Hades

For a bit of context on my experience with Roguelikes, there hasn’t been many with the vast majority of my experience taking place in the game RAD. That being said, I have dipped my toes in a few others. When Hades first released, I wasn’t too invested, simply due to being a Roguelike and them not being a big favourite of mine to play (I’m too easily frustrated!). As time went by and I watched more and more game play, and watching streams over on Twitch of people playing it, it drew me in. One of the biggest draws for me was the art style. Beautifully crafted and an absolutely beauty to see on screen.

What made me realise this wasn’t like the other Roguelikes I had played, was its story telling. With each playthrough you would have new interactions with the Gods of Olympus and your own father, Hades. There were always new conversations to be had in the ‘hub’, and a story that continues well after you beat your first run through.

That all being said, a story is only as good as its game play. I’m happy to report it was INCREDIBLY smooth to play through. Intuitive controls, mixed with an easy button layout makes it a smooth experience. The variety of ‘boons’ you receive throughout your run (which are randomised each run, and each God has specific ‘boons’ to grant) make each run play differently, along with the selection of weapons, which you’re not short on choice. Once unlocked, I tended to stick to the late game weapon which resembled a gun, but you get the choice of weapons such as a Spear, Shield and Gauntlets. Ranged weapons are completely my strong point and you might find this too, especially when dealing with some of the tight spaces or close-attacking enemies.

I’ve now dropped a huge amount of hours in to a game which usually wouldn’t grab me and let me tell you I have had more gameplay and fun out of this than most “AAA” games. I bought it during a Nintendo Eshop sale for around £12 (I can’t remember exactly) and it has been totally worth it. Despite the amount of time I’ve spent in this game, I’m still not done, with plenty of lore and story still to discover. One playthrough is not enough as the game opens up much further after your initial completion, meaning each run changes up even more and pushes you to try new weapons and tactics for each successive run.

To keep this review short, I can honestly say I was blown away by Hades. From its graphics, gameplay and replayability, it really is worth the money I spent on it. If you’re interested in the game, but don’t want it full price, I’d definitely recommend picking it up when it is on Sale. At the price I paid, I’d say it was a steal!