Despite hearing its praises sung from every corner of my social circle the year it came out (and ever since), I avoided playing Hades for a long time because I assumed the action roguelike genre wasn’t for me; I’ve always considered myself bad at live twitch combat and uninterested in games in which progression requires a grind. Playing it for this class showed me how wrong I was— it’s honestly been longer than I remember since I’ve gotten sucked into a game just for the feel of the gameplay and joy of improving rather than a desire to progress the story, but I just keep wanting to do one more run!
As someone who hasn’t historically tended to enjoy the twitch skill improvement grind for its own sake, I think a large part of Hades’ appeal for me is the fact that you’re meant to lose and keep losing— repeatedly failing his escape attempts is part of Zagreus’ character, and the times when you drag yourself out of the pool of blood and back into the house of your father are when the game’s story progresses. This, combined with the fact that the resources collected on each run can be used to become permanently stronger, means that I never felt like a run failed was time wasted; every loss was another step forward and, potentially, another fun cutscene!
I also adore the feeling of the combat. As someone who often has trouble keeping track of complicated controls, I appreciate that the set of options available to Zagreus at any given time is limited (Attack, Special, Cast, and Dash) and that much of the combat strategy instead comes from how you choose to modify those actions— which weapon you use, which boons you take, and which upgrades you choose to focus on. Rather than feeling the need to commit to a certain build and master its complexities, I could get a feel for any given build pretty fast and instead have fun trying out many different variations of it to see what was most effective. That said, my main complaint about the combat was that Cast felt significantly more limited and difficult to use than my other attacks to the point where it never seemed worthwhile to power it up with a boon, so every time a Cast-related boon was offered to me, it felt like a waste of an option. I found my Special to be much more useful, but Q was a clunky keybind to hit quickly, so I swapped Cast onto Q and Special onto right-click so I could just use my mouse and forget about Casting or hitting Q entirely. I think they should have either made Cast more useful (area damage? ammo regen by default?) or swapped those keybinds to begin with— but that may just be personal preference.
Aside from the combat mechanics, everything about the game just feels so polished and snazzy! The art is gorgeous, the character designs are fun, the soundtrack slaps, the full voice acting is nice enough that I want to sit through dialogue I’d normally skip just to hear it, and the sound design and resistive feedback in combat are so satisfying that I sometimes want to use the shield just for the fun of hearing and feeling the shield bash even though I otherwise dislike that weapon. I’m so glad I was finally forced to try this game, and I expect to accidentally sink many more long hours into it in the future!
Hi Jasmine,
I’m glad you enjoyed the game! I like how you put the “repeatedly dying” part in a nicer light since I honestly hate dying all the time and losing in other games, which is also why I liked Hades. I also enjoyed the choices you get for each run in Hades, but being me I just like trying to get good at one weapon (the shield). Cool post!
Loved discussing and hearing your ultimate take on Hades thus far! I concur with a lot of the points made on the satisfying gameplay loop and combat yes’s and no’s. And especially that everything else about the game just feels so fun! I admit I can a be a little more curmudgeonly towards the combat/grind progression–maybe because I struggle a bit more to find high points of interest in the combat choices and want for a tad more variation. But your enthusiasm despite also not having a big twitch-action background inspires me to give more runs a whirl in between sittings!
Hi Jasmine,
I loved reading your reflections on Hades! It’s amazing how the game can change perceptions about a genre. Your initial hesitation about the action roguelike genre is something I can relate to, and it’s great to hear how the game won you over. The way Hades incorporates failure into its narrative is indeed one of its strongest points. It turns what could be a frustrating experience into a compelling part of the story and character development. Zagreus’s repeated attempts and the progression of the story through these failures create a unique and engaging experience.
Your thoughts on the combat mechanics are spot on. The simplicity and clarity of the combat options make the game accessible, yet the variety of weapons and Boons keeps it interesting and strategic. I appreciate your insight into the Cast mechanic and the keybinding issues. It’s fascinating how personal preferences and playstyles influence the gaming experience. Your workaround by swapping the keybinds shows how adaptable and customizable the game can be, even if certain mechanics feel less effective.
The polish and attention to detail in Hades are indeed remarkable. The art, character designs, and soundtrack all contribute to the game’s immersive atmosphere. I completely agree about the voice acting—it’s so well done that it enhances the storytelling and makes every piece of dialogue worth listening to. The sound design, especially the combat feedback, adds an extra layer of satisfaction to the gameplay.
I’m so glad you gave Hades a chance and found joy in it. It’s a testament to the game’s design that it can draw in players who might not typically enjoy this genre. I’m sure you’ll continue to have a great time exploring the depths of the Underworld and perfecting your escape strategies. Happy gaming!