What a game. The art style is incredible, the game play is fluid and fun with rewarding character progression systems. I slept on this game for a while and I wholeheartedly regret it. Developed and published by Supergiant Games, they’ve just released The Nighty Night update, which adds a new weapon, new areas and new skills.
Hades is fast paced without feeling out of control like some rogue-likes and has some slightly tweaked ARPG elements thrown into the mix.
Hades throws you in with a running start and it’s the best way for this type of game to open. Within 30 seconds of starting you get a complete feel for how the game wants to be played.
Hades takes place in the Greek Underworld. Your protagonist is the prince of the Underworld, Zagreus, and the son of Hades.
As you would expect from the prince of the Underworld, he’s not the most well behaved and has spent his life training to escape to join other Olympians at Mount Olympus.
With the introduction of Athena we’re also introduced to the first core mechanic of the game, the boon system.
Different Olympians will sponsor Zagreus’ escape attempts with gifts called boons, they’ll upgrade your current abilities or change how your attacks work and are themed appropriately with the god that’s handed it down to you.
Empower your attacks with lightening of Zeus, the control of Poseidon or the raw power of Ares – the Greek god of war.
Zeus’ gifts lightening buffs like chain-lightening from attack and Athena gives the ability to deflect attacks, Poseidon is water based and so on…
Cleaning out a chamber nets you a reward which can be gems, keys, bonus health and a plethora of upgrades. You’ll have to think about which door to leave through, as your choice dictates which reward the next chamber will have.
It adds tactic to choosing your path, feel like you need some more max health? Take the heart door. Want to unlock a new weapon? Take the key door. I took the approach that if I felt like a runs success chance was dwindling I would focus on keys or gems as they’d get me permanent upgrades rather than upgrades that would only last in that run.
The art style is fantastic, it looks wonderfully simplistic but carries an immense amount of detail. It’s balance of colour is beautiful and it’s easy to get distracted.
The soundtrack wonderfully compliments the fast action and stunning visuals. The different areas have tracks to match them, the tombs are eerie and the forest is light and bouncy. It’s a great sound track that works amazingly on it’s own but is even better when it’s supporting the visual treat going on before your eyes.
All in all the game is the whole package, it’s got replay-ability, it’s challenging while remaining rewarding and has a story worth following.
Do yourself a favour and check this game out.
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