Ever since I played Slay the Spire, I have grown an itch for roguelikes and roguelites, with over 200 hours spent playing Slay the Spire and Monster Train. I've always wanted to try Hades, but somehow I just wasn't convinced that I would enjoy action-type roguelikes that much given that I seemed to prefer slower-paced card games. Seeing that Hades was on sale, I contemplated for a moment before deciding to buy it, thinking of all the reasons why this 15 dollar purchase might be justified. I don't regret the purchase one bit. In my first two hours of gameplay, I found the gameplay exciting, challenging, all while offering that sweet, sweet roguelite gameplay that kept me going for "just one more run".
What's a Rougelite?
A roguelite game is one that tends to have procedurally generated maps that features perma-death (like roguelikes), but with the added characteristic that there is an element of progress after each run. Since each run can differ greatly from one another, there's often a high degree of replayability. And since one run of a roguelite game often doesn't take longer than one hour (often less than 30 minutes), it can often lead to the "one more game" effect where you just can't stop going for another run.
Game Summary
You play as Zagreus, the prince of the Underworld, heir to the almighty Hades. You want to escape to the surface of the underworld, but Hades doesn't want you to. The way that Hades tries to stop you is by deploying multitudes of his loyal minions and creatures in your path, obstructing your path to the surface.
Every run, you start off with a chosen weapon and a keepsake, both of which can alter your gameplay style greatly. You battle monsters that are obstructing your way and obtain boons from the great Olympians, like Zeus, Athena, and Ares. These boons will make you stronger, provide you bonuses in battle, and will be the key to fighting your way through the monsters. Along the way, you will also find shops and people who will give you help on your journey. At the end of each level, you'll face a really strong boss who will undoubtedly have you fighting for your life.
When you die, you'll be greeted once again by Hades, who suggests that you stay put obediently in the underworld. All upgrades and boons that you obtained in the last run will not carry over, but a few things will carry over, like Darkness and Chthonic Keys. Darkness is used to upgrade your abilities in battle permanently, while Chthonic Keys unlock new weapons in future runs.
The gameplay is deceptively simple with only three different attack buttons and a dash button, but don't be fooled - you likely won't be able to clear all the levels on your first, second, or even tenth try. You'll find that many of the monsters have attack patterns that you'll need to learn in order to avoid damage. After all, your health doesn't regenerate automatically by default, and making careless mistakes is a recipe for death.
On my first run, I died after playing for 5 minutes - I didn't know how the enemies moved and I wasn't sure how I should attack them. The game doesn't handhold you much and leaves most of the gameplay for you to learn on your own - It took me a while to figure out that I had three different kinds of attacks.
After a few runs, I started getting the hang of things and thought that I had a good thing going. Then I faced Megaera, the boss of the first level, who absolutely handed my ass over to me multiple times. Without knowing her attack patterns, it was easy to get trapped and lose a good chunk of health. Even with all the permanent perks that I unlocked, I found it really hard to get past her. If the first boss was already this tough, I shuddered at the thought of how the next few bosses would be...
As I played the game, I also found Chthonic Keys which allow me to unlock different weapons and playstyles. At the start, I only had one choice of weapon: the humble sword. After a few runs, I had a much more diverse selection of weapons, including the shield, bow, and spear. Every weapon has a different style of playing and it's up to you to decide how you want to play. After trying out a few weapons, I ended up going back to the sword. It was fast, reliable, and satisfying to play with.
Another thing that could be altered between runs was the keepsake that I kept with me. Keepsakes are things that can alter your run, but you can only pick one. I could choose whether I wanted extra max health, boosted boons, amongst other benefits. I often just went for the extra max health since I'm not too good at the game and often had trouble surviving.
Why is Hades Exceptional?
The deceptively simple gameplay, accompanied by a vast upgrade system makes for a very compelling play. Each run is different since you'll never know which boons you'll get offered. These boons can change how you play - whether you'll be spamming the Attack button, or zooming about with your Dash. The fun of trying out new builds and the satisfaction from smashing monsters in their face is a dopamine factory.
Although the skill ceiling for Hades is high, it doesn't make playing the game feel like a slog if you're bad like me. You can have fun dashing and spamming the attack button if that's what you like. There's no penalty for being bad other than a slower progression.
As you play the game, bits of the story unfold - you begin to find out why Zagreus wants to go up to the surface, his relationships with the Olympians and the other characters, as well as other interesting story bits. As the story is not a key component of the game, it never feels intrusive if all you're looking for is some hack-and-slash dopamine. However, if you want to delve into the drama between Zagreus and his friends, the game does so in a fun and tasteful manner.
If you're looking for an action roguelite, Hades is undoubtedly the king. At a 35% discount right now, I strongly recommend buying it if you enjoy fast-paced action, roguelites, or just having fun. You won't regret it.
Steam Store link: Hades