I am writing this review during the Steam Summer Sale 2026, and that reminds me of last year’s Summer Sale, when I purchased this game. And HOLY SHIT, what a game! Ican’t say much but a few things:
First, the mechanic. I haven’t played a lot of roguelike action RPGs with a hack-and-slash combat system. So, I don’t know if Hades blows an avid gamer’s mind out there. But, for a casual gamer like me—who prefers story and enjoyment over challenges, it sure does blow mine. I mean, the story-driven DEATH and respawn mean each play becomes a different kind of maze that challenges you to solve. The temporary power-up system, while doing math and leaning into luck, sure takes a certain degree of mental strain. Fortunately, the strain can be released through continuously mashing the X and A buttons, dashing and slashing. Each death frustrates me, yet I had so much fun!
I think the mechanic is on par with the nemesis system. That being said, fuck you, Warner Bros Games!
The second thing I want to highlight is the art direction. By God, they are gorgeous! I am not much of a 2-D character guy, but I am starting to be one with this game. My bisexual panic flares each time these assholes of a pantheon member appear with a dialogue box. They are attractive, alright!
The striking visuals also include the environmental design. The art feels regal, yet fun. Kudos to all the artists involved.
Last but not least, the story. It was a simple story, a literal hero’s journey. Zagreus wants to get out of Hell, then meets adversity: his own father, Hades. As the Ruler of Hell, Hades went all-out to stop Zagreus from getting to the surface. Yet, it is far from monomythic! Each death drives the story onward. Change Zagreus’ motivation. Affecting the journey deeply. The lore and the character were getting fleshed out by each respawn. It has layers! It makes you care with each failure. It makes me do MATH in my head in order to WIN.
Gah! I love this game. Best game I played in 2025, honestly. Can’t wait to be able to afford Hades II, (insert cursing government here).
Meanwhile, can’t say anything yet about Blasphemous. It has been a year since I started playing the game, and haven’t finished it because I constantly died. Oh well.
| Name | : Hades |
| Year | : 2020 |
| Publisher | : Supergiant Games |
| Verdict | : Insanely fun. Pray that you got either Poseidon, Zeus, or Ares boons! |
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