Hades is Polygon’s 2020 game of the year, and with good reason.
It’s a roguelike that even people who hate roguelikes adore.
So what’s its secret?
* Painfully awkward pause *
Actually, I don’t know yet because I haven’t quite finished this script…
Look, I’ve been…
busy.
Maybe what I need is just… one more run at Hades.
Then I’ll definitely finish this video.
Back again Clayton!?
What the fuuuuu
Not surprising, since Hades’ divine gameplay makes it easy to avoid your obligations for
hours and hours...
and hours...and hours… what’s the harm in just one more room?
You know what… that’s actually a really good point!
Whether you're a skilled roguelike player or a total newbie, it’s just a ridiculously fun game to play.
And not just regular fun, but a "how's-it- already-4-in-the-morning" kinda fun.
The isometric combat is simple and satisfying: you smash buttons and kill demons with your sword.
Which would probably get boring pretty quickly, if it weren’t for all the ways you can change
your combat style.
Each of the weapons gives the fighting a little flavor from another genre,
like boxing gloves that transform it into a beat-em-up
or an ancient Grecian gun-slash-grenade launcher that turns the game into a twin stick shooter.
It gets even more customizable when you’re gifted “boons” from the Greek pantheon,
which also radically change your combat abilities.
For example, Ares’ boon transforms your basic “magic missile” into a slow moving
blood-saw, while Demeter turns it into a crystal laser turret.
These boons aren’t just +5 to attack: they completely change how you play.
One of the best boons is Athena’s reflective dash, which turns a witch fight from bullet hell
into bullet pinball.
And these upgrades alter each weapon differently, so that’s what,
6 weapons, each with 5 different boon slots, each can be filled by one of 9 God’s boons?
Is there a Greek god of math that can help me out here!?
Not you Pythagoras.
This might sound like a distressing number of choices to make, and it probably would
be, if it weren’t for the game’s roguelike structure.
This allows all your weapon decisions to be spread out, so you're never making multiple
decisions all at once.
You lock in your weapon before you even begin your run, and the Gods only ever give you
three boons to choose from.
Instead of the typical roguelike feeling of being underpowered, Hades’ boons make you
feel like a God.
Hell yeah, I got the first section done!
Maybe I should take a little nap…
right after I finish this level.
Ho ho! Not so fast there, Clayton, because you are looking at the next segment right now! It's me!
The artwork!
Except imagine that I'm, like, 400% hotter and absolutely shredded."
Okay, I may be sleepy, but I know that if I talk about the character art in this game
I’m gonna be sent straight to horny tartarus.
So... let's talk about the UI instead.
You spend a lot of time in this game looking at upgrade menus and text boxes, so it’s
a damn good thing they look so immaculate.
You can really appreciate this when you slow them down
and see them sumptuously sprawling across the screen.
Supergiant’s dedication to artistic detail makes even the boring parts of the game enjoyable.
They also make it easier to keep track of what’s going on.
The different boon powers, for example, are easy to recognize in all their wildly different forms
because of the vivid color choices that link them to their respective Olympic patrons.
Which, by the way, are drawn with such intricate detail that they feel animated…
even if they’re only static images.
This isn’t surprising considering the developer’s pedigree.
Supergiant is to gorgeous 2D character art,
as Blizzard is to...
women with this face.
They also deliberately made the character art inclusive with a multicultural pantheon,
which incidentally reflected the diversity of Ancient Greece.
The creative director reasoned that these gods represent universal concepts like wisdom
and war
and getting shwasty,
so why would they look like bleached marble statues.
And that’s all I have to say about the character art!
Yep, there isn’t anything else to say, nope!
No siree, not a thing
Not a thing too...
Okay fine, there is a legitimate reason to talk about the thirst factor:
the studio literally admitted that Art Director Jen Zee made everyone "friggin’ hot"
in order to “honor the source material”.
But it does more than that.
Roguelikes as a genre are known for being ‘hardcore,’
and that often comes through in their art direction, which can be a little...
“edgy.”
The look of Hades on the other hand is literally easy on the eyes.
So easy that fans keep making more to look at.
So… so much more.
Hades’ art is yet another way the game tries to be alluring to as many people as possible.
But you know what?
It's not the first roguelike that’s fun to play and look at…
there must be something else that that really sets it apart.
Video's lookin good buddy!
Keep fightin’ the good fight.
By the way, did I ever tell you about the time I had it out with Gary Oldman in a Hardee's parking lot?
He was carrying this 10 inch cavalry knife and...
Ah, you're busy.
I'll tell you next time.
Wait Pat, nooo! you can’t just leave a story unresolved like that, I need to know what…
happens...next.
Aha! I see what you did there.
Every time you die, you start back in the House of Hades, which gives you the chance
to speak to some of the Chthonic gods living there, and every conversation makes you care
a little bit more about the underworld and its inhabitants.
You can even honor the source material and get stuck in multiple thirst traps.
To make that happen, you need to collect a lot of Ambrosia on your runs, which gives
you yet another reason to make just one more attempt,
because maybe it’ll finally give you the resources you need to pierce Thanatos’ emotional barrier.
Just let me in!
Of course, if polyamory isn’t your thing, you can still get invested in the story of
your own character, Zagreus, and the fraught relationship between you and your father Hades.
This captivating narrative twists and turns in unexpected ways, telling a very affecting
story about how generational trauma can affect familial relationships.
The really impressive thing about this story —and every other story in Hades—
is how elegantly it fits within the roguelike structure.
The same people aren’t always in the Hall of Hades, so when you miss them for a run or two
you really are glad to see them again.
Characters also respond to the specifics of your progress, congratulating you when you’ve
defeated a boss for the first time or teasing you about your ignominious end.
The destination may stay the same, but the journey will always be a little bit different
for every player.
It’s a fresh take on storytelling that feels dynamic and unique.
And just to make sure everyone has a chance to experience it, there’s a ‘God Mode’
that can be turned on or off at any point.
It doesn’t make Zagreus all powerful – it just buffs his defense, but increases the
buff every time you die.
So less skilled players can still push through and experience the whole story.
(Audio from Switch) Can I get that last line again?
Wait, who said that!?
Oh right, I’m hallucinating!
You know you can really add a lot more punch to what you say if you add a cool
echo effect!
You know, like Jeff Bridges in Tron?
That movie where people got stuck inside a video game?
Anyway, this isn’t a cry for help, let me just adjust your levels and you're good to go!
Thanks Jeff Brid- I mean Josh, I think I hear what you’re saying! (groan)
The top tier voice acting in this game is a huge part of what turns the literally ancient
story of olympian gods into something fresh and new.
“why if that isn’t just the sweetest thing!”
Take Logan Cunningham’s portrayal of Hades.
It’s immediately iconic, the kind of voice you can hear in your head just from reading the dialogue.
“You think you can butter me up with such trifles!?”
And Darren Korb did the impossible by making Zagreus, the “bad boy prince of hell”
actually likable – which is no small feat, cause you know he could’ve sounded insufferable.
“You leave me with little choice but to make you shut up, already!”
In addition to voice acting, Korb actually composed the soundtrack – not just for Hades,
but for all of Supergiant’s games.
But this score is particularly unique, vacillating between contemplative,
“To all the plans that we made”
nostalgic,
and exciting...
all in one run.
The boss battles each have a raucous score, but none more so than the final fight.
In a battle that unites Zagreus’ narrative journey with your own sense of almost-accomplishment,
the music needs to be worthy of the drama.
(God-like heavy metal music)
Korb’s metal-inspired dirge is tonal perfection.
It begs you to let loose the rage you have at your spiteful father,
but also at the game that has handed you losses over, and over, and over again…
even though you know deep down that being reckless is the surest way to lose.
The story is impeccably written and the artwork enchanting, but it’s the voice acting and music
that really elevate it into into something sublime.
And just when you start to experience Hades’ incomparable highs…
you die.
Again.
What, you're going to get upset about dying now?
Some gamer you turned out to be.
You know, most people would be excited for another chance to pet Cerberus.
Have you even tried looking at the bright side of death?
Well Jenna-who’s-probably-a-manifestation-of-my-sleep-deprived-mind,
you make good a point!
Death is probably the biggest impediment for people who don’t really enjoy roguelikes.
Losing all your progress is supposed to embolden you, but honestly, it just kinda sucks.
Which is why Hades’ approach to dying is so radical: because it makes death
something you look forward to.
In most roguelikes, you don’t get new story unless you get farther in the dungeons than
you did last time.
But in Hades, you get tasty morsels of story regardless of how successful you were.
You’re rewarded for trying, not just succeeding.
Each resurrection is also another opportunity to talk or flirt with your fellow chthonic gods.
It’s where you experience flashbacks,
and where you keep pressing your obstinate father about his past.
But none of that can happen until you die,
so rather than losing progress, death moves you forward.
Plus whenever you bust outta the blood tub, you’re likely to be laden with gems and
tokens begging to be spent on upgrades.
Hades certainly isn’t the first roguelike with character progression, but the sheer
number of things to collect and upgrade makes every trip back to the house of hades meaningful.
There’s even fishing for gods sake!
Supergiant managed to turn the roguelike genre’s greatest pain point, death,
into something you actually enjoy.
And even if you have an embarrassingly short run, it’s okay
because Cerberus still loves you and would definitely like another good pet.
And isn’t that its own reward?
Yes!
I defeated Had- I mean I finished the script!
Now we're ready to start the video!
Let’s take it from the top!
… right after I finish this level.