Hades (2020): The Review

Overview

Hades is a masterclass in roguelike design, combining exceptional combat, meaningful progression, unforgettable characters, and brilliant storytelling into one of the most addictive games of its generation. While repetition and genre structure may still limit its appeal for some players, the game’s incredible polish, emotional depth, and endlessly satisfying gameplay loop make it one of the defining indie games of the modern era.

Score: 9 out of 10

The Positives ✅

Hades is one of those rare games that feels almost impossible to put down once it gets its hooks into you. What impressed me immediately was how effortlessly it blends fast-paced action with meaningful storytelling, two things roguelikes often struggle to balance. Most games in the genre focus so heavily on repetition and mechanical mastery that narrative becomes secondary, but Hades somehow turns repeated failure into the core of the experience. Every death feels valuable because the game constantly rewards you with new dialogue, character development, and story progression.

The combat is easily one of the strongest aspects of the game. Every weapon feels distinct, responsive, and incredibly satisfying to master. Whether I was dashing around enemies with the Twin Fists, carefully positioning spear throws, or causing complete chaos with shield builds, combat always felt fluid and aggressive in the best possible way. The boons from the Olympian gods add enormous build variety too. Runs can shift dramatically depending on which gods appear, and experimenting with combinations became addictive because the game constantly encouraged creativity instead of forcing a single “correct” playstyle.

What really elevates Hades, though, is its characters. Supergiant somehow made Greek mythology feel personal, modern, and emotionally grounded without losing the larger-than-life energy those myths are known for. Zagreus is an incredibly likable protagonist, and nearly every character, from Nyx to Achilles to Dionysus, feels memorable because of the writing and voice acting. Conversations never felt like filler to me. Even after dozens of escape attempts, I still looked forward to returning to the House of Hades just to see what characters would say next.

The presentation is phenomenal too. The art direction mixes vibrant colors with dark underworld imagery beautifully, while the soundtrack constantly fuels the intensity of combat. There are moments where the music kicks in during difficult encounters and suddenly everything clicks together perfectly , movement, attacks, visuals, rhythm, and the game becomes almost hypnotic.

And honestly, one of the most impressive things about Hades is how polished it feels. Every mechanic, menu, animation, and progression system feels carefully refined. It’s the kind of game where you can immediately tell the developers obsessed over every detail.

The Negatives ⚠️

As incredible as Hades is, the repetitive nature of the roguelike structure will still be a barrier for some players. No matter how strong the writing and progression systems are, the game fundamentally revolves around replaying the same core escape route repeatedly. The environments, enemy types, and bosses evolve somewhat over time, but eventually there’s an unavoidable sense of familiarity that settles in after enough runs.

The early progression can also feel punishing depending on your patience level. During the first several hours, repeated deaths are constant, and players unfamiliar with roguelikes may initially feel like they aren’t making meaningful progress. While the game eventually opens up significantly through upgrades and experience, there’s definitely an adjustment period where failure feels relentless.

I also felt that some weapons and builds were noticeably more enjoyable than others. Certain combinations became so powerful and satisfying that returning to weaker setups occasionally felt less exciting. While balance overall is excellent, there were moments where I found myself gravitating toward the same playstyles because they simply felt more dynamic or rewarding.

And although the story integration is brilliant, there comes a point where dialogue repetition inevitably begins appearing. The game hides repetition far better than almost any roguelike I’ve played, but after dozens and dozens of runs, small cracks eventually start to show in the conversational variety.

The final criticism is honestly less about quality and more about preference: if someone fundamentally dislikes roguelikes, Hades probably won’t completely convert them. It’s arguably one of the best executions of the genre ever made, but the structure itself remains deeply tied to repetition, mastery, and gradual progression through failure.

The Experience 🎮

Playing Hades completely consumed me for a while. It started as one of those “I’ll just do one more run” games, and before I realized it, I was staying up far too late constantly chasing better builds, stronger upgrades, and new story interactions. The game has this incredible ability to make every failure feel motivating instead of frustrating. Even when I died near the end of a run, I still felt excited to jump back in because I knew something new was waiting for me.

What surprised me most was how emotionally attached I became to the characters. I expected great combat because everyone praised it endlessly, but I didn’t expect the relationships and dialogue to become the real reason I kept playing. Over time, the House of Hades started feeling weirdly comforting despite being filled with gods, shades, and dysfunctional immortals. Watching Zagreus slowly build relationships with characters while uncovering pieces of his family’s history gave the game a warmth that most roguelikes completely lack.

The combat itself became almost therapeutic after a while. Once I fully understood the movement and dash mechanics, runs started flowing in this incredibly satisfying rhythm where every encounter felt fast, reactive, and stylish. There were moments where everything aligned perfectly, the right boons, the right weapon upgrades, the soundtrack exploding during combat, and the game genuinely felt untouchable.

At the same time, I definitely hit moments of fatigue after long play sessions. Certain areas and bosses started becoming predictable, and there were nights where repetition became more noticeable than excitement. But somehow the game always found ways to pull me back in, usually through a new dialogue interaction, weapon aspect, or build combination I hadn’t tried before.

By the end, Hades felt less like a roguelike I played casually and more like one of the most polished and emotionally engaging action games I’ve experienced in years. It’s rare for a game built around repetition to feel this alive for this long.