Comparing God of War's Cronus to Hades 2's (2024)

Hades 2 and pre-2018 God of War both draw on real-world Greek mythology for their stories, but they take decidedly different approaches to presentation and framing. Nowhere is this clearer than in the games' respective representations of Chronos/Cronos: Hades 2 imbues the Greek God of Time with a very different narrative purpose and flair than God of War, making him a rather interesting point of comparison.

There are a few striking similarities between God of War's Cronos and Hades 2's Chronos. Both are sons of Ouranos (Uranus) and among the first Titans, siring major gods like Zeus and Hades, who eventually turn on their father in accordance with prophecy. This mostly aligns with the character's depiction in real Greek mythology: Cronos/Chronos heard tell of a prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his children, and so he swallowed them all, except for Zeus, who was spared by his mother Rhea. Zeus led a rebellion against him as an adult, leading to a prolonged period of war which culminated in Chronos' imprisonment. Hades 2 imagines Chronos' retribution for this imprisonment, while God of War chronicles it, albeit with a number of creative liberties.

How Hades 2 and God of War Differ In Their Presentation of Cronos/Chronos

Hades 2 and God of War Differ In Their Depiction of Chronos/Cronos As The God of Time

The different spellings of Cronos and Chronos are not merely a matter of linguistic departure: Cronos is the first of the Titans, King of Gods, and is directly linked to the myth of the Great War and the rebellion of Zeus, while Chronos is the personification of time. Many ancient scholars considered Cronos and Chronos to be separate entities, though the notion that Chronos is an aspect of Cronos became a widespread interpretation during the Renaissance era, either through confusion or intentional association.

Hades 2 leans further into the post-Renaissance interpretation of Chronos than God of War does. Chronos in Hades 2 is explicitly referred to as a Titan and father of both Zeus and Hades, while also being defined as the personification of time—something that is reinforced by Chronos' many special abilities in-game. Thus, Hades 2's Chronos adheres both to the history of the Titan Cronos and the mystical, temporal significance of Chronos, God of Time. Cronos' connection to the concept of time is much more tenuous in God of War, which focuses more on his position as a Titan and Zeus' father.

Cronos' Role in God of War Is Different From Chronos' in Hades 2

Chronos is the Big Bad of Hades 2, the ultimate antagonist of the story. This is not the case in God of War: Cronos is a very insignificant character in the first God of War and a minor ally in God of War 2, when he allows Kratos to climb his back and access the Temple of Pandora. Cronos returns as an antagonist in God of War 3, though he is far from Kratos' main nemesis. Rather, he holds a grudge against Kratos, considering him responsible for his imprisonment in Tartarus by Zeus. Kratos ultimately brutalizes and kills Cronos in battle, relegating the Titan to the position of a secondary antagonist.

This stands in stark contrast to Hades 2's Chronos, who is presented as something of a villainous mastermind and a much more imposing threat. Although Hades 2's lore positions Chronos in a similar manner as God of War—that is, establishing him as an enemy of Olympus, Zeus, and Hades—Supergiant depicts him as considerably more competent. By the time players encounter Cronos in God of War 2, he has already been bested by Zeus. In Hades 2, he has risen above Zeus' dominance, and is now in a place of significant, dangerous power.

Hades 2

Hades 2 is the continuation of the massively popular Hades franchise, which began with the flagship title, released by Supergiant games in 2020. Players will once again dive into the underworld, aided by Gods and Goddesses as they make their way through the enemies of the Underworld in this Roguelike indie smash hit.

Franchise

Hades

Platform(s)

PC

Released

May 6, 2024

Developer(s)

Supergiant Games

Publisher(s)

Supergiant Games

Genre(s)

Roguelike , Action

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