Fans of RPGs have gotten accustomed to killing gods in their adventures. Final Fantasy 10 is a good example, as players went on a pilgrimage to stop Sin, a whale-like god creature, once and for all. There are plenty of games like this, wherein the final boss is a god, and then there are games, RPG or otherwise, with gods scattered throughout the campaign to be massacred.
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From humble beginnings to divine showdowns, these JRPGs deliver climactic final battles against gods that define the genre.
These next games all give players the opportunity to face off against and eventually kill the gods themselves. Some of these examples are obvious, while others may be a bit more obscure. Either way, they’re a great way to blow off steam for anyone interested in taking down made-up, Greek, or some other pantheon of gods in no particular order.
Asura’s Wrath
Betrayed By The Gods
Asura's Wrath
- Released
- February 21, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action, Beat 'Em Up
Asura’s Wrath is a Capcom game inspired by Hindu and Buddhist mythologies, but with a cyberpunk twist. Gods and other ethereal beings ae aided by technology, from robotic arms to spaceships, which gives them a unique style, and of course, a unique boss battle.
Asura, the main character, is betrayed by his fellow god generals and banished to the underworld. As the title suggests, Asura’s wrath knows no bounds, and he systematically takes out his former comrades one by one in Dragon Ball Z-like epic boss battles with absolutely unmatched scale and spectacle.
Cult Of The Lamb
Build God, Then We’ll Talk
Cult of the Lamb
- Released
- August 11, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen / Blood, Violence.
- Genre(s)
- Roguelite, Indie Games, Simulation
Cult of the Lamb is a roguelike spliced with a life-sim game, like Animal Crossing meets The Binding of Isaac. Betrayed by the gods, a mysterious entity calls out to the lamb hero and instructs them to build a cult, kill the gods, and rise to power. It’s one of the most unique roguelikes around, with the sim elements being just as fun and engaging as the combat.
It’s a fun juxtaposition to ask cute animals to sacrifice each other to their god, or eat them to harvest their power. Updates have added new followers, sim elements, and even co-op to continue the deranged worship.
Final Fantasy 16
Eikon Master
Final Fantasy 16
- Released
- June 22, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Final Fantasy games have gods in them that take on the form of Summons, and while the names change between iterations, they are consistently shown as incredibly powerful and destructive beings. Final Fantasy 16's version are called Eikons, and they take on familiar forms like Ifrit, Shiva, Titan, and so on.
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The twist is that select humans, called Dominants, can channel the power of these gods. Clive, the protagonist, is the Dominant of Ifrit, and most of the gameplay is action-based from his perspective. Several key fights in Final Fantasy 16 feature Clive turning into Ifrit and fighting other Eikons in some of the most bombastic boss battles the series has ever seen.
God Of War 3
To Mount Olympus
God of War III
- Released
- March 16, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
God of War begins with a simple plot: Kratos was betrayed by the Greek gods, so he vowed revenge on them. The first two console games feature gods as bosses, but they're spread out, with those games favoring mythical beings as bosses instead, like Medusa and the Hydra.
God of War 3 is where things are kicked up a notch. As the finale to the main trilogy, Kratos begins his ascension of Mount Olympus to challenge gods like Poseidon, Hades, and Helios. Zeus, of course, is the final boss. However, to fully appreciate this game, the first two God of War games have to be played.
Hades
Escaping The Underworld
Hades
- Released
- December 6, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Hades is another game based on Greek mythology, but from a different perspective. The son of Hades, Zagreus, detests the underworld and wishes to rise to the surface. His father forbids him, but Zagreus tries anyway, brute forcing his way out of the realm of the dead and facing various beings like Charon, Theseus, and the Fury sisters along the way.
Hades is a roguelike that incorporates defeat into the story like no roguelike has done before, which is why so many fell in love with it. Beyond killing gods, there are plenty of deities who wish to aid Zagreus on his runs with Boons, making the relationships between the Greek pantheon more complex and engaging.
Kid Icarus: Uprising
A Spin On The Greeks
Kid Icarus: Uprising
- Released
- March 23, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
Kid Icarus: Uprising is also based on Greek mythology, but this game plays around with the pantheon a bit more, making up gods and re-purposing other mythical beings to suit the narrative. Medusa, for example, is the big overarching boss of the series and is seen as a dark god of the underworld instead of merely a cursed snake lady.
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Gameplay switches between a 3D shooter like Star Fox and an action platformer akin to Kingdom Hearts. It’s unfortunate that Kid Icarus: Uprising remains trapped on the 3DS, when it deserves a port or sequel, but it's worth a look for anyone who still has their old Nintendo portable console kicking around.
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Taking Down Japan’s Gods
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
- Released
- April 9, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Fighting, Action-Adventure
Muramasa: The Demon Blade built its lore around Japanese mythology, with players taking on various Yokai, or demons, along with, of course, a handful of gods. Players can choose to play as Kisuke or Momohime, who both follow the same road but have distinct stories and boss encounters.
No one character is better than the other, but in true Vanillaware fashion, both campaigns deserve to be played and replayed to open up the full story. It’s a fast and frantic 2D action game best played on the PS Vita, but the Wii original is still good, too.
Path Of Exile
A New Pantheon
Path of Exile
- Released
- October 23, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Nudity, Language
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Path of Exile is all about taking down gods, but like a few other examples listed here, these deities are original creations. Abberath, Gruthkul, and Ralakesh are all fine examples of powerful gods who look like imposing bosses made for FromSoftware games.
Gameplay follows the style of top-down action RPGs like Diablo, with plenty of loot to grab and classes to try out. Anyone who enjoys this first game go should continue their god-hunting journey with the sequel, which is still in Early Access on all platforms, but it is already shaping up to be another chaotic adventure.
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