Face-off
Hades II or God of War Ragnarök?
Two of the finest action games of the decade, one at £24.99 and one at up to £69.99.
Hades II
From £24.99 · 53 h
God of War Ragnarök
From £49.99 · 49 h with Valhalla
Both games draw on ancient myth, both are built around combat, and both are among the highest-rated games we review. They could hardly be more different in how they spend your time and your money.
Hades II is a roguelike: short, repeated runs that add up to a long story. Ragnarök is a cinematic epic you play through once, with a roguelite epilogue added at no charge. Here is how they compare, round by round.
Round by round
Combat
Hades II offers six weapons, dozens of blessings from the gods and near-endless combinations; Ragnarök's axe and blades are weightier and more cinematic. For depth over time, Hades II; for spectacle, Ragnarök.
EdgeHades II
Story and performances
Ragnarök's father-and-son story and its cast are among the best in the medium. Hades II tells a strong story in fragments between runs, which suits some players better than others.
EdgeGod of War Ragnarök
Length and replay
Main story plus extras: about 53 hours for Hades II against about 41 for Ragnarök, or 49 with Valhalla. Hades II is built to be replayed indefinitely.
EdgeHades II
Accessibility
Both are excellent. Hades II's God Mode lets anyone reach the ending; Ragnarök's 70-plus options set a benchmark for the whole industry.
EdgeGod of War Ragnarök
Price and platforms
Hades II costs £24.99 on every platform, including Switch and Xbox. Ragnarök is £49.99 on PC and £69.99 on PS5, or included in PlayStation Plus Extra.
EdgeHades II
The money, side by side
Hades II is cheaper on every platform, and by a wide margin on PS5, where it costs £24.99 (£17.49 until 7 October) against Ragnarök's £69.99. Ragnarök's best-value route is PlayStation Plus Extra at £11.99 a month; Hades II is in Game Pass instead.
Our call
If you can have only one, Hades II: it is cheaper, available on every platform and will last longer. If you own a PS5 with PlayStation Plus Extra, play both, starting with Ragnarök while it is in the catalogue.