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Hades

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Supergiant Games is known for its ability to blend art with gaming. They've done it again in their now award-winning title, Hades! Check it out now.[read more below]

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Hades - Crowned Indie GOTY Winner

The Son of Hades' Futile Escape from Hell.


Hades is a RogueLike that Compares to No Other

Supergiant Games is known for its ability to blend art with gaming. They've done it again in their now award-winning title, Hades!

Play as Zagreus, the son of Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Meet the other Greek gods and goddesses in your family as you claw your way out from under the oppressive thumb of your father and his domain in Hell.


Concept: Flipping a Traditionally Tough Genre on its Head

Roguelikes are known for being tricky. Death means that you're all the way back to Square One. It's one of the hallmarks of the genre.

Hades makes this into part of the game, though. Death is only the beginning. When Zagreus meets a grisly end, he's warmly welcomed back into the halls of Hades (also the name of the underworld in Greek mythos) by his family and lifelong friends. They respect his journey to the surface, although they don't understand it.

This all comes through flawlessly in the concept. It's understood without ever being directly stated. Weaving the story of a headstrong young man into a roguelike game mechanics, where endless death is all part of the plan, stands at a 5/5 above anything out there.


Graphics and Audio: Design By the Gods Themselves

Background music thumps rhythmically as Zagreus slices through waves of uniquely designed enemies. Beware creepy crawlies like toxic rats, bomb-hurling bug-demon skeletons, and fat, body-slamming djinns. This is just the tip of the iceberg of character design, though.

The detail is a titan of an achievement.

Meet each of the Greek deities, as well as plenty of other mortals from the mythos. They all have their own flawless artwork. The detail is a titan of an achievement. Each god's image is bursting at the seams with references to their symbols, meanings, and more.

A completely original soundtrack accompanies Hades. It's got heart and soul pumped into every track, from the breezy bells of Elysium to the fiery pits of Tartarus.

It's a 5/5 artistic masterpiece, and one that I'll enjoy for years to come.

hades Hades Gameplay | Credit: supergiantgames.com


Gameplay: Escaping is Only The Beginning

Zagreus' entire goal is to escape Hades. Climb through different levels, each one marked by a final boss. Every level consists of chambers with enemies. Defeating enemies rewards you and unlocks doors to the next chamber. Look at the top of the doors, and you can sometimes choose between a couple of different rewards.

The main way Zagreus gets power is through boons. Zag's family members on Mount Olympus hear about his plight and bestow various abilities on him. They are randomized every playthrough, though you can equip charms to ensure you receive certain boons.

Zagreus' entire goal is to escape Hades.

Upgrade your attack, special, and cast. There's a host of buffs, items, and relationships you encounter during the grind. Gift items to the NPCs along the way. Discover hidden potential within not only Zag but also the weapons of the Underworld!


Conclusion: A Must-Play

It's beautiful. It's time-consuming. It's worth every single penny on whatever platform you want to purchase. The grind that Hades offers doesn't even feel like one because I have loved (and will continue loving) every second of brutal death that Zag falls victim to!


TL/DR

Hades is Indie Game of the Year, a roguelike about the Prince of the Underworld desperately trying to escape his father's grasp.

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From the Developers

What follows is the official description of Hades, from the developers.


Hades is a rogue-like dungeon crawler in which you defy the god of the dead as you hack and slash your way out of the Underworld of Greek myth.

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