Hades - roguelike action dungeon crawler from Supergiant Games

[Infinitum]

+5 Zagreus Gauntlets, Max Ruthess Reflex from the mirror of night and spam Hermes for extra Dodge and the Sturdy buff after dodging. Dodge-attack spamming will see you dodge most attacks outright, buffing your naked dodge chance to 65% + whatever you get from Hermes, and the Sturdy procs will cut any damage that gets through by a further 30%. Maybe add the Hermes keepsake for even more dodge chance, otherwise Cerberus until you get [redacted] after the true ending. Offensively, just go with whatever. Stacking Zeus attack boons probably gives you the highest damage output overall, or stack Aphrodite for a further 30-40% damage reduction through Weak.

Relatively attainable EZ mode, and how I managed to get the 32-heat statue in a few tries. Ignore the Special button, as it leaves you vulnerable to getting hit, and with proper attack buffs the extra damage synergies you can build is offset by the raw damage output of just attacking some more.

I like the game. Presentation is fantastic (if very much the PG-13 variety of the greek pantheon), and gameplay is enjoyable if simplistic (spam attack dodge and watch everything disappear under a cloud of particle effects and damage numbers).

 

[Gamezor]

It makes me sad that the actual definition of rogue like will be permanently ruined with the popularity of this game.

 

[Luka-boy]

Come on lads, at least post the soundtrack.

 

[Tigranes]

It makes me sad that the actual definition of rogue like will be permanently ruined with the popularity of this game.

It's been "ruined" for quite some time. There are a million roguelites and not-even-roguelites, etc. I'm OK with a world where there's this game, there's Hollow Knight, etc.

 

[Shackleton]

Think I'm getting close to being done with this game now. After almost 100 runs and 70+ hours I can pretty much get through it every time. I've seen the epilogue and only have a few achievements relating to higher heat to get, which tbh I don't think I'll bother with.

Still enjoy the combat, but it has finally got a bit stale. There's still challenge with extra heat, but it doesn't make the mobs more interesting to fight anymore, just means you can make less mistakes and get less choices. It's a fantastic game, well worth the money and easily my favourite of the Supergiant library.

 

[Gamezor]

It makes me sad that the actual definition of rogue like will be permanently ruined with the popularity of this game.

It's been "ruined" for quite some time. There are a million roguelites and not-even-roguelites, etc. I'm OK with a world where there's this game, there's Hollow Knight, etc.

It seems like it got worse lately. I know the definition can be fuzzy but surely a game should at least have to be turn based?Whatever, the battle has been lost.

 

[Citizen]

It seems like it got worse lately. I know the definition can be fuzzy but surely a game should at least have to be turn based?Whatever, the battle has been lost.

The recent definition of rogue-like is something along the lines of "you restart after death but keep some progress to help you in further playthroughs" which is a much important part of the genre than being TURNBASED and having SQUARE TILES

 

[Peachcurl]

The "keep some progress"-variants are often distinguished via the term rogue-lite.

Anyways, if you restrict the genre to turn-based and tile movement, it is as good as extinct.

 

[prodigydancer]

It's a nice game but there's no way someone like me could beat the last boss - not even in a billion years. My mind breaks when too many things happen at once in real time. It's difficult to describe. I can make a build that destroys everything else. I know what to do but I can't do it because at some point my brain can no longer process the scene quickly enough. The first phase is still doable (just barely) but the second phase is pure nightmare.

I wish they made Hades an optional super-hard boss because it sucks to hit a brick wall at the very end.

 

[Shackleton]

It's a nice game but there's no way someone like me could beat the last boss - not even in a billion years. My mind breaks when too many things happen at once in real time. It's difficult to describe. I can make a build that destroys everything else. I know what to do but I can't do it because at some point my brain can no longer process the scene quickly enough. The first phase is still doable (just barely) but the second phase is pure nightmare.

I wish they made Hades an optional super-hard boss because it sucks to hit a brick wall at the very end.

Keep at it. The second phase is actually easier than the first when you get used to it as he doesn't summon mobs apart from the floating skulls and he doesn't disappear. Only uses the lasers that are easy to hide from behind the two columns and shoots the skulls that by that stage should be easy to kill or just dodge the waves. If you've got a couple of death defiances left when going into the boss room you should be able to get him with just about any weapon. Honestly, I was like you at first but practice really does make perfect. There's really not that much going on, just spear slash, skull popping or laser spam. Ofc the green vases at 1/3 and 2/3 but they are almost inconsequential.

Or just use the shield and hold X to turtle. Bonus easy mode if you find Demeter's boon that heals you if you have no Death Defiances left.

 

[Peachcurl]

Agreed, the second phase also seems easier to me. Far from unbeatable. Although for some people it may require a good dose of luck, in the sense of finding a good set of boons and upgrades that fit to your playstyle.

But... the one thing that annoys me about the boss fights (and this actually goes beyond Hades, it's fairly common in many RPGs), is that they tend to be immune to things that are incredibly powerful throughout most of the game. Here, it is especially the knockback effects. In other games it's stun effects, action interrupts, and so on.

I hate that aspect of boss fight design.

 

[prodigydancer]

The second phase is actually easier than the first when you get used to it as he doesn't summon mobs apart from the floating skulls and he doesn't disappear.

Yes, that's what makes it impossible. Because dealing with a limited number of trash mobs is trivial and when he disappears you get a moment of respite.

Only uses the lasers that are easy to hide from behind the two columns and shoots the skulls that by that stage should be easy to kill or just dodge the waves.

Dodge where? Into the beam of death or into an urn than explodes for 30 damage?

There's really not that much going on, just spear slash, skull popping or laser spam. Ofc the green vases at 1/3 and 2/3 but they are almost inconsequential.

In my game he can summon the vases whenever he wants. And they're far from inconsequential because they severely limit your movement and positioning options.

 

[Peachcurl]

Dodge where? Into the beam of death or into an urn than explodes for 30 damage?

Dodge behind the pillars. You can even shoot over those pillars with the rail gun special. And if it is the 3-Beam laser only: dodge straight through Hades, his turning speed is fairly low.

And try to kill the vases when they occur, to give yourself some space

 

[Shackleton]

In my game he can summon the vases whenever he wants. And they're far from inconsequential because they severely limit your movement and positioning options.

You know they die with any damage right? And the grasping hands spawn a second after you destroy them? You can just dash through them if you have Athena's dash, (which you really should if you're struggling to beat Hades.) If you just run around them Hades will kill them himself with his spear and they'll damage him more than you.

I'd go with the shield to get that first win under your belt. Face the right way and holding X blocks everything.

 

[prodigydancer]

I'd go with the shield to get that first win under your belt. Face the right way and holding X blocks everything.

Shield forces you to either go melee or have a very low DPS. In the context of this fight it's either a fast suicide or a slow and agonizing one. I had more luck with a bow in the first phase, but the second phase is, of course, still completely impossible for a guy like me.

 

[Sjukob]

I'd go with the shield to get that first win under your belt. Face the right way and holding X blocks everything.

Shield forces you to either go melee or have a very low DPS. In the context of this fight it's either a fast suicide or a slow and agonizing one. I had more luck with a bow in the first phase, but the second phase is, of course, still completely impossible for a guy like me.

 

[prodigydancer]

700 HP and 20 boons, really? On my last run I had 320 HP and 15 boons.

Well, if it's all about grinding Darkness until you can buy enough mirror bonuses to get into some crazy 700 HP builds territory, then OK.

 

[Shackleton]

I like dead cells. Although that is 2D but Hades kind of is as well.

Just to bookmark my posts in this thread, I've now been playing Dead Cells compulsively since finishing Hades. It's similar enough that anyone who liked this game should try it out. Helps that's it's free on Gamepass. Brofist Riddler for the suggestion.

 

[Tigranes]

prodigydancer Rather than some fundamental problem, it just sounds like you haven't figured out how to beat the boss. As people have said, hide behind the snow pillar in the centre of the map for the 360' attack - guaranteed zero damage. Do the same for the three-beam or just dash behind him. Hit the urns from range when they spawn, at least a couple of them, so that you have a safe area. All simple steps and then you have a very straightforward path to winning.

I don't even know how it's possible to get 700hp, you can comfortably win with 150-200hp. You definitely don't need all the mirror upgrades, though obviously the 3 Defiances upgrade is super helpful crutch against making mistakes.

Counting number of boons is a weird way to estimate. It's not about having 10 or 20 boons. You can have a killer setup with 5 boons if you happened to get the ones you need. Hell, you can even kill the boss without breaking a sweat with only dash (Sea Storm for instance) and without any attack/special/cast/aid boons.

 

[Tavar]

So, I beat the final boss after 18 tries and the ending is beyond disappointing. There is supposed to be a true ending which you get after beating the game ten times, but I can't be arsed to do that. Overall, I think the game is good, but very RNG-based and with very little content. I cannot understand why it is that well received by both critics and users. It is competently done and fun for a few hours, but nothing special. 20€ is too much from my point of view, 10€ would be fine.

 

[Tyranicon]

So, I bet the final boss after 18 tries and the ending is beyond disappointing. There is supposed to be a true ending which you get after beating the game ten times, but I can't be arsed to do that. Overall, I think the game is good, but very RNG-based and with very little content. I cannot understand why it is that well received by both critics and users. It is competently done and fun for a few hours, but nothing special. 20€ is too much from my point of view, 10€ would be fine.

I'll probably be chewed out for this, but the strength of the story and dialogue is the main seller here. If those are not what you look for in this particular type of game, Hades is probably not worth it.

Mechanically, Hades is high on RNG and lucking into good builds/rare boons. Chaos shield with full Zeus stack will let you demolish the game. Just cleared heat 20 full extreme measures with what essentially is an easy button. Not sure if I want to grind all the way to 32.

 

[Theodora]

Skill Up finally covered it.



Few small spoilers about the narrative direction, bosses etc.

 

[prodigydancer]

prodigydancer Rather than some fundamental problem, it just sounds like you haven't figured out how to beat the boss.

Like I said, I wish the difficulty of the end boss fight were a little more in line with the rest of the game (which is very much doable for a regular person like me). Why not? There's heat meter and any uber-fast-reaction e-sports champion can crank it up as much as they like.

As people have said, hide behind the snow pillar in the centre of the map for the 360' attack - guaranteed zero damage.

Hades spin attack hits right through it. I'm a bit surprised that people ITT insist on saying things that are just plain incorrect. Maybe I'm the only here who actually plays the damn game? Now that would explain a lot...

 

[Tigranes]

prodigydancer Rather than some fundamental problem, it just sounds like you haven't figured out how to beat the boss.

Like I said, I wish the difficulty of the end boss fight were a little more in line with the rest of the game (which is very much doable for a regular person like me). Why not? There's heat meter and any uber-fast-reaction e-sports champion can crank it up as much as they like.

As people have said, hide behind the snow pillar in the centre of the map for the 360' attack - guaranteed zero damage.

Hades spin attack hits right through it. I'm a bit surprised that people ITT insist on saying things that are just plain incorrect. Maybe I'm the only here who actually plays the damn game? Now that would explain a lot...

People keep telling you stuff and you keep whining. Maybe stop and wonder if you're the wrong one when we've all been chilling by the pillar for dozens of clears.

This dude plays weirdly and doesn't even use it, but 4:44 timestamp shows it.
https://youtu.be/igeAJodGEXY?t=284

Remember kids, wash your hands, eat your vegetables, and don't double down when you're a moron.

 

[toro]

So, I bet the final boss after 18 tries and the ending is beyond disappointing. There is supposed to be a true ending which you get after beating the game ten times, but I can't be arsed to do that. Overall, I think the game is good, but very RNG-based and with very little content. I cannot understand why it is that well received by both critics and users. It is competently done and fun for a few hours, but nothing special. 20€ is too much from my point of view, 10€ would be fine.

woke agenda approved developer.