Small studio Supergiant games made a name for herself with a stunning debut project Bastionreleased back in 2011. Taking as a basis, it would seem, a very simple scheme of isometric action-RPG with elements of the Rogue-like genre, the developers were able to jump over their heads, creating an outstanding project where addictive gameplay, original storytelling techniques and a pleasant, unobtrusive atmosphere were tied together. This year, the studio has delighted players with a completely new IP in a familiar style. Hades, he is Hades in Russian translation, has absorbed all the qualities for which we love Supergiant Games.
As the name suggests, the new title is dedicated to ancient Greek mythology, beloved by many developers and gamers. At the same time, the authors cleverly avoided replicated clichés and templates of an already rather hackneyed setting, so that you will not be haunted by associations with the original parts. God of war and others like them. The main character is the young prince Zagreus, the son of Hades. Note that in historical sources the name Zagreus is very rare – most often it is associated with Dionysus. As the son of Hades, he is mentioned only in the drama of Aeschylus “Sisiv the Fugitive”, to which, most likely, the authors of the game referred. In Hades, Zagreus appears as a charming young rebel who dreams of escaping from his father’s house and reaching Olympus itself.
At the same time, uncles Zagreya, Zeus and Poseidon, as well as other relatives-celestials, help the prince in every possible way in his daring escape. Unlike many other interpretations of Greek mythology, the local plot is devoid of any deliberate pathos and is perceived as a kind of metaphor for real life. Zagrei, like a typical wild boy from the village, tries to get into the big city, captivated by the glitz of a rich life. The Olympic gods are shown in the game as representatives of the upper class, a kind of glamorous elite, but the inhabitants of the underworld are like simple, tired hard workers from the service sector.
The combat system in Supergiant Games’ new creation feels like Bloodborne moved to isometric perspective and accelerated two to three times. Both projects have in common the high dynamics of combat, sharp evasions, counterattacks, various types of weapons with several types of attacks, aggressive opponents, attacking groups, and so on. But conceptually, Hades went its own way – the structure of the entire game revolves around the idea of Zagreus’ escape from the Kingdom of Hades through numerous arenas filled with enemies, traps and points for upgrading the skills of the protagonist. In words, it sounds rather primitive, but one fact must be taken into account – Zagreus is given only one attempt to escape.
In case of death, you will be thrown to the starting location, which acts as a hub, which at first causes a slight shock, but do not despair – the key artifacts and resources collected during the last race are saved and can be used to improve Zagrei’s skills, as well as to buy all kinds of useful items that facilitate subsequent passage, thus, Hades predisposes to numerous replays, approaching in spirit to the classic arcades, where only after a certain time the player is able to go all the way from start to finish in one breath.
It is important to note that arenas and their sequence are always re-created randomly, updating the number and level of enemies, preventing the game from sliding into a monotonous grind. In addition, in addition to permanent improvements, during the clearing of arenas, you collect temporary bonuses, gifts from the Olympic gods, adding new types of attacks, special techniques, passive skills, and more. After death, this card deck of skills is discarded, and you start all over again, as a result of which each new attempt allows you to build an absolutely unique character build. Perhaps, in words, some of the above game design decisions seem controversial, but all questions disappear thanks to a truly addictive gameplay that makes you return to the game again and again, and you can enjoy the process both during long game sessions and savoring Zagreya’s journey in small portions. Taking into account the numerous secrets, various fighting styles, variability of the level structure and combinations of the protagonist’s skills, the duration of the game can grow to tens of hours.
