Introduction
You are seconds away from one of the most brutal boss fights in gaming history. Ares stands between you and the end credits, and he does not go down easy. If you have been struggling to figure out how to defeat Ares in God of War, you are in exactly the right place.
Knowing how to defeat Ares in God of War takes more than button mashing. It takes pattern recognition, timing, smart item use, and the right mindset going in. Many players hit this fight and feel completely lost. The health bar seems endless, the attacks feel unfair, and the camera makes everything harder.
This guide breaks down every phase of the fight, every attack you need to dodge, every trick that gives you an edge, and every common mistake players make when trying to defeat Ares in God of War. Whether you are playing on Normal or the higher difficulty settings, this article covers it all. By the end, you will know exactly what to do.
What You Need Before You Fight Ares
Before you even think about learning how to defeat Ares in God of War, you need to make sure Kratos is ready. Walking into this fight underprepared is the fastest way to see the death screen.
Health and Magic Requirements
You want your health bar as full as possible. If you have found any Gorgon Eyes or Phoenix Feathers along your journey, use them before this fight. A larger health bar gives you more room for error when you are working out how to defeat Ares in God of War.
Make sure you have magic filled up too. Apollo’s Flaming Arrows and Poseidon’s Rage are both strong options for this fight. You will need magic in multiple phases, so go in with a full meter.
Upgrade Your Blades
Your Blades of Chaos are your main weapon when learning how to defeat Ares in God of War. The higher your blade upgrade level, the faster this fight goes. If you have red orbs stockpiled, spend them before entering the arena. Higher damage makes every phase shorter and safer.
Grab Health Chests
There are health chests in the arena during certain phases. Know where they are and use them wisely. Saving them for critical moments is a core part of how to defeat Ares in God of War effectively.
Understanding Ares: Who You Are Fighting
Ares is the God of War in Greek mythology. In the game, he is massive, aggressive, and capable of killing you in just a few hits on higher difficulties. When you are figuring out how to defeat Ares in God of War, understanding his character helps you anticipate his behavior.
He fights in three distinct phases. Each phase changes the battlefield, the mechanics, and the attacks you face. Players who do not know this often panic when the fight shifts. Going in with this knowledge is half the battle when learning how to defeat Ares in God of War.
Phase One: The Giant Battle
The first phase is a straightforward giant battle in an open arena. This is your introduction to how to defeat Ares in God of War, and it sets the tone for everything that follows.
Ares Attack Patterns in Phase One
Ares uses several attacks in the first phase. You need to know all of them before you can consistently dodge and counter them.
Ground Slam: Ares raises his fist and slams the ground. This creates a shockwave. Roll sideways immediately when you see him raise his arm.
Stomp Attack: He steps toward Kratos and stomps. This deals massive damage. Keep moving around the arena constantly to avoid getting cornered.
Pillar Throw: Ares grabs massive pillars and hurls them at you. These are slow but deal enormous damage. Sprint or roll to the side as soon as you see him pick one up.
Fire Breath: He breathes fire across a wide arc. Back away immediately and wait for the animation to end.
How to Attack in Phase One
When you are working out how to defeat Ares in God of War during this phase, aggressive play works in your favor. Use your Blades of Chaos constantly between his attacks. Hit him with your combo and then dodge before he counters.
Use Poseidon’s Rage when you are close and the meter is full. This magic shocks Ares and deals consistent damage. Apollo’s Flaming Arrows work well when he is across the arena.
The key in phase one when learning how to defeat Ares in God of War is staying mobile. Never stand still. Circle him constantly, dodge his big attacks, and punish him after each miss.
Phase Two: The Nightmare Realm
This phase completely changes how you defeat Ares in God of War. Ares pulls Kratos into a psychological nightmare where clones of Ares attack you alongside visions of Kratos’s dead family members.
What Happens in Phase Two
You appear in a dark, surreal realm. Several copies of Ares appear and attack you from different directions. At the same time, you must protect visions of your family. This phase tests your crowd control skills and your ability to multitask.
How to Survive Phase Two
Many players discover that the hardest part of learning how to defeat Ares in God of War is actually phase two, not the final phase. The Ares clones hit hard and come from every angle.
Focus on the clones attacking your family first. If those visions die, the fight becomes harder in phase three. Use wide sweep attacks with your blades to hit multiple enemies at once.
Stay near the center of the arena when possible. This lets you react to threats from any direction. When you are managing phase two and trying to defeat Ares in God of War, Poseidon’s Rage is exceptional here because it damages everything around you in a radius.
Do not ignore your own health. There are health chests scattered around this arena. Grab them when your health drops below half. Prioritize survival over dealing damage when things get overwhelming.
Phase Three: The True Final Battle
Phase three brings you back to a version of the open arena. Ares has shrunk to a more human size but he is faster, more aggressive, and hits even harder. This is the true test of how to defeat Ares in God of War.
Ares Attacks in Phase Three
His moveset is similar to phase one but faster and more dangerous. He adds a shield bash attack that can stagger Kratos badly. He also recovers from his attacks quicker, leaving you less time to punish him.
Shield Slam: He charges forward with his shield. Roll to the side, not backward.
Sword Slash Combo: Ares unleashes a rapid three hit combo with his sword. Block the first two hits if you can, then dodge the third.
Energy Wave: He channels and releases an energy wave along the ground. Jump over it.
How to Beat Ares in Phase Three
The key to how to defeat Ares in God of War in the final phase is the Blade of the Gods. This giant weapon appears in the arena. Pick it up immediately. It deals massive damage and completely changes the fight.
With the Blade of the Gods in hand, aggressive play becomes your best strategy. Press the attack constantly. When Ares blocks, back off briefly and then go back in. When he attacks, dodge and counter with a heavy swing.
Your magic is almost gone by this point, so use whatever remains strategically. Poseidon’s Rage at close range deals significant burst damage.
Keep an eye on your health. This is where many players die after thinking they have the fight won. Ares can still kill you fast in phase three. Use health chests as soon as your health hits half, not when you are nearly dead.
Tips and Tricks to Defeat Ares in God of War Faster
Here are the best tips players use when learning how to defeat Ares in God of War more efficiently.
Learn the dodge timing. Rolling early makes you miss the window entirely. Time your roll to the very start of the attack animation landing.
Never spam attacks. Over-committing to a combo leaves you stuck in an animation when Ares attacks. Hit two or three times and then be ready to dodge.
Use magic on cooldown. Do not save your magic meter for a “perfect moment.” Use it consistently throughout the fight.
Keep the camera behind Ares. The fixed camera in God of War can work against you. Reposition Kratos so Ares stays in the center of your view as much as possible.
Practice phase transitions. Many deaths happen right as phases switch. Players relax when a phase ends and get hit by the first attack of the new phase. Stay alert through every transition when you are learning how to defeat Ares in God of War.
Lower difficulty if needed. There is zero shame in dropping to Easy mode to finally beat this boss. You can always replay on harder settings once you know the patterns.
Common Problems Players Face When Fighting Ares
Even experienced players run into the same walls when trying to defeat Ares in God of War. Here are the most common problems and how to fix them.
Problem: Running Out of Magic Too Early
Solution: This happens when players dump all their magic in phase one. Space your magic use across all three phases. Use one or two casts per phase rather than burning everything at the start.
Problem: Dying to Phase Two Clones
Solution: When phase two overwhelms you, prioritize crowd control magic and wide sweep attacks. Stop trying to duel one clone at a time. Hit groups of them with single sweeping attacks and keep moving.
Problem: Getting Cornered Against Arena Walls
Solution: Keep circling. The moment you feel Ares pushing you toward a wall, roll toward him and past him. Getting past the enemy and repositioning is always better than letting yourself get trapped.
Problem: Not Knowing When to Heal
Solution: Heal when you hit 40 percent health, not 10 percent. Players who wait too long get killed by the next attack before they reach the chest. Err on the side of healing early when you are still figuring out how to defeat Ares in God of War.
Problem: Phase Three Feels Impossible
Solution: The Blade of the Gods is the answer. If you are struggling with phase three and not using this weapon, pick it up immediately. It changes the entire balance of the fight in your favor.
Problem: Struggling on God Mode Difficulty
Solution: God Mode is genuinely punishing. On this difficulty, how to defeat Ares in God of War requires near-perfect play. Focus entirely on zero-damage phases. Learn each attack so well that you never get hit rather than trying to out-damage him.
How Long Does It Take to Defeat Ares in God of War?
On your first attempt, this fight can take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours depending on your skill level and familiarity with the patterns. Once you know the fight well, most players can defeat Ares in God of War in about 10 to 15 minutes per attempt.
The key word is “attempt.” Most players die multiple times on their first playthrough. That is completely normal. Each death teaches you something about the fight. Use every death as a learning moment.
What Happens After You Defeat Ares in God of War?
Defeating Ares ends the main story of the original God of War. Kratos becomes the new God of War after taking down his former master. The ending cutscenes deliver the emotional payoff that the entire game has been building toward.
After you beat Ares, you unlock the ability to replay the game on God Mode difficulty if you want the ultimate challenge. You can also go back and collect any missed chests or secrets.
Conclusion
Learning how to defeat Ares in God of War is one of gaming’s most satisfying challenges. The three-phase structure keeps you on your toes, the mechanics reward practice, and the payoff when he finally falls is genuinely unforgettable.
To recap the key points: go in with upgraded blades and full magic, learn his attack patterns in each phase, use the Blade of the Gods in phase three, and keep moving at all times. Avoid getting cornered, heal early, and use magic consistently rather than saving it.
Now you have everything you need to finally defeat Ares in God of War. Go show the God of War who the real God of War is.
Have you already beaten Ares? What phase gave you the most trouble? Share your experience in the comments, and if this guide helped you, pass it along to a fellow player who is still struggling with the fight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What level should I be to defeat Ares in God of War? A: There is no traditional level system in the original God of War. However, you want your blades at least at upgrade level 3 or higher, and your health and magic bars extended as much as possible before attempting the fight.
Q: What is the easiest way to defeat Ares in God of War? A: The easiest approach is playing on Easy difficulty, maximizing your health bar before the fight, saving Poseidon’s Rage for phase two crowd control, and using the Blade of the Gods immediately in phase three.
Q: How many phases does Ares have in God of War? A: Ares has three distinct phases. The first is a giant open arena fight. The second is a nightmare realm where you fight clones while protecting your family. The third is a faster, more dangerous close combat duel where the Blade of the Gods becomes available.
Q: Can you defeat Ares in God of War without dying? A: Yes, it is possible but very difficult. It requires mastery of all his attack patterns and near-perfect dodge timing across all three phases. Most players die several times before beating him cleanly.
Q: What magic works best against Ares in God of War? A: Poseidon’s Rage is the strongest magic for this fight. It deals damage in a wide radius, making it excellent against both Ares and the clones in phase two. Apollo’s Flaming Arrows work well for ranged damage in phase one.
Q: How do I survive phase two of the Ares fight? A: Focus on crowd control first. Use wide sweep attacks to hit multiple clones at once. Protect your family from the clones, use your remaining magic for area damage, and grab health chests when your health drops.
Q: What is the Blade of the Gods and when should I use it? A: The Blade of the Gods is a massive weapon that appears in the arena during phase three. Pick it up immediately at the start of phase three. It deals significantly more damage than your standard blades and makes the final phase much more manageable.
Q: Is Ares the hardest boss in God of War? A: Many players consider Ares among the hardest bosses in the game, particularly on higher difficulty settings. The three-phase structure and the camera challenges make him a serious test of skill compared to earlier bosses.
Q: Does difficulty setting affect how to defeat Ares in God of War? A: Yes. On Easy, Ares deals less damage and you have more margin for error. On God Mode, even minor mistakes are lethal. The core strategy remains the same across difficulties, but the execution needs to be far tighter on higher settings.
Q: What happens if you run out of magic in the Ares fight? A: You can still defeat Ares without magic using your blades alone, but it takes longer and requires more precise dodging. If you run out early, focus on aggressive melee play and prioritize dodging to avoid taking damage.
About the Author
Johan Harwen is a veteran gaming writer with over a decade of experience covering action and adventure titles. Jordan has completed every mainline God of War game across multiple difficulty settings and specializes in breaking down complex boss mechanics into clear, practical strategies. When not writing, Jordan is speed running classic PS2 titles and coaching new players through the toughest fights in gaming history.
Also read aresgodofwar.co.uk
Email: johanharwen314@gmail.com
Author Name: Johan Harwen
