcement and review names PS5 only, so a PS4 version is not confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
When did God of War Sons of Sparta come out? God of War Sons of Sparta came out on PS5 on Feb 12, 2026, the same day Sony revealed it at a State of Play.
How much is God of War Sons of Sparta? God of War Sons of Sparta costs $29.99 (€29.99, £24.99), and the Digital Deluxe Edition $39.99 (€39.99, £32.99).
Is God of War Sons of Sparta good? Reviews of God of War Sons of Sparta were mixed: 64 on Metacritic and 65 on OpenCritic as of Nov 4, 2026, with IGN at 6 and GameSpot at 5.
Who made God of War Sons of Sparta? God of War Sons of Sparta was made by Mega Cat Studios with Santa Monica Studio, directed by Zack Manko, with a story by Santa Monica Studio's writers.
Is God of War Sons of Sparta canon? Yes. Santa Monica Studio calls God of War Sons of Sparta a canon story, set at the earliest point in the series timeline.
How long is God of War Sons of Sparta? IGN put God of War Sons of Sparta at around 20 hours, and HowLongToBeat players reported 20½ hours for the main story on Nov 4, 2026.
Is God of War Sons of Sparta on PS4? Every Sony announcement names God of War Sons of Sparta as a PS5 game; its product page also shows PS4, which has not been confirmed elsewhere as of Nov 4, 2026.
Sources
- God of War Greek trilogy remake in development & God of War Sons of Sparta out now, Grace Orlady, PlayStation Blog, Feb 12, 2026
- God Of War Sons Of Sparta Is A Pixelated 2D Action Prequel That Is Out Now, Kyle Hilliard, Game Informer, Feb 12, 2026
- God of War Sons of Sparta: What you need to know, Santa Monica Studio, PlayStation Blog, Feb 13, 2026
- God of War Sons of Sparta, Mega Cat Studios discuss origins of Kratos and company's name, PlayStation Blog, Feb 16, 2026
- God of War Sons of Sparta Review, Jarrett Green, IGN, Feb 19, 2026
- Unlock God of War Sons of Sparta's toughest challenge in The Pit, PlayStation Blog, Feb 26, 2026
- God Of War: Sons Of Sparta Review, Steve Watts, GameSpot, Mar 3, 2026
- God of War Sons of Sparta, PlayStation, Nov 4, 2026
- God of War: Sons of Sparta, Metacritic, Nov 4, 2026
- God of War Sons of Sparta, OpenCritic, Nov 4, 2026
- God of War: Sons of Sparta, HowLongToBeat, Nov 4, 2026
- God Of War Laufey Delayed To May, Wesley LeBlanc, Game Informer, Nov 4, 2026
- God of War Sons of Sparta - Reveal Trailer | PS5 Games, PlayStation, Feb 12, 2026 (video)
- God of War Sons of Sparta Review, IGN, Feb 20, 2026 (video)
- God of War: Sons of Sparta - Before You Buy, gameranx, Feb 14, 2026 (video)
Moments
God of War Sons of Sparta - Reveal Trailer | PS5 Games
PlayStation
God of War Sons of Sparta Review
IGN
- Kratos and Deimos are cadets in the Agoge, Sparta's training, when a fellow cadet, Vasilis, goes missing, and the…
- It is a side-scroller in hand-drawn pixel art, with Kratos fighting with spear and shield rather than the Blades of…
- Critics split. IGN's Jarrett Green gave it 6, "okay", and GameSpot's Steve Watts 5. As of Nov 4, 2026 Metacritic…
- Longer than the Greek action games. IGN put it at "around 20 hours", and GameSpot's reviewer played about 24…
God of War: Sons of Sparta - Before You Buy
gameranx
Related
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Chains of OlympusGod of War: Chains of Olympus is the 2008 PSP prequel made by Ready at Dawn, released in North America on Mar 4, 2008, in which Kratos, still serving the gods, goes into the Underworld to rescue the sun god Helios. It scored 91 on Metacritic and sold 3.3 million copies by 2012.
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God of War (2005)God of War (2005) is the original God of War, Santa Monica Studio's PlayStation 2 game created and directed by David Jaffe, released in North America on Mar 22, 2005. Kratos, a Spartan bound to the gods of Olympus, hunts Ares with the Blades of Chaos; it scored 94 on Metacritic and sold 4.6 million copies by 2012.
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God of War Collections and RemastersThe Greek God of War games were collected four times: God of War Collection (PS3, 2009, by Bluepoint Games; PS Vita 2014), God of War: Origins Collection (PS3, 2011, by Ready at Dawn), God of War Saga (PS3, 2012) and God of War III Remastered (PS4, 2015, by Wholesale Algorithms). Only God of War III Remastered is still sold, as of Nov 4, 2026.
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God of War IIGod of War II is the 2007 PlayStation 2 sequel, directed by Cory Barlog and released in North America on Mar 13, 2007. Betrayed by Zeus, Kratos allies with the Titans and seeks the Sisters of Fate; it scored 93 on Metacritic and IGN called it possibly the best action game ever made.
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God of War IIIGod of War III is the 2010 PlayStation 3 game that ends Kratos's Greek trilogy, released in North America on Mar 16, 2010 and directed by Stig Asmussen; Kratos climbs Mount Olympus and kills Zeus. It scored 92 on Metacritic, and God of War III Remastered (PS4, Jul 14, 2015) is the only one of the first three games still sold.
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God of War Trilogy RemakeSanta Monica Studio announced on Feb 12, 2026 that the original God of War trilogy (God of War, God of War II and God of War III) is being remade, calling it very early in development. As of Nov 4, 2026 there is no release date, platform list, price or footage.
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God of War: AscensionGod of War: Ascension is the 2013 PlayStation 3 prequel directed by Todd Papy, released in North America on Mar 12, 2013, set ten years before the first game as Kratos breaks his blood oath with the gods and is hunted by the Furies. It added the series' first online multiplayer and scored 80 on Metacritic, the lowest of the Greek-era console games before Sons of Sparta.
- God of War: BetrayalGod of War: Betrayal is a 2D God of War game for mobile phones, released in the US on Jun 20, 2007 and set between God of War and God of War II, in which Kratos is wrongly accused of betraying Olympus. IGN scored it 9; it is no longer sold anywhere.
See also
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KratosKratos is the Spartan warrior turned god at the center of God of War, who killed the gods of Olympus and later raised his son Atreus in the Norse realms. TC Carson voiced him in the Greek games and Christopher Judge since 2018.
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Santa Monica StudioSanta Monica Studio is the Sony Interactive Entertainment studio in California that makes God of War. Founded in 1999, it made every main God of War game from 2005 to Ragnarok and is now finishing God of War Laufey for PS5, due May 20, 2027.
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Ghost of SpartaGod of War: Ghost of Sparta is the 2010 PSP game by Ready at Dawn, released in North America on Nov 2, 2010, in which Kratos, newly the God of War, searches Atlantis and the realm of death for his lost brother Deimos and faces Thanatos. It scored 86 on Metacritic.