In the original God of War, Kratos enters Athens during his quest to defeat Ares.
The 2005 action-adventure game begins with Kratos serving the Olympian gods after years of torment. Athena gives him a final task: stop Ares, the god of war, who is attacking Athens. The city therefore becomes one of the central settings of the game and the location of several major battles.
Players travel through ruined streets, temples, rooftops, and surrounding mythological locations while searching for the means to defeat Ares. The game blends recognizable Greek myths with original characters and events created for the series. Athens is the capital associated with Athena, who serves as Kratos's primary divine patron in this story.
A common mix-up is choosing Sparta, because Kratos is a Spartan warrior and the series frequently refers to his homeland. Sparta is important to his backstory, but Athens is the city under attack in the first game.