*Game Concept
*
Although the name is Hades, in the game "Hades" refers to the underworld, and the protagonist is Hades' son - in the game, the player will play as the character named Zagreus, with the intention of escaping from hell and reuniting with his birth mother, returning to Mount Olympus. To achieve this, he needs to take up arms and conquer hell, ultimately facing his father, Hades the lord of the underworld, to get out of the underworld. In the game, the player-controlled character will collect blessings from various Olympian gods, and through repeated deaths and escapes, accumulate new resources, unlock different weapon forms, and unravel the mysteries of their family.
Highlights:
The Greek mythology theme is very appealing. The various characters in the game are real gods from Greek mythology, and players can learn a bit about their stories in Greek myths through the relationships between the protagonist and other characters, or even by killing monsters to understand the background of certain weapons in Greek myths. Players can also give gifts to characters to gain keepsakes, increasing the gods' favor and learning deeper details, or even going on dates with male and female characters. With the backdrop of Greek mythology, the gods are more like powerful humans, so this setting is a wise choice for exploring ethics, conflicts, and contradictions between the gods.
*Gameplay Mechanics
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Randomness
This is a roguelike game, so its levels have a high degree of randomness, including enemies, combat maps, buffs obtained, and even random bosses. This random gameplay is a reason why roguelikes are so enjoyable. When you enter a buff room, you never know if you'll face a horde of monsters, a room full of healing fountains, or a room with an NPC. You also can't know what kind of enhancements the god you choose will give you. When you replay levels many times, the bosses you face may even be different from previous ones. This randomness becomes a driving force for players since each run features new elements. Hades' ending requires completing multiple runs, so this random gameplay is especially important.
Combat, Buffs, and Debuffs
The combat experience in this game is very smooth and satisfying. Players can choose from six different weapons with corresponding attack styles to complete levels. The combos are fluid and impactful, with regular attacks, special attacks, throwing attacks, and the ability to summon gods for support. When you enter a room and kill all the monsters, you'll receive a corresponding room buff, such as healing or a god's blessing that enhances certain attack styles. The debuffs come into play when you've completed a run, and subsequent runs increase the difficulty by giving the player debuffs and buffing the enemies for a greater challenge. Some buffs last for a number of encounters, some persist for the entire game, and some may first debuff the player before providing a buff. Overall, there are numerous combat mechanics and variations.
Resource Acquisition
During gameplay, choosing rooms containing resources like keys or gift ambrosia allows you to unlock weapons, gain buffs through keepsakes, and more. Money earned from killing monsters can purchase healing items and god blessings. Choosing rooms with Darkness crystals provides permanent stat upgrades. Rooms with gems offer beneficial effects. You accumulate resources through repeated adventures and battles in the underworld, and after dying, all items except money carry over, so each death makes you stronger.
Art and Music
The game's character designs use a Western art style, accurately depicting the gods' chiseled features and human forms in exquisite detail. While referencing ancient Greek paintings and sculptures, the designs also have an original twist, such as unique skin tones and hairstyles for characters like Megaera and Hypnos. The architecture evokes a sense of grand yet ominous underworld majesty fitting for Greek design. The game's background music and voice acting are also highlights - the music has a tight rhythm, with an impactful battle soundtrack, especially the haunting BGM in the hall of Hades, evoking the solemn atmosphere of the underworld lord judging souls. The voice acting is exceptional, perfectly capturing each character's persona in a pleasing way.
Overall Review:
True Helltaker
In this game, players can experience the genuine thrill of conquering hell. The combat effects are intense and visually stunning. Each of the six weapons (bow, sword, fists, gun, shield, spear) has different unlockable forms, and the developers created numerous combos combining regular and special attacks. I preferred using fists and guns, especially the ranged gun attacks for satisfying bombardment—take that, modern technology! The sound effects for killing enemies are also immensely satisfying, especially the impactful feel of punches and spears piercing through flesh and objects, really getting you pumped up. While dying frequently is inevitable in this type of game, your belongings (except money) carry over after death to upgrade your character's talents, making you stronger with each attempt to conquer hell and ultimately defeat its ruler in a truly gratifying experience.
Enriching the Story Through Multiple Challenges
The developers employed a clever trick to motivate players to keep challenging the game—essentially, roguelikes have relatively short level sequences, so randomness is a major factor in sustaining gameplay. However, beyond that, the story and setting also compel players to keep playing. On my first completed run, I didn't get the full story—the prince of the underworld meets his mother, then dies again, suggesting I needed to continue playing to truly reunite with my family. Learning the background of weapons, enemies, and each Olympian god also requires killing certain enemy types or exchanging keepsakes for lore, providing impetus to progress further.
Wondrous Gameplay Beyond the Roguelike
While primarily a roguelike, this game hides many delightful features beyond the main path, like construction, pet raising, fishing, and even dating. Outside of the main story, the game is remarkably rich in optional content. I particularly enjoyed searching for fish in the lava lakes of the Asphodel Meadows over combat, and petting the adorable three-headed Cerberus pup in the hall of Hades is its own joy. Many achievements are tied to these whimsical activities, like unlocking new construction areas.
Overall Rate
Game Setting: 9
Art & Music: 9 (Art 5, Music 4)
Gameplay: 9
Overall: 9/10
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