Originally released on the Nintendo Switch and PC in 2020, Supergiant Games’ super smash had a chorus of complaint that it was not across all formats. Now, a few months later the game gets an all access update so that many more thumb warriors can try to escape from hell.
Players run the full gamut of near endless dungeons as Zagreus, son of Hades, as he tries to strike out from the shadow of his overbearing father.
Zagreus must interact, in ever shifting narratives with a veritable who’s who of Olympus and the Greek ancient world, including Zeus, Athena, Achilles, and Medusa.
Played out in a manner that looks more familiar to RPG’s, Hades is fast-paced and challenging, nodding to stylish action games like Devil May Cry, Bayonetta or Nier: Automata, there’s myriad character beats and upgrades to be discovered.
You’ll need to sink a LOT of hours into completing Hades, and, if we are being frank, and we are loathe to use too many Greek allegories, there is a huge element of the Sisyphean to re-running the halls again and again, yet the variety of weapons and method of attacks and defense means that you will have that ‘one more go’ itch (please see a pharmacist if that persists)
One of the few elements that helps a game have an individual identity is the appearance and here is where Hades’ pixels excel. Wonderful flourishes and smooth animation make this seem like you are playing a cartoon at times.
So when the gameplay ties your thumbs up in knots, at least it looks good while you cramp up.
Hades is out now across all formats.
