Hades Review: Play Like Hades, Triumph as Zeus
Many people enjoy Greek Mythology because there are many characters involved. Each character has a story of success and failure, which makes every story interesting. Most people know who the Olympians are, why Hades lives in the Underworld or faced the Hydra. These are stories even kids knew. However, it’s not likely to find a video game with a Greek Mythology theme.
Back then, games can play Hercules, which is based on the Disney Movie. However, the game is for kids, and it’s not too thrilling or exciting to play if you want a challenging one. A lot of gamers are looking for a Greek Mythology-inspired game because the intensity of combat is exciting. On the bright side, there’s one game you can play. Here’s a Hades review to check out. The story doesn’t only focus on Hades. It focuses on his son, Zagreus, and there are other interesting features you’ll love.
Game Information
- Released Date: August 13, 2021
- Developer: Supergiant Games
- Publisher: Supergiant Games
- Genre: Rogue-like, Action Role-playing
- Console: Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo
Story
Hades is not the main character in the story, but his son, Zagreus. Zagreus wants to escape Hades’ realm, which is in the Underworld. His adoptive mother, Nyx, gave him a magical mirror to access different abilities through the collected Darkness from the Gods of Olympus. He reached out to the Gods to get Boons, which gives him special powers. Along with his journey is Achilles, his mentor, who game him with Infernal Arms. These weapons have exceptional power, with hidden aspects of the past, present, and future wielders.
Hades stops Zagreus’ plan by unleashing different Underworld residents, including Megaera, the ex-lover of Zagreus, the Lernean Bone Hydra, Theseus, Asterius, and Hades.
Zagreus plans to find his birth mom, Persephone, who he never met. Hades didn’t want to allow it, and he will punish anyone who disobeys his orders. Nyx tried to help Zagreus through her relatives from Olympus. He was able to find Persephone in Greece, but he cannot survive on the surface for too long since he’s bound in the Underworld. He promised he’ll escape to spend more time with his birth mom and discover why she left.
Gameplay
You’ll play Hades in an isometric view where you get to control Zagreus. You’ll start playing by running through the game, trying to find your way out through several rooms. The rooms have pre-determined pool layouts, but there are random enemies inside.
The Hades game has a “hack and slash” system, which you’ll love if you enjoy playing fighting games or thrilling games, like Resident Evil, Last of Us, or Tekken. You’ll have a primary weapon, along with a special attack, and a magic cast, for long range-attacks.
As you start running, you’ll encounter Boons from the Olympians, and the theme depends on the God who game it. If you received a Boon from Zeus, it contains lightning damages. Once you successfully finish the level, you’ll have rewards, and you can move on to the next room for more Boons.
Aside from that, you have the option to romance some NPCs as the plot progresses. Finally, moving over to the final boss, you’ll have to battle Hades.
Features
This video game is one of the best games you have to play, especially if you’re into Greek Mythology.
The narrative of this game is very impressive. You can relate to the story, especially if you’re fond of Greek Mythology, and the developers did an exceptional job synchronizing the stories. You’ll appreciate the little rebellion of Zagreus because he wants to get away from his dad to find his mom. The thought of wanting to escape and doing everything you can to see your mother makes the game very interesting.
There are many characters you’ll meet, including Zagreus’ ex-lover, Megaera. In addition, you’ll stumble on Nyx, Achilles, Theseus, Asterius, Persephone, and even the Olympians. You can interact with the characters, take side quests, or exchange gifts to strengthen the relationship. On the other hand, if characters don’t agree, they’ll combat with you, where you can even face the famous Hydra in Greek Mythology.
You’ll love how the combat is reactive and quick. You can make chain attacks into dashes, you can make special moves while running, and you can even learn how to beat an enemy’s shield. Aside from that, you can avoid traps, or you can work over bosses. There are many ways on how you can combat others.
When it comes to your weapon of choice, you can equip six weapons with different uses. There are modifiers per weapon as well, which you can modify with the use of your toolset. You can upgrade or weapons using the Boons you’ll get from the Olympians. If you want to strike an enemy using a ranged weapon, you can equip a boon from Daedalus, and it will triple the damage to your opponent. However, when the battle gets crowded, you’ll have a hard time seeing your character or his enemies. If you’re using a Nintendo Switch, you might have difficulty reading the instructions or dialogue while playing.
One excellent feature of this game is how you can gift the Gods, which is an action that they love. Since you can converse with different characters in the game, you can build a better relationship with them through gifting. If you continue to gift them, you might win more boons as you enter the succeeding rooms. There’s also an instance where Artemis and Athena might negotiate whether to give you two Boons. As you continue to play the Hades game, you’ll discover how fun the next levels are.
The story might have a long-tail approach because of its roguelike setup. If you’re not into this kind of game, it might bore you. However, if you’re of a world building-type of game, you’ll enjoy playing this game further.
The graphics are impressive, regardless if you play it on your PC, Xbox, or PS. The graphic designer made sure the art on every stage is exciting and appealing because many gamers have more fun when the graphics are exceptional. It doesn’t look like an old video game you play in old arcades. The team presented the art well, which is why many gamers admire the game more.
The boss level is very challenging, as other gamers would expect. However, you’ll undoubtedly find relief after you battle Hades during the last round of the game. The ending is better than the typical roguelike games. You’ll use every ability you have, every Boon, and every weapon to defeat him. Moreover, the last stage will reveal other stories about secrets, family, and resolution. Everyone knows how Hades is as a God, but you’ll find out what he’s up to in the story.
Conclusion
The Hades video game gathered more positive feedback than negative, and most gamers had a good time playing and finishing the game. However, there are some points for improvements, which other gamers didn’t find impressive. Nonetheless, the game is almost a 10 out of 10.
One of the best features that gamers enjoyed is how the story and gameplay intertwine. It made the entire videogame a standout compared to other action games in the market. The story is not easy to understand, and it even sparked the interest of gamers to get into Greek Mythology.
Another good feature that gamers love is the combat style of the game. It’s not a typical punch and kicks, but a hack and slash-combat system. To others, it may look barbaric, but for its Greek Mythology theme, the combat suits the story well. Plus, it’s very engaging, which adds more fun even when you’re playing for long hours.
The postgame progression is impressive as well, along with the storylines. You can easily distinguish and remember the characters while playing the game. Also, the option where you can enhance your relationship with others is why this game is exceptional.
Lastly, the “Boon” concept is another good thing about the game. The involvement of the Olympians makes the story and game more fun, given that Hades hate the Olympians. How you can obtain a Boon from a God makes the game more fun and thrilling because enemies are becoming more challenging to beat. Furthermore, the boss level of this game, where you get to fight with Hades, is not as easy as others think, which is excellent if you want challenges. The feeling after beating him will leave a mark, and you’ll always remember that glorious moment, like how other games did.
On another note, the pivotal moments of the game need to be improved. The game’s readability when you’re using a smaller screen is also not impressive, which is why it’s best to play this game on bigger screens, like PC, or gaming consoles that you can connect to your television.
This game meets the expectations of most gamers, giving it a good score. The story and gameplay are fun, and the game can be challenging, but everything is synchronized well. Plus, the characters you’ll encounter here will make your gaming experience worthwhile. If you can’t find a new game to play during your breaks, you should play Hades.
